How-to

1,982 'How-to' stories September 2011 - December 2018

A collection of tutorials, tips, and tricks from the 9to5Mac team helping you fix and get the most out of your favorite gear.

How to enable screenshots on Apple Watch

Peter Cao Dec 5 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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Screenshots are essential on devices such as smartphones, tablets or computers. However, the Apple Watch is also capable of taking screenshots. In more recent versions of watchOS, Apple has disabled the ability to take a screenshot by default. Follow along to learn how to enable screenshots on Apple Watch.

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How to change or turn off Apple Watch passcode

Michael Potuck Dec 5 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Whether you want to disable or modify your Apple Watch passcode temporarily or for good, follow along for how to change or turn off Apple Watch passcode.

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How to customize double tap gesture on Apple Pencil

Peter Cao Dec 4 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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The second generation Apple Pencil brought a ton of new and improved features to the stylus. One of the new features is being able to double tap the Pencil to quickly access tools. By default, the double tap gesture switches between your current tool and the eraser.

Follow along to learn how to customize the double tap gesture on Apple Pencil…

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5 alternatives to Apple’s discontinued print services for photo books, calendars, and cards

Michael Potuck Dec 3 2018 - 3:55 pm PT

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Custom photo books and calendars make great gifts, and it’s fun to set yourself apart with unique holiday greeting cards. However, after Apple announced it would be discontinuing its native photo printing services this past fall, this is the first holiday season that users will need to find a substitute. Follow along for five alternatives to print your photo books, calendars, and cards with the Photos App on Mac as well as iPhone and the web.

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How to search in the Messages app on iPhone

Peter Cao Dec 3 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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While it’s surprisingly bad, you can sometimes find messages in a message thread simply by searching for it. The Messages app can get really messy, especially with group messages going on. This can make it near impossible to find the message you were looking for. Follow along to learn how to search in the Messages app on iPhone.

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How to quickly access Apple Pay on iPhone X, XS, or XR

Peter Cao Nov 30 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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After setting up Apple Pay on your iPhone X, XS, or XR, you’ll likely want to give it a shot at a physical location. The first thing you’d want to do is check if Apple Pay is accepted at the store you’re at. Once confirmed, follow these steps to quickly access Apple Pay on iPhone X, XS, or XR.

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How to add weather summary to your iPhone Lock screen

Michael Potuck Nov 30 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Buried in iOS is a handy feature to offer up weather details on your Lock screen before you start your day. Read on for how to add weather summary to your Lock screen on iPhone.

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How to enable Home Screen Sync on Apple TV

Peter Cao Nov 29 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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Have multiple Apple TVs in the house and are super frustrated with the lack of back up options with tvOS? You’re not alone. In fact, Apple has made a small workaround that will make adding or switching to another Apple TV fairly easy. Follow along to learn how to enable Home Screen Sync on Apple TV.

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How to turn off and restart iPhone 11, XS, XR

Michael Potuck Nov 29 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Whether you’ve just gotten a new iPhone or just haven’t needed to power off or restart your device yet, follow along for how to turn off and restart iPhone 11, XS, XR, and X.

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How to set up Apple Pay on MacBook Air

Michael Potuck Nov 28 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Along with the Retina screen, USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports, and much more, the new MacBook Air also features Touch ID. Follow along for how to set up Apple Pay on MacBook Air.

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How to enable Workout Do Not Disturb on Apple Watch

Peter Cao Nov 27 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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When exercising, the last thing you want to do is to get distracted with a phone call, iMessage, or some other form of notification. Fortunately, Apple Watch owners have a way to silence notifications while in a workout. Follow along to learn how to enable Workout Do Not Disturb on Apple Watch.

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How to customize Apple Watch notifications

Michael Potuck Nov 27 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Whether you’d like to see the same notifications on Apple Watch as you do on iPhone, or want to tailor them for each device, read on for how to customize Apple Watch notifications.

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How to pair Bluetooth headphones on Apple Watch

Peter Cao Nov 26 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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What once was an optional accessory has now become the prime motivator for living a healthier life for many. And that is Apple Watch. With Series 3 and beyond, users are able to purchase an LTE variation that fully sets Apple Watch free from its iPhone counterpart.

This includes being able to listen to music or podcasts, or taking a phone call on the go. Of course, Apple Watch doesn’t have any physical input for wired headphones, so it relies solely on Bluetooth for audio.

Follow along to learn how to pair Bluetooth headphones on Apple Watch…

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How to sync music and podcasts to Apple Watch from iPhone

Michael Potuck Nov 26 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Whether you’re new to Apple Watch or just haven’t listened to music directly on your wearable, read on for how to sync music and podcasts to Apple Watch from iPhone.

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How to disable automatic app install on Apple Watch

Peter Cao Nov 23 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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By default, Apple Watch automatically installs every app that has a Watch companion app from your iPhone. That’s great if you want to simply have all apps installed on the device. But for those who don’t, there’s an easy way to disable automatic app install on Apple Watch.

Follow along to learn how…

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How to update software on Apple Watch

Michael Potuck Nov 23 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Whether you’re new to Apple Watch or just haven’t performed an update in a while, follow along for how to update software on Apple Watch.

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How to adjust flashlight brightness on iPhone and iPad

Peter Cao Nov 21 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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The flashlight feature on iPhone and iPad is super useful and handy when you need to see in the dark but don’t want to turn on the lights, potentially waking up others or pets. Fortunately, Apple lets you adjust the flashlight brightness on iPhone and iPad, so that you can dim the flashlight and further improve your chances of not waking anyone up.

Follow along to learn how to adjust flashlight brightness on iPhone and iPad.

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How to fix a red exclamation mark on Apple Watch

Michael Potuck Nov 21 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Apple Watch can sometimes run into difficulty when installing an update. If you’ve encountered a warning screen, follow along for how to fix a red exclamation mark on Apple Watch.

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How to turn off Safari website notifications on macOS

Peter Cao Nov 20 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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Safari website notifications are great to get up to date news as they are published. However, it can sometime be overwhelming and you might want to turn off Safari website notifications for certain sites.

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How to switch to list view or grid view on Apple Watch with watchOS 5

Michael Potuck Nov 20 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Looking to change up your Home screen on Apple Watch? Read on for how to switch to list view or grid view on Apple Watch with watchOS 5.

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iPad
How-to

How to enable mute on iPad

Peter Cao Nov 19 2018 - 12:01 am PT

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If you’ve bought an iPad within the last half decade, it likely didin’t come with a physical switch that let you mute or lock the rotation of the device. Follow along to learn how to enable mute on iPad.
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How to use Cc and Bcc in email on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Michael Potuck Nov 19 2018 - 12:00 am PT

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Whether you’re new to the Apple ecosystem, or just don’t have much email experience with multiple recipients, follow along for how to use Cc and Bcc in email on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

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