How-to

1,992 'How-to' stories September 2011 - August 2020

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 add AppleCare to your iPhone after purchase

Michael Potuck Aug 17 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Have you already purchased your iPhone but now decided that you’d like to protect it with AppleCare? Read on for how to add AppleCare to your iPhone within ~~60 days~~ one year of purchase, even if you bought it from a carrier or another retailer.

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How to install the watchOS 7 public beta

Michael Potuck Aug 10 2020 - 10:53 am PT

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For the first time ever, a public beta is available for the latest Apple Watch software. If you want to test out all the new features, including sleep tracking, watch face sharing, new watch faces, and workout types, follow along below for how to install the free watchOS 7 public beta.

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iMac

Should you buy the new iMac? Here’s how it compares to its predecessor

Michael Potuck Aug 4 2020 - 3:29 pm PT

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Apple has launched refreshed iMacs with the biggest changes coming to the 27-inch models. While there are compelling updates like 10th generation Intel CPUs, new AMD GPUs, and a 1080p FaceTime camera, the switch to Apple Silicon could bring a truly all-new iMac design (which we didn’t get today). Follow along for a 2020 iMac comparison versus the previous generation along with some help deciding if you should buy the new iMac.

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How to skip your Apple Card payment without interest

Michael Potuck Aug 1 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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One measure Apple has taken to help with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is allowing Apple Card customers to skip their payments with no penalty or interest. However, the offer isn’t automatic, read on for how to get it set up for your account.

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How to rewatch Tim Cook’s testimony from the big tech antitrust hearing

Michael Potuck Jul 30 2020 - 10:25 am PT

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Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has testified during Congress’ hearing looking into antitrust concerns about the major US tech companies. In addition to Apple that included Amazon, Google, and Facebook. Jump below to watch a recording of the antitrust hearing including Tim Cook’s testimony.

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How to share Spotify music remotely in real-time

You can now host a remote Spotify Group Session in real-time with up to 5 friends, here’s how

Michael Potuck Jul 28 2020 - 10:49 am PT

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After launching the beta of its Group Session feature back in May for Spotify Premium users in the same household, the service has now expanded it to work remotely so friends and family can enjoy their favorite playlist or podcast together in real-time no matter where they are. Read along for how to share Spotify music remotely.

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How to connect AirPods to Mac manually and with one-click pairing

Michael Potuck Jul 23 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Whether you just got a pair of AirPods or AirPods Pro or have had them for a while but just haven’t used them with your Mac, follow along for how to connect AirPods and AirPods to your Mac. We’ll also look at how to set up seamless one-click or keyboard shortcut pairing with a Mac.

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How to output all Mac sound to stereo-paired HomePods, though with drawbacks

Ben Lovejoy Jul 22 2020 - 8:12 am PT

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We’ve had stereo-paired HomePods for more than two years now, but one big frustration remains for Mac users: you can only use them with certain Apple apps, like Music and TV. All other Mac sound can be output to one speaker or the other, but not to both.

I was, however, pointed to a solution of sorts…

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iOS 14: Here’s an early look at how you’ll be able to change default apps

Filipe Espósito Jul 21 2020 - 4:54 pm PT

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One of the new and most awaited features of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 is the option to change the default browser and email apps. Users will have to wait until developers update their apps to be compatible with iOS 14 in order to set them as default apps. However, 9to5Mac was able to try this new feature to see how it works.

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You can now share your iOS screen through Facebook Messenger video calls, here’s how

Michael Potuck Jul 16 2020 - 8:53 am PT

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Facebook launched its Messenger Rooms as a FaceTime and Zoom competitor back in April and expanded support for up to 50 people in May. Now, Messenger video calls offer iOS screen sharing support. Here’s how it works.

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How to run Windows 10 on Mac using an external SSD [Video]

Jeff Benjamin Jul 14 2020 - 9:24 am PT

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Traditional Boot Camp installations can take up a lot of storage space on your Mac. Considering that many Macs out there have relatively minuscule amounts of onboard storage, installing Boot Camp to run Windows isn’t always a feasible option. With this in mind, setting up an external Windows drive on your Mac might prove to be handy.

In this video walkthrough, I show you step-by-step how to deploy a Windows installation using Boot Camp drivers on an external drive connected to your Mac. Be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more handy tutorials like this.
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how to install iOS 14 beta iPadOS 14 beta iPhone iPad

How to install the iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 public beta

Michael Potuck Jul 9 2020 - 10:53 am PT

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Excited about the new features and changes in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 and want to give it a try? Read along for how to install the iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 free public beta.

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How to reset Apple Watch with or without iPhone

Michael Potuck Jul 8 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Whether you forgot your Apple Watch passcode, are having issues with your wearable, or are selling or giving it away, you’ll need to reset your watch. Follow along for a walkthrough on how to reset your Apple Watch with or without your iPhone and also an option if you’ve forgotten your Apple Watch passcode.

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The story of how ‘Hamilton’ ended up on Disney+, and how to watch today

Chance Miller Jul 3 2020 - 8:15 am PT

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The day is here: Hamilton is officially available to stream on Disney+ around the world. The award-winning musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda chronicles the life of Alexander Hamilton, and you can now watch it on Disney+ right on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

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watchOS 7: Here’s how to hide Control Center tiles

Filipe Espósito Jul 2 2020 - 6:59 pm PT

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watchOS 7 was announced last month at WWDC 2020 with several new features, including sleep tracking, handwashing guide, new workouts, and more. As we now have access to the first developer beta of watchOS 7, we can dive into what has changed in the system.

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‘Path to Apple Card’ program helps customers who have been declined, here’s how it works

Michael Potuck Jun 29 2020 - 12:43 pm PT

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Apple Card includes a lot of great features like a digital-first experience, focus on privacy and security, Daily Cash, titanium physical card, and more. But what about if you weren’t approved? Apple has launched a new program to help customers understand why they were declined and what they can do to get approved for Apple Card in the future.

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Beta regrets? Here’s how to downgrade from iOS 14 to iOS 13

Michael Potuck Jun 26 2020 - 1:30 pm PT

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How to downgrade from iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 iPhone and iPad

Have you been testing out the new iPhone and iPad betas, but you’re ready to head back the stable public iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 releases on a device? Read along for how to downgrade from the iPadOS and iOS 14 beta to iOS 13.

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How to watch the WWDC keynote on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and the web

Michael Potuck Jun 22 2020 - 7:15 am PT

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How to watch WWDC keynote iPhone iPad Mac Apple TV

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off Monday, June 22 at 10 am PT. With this year being the first-ever totally virtual experience for the event, there are more ways than ever to tune in to the livestream from Apple Park. Follow along for how to watch the WWDC keynote on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and the web. You can also watch with the embedded livestream below.

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Apple Watch: How to change exercise goal

Michael Potuck Jun 19 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Closing your Apple Watch rings can become a fun and addictive challenge. But what should you do when you can’t get in a regular workout but still want to complete your rings on rest or sick days? Follow along after the break for how to effectively change your Apple Watch exercise goal.

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How to apply for Apple Card on iPhone and iPad

Michael Potuck Jun 15 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Whether you want to take advantage of the 0% interest offers for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more or have been wanting to get Apple’s credit card for while for another reason, follow along for how to apply for Apple Card on iPhone and iPad.

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How to get WWDC app iPhone, iPad, Apple TV

How to get the WWDC app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV

Michael Potuck Jun 11 2020 - 4:00 am PT

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WWDC 2020 is approaching quickly, and with this year’s event being totally virtual due to the pandemic, the WWDC app will be more important than ever. Follow along for how to get the WWDC app for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac

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How to make HomeKit Automations in the Home app

Michael Potuck Jun 10 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Getting your home outfitted with HomeKit devices at a basic level is great, as you’ll have control from your iPhone and with Siri. But the best part of HomeKit is arguably the Automations you can set up. Read along for how to make HomeKit Automations in the Home app.

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How to transfer Signal account and message to iPhone

Signal now lets users transfer all messages to a new iPhone. Here’s how it works

Michael Potuck Jun 9 2020 - 1:47 pm PT

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Trying to set up a new iPhone can be time consuming in a variety of ways, and with some third-party apps, there’s not a way to transfer your data easily. That used to be the case for popular privacy-focused messaging app Signal, until now. Read along for how to transfer Signal messages to a new iPhone.

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How to add/remove favorite HomeKit devices from Home screen

How to add and remove favorited HomeKit devices from the Home app main screen

Michael Potuck Jun 8 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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If you’ve added more than a few HomeKit devices to your smart home setup, you may have gotten to the point where you have more devices on the Home screen of the Home app than you’d like. Follow along for how to add/remove favorited HomeKit devices.

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