Pro Tips - page 3

Close old tabs automatically to keep Safari clean [Pro tip]

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Automatically close old tabs in Safari
Let Safari take care of clearing old tabs.
Image: Cult of Mac

Safari pro tips bugWe want to help you master Safari. Cult of Mac’s Safari Pro Tips series will show you how to make the most of Apple’s web browser on iOS and Mac.

Are you an unwitting Safari tab hoarder? It’s easy to forget to close old tabs you no longer need — especially on iPhone, where the dozens of open tabs you’ve forgotten about aren’t always visible. But did you know that Safari can clear all your old tabs automatically after a certain period of time?

Find out how to set up automatic tab clearing in this Safari pro tip.

Ditch Google for another search engine inside Safari [Pro tip]

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Change default search engine in Safari
Bing, DuckDuckGo, and others are available.
Image: Cult of Mac

Safari pro tips bug We want to help you master Safari. Cult of Mac’s Safari Pro Tips series will show you how to make the most of Apple’s web browser on iOS and Mac.

Google has long been the default search engine inside Safari, but it’s not your only option. With a simple settings change, you can find what you’re looking for with Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo or Ecosia instead.

Find out how in this Safari pro tip.

How to change Apple Watch app layout to a handy list [Pro tip]

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Change Apple Watch app layout from honeycomb grid to list view.
Get ready to say goodbye to the honeycomb app grid.
Photo: Daniel Cañibano/Unsplash CC

Pro-tip-4 By this point, the honeycomb app grid that debuted with the original Apple Watch must have fueled millions of frustrated app hunts.

That swirling sea of apps certainly looked innovative and magical during Apple’s demo in 2014. Apple called the unique interface “fluid and vital,” but in practice, the honeycomb grid often makes it difficult to find the particular app you want.

Luckily, Apple gave you another option. These days, there’s no need to suffer through the search for the app you want. You can easily switch to an alphabetical list view that makes it much easier to find Apple Watch apps.

Pro tip: Use AirPods with devices that don’t have Bluetooth

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Use AirPods with devices that don't have Bluetooth
A simple Bluetooth adapter is all you need.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4 AirPods, like most wireless headphones, use Bluetooth to connect to your iPhone and other devices. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to enjoy them with older gadgets that don’t have Bluetooth connectivity baked-in.

With a simple and affordable Bluetooth dongle, you can use your AirPods with an old iPod, home stereo system, gym equipment, Nintendo Switch and other consoles, and more. We’ll show you how.

Change the size of picture-in-picture windows on iPhone and iPad [Pro tip]

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iOS 14 picture-in-picture pro tip
Switch window sizes in an instant.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4 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.

How to use the Command+Q shortcut to quit apps on iPad [Pro tip]

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How to quit apps on iPad
Cmd+Q really does work on iPad.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4 If you’ve ever spent any amount of time in macOS, you will have likely tried to use its familiar Command+Q keyboard shortcut to quit apps on iPad — only to find it does nothing. But you’re not using it properly.

There is a trick that allows you to use this shortcut to quickly close iPadOS apps, and in this pro tip, we’ll show you how.

Send new downloads to App Library for a tidy Home screen in iOS 14 [Pro tip]

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How to send new apps to App Library
Don't organize all your iPhone apps manually.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4 iOS 14 makes it easier than ever to keep a tidy Home screen, thanks to the ability to hide Home screen pages and its brilliant new App Library. Here’s how to send new downloads to the App Library automatically so that you don’t have to worry about cleaning up yourself later on.

Hide Home controls for a cleaner Control Center in iOS 14 [Pro tip]

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How to disable Home controls in iOS 14
Don't need Home controls? Give them the boot!
GIF: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4iOS 14 ships with brand-new Home controls that make it easy to interact with smart devices from within Control Center. They’re handy, but they take up a lot of space, and not everyone owns HomeKit gadgets.

So, here’s how to remove those new Home controls if you don’t need them.

Find a lost iPhone in the dark by using Apple Watch to light up its camera flash [Pro tip]

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How to light up iPhone's flash from Apple Watch.
Track down an iPhone faster at night.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4Finding a lost iPhone isn’t too difficult if you own an Apple Watch. By simply tapping a button in Control Center, you can play a sound that will help you locate your mislaid device. It’s also possible to light up iPhone’s LED flash.

The trick can make it easier to find a lost iPhone in a dark room. This pro tip will show you how to use it.