The iPhone Magnifier gets a big upgrade in iOS 14. Photo: Ed Hardy/Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
A handy digital magnifying glass to replace reading glasses has been buried in the iPhone for many years. With iOS 14, it becomes a lot easier to find. And there are some fantastic new features.
Here’s how to use the Magnifier on iPhone. And iPad, too.
A simple settings change is all that's needed. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Apple’s newest iOS 14 beta makes it so that the “hidden” folder inside the Photos app no longer appears by default. But there is a quick and easy way to get it back. We’ll show you how.
It's not gone completely ... yet. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Fortnite is currently banned from the App Store following a big fallout between Apple and Epic Games. But for some players, that doesn’t mean it’s gone from iPhone and iPad for good.
So long as you’ve downloaded Fortnite at least once before, it’s still possible to re-download it today. We’ll show you how to do it.
You'll need a microSD card reader. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Buying a new Nintendo Switch memory card, or simply worried you might one day lose all your precious save data? Back up your Switch to your Mac for peace of mind and easy save transfers. We’ll show you how.
Safari Private Browsing is less private than you think. Here’s how to change that. Photo: Killian Bell/Ed Hardy
Push a button in Safari and you’re in Private Browsing Mode. Suddenly, you’re completely safe from all tracking, and no one can tell what you did online, right? Wrong.
This mode really can help protect your privacy when you’re surfing the web, but you need to know its limitations.
A brand-new look for iOS 14. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
iOS 14 finally brings the ability to change your CarPlay wallpaper so that you don’t have to look at a blank background. Here’s how you can change yours in a few simple steps.
Don't be fooled by fake news stories. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
WhatsApp has long been taking steps to fight the spread of fake news on its platform. The latest, a new feature being piloted in many markets, makes it easier to fact-check any news stories you receive.
It’s surprisingly easy to make a copy of everything in your Gmail account. Photo: Killian Bell/Ed Hardy
There are lots of reasons you might want to make a copy of everything in a Gmail account. Maybe you’re done with Google and are switching to an Apple email account. Or you’re leaving a job or school where you were issued a Gmail account. You don’t want to leave behind years of messages.
Fortunately, it’s easy to back up everything in a Google email account. But it’s not quick. Plan accordingly.
Don't let Podcasts eat up all your storage. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
For most podcast listeners, there comes a time when you have way too many unplayed shows, taking up way too much space on your iPhone or iPad. Fortunately, this is a problem with an easy fix.
Take back precious storage space by deleting episodes you don’t need to have saved locally, and prevent the Podcasts app from hoarding content in the future. We’ll show you how.
Time to dust off your Apple Watch and start closing those rings again. Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac
If you’ve let your fitness slide during the lockdown, you’re not alone. The Activity app’s constant nagging to close your rings is not very helpful when all the gyms are closed and you’re stuck at home.
Skipping workouts for a few months is understandable under the circumstances, but you don’t want to become a permanent couch potato. So now that we’re all adjusting to the “new normal,” it’s the ideal time to dust off your Apple Watch and get back in shape.
There are some simple fixes that should get you back in the game. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Many Mario Kart Tour players continue to experience mysterious “805” error codes almost a year after the game’s release. They typically appear when attempting to download new game data.
If you’re experiencing one of these yourself, you’ll be pleased to know you’re not alone — and that there are some simple workarounds that should allow you to jump back into the action in no time at all.
Don't let your WhatsApp messages end up in the wrong hands. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Worried your WhatsApp conversations might end up in the wrong hands? Give them an additional layer of security by enabling Face ID or Touch ID protection for the WhatsApp app.
Enjoy complete control of PiP yourself. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Picture-in-picture (PiP) makes it easier to watch videos while you do other things on iPhone (with iOS 14) and iPad. But it can begin to get annoying when every video you close ends up in a PiP window.
Here’s how to disable automatic picture-in-picture so that you have complete control over when it’s used.
Don't settle for a slow and unstable connection. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
If your Mac is struggling to maintain a stable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, it could be because of wireless interference. The good thing is that there are many different things you can do to eliminate this problem.
In this guide, we’ll detail how you can identify wireless interference, and some of steps you can take to prevent it from causing problems in the future. The tips also can prove useful for iOS devices.
A faster, more reliable connection. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Did you know it’s possible to merge multiple Ethernet ports into one on a Mac? The feature is simple to set up and can greatly increase speeds for those with super-speedy network connections.
Help make iOS and iPadOS 14 more stable. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
If you’ve already updated to the iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 public betas, you have an opportunity to help ensure they are as stable as can be by the time they roll out to everyone this fall.
Found a bug? Report it to Apple to increase the chances of it being fixed in a future beta release. It’s quick and simple, and it will make using iPhone and iPad better for everyone.
Here’s how to file effective bug reports for iOS and iPadOS 14.
Make contacts and conversations easier to find. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
iOS 14 gives us the ability to “pin” important contacts and group chats inside the Messages app for the first time. Pinned conversations stay at the top of the list so they’re always easy to find.
Keep notes a secret on shared devices. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
You might be willing to share your iPhone’s passcode with other people, but what if you have sensitive notes you don’t want anyone else to see? Protect them with their own password.
Here’s how to secure individual notes on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Some browsers are better than others on older machines. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Got an old Mac that’s crawling to a halt every time you browse the web? It might not be your hardware that’s in need of a change. Before splashing out on new components, try switching browsers instead—or considerwhat to do with old MacBook to give it a new lease on life.
Take this simple precaution to keep your chats private. Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
Facebook Messenger’s new App Lock feature lets you add an extra layer of security to the popular chat app. iPhone and iPad users can switch on Face ID or Touch ID so they never need to worry about anybody seeing their messages.
The previously rumored feature, which Facebook rolled out for iOS devices Wednesday, is easy to enable. Plus, you can tweak a setting to make sure App Lock works ideally for you. Here’s all you need to do to turn on Face ID or Touch ID for Facebook Messenger.
Controller support has its problems, but it works if you use it right. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Recent Call of Duty: Mobile updates have made big improvements to game controller support, but it’s still not as seamless as it could be. You will often find yourself running into issues for no apparent reason.
Here’s everything you need to know about using a controller in CoD: Mobile — including how to get set up the right way with a PS4 or Xbox One controller to avoid common problems.
Start by installing the newest Messenger update. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Facebook Messenger recently received a handy update that lets iPhone and iPad users share their screens with other users. The feature supports up to 16 people, and we’ll show you how to use it.
Switch window sizes in an instant. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 don’t just bring picture-in-picture (PiP) to iPhone for the first time; they also make it possible to change the size of PiP windows on iPhone and iPad in an instant.
There are three PiP window sizes to choose from, and in this pro tip, we’ll show you how to switch between them.
You will definitely want to enable alerts from Cult of Mac. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
It’s unlikely you’ll miss much if you never open the Twitter app again, but there might be a few accounts you follow (like Cult of Mac’s, for instance) that provide worthwhile content you want to see.
It's super-simple. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
You might have assumed it was impossible to capture a CarPlay screenshot; there’s no option for it in CarPlay itself, after all. But not only is it possible, it’s also incredibly easy.