iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear

Ghost in the iMachine: Spooky Tech Stories

As much as we love technology, we have always been suspicious of it. You only need to look to our horror stories to understand that: from 2001: A Space Odyssey to The Ring to M3GAN, we are captivated by the idea of what happens when technology turns on us. Even Frankenstein, considered by many the first true science-fiction story, is about the dangers inherent in toying with technology whose consequences we can’t fully understand.

How to Organize Your Calendar in 2025

(Sponsored Post) By Amy Spitzfaden Both on Thu, 10/31/2024

Apple is pretty good about updating its products, but it seems to have forgotten about the Calendar app and its many downsides. The makers of Informant 5, on the other hand, do not forget to regularly improve their app based on user experience. The latest updates to this calendar and task-management app are a productivity game-changer.

I recently wrote an article on how to turn on Two-Factor Authentication on your iPhone for better security. Apple introduced this feature in iOS 10 And then, with the release of iOS 11, iPhone users were automatically upgraded from Apple's less secure Two-Step Verification feature. Apple ID Two-Factor Authentication requires the use of multiple devices. For example, if you get a new iPhone, when you log into your Apple ID account for the first time, you’ll need to use your Mac, iPad, or old iPhone to receive a six digit Apple verification code to confirm that it’s you logging in and not some stranger trying to access your account on a random device. This is important since your Apple ID is used for everything from storing personal photos to making purchases with your credit card. However, if you don’t feel the need to use this feature, you can use this tip to turn Two-Factor Authentication off. Be careful though, your Apple ID account wil be significantly less secure and you may not be able to use Apple Pay Cash and other Apple features when you turn off Two-Factor Authentication.

What is two-factor authentication?

What is two-factor authentication? Two-factor authentication, also called 2FA, is a way to verify Apple IDs and keep your devices and data safe. I'll cover how to set up two-factor authentication if you don't have it on by default. You may be wondering how to turn off two-factor authentication. Unfortunately, that is no longer possible, but I'll explain why Apple ID verification codes are vital to your digital security!

Apple Maps got a lot of improvement with iOS 10, but one area in which it’s still behind Google Maps is transportation options when getting directions. Unfortunately, you still can’t get bicycle direction on Apple Maps. However, you can find a bicycle route in Google Maps. Luckily, you can easily use Google Maps to get great bicycle directions on your iPhone; here’s how.

How to Name Your Alarms on iPhone

Many people have different alarms for different days. Maybe you need to get up at 5:30 a.m. for work, but like to sleep in until 8 a.m. on the weekends. Maybe you want to remind yourself why you set an alarm when it goes off. Never fear: you can name your alarms for that extra boost, or to remind you which one you need to use that day. Here’s how to label alarms on your iPhone.

This was a huge WWDC keynote event. Apple spent a solid two-and-a-half hours debuting all of the new operating systems and quite a few products too. It was a truly stunning event that included a look at the upcoming iOS 11, WatchOS 4, tvOS 11, and MacOS High Sierra. Apple also debuted its whole new line iMacs, Macbooks, and iPad Pros. And last but certainly not least, Apple revealed its Amazon Echo & Google Home competitor: HomePod, which is designed to work not only as a virtual assistant but also as an incredible home sound system. Apple definitely made up for not having a spring event. I think it’s safe to say that the company realizes there are huge expectations upon it this year, and Apple is showing the world that it’s prepared to deliver in a big way.

By default on Mac, iTunes opens automatically when you plug your iPhone or iPad into your computer. If you have a Mac, the Photos app will also automatically open. But for many people this causes a lot of problems, including computer freezes. Luckily, you can disable iTunes auto launch pretty easily. We’ll go over how to stop iTunes from opening automatically when your iPhone is connected as well as how to disable Photos auto launch when your iPhone is connected. You’ll need to change these settings on your computer, so have it ready. 

How to Sync Kindle with iPhone & iPad

One of my favorite features of my Kindle tablet and the Kindle app on my iPhone and iPad is the ability to read a book on one device, then pick up a different device, open the book and continue reading from the same place. I tend to use my Kindle Paperwhite at home for morning reading, then I use the Kindle app on my iPhone for reading during my commute or when standing in line at the coffee shop. If this feature (called Whispersync) wasn’t enabled, I’d have to constantly remember what page I’m on. Here’s how to sync the Kindle app on the iPhone or iPad.

voiceover iphone top image

Apple's accessibility feature known as VoiceOver can be quite unruly if you're not used to it. It fundamentally changes the way you interact with your iPhone, and therefore most people tend to stay away. However, we discovered a way to enable VoiceOver temporarily just to have it read text on your phone screen aloud when you need it and quickly turn it off right afterward. It may sound complicated, but it's so simple and fun! Here's how to set it up!

Share Events from Your iPhone Calendar in Seconds

Sharing events on your iPhone calendar with contacts can increase productivity at work, make get-togethers with friends easier to plan, and consolidate your upcoming events on your iPhone calendar for easy access. But how do you share events on the iPhone calendar? Follow the steps below to send an iPhone calendar invite to a group of contacts using your iPhone calendar app.

How to Customize Your iPhone Dock

By Mark Struczewski

Did you know that you can customize your dock? You can place your favorite apps in the dock for easy access anytime. There are some default apps in your dock, but if you use different apps most frequently, you may want to move them to the dock. I am also going to tell you how I have my iPhone dock set up and why. I invite you to share what apps you have in your dock. Just know that there are no right or wrong answers here. Here's how to customize your iPhone dock. 

With social media apps that encourage the sharing of iPhone photos, such as Instagram, vsco, snapchat, tumblr, and even Facebook, becoming popular and staying at the top of the App Store charts, pictures have yet again wormed their way into the center of our lives. Whether it's adventures, triumphs, or tribulations; so much of our lives can be portrayed in a single snapshot. It can be hard for beginners to find the best iPhone photo editng apps to edit and share the perfect still of the moment. Lucky for you I've found the four most helpful photo apps for iPhone to meet your photography needs:

In the past, when a stranger on Facebook sent you a message, you didn't receive a notification the way you would with messages from friends. These messages used to be filtered into a section of Facebook Messages called the Other Inbox, but now Facebook has split the Other Inbox into two separate areas: Message Requests and Filtered. The Message Requests Inbox is for messages from people you've communicated with in the past, although you might not be friends with them on Facebook. The Filtered Inbox is for completely unknown senders. There’s actually an easy (though unintuitive) way to access your hidden messages. Most of the time, these messages aren't important. But every now and then, there’s a message you need or want to read. Here’s how to view your hidden Facebook messages on iPhone.

Add a Grid to Your iPhone Camera for Better Photos (iOS 17)

Do you want to level the horizon in a photo? Or maybe you're wondering how to take more interesting photos? For both cases, you can set gridlines to display in your Camera app, allowing you to take level photos and leverage the oh-so-powerful rule of thirds for strong photo compositions. We'll explain the rule of thirds and cover how to enable the grid in your Camera settings. 

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