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How-To - page 76

How to back up your data and hand off an old iOS device

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Hold off on iOS 10 for now.
Backing up your data is easier than ever before.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you’re planning to get hold of a new iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus in the coming weeks, you’re probably planning to get rid of your old handset — either by selling it or handing it over to a friend or family member.

Before you do that, however, make sure you follow our handy guide so you know exactly what to do to safely hand off an old iOS device.

How to use watchOS 3: Tips, tricks and hidden tweaks

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Breathe app in watchOS 3
The new Breathe app in watchOS 3 turns Apple Watch into a meditation machine.
Photo: Apple

Your Apple Watch Series 1 or Series 2 has arrived! Introduced at Apple’s keynote last week, the third version of the Apple Watch does a heck of a lot more than tell time and Cult of Mac has some tips to help you make the most of its myriad new features.

Mastering the various features is a bit of a learning curve on this highly advanced wearable operating system, but we’ve rounded up a cheat-sheet of tips and tricks to try out with the fitness, graphics, games and media features.

What’s your favorite new watchOS 3 feature?

How to use iOS 10: Tips and tricks for iPhone 7

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iOS
Unlock all the hidden features and tips in Apple's new iOS 10.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Welcome to Apple’s latest operating system: iOS 10! With this latest upgrade comes an improved mobile platform packed with tons of new features, improvements and functionality.

It’ll take a bit of getting used to all the new improvements and discover all the hidden gems that await in iOS 10. Once you’ve installed it, take a look below to see Cult of Mac’s roundup of some of the best tips and tweaks to help you get the most out the new features in iOS 10.

How to get ready for an iOS 10 upgrade the right way

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iOS 10
iOS 10 is coming. Are you ready?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS 10 will finally roll out to all compatible devices on Tuesday, September 13, bringing awesome new features to Messages, revamped Music and Apple News apps, a redesigned lock screen interface, and more.

Before you upgrade your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, there are some steps you should take to ensure everything goes smoothly. Here’s how to prepare for an iOS 10 upgrade the right way.

How to scribble text replies in watchOS 3

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watchOS 3 lets you scribble notes to friends.
watchOS 3 lets you scribble notes to friends.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Responding to text messages on Apple Watch gets a lot easier with watchOS 3, thanks to a new feature that lets you scribble letters instead of just using canned replies.

The new handwriting option has quickly become one of my favorite features on the big update that just landed on Apple Watch by giving wearers the ability to say whatever they want without depending on Siri.

Here’s how to reply with scribbles when you get a text:

How to locate your files with Siri on macOS Sierra

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Siri
Siri wants to help you find your files.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Up until now, Siri’s remained a tool for accessing services rather than helping us navigate our Apple devices. That changes with macOS Sierra, which lets us use Apple’s helpful AI assistant to locate files using spoken commands.

Here’s how you can use the feature to your advantage if you’re running the new operating system, which is currently in public beta and will be released on September 20.

How to find your moment of zen with Apple’s Breathe app

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Breathe app in watchOS 3
The new Breathe app in watchOS 3 turns Apple Watch into a meditation machine.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch wearers will soon find it easier to reach relaxation, thanks to the new Breathe app included in watchOS 3.

Every week, the Breathe app provides Apple Watch wearers with a summary of how well they performed the most essential human task for staying alive. If you suck at breathing, don’t worry. Breathe will turn you into a zen master in no time.

To start a breathing exercise follow these steps.

How to open the app switcher using 3D Touch on iPhone

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3D Touch app switching
3D Touch does more than home screen shortcuts.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

3D Touch lets us do a lot of things on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, but not everyone is familiar with all of its capabilities. One of the functions that often goes unnoticed is the ability to open the app switcher with a simple 3D Touch gesture.

Here’s how to use it.

Here’s how to watch Apple’s iPhone 7 keynote tomorrow

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Apple adds 5 new vice presidents to its executive lineup
Apple adds 5 new vice presidents to its executive lineup
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

It’s that time again! Apple has scheduled its iPhone 7 keynote event for Wednesday, September 7, at 10 a.m. Pacific. The call, which will be broadcast live from Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, will see Tim Cook and friends reveal the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, as well as possibly discuss several other products.

How to use Memories to create stunning slideshows in macOS Sierra

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macOS Memories slideshow
Memories aren't painful in macOS Sierra.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Photos are personal, and no one knows this better than Apple, the company behind the acclaimed “Shot on iPhone” ad campaign. With that in mind, macOS Sierra boasts a new “Memories” feature, letting you rediscover favorite and forgotten moments from your library by automatically creating gorgeous slideshows and curated photo collections.

Here’s how to take advantage of this feature when running the latest Mac operating system, which is currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

How to use Siri to multitask more efficiently in macOS Sierra

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macOS Siri Multitasking
Siri on macOS takes multitasking to the next level.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Through innovations like “Hey Siri” on iOS, and the ability to pin Siri search results to your Mac’s Notification Center, Apple has been working to make its virtual assistant more useful than ever. One more such application is the ability to use Siri to multitask on macOS Sierra.

Here’s how to take advantage of this feature when running the latest Mac operating system, which is currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

How to use iCloud Drive to share your Desktop & Documents folder in macOS Sierra

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iCloud
Sharing is caring. And easier than ever.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iCloud Drive previously worked a bit like Dropbox, asking users to drag and drop files into a special folder in order to access them across multiple devices. That changes in macOS Sierra, which allows you to enjoy the benefits of iCloud with the added bonus that your files can stay exactly where they are.

Here’s how to use this useful new feature in Apple’s new Mac operating system, which is currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

How to send a hand-written message in iOS 10

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Screen Shot 2016-08-23 at 23.52.50
Handwritten notes make messaging more personal.
Photo: Apple

iOS 10 makes messaging even more personal by giving iPhone owners new ways to communicate through stickers, effects and giant emojis. It’s also super simple to send handwritten notes straight from the heart. Here’s how.

How to launch a Mac app and succeed

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MacPaw DevMate
You need a game plan if you want to successfully launch your Mac app.
Image: MacPaw

Our new App Business section is brought to you by MacPaw, maker of proven Mac apps.

So you’re going to launch an app for Mac. Congrats! Now you’ve got to figure out an app marketing strategy that will get it to the widest audience possible.

There are many ways to approach the birth of a new product, but even in a field as fast-growing and dynamic as the world of apps, experience has yielded accepted wisdom about the best ways to start and maintain a successful campaign. Here are great rules of thumb for maximizing impact and customers for your app.

Keep Siri results where you can find them in macOS Sierra

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macOS Siri search pin
Siri just got more useful!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Siri’s arrival on macOS Sierra opens up some great new features and possibilities. One of our favorites? The ability to “pin” Siri results inside Notification Center — making it easier to keep track of whatever game times, trending topics or important documents Apple’s virtual assistant helps you to find.

Here’s how to use the feature when running Apple’s next-gen macOS, which is currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

How to use your iPhone keyboard as a trackpad

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iPhone trackpad
Edit text easier by transforming your keyboard into a trackpad.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS has come a long way over the years, but trying to place your cursor accurately when writing and editing text is still a little awkward because you’re covering the text with your finger while trying to swipe across with the magnifying glass.

Well, thanks to 3D Touch, there’s a hidden trick within iOS that makes this easier. Check out this week’s Quick Tips video below to see it in action.

How to customize and swap Apple Watch faces

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cult of mac
Switching to a new watch face is almost too easy.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is making it a lot easier and faster to switch up the look of your Apple Watch thanks to some new features in watchOS 3.

 Starting this fall, Apple is adding a bunch of new faces that can be customized like never before. All the faces can be added via the Watch app for iPhone, and there are so many great options you’ll be swapping all the time. If you’re an Ultra user, check out the best Apple Watch Ultra 2 faces to maximize your experience.

Here’s how to do it:

How to use Universal Clipboard to copy on one device, paste on another

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macOS
Your iPhone and Mac now talk to each other even more closely.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The ability to seamlessly hand off web pages or emails from your Mac to your iPhone (or vice versa) has been around for a couple of years now. However, in macOS Sierra and iOS 10 it’s taken to the next level — courtesy of a Universal Clipboard feature which lets you easily copy and paste content between your Mac and iOS devices.

Here’s how to use the feature when running Apple’s next-gen iOS and macOS, which are currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

How to use Siri to search, drag and drop images on macOS Sierra

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siri
Siri on Mac makes finding images a whole lot quicker.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The Mac debut of Siri on macOS Sierra opens up a ton of intriguing new use-cases in terms of functionality. One of the most useful? The ability to use Apple’s virtual assistant to search for photos either on the web or your own computer — and then drag them into directly into apps.

Here’s how to use the feature when running Apple’s next-gen macOS, which is currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

How to add, delete and rearrange apps in the new Apple Watch dock

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apple watch
The new Dock is one of watchOS 3's best features.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch is getting a UI makeover with watchOS 3 which completely changes how you interact with apps, making them faster and easier to access thanks to the all new Dock feature.

Now when wearers press the side button on Apple Watch, instead of bringing up your favorite contacts, the watch brings up the dock providing a quick view of your favorite apps that are now updated immediately, so you spend less time staring at the spinning wheel.

Here’s how to make the most of the new Apple Watch dock:

How to set up multilingual typing in iOS 10

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QuickType
Apple's QuickType keyboard is even better in iOS 10.
Photo: Apple

Apple has made a bunch of improvements to its QuickType keyboard for iOS 10, and one of those is support for multilingual typing. This lets you type in multiple languages simultaneously, and it’s super simple to set up. Here’s how.