Whether you're checking for software compatibility or trading in your old iMac, you need to know how to find your specific device information. In this article, we'll cover the easiest methods to identify your iMac (even if it is not working or you don't have it with you). To make the process easier, we've also included a list of all iMac versions.
How-To
Whether you're checking for software compatibility or buying a new Mac mini, you need to know your specific device information. In this article, we'll cover the easiest methods to identify your Mac mini (even if it is not working or you don't have it with you). To make the process easier, we've also included a list of all Mac mini versions. Read on to learn how to identify your Mac mini.
If you’ve just bought your first Apple product, whether you’re switching from Android or finally cracking and purchasing your first smartphone, you’ll need to set up an Apple ID. Your Apple ID is the account that you use to access all things Apple; iTunes, the App Store, iCloud, Apple Music, iMessage, FaceTime, and more. In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know to create an Apple ID and make sure your account is secure, as well as where and how you can use your Apple ID. We’ll also help you troubleshoot some common problems and issues with your Apple ID including changing the ID, changing the password, what to do if you forgot your Apple ID, what to do if you get the Apple ID disabled error message, and more. Let’s dig in.
How to Move Apps In & Out of the Mac Dock
By Olena Kagui
The Mac Dock is the menu bar usually found at the bottom of your screen containing various apps. Every Mac comes with a pre-set list of Apple's most popular apps. While every app in the Dock has its purpose, each user has unique needs and preferences. Learn how to move apps as needed to have a custom Dock that works for you.
What MacBook Do I Have? How to Identify Your MacBook Model & Year
By Erin MacPherson
Do you have your eye on a new MacBook, but you want to be sure which model you have before you upgrade? Maybe you want to make sure your MacBook will be compatible with certain software updates, or you just need your MacBook serial number to use when chatting with Apple Support. We'll walk you through several quick ways to find out which MacBook model you have.
How to Clean a MacBook Safely but Thoroughly
By Olena Kagui
A clean computer looks better, works better, and can even have a positive impact on your productivity. Learn how to clean a MacBook screen, keyboard, and ports. Using safe cleaning products correctly can protect your device in the long run. Make sure to use the right tools during MacBook cleaning and learn how to find professional help when necessary.
iPhone Frozen? How to Hard Reset iPhone X
By Conner Carey
If your iPhone X is stuck on the Apple logo, a spinning wheel, a completely black screen, or otherwise frozen, one quick method for getting everything back to normal is a force restart. There are lots of different names people call this procedure; a hard restart, force shutdown, a hard reset, or even a hard reboot. What all these terms refer to, though, is the same thing; forcing your iPhone to turn off in such a way that it has to completely reboot when you turn it back on. This iPhone X reboot allows your device to restart with refreshed memory and, hopefully, minus the glitches. This isn't something you want to do every time you turn off your iPhone; it’s more of a last resort when your iPhone is acting wonky or freezes completely. A hard reset is a bit more complicated on the iPhone X than on other iPhones, so let's learn how to reboot your iPhone X. We've also covered other methods for unfreezing all iPhone models, so check that out if you'd like as well.
How to Force Quit a Mac If It’s Frozen
By Leanne Hays
You can force restart your iMac or MacBook if it freezes. Using force quit is the last option you should try if your Mac is frozen, because you may lose work you haven't saved. If possible, shut down your Mac by opening the Apple menu and choosing Shut Down. If your cursor won't move, though, here's how to force quit and restart a Mac.
How to Search a Page in Safari on Your iPhone
By Conner Carey
Have you ever used Find on your computer to search for a word on a web page? It’s incredibly useful when looking for something specific among a lot of text. Wouldn't it be great to know how to search for a word on a web page on your phone too? While you can't do Command-F or Control-F on your iPhone, there is a way to search a webpage in Safari on the iPhone called Find on Page. You can use Find on Page to search a web page for the information you’re looking for. Here’s how to use Safari search on the iPhone.
How to Add an On-Screen Home Button to Your iPhone X
By Conner Carey
The beautiful edge-to-edge display of the iPhone X leaves no room for a Home button. But if you find yourself missing the old Home button, you can add an on-screen Home button to your iPhone X screen thanks to the accessibility features. This is actually something that anyone with an iPhone can do, and it comes in handy if you have an older iPhone with a broken Home button. For iPhone X users, however, it’s the only way to retrieve the lost Home button. It’s not for everyone, but it’s great for those who want it. Here’s how to add an on-screen Home button to your iPhone X.
Did you just upgrade your iPhone to a new model with no Home button? The most common question we hear from users new to the no-home-button "club" is how to find the Home screen on an iPhone without that button. I encountered this issue with my iPhone 11 and was stuck Googling "How do I get to my iPhone 11 Home screen?" So I'm here to help, and hopefully to make it easier for you to feel comfortable with the new way to navigate home on your iPhone without a Home button. Here’s how to get to the Home screen on iPhone XR, XS, X, 11, and more.
How to Control F on iPhone: Spotlight Search 101
By Conner Carey
A fast search using Spotlight can help you find anything on your iPhone. It is equivalent to pressing the Control and F keys on a computer. Spotlight Search can help you find apps, text messages, and even photos. I’ll walk you through doing a quick search to find anything that’s on your phone!
How to Back Up Your iPhone to a Mac without iTunes
By Cullen Thomas
It’s official. Apple has killed off iTunes, marking the end of its oldest and most iconic piece of software. Beginning with macOS 10.15 (Catalina), iTunes is no more, prompting many to ask: How do I back up my iPhone without iTunes? The answer is simple: You can back up your iPhone in Catalina or later by using Finder on your Mac and, of course, you can back up your iPhone to iCloud. This article covers both options.
How to Stop Apps Disappearing from Your iPhone
By August Garry
Have you ever gone to use an app you haven’t touched in a long time, only to find that the app has disappeared? The good news is you’re not losing your mind: Apple occasionally offloads apps it doesn’t think you’re using anymore. The better news is that you haven’t lost any data stored in the app (you only need to reinstall to get it back), and the best news is that it's easy to prevent your iPhone from unloading unused apps in the future. Let’s go over how.
How to Hide Purchased Apps & Books on an iPhone
By Amy Spitzfaden Both
While family sharing can be a useful way to consolidate your family's tech, there can be many reasons why you might want to hide app or e-book purchases. Some apps have credit card information you might not want to give your kids access to, and other apps may have content suitable for some family members but not others. Whatever your reason is for wishing to hide certain app or book purchases from Family Sharing, it is possible to do. First, here's how to hide app purchases, followed by how to hide book purchases.
How to Change Your Default Kindle Device on iPhone or iPad
By Conner Carey
When you purchase a new Kindle book, it’s automatically delivered to your default device. You can send e-books you’ve purchased to any or all of your devices, but only your default device will receive it automatically. While you may simply be able to view your Kindle Cloud on your device and download the book for reading there, you may not want to go through that process each time you get a new book if you know for certain where you’re going to end up reading it. For some, books get read on iPhone or iPad, since it’s a device that’s often or always with you. Regardless of whether you want your iPhone, iPad, or Kindle device to be your default, here’s how to change where new Kindle books are sent.
How to Share Kindle Books with Your Friends and Family When You Don’t Have Amazon Prime
By Conner Carey
Do you really want to borrow a Kindle book that a friend owns? Chances are, that friend can loan you her Kindle book for 14 days, so long as she hasn’t lent it to anyone previously. Welcome to the not-so-wide world of sharing Kindle books. There are a few points you should keep in mind before you loan Kindle books and a couple more if you’ll be borrowing a Kindle book. We’ll go over everything you need to know including how to share a Kindle book, how to borrow and return a Kindle book, and which Kindle books you can share and for how long. Let’s get to it: here’s how to share Kindle books with your friends and family.
How To Update Kindle Books on Your iPhone
By Leanne Hays
One of the best features of digital books, besides their incredible helpfulness in saving space, is their ability to be updated. When corrections and changes need to be made, Amazon can simply send the updated content to your Kindle. But how can Kindle owners manage their Kindle settings to make sure these automatic updates happen? We've already gone over how to buy Kindle books on your iPhone or iPad and how to delete them on the Kindle app or a Kindle device. Now, let's go over how to manage your Kindle settings to make sure your e-books are automatically updated so you can have all the most current versions of your Kindle content!
How to Create a Shared Music Playlist with Apple SharePlay
By Ashleigh Page
Apple SharePlay is a new feature that allows you to play movies and music during your FaceTime calls. It's fun to listen to music together, and even more so when everyone can add their favorite tunes. Let's cover how to play music on FaceTime and make a shared playlist.
How to Convert Pages to Word in Three Clicks
By Amy Spitzfaden Both
If you're a Mac user who needs a file to be compatible with Microsoft Word, converting a file from Pages to Docx might seem daunting. Turns out, it's actually super easy to do! File converters might vie for your attention, but all you need to do is click three times when your Pages document is open, and you'll be good to go. Let's learn how to convert a Pages document to Word.