Category Archives: iOS

Perhaps it’s time to Change your Email Address

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There are lots of reasons someone may want to change their email address. The most prominent reasons is that you’re using an email Service that is no longer getting good support or you’re changing your Internet service provider and had previously been using an email provided by that provider. Regardless of why you want to change your email address, the process all goes just about the same.  If you are currently using an email address provided by your service provider, or if you’re using one of the old Internet addresses from companies like AOL or yahoo, these are all email addresses that probably need to be changed to something more stable.

The first thing you need to do is create a new email address. There are lots of good email providers out there and you can choose from any of them. I typically recommend using Google or outlook as your new email address as those are both from companies that will probably be around for a long time to come . Once you’ve created the new email, you’ll need to set it up so that all your devices have access to it and  then use your old email address to verify that everything works by sending yourself an email and verifying you receive it on all your devices.

Next comes to the hard part. You have to make sure that people know it’s your new address. If your previous email address still works, you can look through it for email that you’ve received from people, and companies, that you want to continue to get email from.

I typically look at email in three separate categories:

  1. Email from friends or businesses that you consider critical.
  2. Email that you’ve signed up for.  This can typically be things like businesses or grocery stores that you’ve given your email address so that you can get coupons or sale information from. It may also be newsletters that you’ve signed up for about subjects that you have interest in.
  3. Email that you never signed up for and really don’t care that you get. Many people call this spam, but regardless of what you call it you really don’t care about it and for purposes of changing your email, you don’t want these people to have your new email address. That way this spam will stop coming in.

Of these three categories, only two need to be dealt with. We’re gonna start off by looking at group 2. These emails are typically things that you’ve signed up for, and you enjoy getting, so you wanna make sure they get your new email address. Rather than going through the process of trying to change your email for these accounts, typically the best way is to just re-sign up for these emails. If it’s an email newsletter or list, sign back up again with your new email. If it’s email from particular company, sign up there with your new email or give your email when you’re checking out at a store so that they can re-sign you up using your new email. These are easy. These can happen overtime because these are not critical.

The primary work involved in changing your email has to do with the category 1 people. These are typically businesses, governments, utility companies, credit card, companies, and friends that you want to have your new email. Let’s look at each of these types separately.

Start off by making a list of businesses and organizations. You know that you get email from. From that list you can check them off as you get them done. Many times if you still have access to your existing email, scrolling through past emails will give you an idea of some of the ones you need to get changed.

Financial

Businesses or companies that have a financial connection to you need to be some of the first ones that you change.  Banks often have a process for changing your email address. If your bank is local, the easiest way to change your email addresses go to the bank and take your ID. If you don’t have a local bank, then usually they have a process for you to go through to make a change to your email address on your account. You’ll need to call them and work this out with them individually.

While we’re talking about calling someone, never look up the phone number for these types of institutions on the Internet. It’s just too easy for people to redirect you to the wrong phone number trying to impersonate your facility. Look up the phone number typically on a bill or statement if they will have sent you. This applies to all of these types of businesses you need to change your address with.

For brokerage account, if you have a personal relationship with your broker, you can probably just call them. If you don’t, you’ll need to call the number on your account statement and explain to them that you want to change your email address. They’ll walk you through their process.

If you are retired, you’ll obviously need to let Social Security know your new email address. They have a process for doing that once you login to their site. If you get retirement from another method, you’ll have to let those retirement systems know your new email address also. Many times you can do this over the phone.

Businesses and credit cards

Use your statements that you get from businesses or credit card companies to give you phone numbers to contact them to change your email address. Each one of these will have a different process to go through. In fact, it’s kind of frustrating sometimes. Some are very easy and some make you jump through a lot of hoops. But you’ll need to contact each one of those and get each one of those changed.

Same thing with utility companies. In fact, any company that you get a bill from by email or a receipt from my email is gonna have to get your new email address. Work through each one individually, and make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make these changes.

Friends

Letting all your friends know your new email is probably the easiest thing to do. Start in your new email account, and send a email describing the fact that you’re changing your email address. Just make it short and sweet. Tell them that you’re changing your email address to the new email address and from now on you’d like for them to use this.

You can do this all in one email if you write the email that you want to send, and then use the blind carbon copy function (BCC) in your email client to send the same email to each person all at once. Just add them all to the BCC list and when they get the email it looks like they’re all getting an individual email from you.

Be sure you allow time to get this to happen. Hopefully you’re making your email address change while you still have access to your old email account. This way you can watch emails quit coming into your old account and start coming into your new one and keep track of ones that haven’t made the change yet so that you may need to re-notify them.

If you’ve already lost access to your old account, then it’s basically starting over. It’ll take quite a while before you get all these things changed, but once they do get changed, you can give solace to the fact that you’re at least using a reputable company for your email address. These companies will likely be in business for quite a while and hopefully you’ll never have to go through this process again.

Modify the Lock Screen in iOS 26

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Here’s a clear step-by-step guide to modifying your Lock Screen in iOS 26 — including the newest customization features Apple added (like Liquid Glass clock styles, widget placement, and more): Apple Support+2MacRumors+2i\

📱 How to Modify the Lock Screen in iOS 26

1. Open the Lock Screen Customize Mode

  1. Wake your iPhone so the Lock Screen is visible.

  2. Touch and hold anywhere on the Lock Screen.

  3. Tap Customize to edit the current screen, or tap the + Add New button to create a new Lock Screen. Apple Support

🖼 Choose or Change Your Wallpaper

  • Pick a new wallpaper from your photos or Apple’s categories (People, Pets, Nature, etc.).

  • You can use Photo Shuffle to rotate through selected images.

  • Spatial Scenes — a new 3D style that gives depth to compatible photos — may be available depending on your device. Tom’s Guide

⏱ Customize the Clock

  • Tap the time to change its font style and color.

  • iOS 26 adds a Glass (semi-transparent) option alongside solid styles.

  • You can resize the clock (making it larger) by dragging the small handle at the corner when editing. MacRumors+1

📊 Add and Position Widgets

  • Tap the widget area to add widgets like weather, calendar, fitness, alarms, and third-party widgets.

  • Unlike earlier iOS versions, you can drag the widgets toward the bottom of the screen (just above Quick Actions). MacRumors+1

🔄 Swap Quick Actions

  • The buttons below the Lock Screen (like flashlight and camera) can be replaced with other quick actions:

    • Tap the current control → Remove it → then Add Quick Action to choose a new one. Tom’s Guide

🧠 Link to a Focus

  • Within customize mode, you can link a Lock Screen to a particular Focus mode (Work, Personal, Sleep, etc.).

  • This makes that Lock Screen appear automatically when the linked Focus turns on. Apple Support

🗂 Switch Between Multiple Lock Screens

  • After creating more than one Lock Screen, just touch and hold on the Lock Screen and swipe left/right to switch between them. Apple Support

🗑 Delete a Lock Screen You Don’t Want

  • Touch and hold the Lock Screen → swipe to the one you want to remove → swipe up → tap Delete. Apple Support

💡 Bonus Tips

  • If your clock or widgets look different after updates (e.g., Liquid Glass transparency), you can tweak the style or switch back to a solid look under Customize → Tap Time → Choose Solid (users report this works well to restore contrast). reddit.com

  • In iOS 26.2, Apple added an opacity slider for the Liquid Glass clock to make it easier to read if it’s too faint.

New Features in iOS 26.2

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Here’s a clear breakdown of the major new features and changes in Apple’s iOS 26.2 update (released December 12, 2025):

📱 Core System & UI Enhancements

🔹 Liquid Glass customization – You can now adjust the opacity/transparency of the Liquid Glass clock on the Lock Screen (beyond the fixed presets) for finer visual control. MacRumors+1
🔹 Smoother animations & UI polish – System menus and transitions feel more fluid and refined. reddit.com

📌 Convenience & Productivity Features

🕰️ Alarms for Reminders

  • Reminders can now act like alarms with an audible alert at the due time (“Urgent” option), plus snooze and Live Activity support. MacRumors

📤 AirDrop improvements

  • Share with people not in your contacts using a one-time code that’s valid for 30 days. MacRumors

🎧 Media & Content Upgrades

🎵 Apple Music offline lyrics

  • Lyrics now work even when you’re offline for downloaded songs. MacRumors

📻 Podcasts app enhancements

  • Auto-generated chapters, clickable links to podcasts mentioned in episodes, and timed link support. MacRumors

🧠 Safety & Alerts

🚨 Enhanced Safety Alerts (U.S.)

  • Expanded imminent threat notifications (e.g., floods, natural disasters) with maps and guidance. MacRumors

🧰 App & System Tweaks

📊 Sleep Score revision

  • Adjusted Sleep Score scales for what counts as very low, high, etc. (shared with watchOS 26.2). MacRumors

📱 Screen flash for notifications

  • Accessibility option lets the screen (not just LED) flash on new notifications. MacRumors

📺 Apple News improvements

  • Quick access buttons for categories (sports, puzzles, politics, food, etc.) and a dedicated “Following” tab. MacRumors

🏡 Home app multipack pairing

  • Use one setup code for multiple accessories sold together. MacRumors

🧮 Freeform tables

  • Add tables with smart-sizing cells in Freeform. MacRumors

🎮 Games app upgrades

  • Sort games by size, improved controller navigation, and live challenge score banners. MacRumors

🚗 CarPlay tweaks

  • Option to disable pinned messages while driving for a simpler Messages experience. MacRumors

🔐 Passwords app control

  • Manage which websites don’t save passwords. MacRumors

🔒 Security & Stability

🛡️ Security patches

  • Fixes for 20+ vulnerabilities including actively exploited WebKit bugs, making the update important for security. MacRumors

📊 Summary: Key Themes in iOS 26.2

  • More personalization: Liquid Glass opacity slider and UI finesse.

  • Practical fixes: Reminder alarms, AirDrop codes, media features like offline lyrics.

  • Safer & smarter: Enhanced alerts and security patches.

  • App ecosystem improvements: Podcasts, Apple News, Games, Freeform, Home, CarPlay.

Date Set for First Waste Event of the Year

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The first E-Waste event for 2025 is being held May 24, 2025 in the City Hall parking lot on McCarty Street.  These events are usually in the mornings.

I recently found some great Web links from Apple that describe in clear detail what to do if you’re passing on or recycling an Apple device. Each link shows the steps you need to take to make sure your personal information is removed from the device, and that it’s safe for whoever that device is given to to set it up and get their information moved onto it.

What to do before you sell, give away, trade in or recycle your Mac >

What to do before you sell, give away or trade in your Apple Watch, or buy one from someone else >

Devices compatible with Apple’s fall updates 2024

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10 iOS lesser known features

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I thought I did this year by giving you my top 10 list of lesser known iOS features. These features are all in the latest release of iOS for your phone and mostly for your iPad too. Enjoy.

1. **Magnifier Shortcut:** Triple-press the side or home button to enable the Magnifier tool, turning your iPhone into a magnifying glass.

2. **Custom Vibrations:** Create custom vibration patterns for specific contacts. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone > Vibration > Create New Vibration.

3. **Shake to Undo Typing:** Shake your iPhone to undo typing. A pop-up will appear, allowing you to undo or redo your last typing action.

4. **Hidden Level in Compass App:** Open the Compass app and swipe left to reveal a hidden bubble level useful for checking if a surface is flat.

5. **Offline Siri:** Siri can still perform certain tasks offline. Enable this in Settings > Siri & Search > Allow Siri When Locked.

6. **Hide Photos in the Photos App:** Select photos, tap the share icon, and choose “Hide” to move them to a hidden album.

7. **Text Replacement Shortcuts:** Create shortcuts for frequently used phrases in Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.

8. **Back Tap Shortcuts:** In Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap, you can assign actions to double-tap or triple-tap on the back of your iPhone.

9. **Live Listen for AirPods:** Use your iPhone as a microphone with Live Listen. Enable it in Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls, and then tap the hearing icon.

10. **Bedtime Mode in Clock App:** Set up Bedtime in the Clock app to create a sleep schedule and receive notifications when it’s time to wind down for the night.

Posted in iOS

How to Use Apple Files on the iPad

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The Files app is a central hub for all of your files on your iPad. You can use it to view, organize, and manage files from your iCloud Drive, local iPad storage, and even other cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox.

In this blog post, we’ll show you how to get started with the Files app and how to use it to manage your files on your iPad.

Getting Started with the Files App

To open the Files app, tap the blue Files icon on your Home Screen.

The Files app will open to the Browse screen, which shows you a list of all the files and folders on your iPad. You can also see your Recents files here.

To view the contents of a file, tap it. If the file is a document, you can tap the Edit button to make changes to it.

Organizing Your Files

You can organize your files in the Files app by creating folders. To create a folder, tap the + button in the upper-right corner of the screen.

Once you’ve created a folder, you can move files into it by dragging them from one location to another.

You can also rename folders by tapping on their name and then typing in a new one.

Searching for Files

If you’re looking for a specific file, you can use the Files app’s search feature. Just tap the search bar at the top of the screen and enter the name of the file you’re looking for.

The Files app will show you a list of all the files that match your search query.

Sharing Files

You can share files with others using the Files app. To share a file, tap the Share button in the upper-right corner of the screen.

You can then select the people you want to share the file with. You can also choose to share the file via AirDrop or iCloud Drive.

Deleting Files

If you no longer need a file, you can delete it from your iPad. To delete a file, tap and hold on to it and then tap the Delete button.

Conclusion

The Files app is a powerful tool that can help you manage your files on your iPad. By following the tips in this blog post, you can get started with the Files app and start using it to organize, share, and manage your files.

Posted in iOS

Scanning without a Scanner on the Mac

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Do you ever have a need to be able to get a quick scan of a document to import into a email or other document that you’re working with on your Mac? Apple provides a very easy way to get a scan without a scanner, that is if you have an iPhone. On the Mac, you have the ability to be able to import a picture directly from your phone. And the process is pretty easy. 

In most applications, or even just directly from the desktop, if you right click your mouse button to button mouse, or use two fingers to click on your trackpad, you’re presented with a menu of items that you can select from. One of those items is import from an iPhone or iPad.  

All you have to do to get this menu to come up is right click and then select the import function. When you do that, it drops out a list of all iOS devices but you may have connected to your account. In this case, I want to scan a document from my iPhone 12 Pro. Once I select scan documents under the iPhone 12 Pro, I’m presented with this dialogue on the computer.

When that box comes up, I now move over to my iPhone, and when I pick it up I noticed that it is in camera mode. It tells me to position the document so that it’s shown in its entirety, then press the button.  When I press the button, the camera goes off and I am given the opportunity to scan an additional page, review the scan, and then save it.  Once I hit the save button on the phone, the scan is delivered to the desktop on my Mac.  

The process even works with just takin a photo rather than just as a scan.   Photos are delivered in a jpg format and scans and delivered in pdf format.  

So even if you don’t have a scanner, the iPhone can fill in and quickly get you the document you need.

I just want to print from my iPad

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These days printing has gotten much easier from an iPad or iPhone. Most printers that you would purchase today will support Apple Airprint. In the past, you had to be a little careful that you picked up AirPrint printer. Over the past few years, manufacturers have made the decision to add that as a standard feature. And most printers also are Wi-Fi compatible. They either have built-in Wi-Fi so that you can connect to your local network or they have ethernet connectivity that get you connected to the router. Either way, air print works just great once the printer is on the network.

Once you have the printer connected, and you have your iPad connected to your local network, how do I go about printing.

In the past, we’ve either used Mac or Windows computers. Fortunately both of those computers had a menu bar at the top of the screen with the file menu. In that file menu was always a print command. It really didn’t matter whether you were in photoshop or Safari, there was a file menu with a print command in it.  This made it extremely easy to figure out any applications printing capability. Unfortunately, Apple in iOS has not made it quite that simple. Nearly every application will provide you printing capability but how to get to it can often be different and somewhat confusing.

Let’s start off with Safari, Safari uses a small square box with an arrow pointing up at the top of the screen to get you to what they called the share sheet.

From that share sheet you can often send a link or a page to someone else by email or text but if you scroll down in that share sheet, you’ll find the print command. Once the print command is open, you will often have to find your printer for the first time but once that printer reset on your local network, it will typically come up and allow you to print. From there, you make typical setting changes such as color printing or black-and-white, number of copies, or some other specific command that might be related to printing in that application.

So obviously, Apple who strives to be so consistent with its applications would have that little square with the up arrow in every application to lead us to the share sheet and printing. But not so fast… Unfortunately Apple uses a few other things to define where you need to go to be able to find that print command. Once you’re in the print command, the settings are all consistent as you would expect but getting to that print command is not necessarily simple if you’re not looking in the right place. 

Apples on Mail application doesn’t follow that square with the up arrow consistent share sheet concept.

To be able to print and mail, you need to go to the curved arrow in the lower right corner of the email you’re looking at. This is the same location you would go to reply, or forward that email. Once they are, you’ll find the print command which one selected brings up the consistent print dialog box. But I cannot for the life of me understand why Apple used a curved arrow rather than the standard square with the arrow going up to denote the location to do sharing, or commands based upon the email that you’re in.

And to make it worse, Apple‘s other application such as Pages and Numbers and Keynote, all force you to go to a circle with three dots in the upper menu bar to find the print command. One would think, Apple, who forces uniformity and consistency would have thought enough to be able to use the same method to get people to be able to print their documents. But that’s not the case.

So the important thing to remember is often times printing is available in any application you want to find on the iPad or iPhone. You just have to look around to find where it is in that application, and then remember that’s the place to go to find that print command.

When should I update to iOS 13?

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Apple has released IOS 13 to the public, and we all are looking forward to the great features that they have included.  But when should the average person update their phoned and iPads to this latest and greatest next release.

A wise and longtime Apple tech support individual once told me that it is always best for a general user that does not want their device to be affected by the latest release, to wait until Apple releases the first full point release of the software.  For iOS 13, that would be the release of iOS 13.1.

But this year is vastly different.  Apple announced the release of 13.1 at the same time it released 13.0 to be a year 11 days later.  Then as the release of 13.0 came out, apple moved the 13.1 release up 5 days effectively making the 13.1 release just 5 days after the 13.0 release.

SO what is a person to do and what does this mean.  I, being an Engineer, like to look at the data.

If we look at past years, the average number of days from the .0 to the .1 release has been about 41.  This years quick release of the 13.1 ( and the subsequent 13.1.1 and 13.1.2) releases tells me that iOS13 is not quite to the standards that Apple would like it to be.  SO my recommendation is to wait about the same amount of time before you update to iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.  If you look about 40 days after the 13.0 release you will roughly be at about November 1, 2019.

But it is your choice!  You can wait till the release is very stable, likely around the first of November of throw caution to the wind and go ahead and do the update now.  What ever you choose, be sure you have a backup before you do the update, just in case….