Record your phone calls without an app: With the latest iOS update, it’s super easy to record a call. Tap the waveform icon in the upper-left corner during your call. You’ll hear a voice announce the call is being recorded. Stop recording by pressing the red recording button in the audio visualizer (on the right) or hang up. Simple as that!
Kids can report nudes in texts: It’s a new feature in iOS 18.2. If they report it, the images, messages and contact details of both the sender and the recipient will go straight to Apple for review. Apple might restrict the sender’s messaging and alert the authorities. About time!
You’re the tech-smart one in the family: The next time someone calls you for iPhone help, try this: If both your phones are updated to at least iOS 18, start a FaceTime call. Have them tap the Share button at the top of the screen, next to the red X. When the preview pops up, tap it from your phone and choose Request Control. When you’re all done, hit the stop button.
Take Apple’s hearing test: You need an iPhone running iOS 18.1 and a pair of AirPods Pro 2. Put in your earbuds, open Settings on your iPhone, then tap the shortcut for AirPods settings. Look for Hearing Health, then tap Take a hearing test. Follow the on-screen prompts. Do it in a quiet place for the best results.
🛜 Use your iPhone as a webcam: Your iPhone probably has a better camera than the one built into your Mac. As long as both your iPhone and Mac are linked to the same Apple account and on the same Wi-Fi network, you’ll see your iPhone show up as a camera option in any desktop video-calling app.
🎶 Update your AirPods: Too many models to list just got a firmware update. Apple says your AirPods will update when they connect to your iPhone via Bluetooth. To make sure, charge ‘em both for 30 minutes.
🤝 Teamwork makes the dream work: If you’re working on something like a grocery list or vacation plan in your iPhone’s Notes app, you can get other people to work on the same note with you. In a note, tap the share icon (top right), then Collaborate.
Cmd + Shift + 5: On a Mac, this brings up the screenshot toolbar, where you can take screenshots or record your screen. Capture the entire screen, a selected window or a specific portion, and you can even choose to record a video.
🔐 Protect your friends and family: New to iOS 18, the option to limit apps so they can only see some of your contacts — not all. Yep, you don’t have to reveal your whole address book. Nice. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Contacts.
Watch this: Safari on macOS has a cool picture-in-picture mode you can use to watch videos while browsing the web. To launch it, right-click twice on a video and choose Enter Picture-in-Picture. Hold down Cmd, then click and drag the video frame where you want it.
Get back on the road: If you’ve got an iPhone 14 or newer, you can get roadside assistance via satellite if you’re out of cell range. From Settings, tap Satellite, and follow the instructions to get connected. Choose Roadside Assistance. Wham, bam.
Keep it secret: Apple iOS 18 lets you lock any app behind a Face ID test — perfect for keeping friends and family out of your private apps if they grab your phone. Tap and hold on the app icon on your home screen, then choose Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID on older models).
⏰ Hop off the snooze cruise: If you’re like the one in three people who hit the snooze thrice every morning, there’s a simple fix. Fire up the Clock app on your iPhone, choose an alarm and toggle off the “Snooze” option. Now you have more time in the morning to wish you were still in bed. If you use an Android, there’s no option to turn off snoozing. Willpower … engage!
‘Bout time: Apple iOS 18 makes it easier to change the email address associated with your iCloud account. It’s been a royal pain in the butt until now. Look for the Primary Email option under your account settings.
💔 It’s not you; it’s me: Apple iOS 18 will now summarize your texts. A guy is going viral on X after receiving this summarization following an argument in a bar with his girlfriend: “No longer in a relationship; wants belongings from the apartment.” Hey, at least it didn’t beat around the bush.
“Do I have to charge you again?” Apple Watches have notoriously short battery life, but this can make a big difference. Open Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On. Disable the setting so your screen isn’t hogging your battery life all day long.
👨💻 Learn these if you have a Mac: Hit Cmd + W to close a window and Cmd + Q to quit an app. Now, use all that time I just saved you to tell someone how much Kim Komando helps you. (Shameless, I know.)
🍎 For the Apple household: You can switch your music (or podcast or whatever) from your iPhone to your HomePod. Just hold your phone near the top of the speaker. If it doesn’t work, open your iPhone’s Settings, then pick General > AirPlay & Handoff and enable Transfer to HomePod.
Update your iPhone: iOS 18.0.1 fixes bugs and patches a few security vulnerabilities. One is in the Passwords app, so don’t wait! Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Install Now.
Get out and stay out: For security reasons, don’t let sensitive files sit around on your desktop. On a Mac, select the file in a new Finder window. Open the File menu, hold down Option, then click Delete Immediately.