How-To - page 20

How to use and customize the new Quick Note feature in macOS Monterey

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How to use Quick Note in macOS Monterey
Start a new note in an instant.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

macOS Monterey includes the same Quick Note feature that’s baked into iPadOS 15. Using it is incredibly simple, and it’s a great way to quickly jot down important information — such as phone numbers, email addresses, and appointments — that you don’t want to forgot.

We’ll show you how to use it, and how to customize the Quick Note feature on Mac to suit you.

How to use Slack’s new Huddles feature on iPhone, iPad and Mac

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How to use Slack Huddles
Host casual conversations, share your screen and more.
Image: Slack/Cult of Mac

Slack is rolling out its new Huddles feature in an effort to bring the office environment to wherever you might be working. The feature lets you hold “quick, informal discussions” with other members of your team.

You can also use it to share your desktop screen, which makes it great for demonstrations. We’ll show you how to use Huddles on iPhone, iPad and Mac.

How to easily erase all content and settings in macOS Monterey

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How to erase contents and settings in macOS Monterey
It's easier than ever to wipe your Mac clean.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

macOS Monterey makes it easier than ever to remove all your precious data from your Mac when it’s time to sell it or make a fresh start. Its new Erase All Content & Settings feature wipes your machine without forcing to you to reinstall its operating system, just like on iPhone and iPad.

Here’s how to use it.

How to send Soundmojis in Facebook Messenger

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Amp up your emoji game with Soundmojis in Facebook Messenger.
Amp up your emoji game with Soundmojis in Facebook Messenger.
Image: Facebook

Emoji just got a sonic boost in Facebook Messenger. The social network’s chat app added Soundmojis on Thursday, giving users the option of sending audio snippets with some key emoji.

At launch, you can send catchphrases from TV shows, bits of hit songs, and garden-variety stock sounds. If your conversation demands the world’s tiniest violin emoji, your chat partner can actually hear it!

How to use a long, alphanumeric iPhone passcode so cops can’t hack it [Update]

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iPhone passcode
A strong passcode is the next-best thing to keeping your iPhone in a safe.
Photo: Rob Pongsajapan/FlickrCC

It’s time to stop using that useless six-digit passcode on your iPhone. Now that cops around the United States are going crazy for the GrayKey, a little box that can crack your iPhone’s passcode in hours, it has become clear that the iPhone’s regular six-digit numerical code is no longer secure.

Plus, now that GrayKey is available, it won’t be long before they’re in the hands of the bad guys, too, if they’re not already. In fact, instructions on how GrayKey works surfaced online last month.

The good news is, it’s super-easy to change your iPhone passcode to something a lot better. The bad news? There actually isn’t any, unless you already have the cops trying to break into your iPhone — in which case you’ve got plenty of bad news already.

How to install the macOS Monterey public beta today

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How to install the macOS Monterey beta
You'll need a compatible Mac and around 12GB of free storage space.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Anyone can put the macOS Monterey beta on their Mac — it’s no longer reserved for developers. Apple added the pre-release version to its public beta program on Thursday.

Installing it is free, and not too difficult. Here’s how begin playing with macOS Monterey yourself.

How to get the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 public betas today

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How to get the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 public betas today
You can try out iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 today. Here’s how to install the public betas.
Photo: Cult of Mac

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 are now available to public beta testers ahead of a wider release. Each of these brings a whole bunch of notable changes and improvements. iPhone gets FaceTime enhancements, new controls over notifications, upgrades for Apple Maps, and many more changes. And iPad gets a revamped version of Safari, improvements to Home screen widgets, easier side-by-side multitasking, and more.

Want to try them out for yourself? We’ll show you how.

How to download Apple Watch’s new international Stripes faces

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How to get international faces for Apple Watch
You don't have to spend $49 on a band to get the face.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple introduced new International Collection bands for Apple Watch on Tuesday, priced at $49 each. There are 22 available and each comes with an accompanying Stripes face you can download from Apple’s website.

But you don’t need to buy a band to get your hands on the new faces. We’ll show you how to download them right now to show support for your country at this year’s Summer Olympics.

How to easily share tweets to Instagram Stories in iOS

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Now it's easy to share tweets in Instagram Stories.
Now it's easy to share tweets in Instagram Stories.
Photo: Instagram

Twitter rolled out an update to its iOS app earlier this week that lets users quickly and easily share tweets to their Instagram Stories. It’s now nearly a one-click operation, but not quite.

Naturally, users have always been able to take a screenshot of a tweets and manually upload it to an Instagram Story. But the new interface takes some of the manual labor out of the process, making it simple and fast. And the results look good!

How to get a month of Paramount+ free via Apple TV

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Get a month of Paramount+ free through Apple TV.
Get a month of Paramount+ free through Apple TV.
Photo: ViacomCBS

Apple TV users can get a free month of Paramount+, the streaming service formerly known as CBS All Access, Apple said Monday in a tweet.

The trial offer, running now through June 30, is available to new Paramount+ subscribers in the United States when they sign up through the Apple TV app. As not all free trial offers on Apple TV last a full month, this is a good one. Here’s how to jump on it and watch Paramount+ originals like Star Trek: Picard and Jordan Peele’s reboot of The Twilight Zone. The streaming service also offers movies from the Mission: Impossible and Star Trek franchises.

How to install the watchOS 8 developer beta today

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How to install the watchOS 8 beta
You'll need a spare Apple Watch and an iPhone running iOS 15.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

watchOS 8 isn’t the most significant update Apple Watch has seen over the years, but it’s certainly no snoozefest. Improvements to a number of key apps and a new face will be welcomed by Watch wearers this fall.

And you don’t have to wait until this fall to get yours hands on it. If you have a spare Apple Watch and an Apple Developer account, you can download and install watchOS 8 today. We’ll show you how.

How to opt out of Amazon’s mass wireless sharing plans

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How to opt out of Amazon Sidewalk
You have until June 8.
Image: Cult of Mac

Amazon plans to combine every Echo speaker and Ring security camera in the United States into a shared “mesh network” to ensure devices stay online even when disconnected from their owners’ home Wi-Fi connection.

The system, called Amazon Sidewalk, faced scrutiny over the lack of transparency with regard to its rollout. Many people also express concerns about the potential privacy issues it could raise.

Not interested in taking part? Here’s how to opt out of Amazon Sidewalk before it goes live on June 8.