How-to

1,982 'How-to' stories September 2011 - February 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 watch the first Apple News presidential debate on iPhone, iPad, Mac

Michael Potuck Feb 7 2020 - 11:07 am PT

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In a first, Apple News is presenting a presidential debate where the Democratic candidates will engage tonight, February 7th at St. Anselm College. Apple News is putting on the event as an official partner with ABC News and WMUR-TV. Follow along for how to watch the debate on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, and more.

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Here’s how to turn off Netflix autoplay previews

Michael Potuck Feb 6 2020 - 1:04 pm PT

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Netflix has answered the pleas of its customers by creating a way to turn off the autoplay previews feature on the platform’s homepage. Follow along for how to do it.

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Apple Watch: How to see your workout history and trends

Michael Potuck Feb 5 2020 - 2:18 pm PT

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Curious where to find all the workouts you’ve tracked with Apple Watch? Read on for how to see your Apple Watch workout history on both your wearable and iPhone as well as your move, exercise, and stand trends over time.

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How to watch 2020 State of the Union iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV

How to watch the 2020 State of the Union address on iPhone, Apple TV, more

Michael Potuck Feb 4 2020 - 12:04 pm PT

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President Trump is set to give the 2020 State of the Union address tonight, February 4th at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. Here’s how to watch it on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and the web.

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How to watch Super Bowl LIV free Apple TV, iPhone, and web

How to watch Super Bowl LIV for free on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and the web

Michael Potuck Feb 2 2020 - 8:00 am PT

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Super Bowl LIV is set for 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, February 2, with the San Francisco 49ers taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami. Follow along for how to watch the game for free on Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, and the web without a cable login or app subscription.

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Siri how to set location-based Reminders iPhone Apple Watch iPad Mac

Siri: How to add location-based Reminders on iPhone, Apple Watch, more

Michael Potuck Jan 29 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Want to become more efficient with Reminders on your Apple devices? Read on for how to use Siri to set location-based Reminders on iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, and HomePod.

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How to turn off Ultra Wideband U1 chip to prevent background location tracking on iPhone 11 and 11 Pro

Filipe Espósito Jan 28 2020 - 1:30 pm PT

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After some users complained about the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro tracking location data even when the location services are turned off, Apple has added a new option in iOS 13.3.1 that disable the new Ultra Wideband U1 chip.

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How to use Apple Watch to discover songs

Michael Potuck Jan 21 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Because it’s a wearable, Apple Watch is naturally the best fit for a variety of use cases when you need access to a device quickly. Follow along for a few ways to use Apple Watch to discover songs.

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Mac: How to fix and restart the Touch Bar when it stops working

Filipe Espósito Jan 20 2020 - 1:37 pm PT

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The Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro offers a variety of shortcuts according to each application, but sometimes it doesn’t work as expected. Users may eventually experience unexpected behaviors with it such as freezes or specific buttons not responding.

If this has happened to you, be aware that you can fix it without having to restart your Mac, so follow along for how to fix the Touch Bar when it stops working.

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iPhone: How to delete iCloud backups

Michael Potuck Jan 20 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Want to get rid of an old iCloud backup or hit the reset button and start over fresh? Follow along for how to delete iCloud backups on iPhone and iPad.

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watch McGregor vs Cowboy iPhone iPad Apple TV

How to watch UFC 246 McGregor vs. Cowboy on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV

Michael Potuck Jan 17 2020 - 2:17 pm PT

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UFC 246 McGregor vs. Cowboy marks the first time Conor McGregor is stepping into the Octagon since 2018. The fight is happening at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 18 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Read on to learn how to watch the fight on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

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iPhone: How to turn off Live Photos for existing pictures

Michael Potuck Jan 16 2020 - 2:54 pm PT

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Do you have some, or maybe even a lot of pictures you’ve shot with iPhone that you’d like to turn off the Live Photos effect? Follow along for how to turn off Live Photos for existing pictures.

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Mac: How to delete iPhone backups in macOS Catalina

Michael Potuck Jan 15 2020 - 1:50 pm PT

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Want to remove old iPhone backups stored on your Mac but aren’t sure how, since iTunes isn’t around in the latest version of macOS? Read on for how to delete iPhone backups in macOS Catalina in a few easy steps.

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How to organize or delete Apple Wallet cards and passes

How to organize and delete Apple Pay cards and passes

Michael Potuck Jan 14 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Need to tidy up your Apple Wallet? Follow along for how to organize and delete Apple Pay cards and passes.

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How to get Smart Battery Case free replacement

How to get your iPhone Smart Battery Case replaced for free

Michael Potuck Jan 13 2020 - 1:28 pm PT

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Apple’s Smart Battery Case is a popular way to give iPhone extra battery life along with some unique touches that third-party cases can’t offer. If you’ve been having issues with yours, you may be eligible for a free replacement for iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max Smart Battery Cases.

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How to manually adjust the time on your Apple Watch

Michael Potuck Jan 10 2020 - 1:24 pm PT

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Love your Apple Watch but want to manually adjust the time like on an analog watch? Read on for how to set your Apple Watch ahead by a custom amount of time.

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Mac: How to backup your iPhone in macOS Catalina

Michael Potuck Jan 9 2020 - 12:01 am PT

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Need to make a local backup your iPhone with your Mac but haven’t done it in a while? Follow along for how to backup your iPhone in macOS Catalina.

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macOS Catalina: How to master Dark Mode for Mac

Zac Hall Jan 5 2020 - 12:00 pm PT

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9to5Mac is brought to you by CleanMyMac X. Find hidden junk, large old folders, unused apps, and heavy memory consumers. You can also use CleanMyMac X to remove malware, unwanted pop-ups, and virus extensions.

Dark Mode for Mac premiered in macOS Mojave as a simple way to toggle the system appearance from the default bright theme. The new macOS Catalina release is a software update that improves how Dark Mode works with new features.

The new OS version lets you schedule when Dark Mode is activated. This is based on sunset and sunrise by default. There are also ways to quickly toggle between light or dark themes and set specific apps to their own theme. Read on to master Dark Mode for Mac.

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Mac: How to always allow downloads in Safari

Michael Potuck Jan 3 2020 - 5:08 pm PT

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The default privacy and security settings on Apple devices are definitely dialed in relatively high and while that’s a great default, you may want to customize yours to best suit your workflows. Follow along for how to always allow downloads in Safari for specific websites or even across the board.

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iPhone how to remove location from photos and videos before sharing

iPhone: How to remove location data from photos and videos before sharing

Michael Potuck Jan 2 2020 - 1:33 pm PT

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Need to share some photos or videos but want to retain a bit more privacy than normal? Follow along for how to remove location data from photos and videos on iPhone before sharing.

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How to shoot timelapse videos on iPhone 11 with ultra wide and telephoto lenses

Michael Potuck Dec 31 2019 - 12:01 am PT

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The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro include so many great camera improvements and one way to get more out of yours is using different lenses for various shooting types. Follow along for how to shoot timelapse videos on iPhone 11 with the ultra wide and telephoto lenses.

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How to force iMessage to sync with iCloud on Mac

Michael Potuck Dec 30 2019 - 12:01 am PT

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Are your messages not synced up between your Mac and iPhone or iPad? Read on for how to force iMessage to sync with iCloud on Mac.

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Audio not working for one of your AirPods? Here’s how to fix it

Michael Potuck Dec 27 2019 - 3:04 pm PT

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While Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro offer what many see as the best truly wireless earbud experience, there are times when they don’t work as expected. Read on for some ways to fix a left or right AirPod that won’t play audio.

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iPhone: 5 tips to declutter and organize apps, emails, messages, photos, more

Michael Potuck Dec 26 2019 - 2:36 pm PT

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Over the course of a year, apps, emails, messages, photos, and more naturally pile up. Ready to hit the reset button on your iPhone’s organization? Read along for 5 ways to organize and declutter iPhone including some easy (and advanced) automation for a better everyday experience and boosted efficiency.

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