Various factors can prevent you from establishing a connection to the VPN server, ranging from unstable internet connection to technical difficulties with the VPN provider. Fortunately, you can try the troubleshooting steps below to get it resolved quickly.

How to fix iPhone not connecting to VPN issue

1. Perform Some Preliminary Checks

To begin troubleshooting, perform the following preliminary checks, which may resolve the problem right away:

1. Force quit your VPN app, then reopen it. If your iPhone has a Home button, double-press it to open the app switcher. If your iPhone doesn’t have a Home button, swipe up from the very bottom of the screen to the middle of the screen. Once the app switcher is open, swipe the VPN app up and off the top of the screen. Also, close any other apps that could interfere with the VPN connection.
2. Restart your iPhone to fix a minor software problem or connectivity issue with your VPN.
3. Ensure that your iPhone is connected to the internet.
4. Run a ping test to check the stability of your network connection. If the ping rate is too high or you get errors during the test, your internet likely isn’t stable.
5. Keep only one VPN app open at a time.
6. Check for a VPN app update.

While you’re checking for app updates, go to Settings > General > Software Update and make sure your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS. Outdated iOS versions can cause compatibility problems with VPN apps, and Apple’s updates frequently include fixes for networking bugs that affect VPN connections. If you’re on an older iPhone that’s stuck on iOS 16 or earlier (which is the case for iPhone 8 and older models), your VPN app may not be fully compatible with that version anymore — check your VPN provider’s website to confirm they still support it.

It’s also worth restarting your Wi-Fi router if you’re connected over Wi-Fi. Unplug it from power, wait about 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Router glitches can interfere with VPN handshakes in ways that look like a VPN problem but aren’t, and a fresh restart clears those out.

One more thing to check before you move on: make sure your VPN account is still active and your subscription hasn’t expired. Open the VPN app and look for any alerts about your account status, or try logging in through the VPN provider’s website. If you can’t log in there either, your password may have changed or your plan may need to be renewed. If you’re using a free VPN, check whether you’ve used up your monthly data allowance — most free plans cap you somewhere between 500 MB and a few gigabytes, and once you hit that limit, the VPN stops connecting entirely.

If the preliminary checks don’t help, proceed to the remaining fixes.

2. Toggle Airplane Mode

Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen (or swiping up from the bottom if your iPhone has a Home button) and tap the airplane icon to turn Airplane Mode on. Wait about 10 seconds, then tap it again to turn it off.

Toggling Airplane Mode kills all wireless radios on your iPhone — Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth — and forces them to reconnect from scratch when you turn it back off. This is different from a restart because it specifically targets the network stack without rebooting the whole device, and it can break your iPhone out of a stuck connection state that’s preventing the VPN tunnel from being established. If your VPN was showing “Connecting…” for a long time without going through, try this before anything more involved.

3. Change Your Connected Region

Changing the region you’re connecting from can fix an issue with your VPN as well. It’s possible your VPN is having issues establishing connections from one region, but not others.

The way to change your connected region varies depending on your VPN provider. A lot of VPN providers allow you to select your location within their iOS app. Try opening the app to see if you can quickly change your connected region.

For example, TunnelBear lets you quickly change your connection region by tapping on an interactive map.

The server you were trying to connect to might be temporarily down for maintenance, or it could be overloaded with too many users at once. This is especially common during peak hours or if your VPN provider has a smaller server network. Try connecting to a server in a completely different country — if that works but your original server doesn’t, the issue is on the server side and there’s nothing wrong with your iPhone.

If your VPN is not connecting to any region, move onto the next step!

4. Delete And Reinstall VPN App

Deleting and reinstalling an app can give it a fresh start if it’s experiencing connectivity issues. One of the app’s files may have become corrupted, which can cause a variety of problems. Press and hold your VPN app’s icon on the Home screen or in the App Library until the menu appears. Tap Remove App > Delete App > Delete to uninstall your VPN app.

Now that the app has been deleted, open the App Store and tap on the Search tab in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Search for the name of your VPN, then tap the cloud button to the right of the app in the search results.

5. Try Other VPN Apps

If you’re still unable to connect to VPN on your iPhone even after reinstalling the app, there could be a backend or technical issue with your VPN provider. The easiest way to rule out backend issues is to try a different VPN app, preferably one that is more reliable, and connect to one of its servers.

If the connection is successful, then your primary VPN provider may be the culprit. While you wait for your VPN provider to resolve the issue, you can continue using the other app.

However, if you can’t connect to a VPN from the other app as well, there may be an issue with the VPN configuration or your iPhone’s settings. So, apply the remaining fixes.

6. Delete the VPN Profile

A VPN profile enables a device to connect to a private network securely. When you connect to a new VPN for the first time, the app asks for permission to create a new VPN profile. When you grant permission, the app creates a profile, which allows the VPN to monitor or filter your iPhone’s network activity.

The corruption of VPN profiles can also hinder your connection. Therefore, you should delete the existing profile and add it again to rule out this possibility. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open your iPhone’s Settings app.
2. Go to General > VPN & Device Management.
3. Tap on VPN.
4. Locate the VPN profile associated with your primary VPN, which isn’t connecting.
5. Tap the Info (i) button next to the relevant VPN profile.
6. Tap Delete VPN and then tap Delete in the confirmation popup.
7. When you reopen the VPN app, it will ask for permission to recreate the VPN profile. Grant access and see if it fixes the problem.

If deleting and re-creating your primary VPN profile doesn’t resolve the issue, delete all other VPN profiles you see in the VPN settings menu other than the one you just created. This may resolve the problem.

If you recently upgraded to a new iPhone and restored from a backup, old VPN profiles from your previous device can carry over and cause problems — even if the VPN app itself wasn’t transferred. Go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management > VPN and delete any profiles you don’t recognize. This has been a common issue for people setting up a new iPhone, and removing those leftover configurations can restore your connection immediately.

7. Disable Connect On Demand

Go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management > VPN, tap the info button (i) next to your VPN profile, and check whether Connect On Demand is toggled on. If it is, turn it off.

Connect On Demand tells your iPhone to automatically establish a VPN connection whenever it detects certain network conditions, and it sounds convenient in theory. In practice, though, it can create a loop where the VPN keeps trying to connect, failing, disconnecting, and trying again — which is that maddening “VPN cycling on and off” behavior you’ll see in the status bar. Some VPN apps also have their own version of this setting (it might be called “Auto-Connect” or “Always-On VPN” inside the app), so check the app’s settings too. Turning off these automatic reconnection features lets you connect manually and gives you a much clearer picture of whether the VPN can actually establish a stable tunnel.

8. Change the VPN Protocol

A VPN protocol consists of rules that determine the encryption used for data and the way information travels between your iPhone and a VPN server. Almost all VPN providers offer multiple VPN protocols and are configured to automatically connect to the most appropriate one based on the use case. The default auto mode is generally the best, but it sometimes malfunctions and causes connection problems. If you’ve also been using the default auto settings, manually switch between available protocols. Depending on your VPN provider, you may need to dig into the app’s settings to change the protocol.

Common protocols you’ll see include WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN. WireGuard tends to be the fastest, IKEv2 is good at reconnecting quickly when you switch between Wi-Fi and cellular, and OpenVPN is the most widely compatible but can be slower. If one protocol won’t connect on your current network (which happens a lot on public Wi-Fi at hotels, airports, and offices where certain protocols are blocked), try a different one — your VPN may connect on IKEv2 even though WireGuard was being blocked.

If manually changing the protocol doesn’t resolve the issue, revert the change and switch to auto again.

9. Turn Off Private Wi-Fi Address

Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the info button (i) next to the name of the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to. Tap Private Wi-Fi Address and select Off.

Your iPhone rotates its Wi-Fi MAC address periodically for privacy, which is a good feature in most situations. But some routers and network configurations don’t handle the rotating address well, and the VPN handshake can fail when the address changes mid-connection. Turning this off pins your iPhone to a single MAC address on that network. It’s a small privacy trade-off on one network, but it can fix VPN issues that nothing else seems to touch. If this solves the problem, you can leave it off for your home network and keep it on for networks you don’t trust.

10. Reset Your iPhone’s Network Settings

Open Settings and tap General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Enter your iPhone passcode, then tap Reset Network Settings to confirm the reset. Your iPhone will shut down, reset, then turn on again. Reconnect to the VPN again to see if you can connect successfully this time.

Reset Network Settings erases all VPN, Wi-Fi, Cellular, and APN settings on your iPhone and restores them to factory defaults. You’ll have to reconfigure your VPN once after the reset is complete. It’s also a good idea to write down your Wi-Fi passwords before performing this reset, as you’ll have to reenter them.

11. Ensure Your ISP Isn’t Blocking Your Connection

Although it rarely happens, restrictions imposed by your ISP can also prevent your iPhone from connecting to the VPN. If resetting the network settings does not work, you need to rule out this possibility. To do that, connect to your cellular network or a different Wi-Fi network to see if changing the internet provider fixes the issue.

If you find that your ISP is the culprit, you may need to try a different VPN app to see if that’s blocked as well. You can also contact your ISP directly to have them look into the issue or switch to a different network provider that doesn’t block VPNs altogether.

This can also happen on Wi-Fi networks at schools, offices, libraries, and hotels, where the network administrator may have specifically blocked VPN traffic. If your VPN connects fine on cellular data but won’t connect on a particular Wi-Fi network, that network is likely the problem — and there may not be anything you can do about it except use a different connection.

12. Contact Your VPN Provider

If you still can’t connect to VPN on your iPhone, it’s time to contact customer support. There may be an issue with your account only a customer support representative can resolve. Go to Google and search the name of your VPN provider and “customer support” to find their contact information.

Before you reach out, make a note of what you’ve already tried — which troubleshooting steps you went through, what iOS version you’re running (you can find this in Settings > General > About), and your iPhone model. Having that information ready saves time and helps the support team skip the basics and get to the real issue faster.

Get Your VPN Up and Running Again

Having trouble connecting to a VPN can be frustrating. Hopefully, you now understand why your iPhone fails to connect to a remote VPN server and how you can fix it using the troubleshooting steps above. Leave a comment down below if you have any other questions about virtual private networks.

If you’ve worked through every step here and the VPN still won’t connect, there’s a chance you’re dealing with a deeper iOS issue rather than a VPN-specific one. You could try backing up your iPhone and performing a full factory reset through Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings, then setting it up as new (without restoring a backup) to test the VPN on a clean install. If the VPN works on a fresh setup, the problem was buried somewhere in your settings or configuration files. If it still doesn’t work, reach out to Apple Support directly — they can run diagnostics and check whether there’s a hardware-level networking issue with your iPhone.

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The iPhone is one of the best smartphones out there, but even the best smartphones can experience hardware and software glitches from time to time. One common issue is when the iPhone touch screen stops working or becomes unresponsive to touch. It’s obvious when this happens, you’ll touch the screen and nothing happens, swipes will be ignored, taps don’t do anything, and other touch on the screen doesn’t register any behavior. It’s clearly annoying if the iPhone screen is no longer working and not responding to touch, and it’s not subtle. In this article, I will explain why the iPhone screen is not responding to touch and how to fix the problem.

Why is my iPhone screen not responding to touch?

Your iPhone screen may not be responding to touch due to several reasons. Sometimes it’s due to a software bug, crud on the screen, damage to the iPhone touch screen or iPhone itself, or perhaps some other issues as well. Read on to learn more.

An overheating iPhone can also cause the touch screen to stop responding — this is actually more common than most people realize, and it can happen after extended gaming sessions, long stretches of GPS navigation in direct sunlight, or even while wirelessly charging in a warm room. If you’ve recently updated iOS and the touch screen started acting up shortly after, a software bug introduced by the update could be at fault as well. Apple Community forums have been full of reports from users whose touchscreens became unresponsive or erratic right after major iOS updates (iOS 18 in particular was a repeat offender), so you’re definitely not alone if that’s what happened to you.

We’ve got several steps to troubleshooting an unresponsive touch screen on an iPhone. If your iPhone is not responding well to touch and the screen seemingly is not working as well as it should with touch input, follow along and you should be able to fix the issue for good. I just experienced this problem on my iPhone, so this is the set of steps I used to troubleshoot the issue, for my specific situation the iPhone just needed to be hard rebooted and some storage freed up for the touch screen to work as expected again.

How to Fix an Unresponsive iPhone Screen

Try these troubleshooting tips one by one. Hopefully, one of these will resolve the issue. If not, it’s likely you have a hardware problem that may only be fixable by contacting Apple customer service to repair or replace your phone.

Clean Your Screen, And Your Fingers

The first thing you need to do when your iPhone screen is not responding to touch is to clean off your screen, and your fingers. If you have a case or a thick third party screen protector on the iPhone, you’ll want to remove those as you troubleshoot this as well.

Give your iPhone screen a good look in bright direct lighting and tilt it around a bit to reveal any obvious gunk, oil, residues, liquids, moistures, dried crust or food, or anything else that may be interfering in the screen. In the sunnier weather, sunscreen is another common thing that can get on a screen and make the iPhone touch screen unresponsive or erroneously responsive. You’ll want to make sure the iPhone screen is clean and clear of anything that can interfere with the ability to detect touch properly. Wiping it down with a soft cotton cloth is often sufficient to remove anything from the iPhone displays touch screen, but you may need to use a slightly damp (and I do mean slightly, never enough moisture to drip) cloth to wipe the screen free.

As for your fingers, just make sure they’re clean and dry. Wash your hands or your fingers if in doubt and if you have a bunch of gunk on them. Unusually dry skin or callouses generally don’t matter and should not cause any issue with the touch screen, though if your hands are wet that may cause issues.

Just make sure the screen is clean, and that your hands are clean and dry.

Force your iPhone to restart

Often times simply restarting the iPhone will fix the unresponsive touch screen. Unfortunately, if your iPhone screen is not responding to touch at all, you won’t be able to move the power-off slider to shut down your device. In this case, you’ll need to resort to a forced restart, which is basically like rebooting your iPhone without powering it down first.

When your iPhone boots back up, the touch screen should work just fine again if it’s a simple software issue like a bug or a software freeze with iOS or an app. The exact steps to force restart your iPhone will depend on what model you have.

Quick tip: The button we call the Power button is also sometimes called the Lock button or the Side button.

If you have an iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generations), iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, iPhone 16, iPhone 17, or iPhone Air

1. Press and release the Volume Up button.
2. Press and release the Volume Down button.
3. Press and hold the Side button (the Sleep button).
4. Wait until you see the Apple logo, and then release the button.

If you have an iPhone 7

1. Press and hold the Volume Down and Side (Sleep) buttons at the same time.
2. Hold the buttons until the Apple logo appears, then release the buttons.

If you have an iPhone 6s, iPhone SE (1st generation), or earlier

1. Press and hold the Home and Side (Sleep) buttons at the same time.
2. Hold the buttons until the Apple logo appears, then release the buttons.

Disconnect any accessories from the Charging Port

On rare occasions, an accessory plugged into the phone’s charging port could interfere with the touchscreen. If anything is plugged into the port — including a microphone, power bank or charger — unplug it. If that solves your problem, the accessory or cable might be incompatible with your iPhone.

If you notice the touchscreen only acts up while the iPhone is plugged in and charging, the charger itself could be the problem. Non-certified third-party chargers can interfere with the screen’s touch sensitivity, and I’ve seen this happen more than once with cheap gas station cables. Try a different charger — ideally the one that came with the iPhone or an Apple-certified cable — and see if the issue goes away.

Let Your iPhone Cool Down

If your iPhone feels warm or hot to the touch, turn it off and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes before trying to use the touchscreen again. Apple rates iPhones to work between 32°F and 95°F (0°C and 35°C), and when the internal temperature climbs too high, the touchscreen can stop responding entirely.

This can happen after extended use of GPS navigation in direct sunlight, long gaming sessions, or even wireless charging in a hot room — and sometimes the phone doesn’t even feel that hot on the outside when the internals are already struggling. If you have a thick case on the iPhone, take it off while the phone cools down, since cases trap heat. Don’t stick your iPhone in the fridge or hold it up to an air conditioner to speed things up (which is a lot more tempting than it should be), because the sudden temperature change can cause condensation inside the device and create a whole different set of problems.

Delete and Update / Reinstall the Problematic App

Sometimes an iPhone touch screen is unresponsive in just one particular app. If this is the case, the problem is likely that app and not the iPhone touch screen at all, but since the app is open at the time the app stops responding as it “freezes”. A frozen app will often not respond to any touch screen input at all, but swiping up from the bottom of the screen will often exit the app and go back to the Home Screen in these scenarios.

If your iPhone touch screen stops working while using a specific app, you’ll want to update it first. Open the App Store, tap your profile in the top-right and check to see if an update is available for the app in question, if an update is available, tap the Update button next to the app in question.

If there is still a problem with the touch screen not working in a specific app after you have updated that app, you can also delete the app, and then reinstall the problematic app. Relaunch it again to see if it works as expected. If it still fails, the app could have a bug that needs to be addressed. If the touch screen works with every other app except for the problematic one, that particular app is likely the problem and it’s probably nothing to do with the screen or iPhone at all.

One thing worth knowing: some video playback apps (like certain streaming players) have a screen lock feature that’s designed to prevent accidental touches during playback. If you’re watching a video and the screen stops responding, look for a small lock icon on the screen before assuming the touchscreen itself is broken — tapping that icon should unlock the screen controls.

Free up iOS Storage

Make sure your iPhone has enough storage available. You can check this by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Aim to have at least a 1GB, as iOS really starts underperforming with less space available.

When an iPhone has zero storage available, the device tend to misbehave, and that can include experiencing an unresponsive touch screen.

Deleting unused apps is an easy way to recover some storage space.

I have noticed this is particularly true with modern versions of iOS when an iPhone is totally full and has 0 bytes of storage remaining, in which case many apps become unresponsive as does the touch screen. Sometimes even the buttons along with the touch screen may be unresponsive and not work at all for a while on a totally full iPhone, until whatever software cache clearing mechanisms complete. This is often easily reproducible too; just fill up an iPhone so that it has zero bytes remaining, and then start trying to use apps that rely on a lot of caching like Instagram, X, Facebook, Spotify, etc, once those app caches build up you will likely notice the touch screen becomes unresponsive for short periods of time as iOS struggles to deal with having zero storage available. In such a case, just free up some space, then reboot the iPhone, it should work again.

Check for a Software Update

If your iPhone touchscreen is working well enough that you can get into Settings, go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any update that’s available. Apple regularly releases iOS updates that fix bugs affecting touchscreen performance, and there have been several iOS versions over the years where a touchscreen bug was introduced and then patched in a follow-up update.

If the screen is too unresponsive to get through Settings, skip this step for now — the “Reinstall iOS” step further down covers how to update from a computer using Recovery Mode instead. But if you can get into Settings even intermittently (and some touchscreen issues do come and go), it’s worth trying the over-the-air update first since it’s much less disruptive than connecting to a computer and going through Recovery Mode.

Reset All Settings

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tap Reset and choose Reset All Settings. This resets all of your system settings — Wi-Fi passwords, Bluetooth connections, display brightness preferences, notification settings — back to their factory defaults, but it does not erase any of your apps, photos, messages, or other data.

Sometimes a corrupted system setting or a bad configuration left over from an iOS update can interfere with the touchscreen, and resetting all settings clears that out without the hassle of wiping the entire phone. You’ll have to re-enter your Wi-Fi password and reconnect your Bluetooth devices afterward, which is a bit of a pain, but it’s a lot less disruptive than a full restore. If you can’t get into Settings at all because the touch screen is completely unresponsive, skip this step and move on to reinstalling iOS via your computer.

Reinstall iOS

As a last resort before contacting Apple Support, you can try updating or restoring iOS. This is a good option if your iPhone successfully restarts but can’t get past the Apple logo.

Even if your iPhone screen is not responding to touch, you can update or restore iOS by connecting your device to your computer and using Recovery Mode:

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB cable.
2. Open the Finder on your Mac, or open the Apple Devices app on your PC. If your PC doesn’t have the Apple Devices app, or your Mac is using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes instead.
3. Put your iPhone in recovery mode following these steps:
   • iPhone 8 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation and later): Press and release the volume up button, press and release the volume down button, then press and hold the side button. Hold down the side button until you see the Connect to computer screen.
   • iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the volume down button and Sleep/Wake button at the same time. Hold down the buttons until you see the Connect to computer screen.
   • iPhone 6s or earlier, including iPhone SE (1st generation): Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and Home button at the same time. Hold down the buttons until you see the Connect to computer screen.
4. When you see the option to restore or update your iPhone on your computer, choose Update. iTunes or Finder will update the phone without deleting your apps and data. Do not choose Restore, which will erase all of your data.
5. If the Update doesn’t work, your final option is to choose Restore. This option will restore your iPhone to its factory settings.

Important: If you choose Restore, iOS will be reinstalled and all of your data will be erased. You will, however, have an opportunity to restore a backup from iCloud. For this reason, it’s important to back up your data.

If your screen is completely unresponsive but the iPhone is otherwise working (you can hear sounds, receive calls, etc.), you may still be able to back up your data before restoring. Connect the iPhone to a Mac or PC with a USB cable, open Finder or the Apple Devices app, and look for the option to back up. If the iPhone has been connected to that computer before and already trusts it, the backup should start without needing you to tap anything on the screen.

Is the iPhone Touch Screen Cracked? Is the iPhone Touch Screen Damaged? Was the iPhone damaged or dropped?

This is probably obvious from the get-go, but if the iPhone touch screen is cracked it can become unresponsive, partially unresponsive, or just not work at all. Likewise if the iPhone is damaged, it may not work at all, or the touch screen may not work reliably.

Water damage can also ruin an iPhone touch screen, or the entire phone as well. If an iPhone has been dropped, it’s also possible that internal components came loose, which may cause the touch screen to not be working.

If your iPhone has obvious visible damage and the iPhone touch screen is not working, the damage is likely to be the cause. In such a situation, take the iPhone to an authorized Apple repair center or an Apple store and have them give it a look.

If you’ve had your iPhone screen replaced by a third-party repair shop in the past, that could be causing the problem too. Non-genuine replacement screens vary a lot in quality, and touchscreen issues are one of the most common complaints with cheap aftermarket parts. The screen might work fine for weeks or months and then start losing touch sensitivity or developing dead zones. If that sounds like your situation, you may need to have the screen replaced again with a higher-quality part — or take it to Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for an OEM display.

See also: Apps Not Downloading on iPhone? Here’s The Fix (11 Ways)

iPhone touch screen STILL not working? Contact Professional Help

If all above troubleshooting methods have failed, it’s time to contact Apple support, go to an Apple Store, or visit an Apple authorized repair center. Have them inspect your iPhone touch screen to figure out what’s wrong with it, it may need a repair. It may be a hardware problem that is unseen, or it could be some other issue that you overlooked.

When you go in for service, Apple can run a full diagnostic on the iPhone to check for hardware faults that you’d have no way of detecting at home — things like a failing digitizer, a loose internal display cable, or damage to the logic board. If your iPhone is still under warranty or covered by AppleCare+, the repair may be covered at no cost or for a reduced service fee. Bring your proof of purchase if you have it, and make sure to mention every troubleshooting step you’ve already tried so they don’t waste your time repeating the same fixes.

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Did these troubleshooting tips fix your iPhone touch screen issue? Do you have any tips or tricks to resolving problems with an unresponsive or non-working touch screen on iPhone? Let us know in the comments below.

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How to fix apps not downloading on iPhone

1. Test Your Internet Connection

The first thing you should do if apps are not downloading on your iPhone is to make sure that you are connected to the internet. Most of the time, you should connect to Wi-Fi, since cellular downloads use up your data allowance and often only let you download apps smaller than 200MB. Go to settings > Wi-Fi and make sure that you are connected to a working Wi-Fi network.

After connecting to Wi-Fi, test your internet connection by streaming a video on YouTube. If the connection is slow or unstable, toggle Wi-Fi off and back on from the Control Center. You can access this by swiping down from the top-right corner of your iPhone screen.

Problems with Wi-Fi can be caused by temporary service outages or local network hardware failure. You might want to power cycle your router and modem (waiting around 10 seconds between switching devices off and then on again) to rule out local network problems as a cause.

See also: iPhone not connecting to Wi-Fi? Here’s how to fix it

If you need to use mobile data to download apps instead, make sure you allow the App Store to use cellular data on your iPhone. Go to Settings > Cellular. Scroll down to the list of apps and turn on App Store.
Then go to Settings > Apps > App Store, tap App Downloads and choose if you want your iPhone to ask permission before downloading apps over 200MB in size.

See also: iPhone Cellular Data Not Working? Here’s the Fix (8 Ways)

2. Disable Your VPN

The easiest way to rule out your VPN as a cause is to disable it and try again. To do this, open your VPN provider’s app and disconnect. You can also try switching servers, to see if the problem is caused by your configuration. Once you disable VPN, open the App Store and try downloading apps again.

VPNs are useful and almost certainly worth paying for, but they can cause all sorts of problems too. This could be a temporary problem with your chosen VPN provider or local server, but it could also be so-called "suspicious" activity that Apple has chosen to block. Sometimes, VPN providers that offer a kill switch to disable all internet traffic when the connection drops. Don’t forget to enable your VPN again when you’re done troubleshooting.

3. Make Sure Your Have Enough Free Space

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much free space you have and take a look at which apps are using the most. There are plenty of ways to create more free space on your iPhone if you need to, such as offloading apps, uploading photos to the cloud, or deleting junk that you no longer need. You can do all of this from the iPhone storage settings.

Internal iPhone storage is not expandable. You can’t download new apps on your iPhone if you’ve already filled up your device with photos, videos, music, and other content.

When this happens, an alert should pop up saying "Not Enough Storage."

4. Add a payment method on your iPhone

You might need to have a valid payment method on file, even if the app that you want to download is free.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap your name.
3. Tap Payment & Shipping. You might be asked to sign in with your Apple Account.
4. Tap Add Payment Method.
5. Enter the payment method details, then tap Done.

If you’ve already added a payment method, it’s possible that the payment details on your account expired, so you should check if you need to update them.

5. Make Sure the Date and Time Are Set Correctly

You may encounter problems downloading apps on your iPhone if the date and time aren’t set correctly for your time zone. An easy fix to this is to set the date and time automatically by going to Settings > General > Date & Time.

6. Turn Off Content and Privacy Restrictions

The content and privacy restrictions on an iPhone let you limit settings, apps, or features to keep the device safe for children. However, those same limitations explain why you can’t download new apps on your iPhone.

To edit your restrictions:

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. If prompted, enter your Screen Time passcode, which may be different from the standard passcode you use to unlock your iPhone.
3. Turn off all Content & Privacy Restrictions at the top of the screen or change the following setting:
   • Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases > Installing Apps.
   • Select Allow to enable installing apps.

7. Pause and Resume Your App Download

Sometimes, if your iPhone won’t download apps, all you need to do to fix it is pause the download, then resume it again. You can do this from the Home Screen on your device. While an app is downloading, it should appear on the Home screen as a darkened app icon with a progress circle in the middle. Tap it to pause the download—causing a pause symbol to appear. Wait a few seconds, then tap it again to resume the download.

Alternatively, tap and hold on the app icon to reveal a quick-action menu. You can choose to Pause Download or Resume Download from this menu as well.

Alternatively, you have the option to Prioritize Download from the quick-action menu. This is a good idea if your iPhone is downloading other content as well, since it prioritizes this app above all other downloads.

8. Sign Out of the App Store, Then Sign In Again

Though problems downloading apps on your iPhone is likely a connectivity issue, signing out of App Store and then in again is also worth a shot. You can do this under Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases by tapping the "Sign Out" button. This will sign you out of the App Store while leaving your main Apple account signed in.

You can then sign in and attempt to access the App Store again, using the same menu.

9. Restart Your iPhone

A quick restart can resolve any temporary glitches that may be preventing your iPhone from downloading apps. You can restart your iPhone by asking Siri to "restart my iPhone" which will power down and then power up your device.

Alternatively, press and hold the Side button with either Volume button. When prompted, slide to power off your iPhone.

Wait 30 seconds after it powers off before pressing the Side button again to restart it.

10. Delete the App, Then Download It Again

Sometimes a download becomes so corrupted that the only way to fix it is deleting the half-downloaded app and downloading it again from scratch. If you never used the app before, there’s nothing to lose from doing this.

However, if you were trying to update an app rather than download it for the first time, deleting it might also delete any data you have saved in the app. You should make a backup of your iPhone before deleting apps to protect your data.

1. Tap and hold the app icon on the Home Screen. In the quick-action menu that appears, tap Remove App, tap Delete App, then tap Delete to confirm.
2. Go to the App Store and redownload the app.

11. Consider Resetting Network Settings

If you’ve tried everything and you still can’t update apps on your iPhone, consider resetting your network settings. Doing this will restore settings like DNS and proxy configurations to factory defaults, and you’ll also lose all of your saved Wi-Fi credentials for any wireless networks you have added to your device. To do this, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset and pick "Reset Network Settings" from the list of options that appear. Confirm your choice and wait for the reset to complete.

The first thing you’ll probably want to do is head to Settings > Wi-Fi and connect to your local wireless network. You can then try downloading apps again.

Conclusion

By now, you should be able to download as many apps as you want. If your iPhone still won’t download apps from the App Store, contact Apple Support for more help.

The post Apps Not Downloading on iPhone? Here’s The Fix (11 Ways) appeared first on nerdsmodo.

There are few sadder phrases than those two little red words your iPhone displays when a message fails to send: “Not Delivered.” Those words, along with that exclamation point in a circle, mean your charming photo or witty comment didn’t go through.

Fortunately, as in life, with the iPhone: the simplest answer is usually the correct one. If your iPhone is not sending messages, first make sure you have a connection to either a Wi-Fi or cellular network, and make sure your phone is not set to Airplane Mode.

How to troubleshoot your iPhone if it isn’t sending messages

Try these fixes to get your iPhone messages sending smoothly again.

But, first, of course, try just tapping that red exclamation point beside your failed message and then tap “Try Again.”

Check your network connection

If your iPhone is not sending messages, first make sure your phone has service, as the issue may be with the Wi-Fi or cellular network, not your device itself. SMS and MMS messages send in green iPhone text bubbles, while iMessages send in blue iPhone text bubbles. To send a message as iMessage, RCS, or MMS, you need a cellular data or Wi-Fi connection. To send an SMS message, you need cellular network connection. Be sure you are sending the right type of message.

Sometimes bad weather, internet hackers, or a rural location can affect your service connection. One simple way to check if your cell signal is bad is by looking at the number of network bars in the top-right of your iPhone’s status bar, next to the battery icon. Less filled bars mean poor connection. If you see “Searching,” “No Service,” or “SOS,” that means you don’t have a signal.

Try moving to an area with better reception if it’s weak or nonexistent. If you’re in an area that usually has a good signal, contact your mobile network operator.

Before you start changing any settings, check Apple’s System Status page at apple.com/support/systemstatus to make sure iMessage itself isn’t down. If you see anything other than a green dot next to iMessage on that page, the problem is on Apple’s end and there’s nothing you can fix on your device — you’ll just have to wait it out.

Make sure you are not in Airplane Mode

If you can’t send any message on your iPhone, make sure airplane mode is turned off. You can do this by opening your iPhone’s Control Center and tapping the Airplane toggle in the top left. This symbol is grayed out whenever Airplane Mode is off. As a bonus, sometimes toggling Airplane Mode on and off can clear up temporary signal hiccups, too.

Airplane Mode prevents your iPhone from sending and receiving cellular signals. Unless you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, you won’t be able to send or receive text messages via iMessage when you enable Airplane mode.

And even then, you can’t send or receive SMS and MMS messages since they rely on cellular signals. Because of this, you should make sure that you’ve turned off Airplane Mode before trying to send text messages.

Check your iPhone’s Messages settings

In the Settings app, tap Apps. Tap Messages, then make sure the switches next to iMessage is toggled on (to green). Next, scroll down and make sure Retry as Text Message is also toggled on.

When you message another contact with an Apple device, your iPhone sends it via iMessage by default.

Because iMessage texts sometimes fail to send, your iPhone might instead try sending SMS (Short Message Service) messages, even to other iPhone users. However, you need to switch this feature on in Settings for it to work.

Now, if you try to send a message and you see a red exclamation point with an alert that says Not Delivered, tap the red exclamation point, then tap Send as Text Message.

If you don’t see an option to turn on Retry as Text Message on your iPhone, then your carrier might not support this feature.

If your iPhone won’t send picture messages, make sure the switch next to MMS Messaging is turned on (to green).

While you’re in the Messages settings, tap Send & Receive and make sure your phone number has a checkmark next to it under “You can receive iMessages to.” If your phone number isn’t listed or isn’t checked, your iPhone may be trying to send iMessages through an email address instead, and that mismatch can cause messages to fail without any clear reason why.

Toggle iMessage Off and On

If your iPhone can’t send iMessages, go to Settings > Apps > Messages and tap the iMessage toggle to turn it off. After about 30 seconds, turn it back on.

Toggling iMessage off and on forces your iPhone to re-register with Apple’s messaging servers, which can clear out a stuck activation or a connection that went stale after a software update (this happens more often than you’d think, especially after major iOS upgrades). If that alone doesn’t fix the problem, try signing out of your Apple account— tap Send & Receive, tap your Apple account at the bottom, and choose Sign Out. Give it a few seconds. Then sign back in and send a test message to see if things are working.

Make sure your Mobile Plan is active

If your iPhone won’t send text messages, you should check whether you currently have an active mobile service plan. If you don’t have one, you won’t be able to send texts. If you’re not sure how to do this, contact your carrier.

While the vast majority of phone plans offer standard unlimited texting, you might have exceeded your monthly limit of text messages if you have a limited plan.

In either case, you should contact your network provider to ensure there are no issues with your account services.

Make sure you are texting the correct phone number

Sending text messages to inactive or unused numbers is a recipe for failure and frustration. Make sure that you entered the correct phone number. If you entered the phone number wrong or the intended recipient now has a new phone number, you may be prevented from sending the text. So take your time when entering phone numbers.

If you continue to have trouble, contact your intended recipient by other means to confirm the phone number.

This last point is important. Sometimes, your contacts may change their phone numbers, or their mobile operator may disconnect them. The issue may be with someone else’s phone and not yours.

Restart the Messages app

If your iPhone still can’t send text messages, try closing the Messages app and opening it again. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app switcher. Find the Messages app and swipe up on it. Reopen the Messages app and check if you can send messages again. Sometimes applications get lost or stuck trying to perform a certain action—like sending a text. Often, refreshing the app can clear out the action, allowing the app to once again function properly.

If one specific conversation keeps failing, try deleting that thread and starting a brand new message to the same contact. A conversation can get corrupted when a message has been stuck trying to send for a long time, and deleting it gives the Messages app a clean slate.

Restart your iPhone

To restart your iPhone, hold down the power button on the right side and one of the volume buttons on the left side. When the power slider appears, drag it to power down. When you turn it back on, it may well be able to send messages again.

Turning an iPhone on and off clears temporary memory, so it can be a good way of removing any issues affecting how your iPhone works.

Check Your Date and Time Settings

Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and make sure Set Automatically is turned on.

If your iPhone’s date and time are even slightly off — and it doesn’t take much, even a few minutes can do it — iMessage can fail to connect to Apple’s servers because the security certificates behind the connection rely on accurate timestamps. It sounds strange, but it’s true. After a factory restore, a long international trip, or even a dead battery that sat uncharged for weeks, this setting can get thrown off without you realizing it. If Set Automatically was already turned on and the time still looks wrong, try toggling it off, waiting about ten seconds, and then turning it back on to force your iPhone to pull a fresh timestamp from the network.

Update iOS

Make sure your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, then go to Settings > General > Software Update. If a pending update is available, you’ll see an Update Now button — tap it to download and install the latest version on your iPhone.

You should always keep your iPhone updated with the latest version of iOS. New updates for iOS can iron out software issues and bugs. So if you still can’t send messages on your iPhone, update your device to the latest version of iOS.

If your iPhone says, “iOS is up to date,” you have the latest version installed and don’t need to do anything else.

Update Your Carrier Settings

Make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data then go to Settings > General > About and wait about 15 seconds. If a carrier settings update is available, a pop-up will appear asking you to install it — tap Update.

Apple and your wireless carrier release these small updates periodically to improve how your iPhone connects to the cellular network, and an outdated carrier bundle can quietly break things like SMS delivery, MMS attachments, or even 5G connectivity. Easy to miss. If no pop-up appears after sitting on the About screen for about 15 seconds (most people have never even opened this screen), your carrier settings are already current and you can move on.

Reset your network settings

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tap Reset and select Reset Network Settings. This will erase all of your saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, so save this step for after you’ve tried everything above.

Resetting your network settings is a last-ditch attempt before seeking help from your carrier or Apple, but it might be your last chance for getting those messages out.

Contact your carrier or Apple

If your iPhone still won’t send SMS messages after all this, your last option is to contact your carrier or Apple. First, try checking with your carrier to see if the type of message you’re trying to send, like RCS, MMS, or SMS, is supported. If everything is good on your carrier’s end, it’s likely a hardware issue, and you should contact Apple or an authorized service provider for expert assistance.

When you call your carrier, ask them specifically to do a network reset on their end — this is a different thing from the network settings reset you already did on your iPhone, and it has fixed the problem for a lot of people in Apple Community forums who had tried everything else on their own device. If the carrier says everything looks fine on their side, that points toward a hardware issue with your iPhone’s cellular radio or SIM reader.

Depending on your location, you can book an Apple Store appointment at a Genius Bar. You may have to eventually replace the iPhone, but that should be the last case scenario.

Fix Your iPhone Messaging Issues

Unfortunately, it can take a little bit of time to figure out exactly what the source of your texting issues may be. However, if you’re patient and willing to try a couple of different techniques, you should have no problem getting your iPhone working again.

If you’ve tried every step above and your iPhone still won’t send text messages, have your carrier run a full network reset and then book an appointment at an Apple Store or authorized service provider. A technician can run diagnostics on your iPhone’s hardware — including the antenna and SIM tray — and tell you whether a repair or replacement is needed before you spend any money.

The post iPhone Not Sending Messages? Here’s The Fix (13 Ways) appeared first on nerdsmodo.

To hard reset your iPhone, press and quickly release the volume up button. Press and quickly release the volume down button. Press and hold the side button. When the Apple logo appears, release the side button. This method “forces” your iPhone to turn off, even if it’s frozen.

If your iPhone becomes unresponsive and you can’t shut it down using the normal methods, it’s time to try a forced restart—sometimes called a "hard reset" (which is not to be confused with a factory reset). Luckily, it’s easy to force your iPhone to restart using just three button presses. Here’s how.

What Is a Hard Reset?

A hard reset will force your iPhone to power off and restart without the typical shutdown process. Shutting down the usual way is important because it tidies things up before powering off your iPhone. But if your iPhone becomes unresponsive, sometimes you’re forced to take a more drastic step by forcing a reboot.

Reasons You May Need to Hard Reset an Apple iPhone

There are many reasons why you may need to hard reset your Apple iPhone. Maybe your iPhone screen is unresponsive, or your phone is running slow.

Here are the most common reasons you may need to hard reset your iPhone

• Your iPhone is slow
• You have a frozen iPhone
• There is an error code
• Your iPhone won’t reboot

Whatever the reason, hard resetting an iPhone is a simple process that you can do in just a few minutes.

Be advised that a hard reset should only be used rarely. Using a forced reboot regularly may cause problems with your iPhone. Your iPhone should be shut down gracefully unless it’s frozen or otherwise unresponsive.

How to hard reset an iPhone

The instructions on how to hard reset an iPhone vary depending on the model of your device. If you’re not sure which iPhone model you own, check out Apple Support article to learn how to identify your iPhone.

Quick tip: The button we call the Power buttonis also sometimes called the Lock button or the Side button.

How to Hard Reset iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generations), iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, iPhone 16, iPhone 17, or iPhone Air

To hard reset an iPhone 8 or newer, you’ll need to do three button presses in rapid succession. On the last button press, you’ll need to keep holding the button. Here’s how:

1. Press and release the Volume Up button.

2. Press and release the Volume Down button.

3. Press and hold the Side button (the Sleep button).

4. Wait until you see the Apple logo, and then release the button.

How to Hard Reset iPhone 7

To hard reset an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, you’ll need to press two buttons simultaneously. You’ll need to keep holding the buttons. Here’s how:

1. Press and hold the Volume Down and Side (Sleep) buttons at the same time.

2. Hold the buttons until the Apple logo appears, then release the buttons.

How to Hard Reset an iPhone 6s, iPhone SE (1st generation), or earlier

To hard reset an older iPhone, such as the iPhone 6s, the first-generation iPhone SE (from 2016), or older, you’ll need to press two buttons simultaneously. You’ll need to keep holding the buttons. Here’s how:

1. Press and hold the Home and Side (Sleep) or top buttons at the same time.

2. Hold the buttons until the Apple logo appears, then release the buttons.

How to force restart an iPhone without buttons?

You can use Siri to hard reset your iPhone without buttons.

As long as you have the "Hey Siri" feature enabled, which constantly listens for the two-letter command, you can say the following to force restart your iPhone without buttons:

• First, say ”Hey Siri” to activate Siri.
• Next, say ”Restart iPhone.”
• And last, say ”Yes” when Siri prompts you to confirm.
• Your iPhone will then restart. You’ll need to enter your passcode to unlock your screen.

If you don’t have "Hey Siri" enabled, you can go to Settings > Siri (or Apple Intelligence & Siri)) > Talk & Type to Siri and select “Siri” or “Hey Siri”.

The post How to hard reset iPhone (Step-by-Step) appeared first on nerdsmodo.

Processor and Performance

Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared in August.

Apple’s A19 Pro chip has since debuted in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. The iPhone 17 Pro models include the higher-end version of Apple’s A19 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU, while the iPhone Air uses a mid-tier A19 Pro chip with one fewer GPU core than the A19 Pro chip used in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.

If the code leak is accurate for the iPad mini 8, Apple is likely to use the mid-tier A19 Pro chip found in the iPhone Air. This is based on the fact that the A17 Pro chip used in the iPad mini 7 has a 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores, along with a 5-core GPU, compared to the 6-core GPU found on the A17 Pro used in the iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple built the A19 Pro chip on an upgraded third-generation 3-nanometer N3P process for modest speed and efficiency improvements. The chip includes a 16-core Neural Engine, next-generation dynamic caching, and unified image compression.

The GPU in the A19 Pro has an upgraded architecture with a larger cache, more memory, and Neural Accelerators that are built into each core. Apple says that this change provides 3× the peak GPU compute over the prior-generation chip. There’s also an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks.

There is an outside chance that Apple opts for the A20 Pro chip for the new iPad mini. The claim has been made by a MacRumors tipster who analyzed a macOS kernel debug kit containing internal Apple codenames. However, the iPad mini has not always received Apple’s newest A-series chip at the time it was updated, so the A19 Pro cannot be ruled out at this time. iPhone 18 Pro models are also expected to use the A20 Pro chip, which will reportedly be fabricated with TSMC’s advanced 2nm process.

Display

Apple’s plan to transition the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ from an LCD to an OLED display is widely rumored. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the small form-factor tablet is likely to be the next Apple device to adopt OLED. According to a Chinese leaker with sources in Apple’s supply chain, Apple has evaluated a Samsung-made OLED display for its next iPad mini model.

It remains unclear whether the iPad mini 8 will feature a higher refresh rate than the 60Hz LCD display used in the existing iPad mini 7, but since the new base iPhone 17 now uses a 120Hz ProMotion panel, it would be reasonable to expect the same on the first OLED iPad mini. A separate report has suggested the ‌‌‌iPad mini 8‌‌‌’s screen could increase in size from 8.3 inches to 8.7 inches with the adoption of OLED.

OLED panels can individually control each pixel, resulting in more precise color reproduction and deeper blacks compared to other common display technologies. They also provide superior contrast, faster response times, better viewing angles, and greater design flexibility. All of Apple’s flagship iPhones use OLED panels, and in May 2024 the company brought the display technology to the iPad Pro for the first time.

Unlike Apple’s ‌iPad Pro‌ models, which feature two-stack low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED panels‌, the ‌iPad mini‌ may have a single-stack low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panel, which would make it dimmer.

Chassis Design

Apple is reportedly working to give the iPad mini 8 a more water-resistant design, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The updated casing would bring protection levels closer to those of the iPhone, making the tablet safer for use in damp environments.

To achieve this, Apple is said to have designed a new vibration-based speaker system that eliminates the need for traditional speaker holes. By using sound-emitting surfaces instead of open grilles, the company can reduce potential entry points for water and dust, resulting in a more sealed, durable enclosure.

On the iPhone, Apple relies on adhesives and gaskets to shield speakers and other openings from moisture. The iPad mini’s approach appears to go further, doing away with the holes altogether. Current iPad mini models lack any official IP rating, but the upcoming version could mark the first in the lineup to feature a certified level of water protection.

Apple patents could offer further clues to the new design direction. For example, a 2014 patent outlines a “mechanically actuated panel acoustic system” that vibrates flat surfaces to generate sound, effectively turning parts of a device’s chassis into a speaker diaphragm. This could potentially allow Apple to produce audio without visible speaker holes. The patent suggests Apple has been building towards a sealed, vibration-based acoustic system for several years.

Release Date

According to research firm Omdia, the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ is expected to adopt an OLED display in 2027. However, Korea’s ET News and ZDNET Korea have both suggested that the iPad mini will be updated with an OLED display in 2026. Bloomberg has also said the update could come as soon as this year.

The most recent word on the subject comes from Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital, who claims the OLED iPad mini will be launched in the second half of 2026 at the earliest.

In May 2024, it was reported that Samsung Display had started developing sample OLED panels for a future ‌iPad mini‌, with plans to initiate mass production at its facility in Cheonan in the second half of 2025. The same report claimed that Apple will bring an OLED panel to the iPad Air alongside the ‌iPad mini‌ in 2026.

That outlook differs slightly from a December report by analyst firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) that said an 8.5-inch OLED iPad mini is planned for a 2026 launch, while 11-inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Air models are expected to follow in 2027.

Ultimately, there are no rumors suggesting exactly when the next ‌iPad mini‌ will be released, but a launch in 2026, possibly alongside new ‌iPad Air‌ models in the first half of the year, is certainly a possibility.

Pricing

Apple’s ‌iPad mini‌ with OLED display technology and improved water resistance is expected to be more expensive, and Apple could charge up to $100 more for the device, according to Bloomberg‘s Gurman. The ‌iPad mini‌ is currently priced starting at $499. Gurman has previously argued that Apple should consider a lower-end version of the mini, or at least a change to its current $499 starting price, given that it’s up against rival products that cost a lot less.

However, Apple users who are looking for a more affordable option should probably consider the 10th-generation iPad instead. Starting at $329, the iPad offers many iPad mini features, such as Touch ID and Center Stage, but at a lower price that balances functionality and affordability.

See also: iPhone 18: Everything We Know

The post OLED iPad Mini: Everything We Know appeared first on nerdsmodo.

The problem has to do with how rechargeable batteries age, and the power demands that a new operating system places on those devices. If you have a one year old iPhone 16, then upgrading to the newest version of iOS probably didn’t slow down your device. But if you have a four or five year old iPhone model, you may have began noticing glitching or lagging after the update to iOS 26.

This may seem counterintuitive, since newer operating systems should reduce bugs. But the reason your older iPhone is struggling isn’t due to faulty lines of code, but rather a more power-hungry operating system that demands more performance from the devices they run on. And if your device is a few years old, this can cause some problems.

Because as lithium ion batteries age, their capacity and performance declines. As the degradation approaches 80% of original capacity, you’ll probably start to notice your iPhone acting up. This is because the battery can’t provide enough power to the processor, causing lag, glitches, and even app crashes.

You can check your iPhone’s maximum capacity and battery health settings. But the issue is magnified when updating that older iPhone to a newer, more powerful operating system. This adds new features that are designed for the latest iPhone’s processing power.

If you don’t have the latest iPhone, and your existing battery has already degraded close to 80%, that new operating system is going to put it under even more stress, making your device slow down even more, and giving the impression that Apple’s intentionally messing up your iPhone.

Now since this problem is caused by an old underperforming battery, you can fix it by simply getting a battery replacement, which is free if you purchased AppleCare Plus, or $69 for all iPhone models since the 10. That way you can still enjoy the latest features of iOS without spending $1,000 on a brand new iPhone.

The post Why iPhones Slow Down After A Software Update, appeared first on nerdsmodo.

Well, it’s because Apple’s accumulated a lot of different operating systems over the years. And their version numbers aren’t very intuitive. For example, iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS are all on version 18, which implies they’ve all been around for 18 years. But that’s only the case for one of them, iOS, which came out in 2007, and has been updated once a year since then.

But the history of iPadOS is more complicated. Despite the iPad being released in 2010, the operating system didn’t have its own name until nine years later in 2019. But how could that be? Well, Apple just said iPad ran iOS, the same operating system as iPhone. And that made sense at the time, because in the early days of iPad, it didn’t have any unique software features compared to iPhone. People just liked it for the bigger screen.

In fact, when iOS 4 came out, multitasking was one of its headlining features. But iPad didn’t receive it until five months after iPhone. It wasn’t until 2015, with iOS 9, that Apple began adding iPad-exclusive features. Like slideover, split view, and picture-in-picture.

By 2019, iOS running on iPad began looking quite different from iPhone. To make a distinction between the two devices, Apple changed the name of iPad’s operating system from iOS to iPadOS. And while this proved to be the right move, it ended up causing confusion. Because Apple didn’t name the first version iPadOS 1, they named it iPadOS 13. On one hand, this made sense, since it matched the version number of iOS. But on the other hand, it was misleading.

Traditionally, the purpose of Apple’s version numbers is to indicate how many times something has been updated. iOS 13was its 13th update, Safari 9 was its 9th update, iTunes 12 was its 12th update, and so on. But Apple broke from this trend with iPadOS 13. Although it wasn’t their first time.

macOS also has a complicated release history. Today we’re on macOS 15. But during Apple’s modern era, it’s actually been updated 21 times. And technically, the first 16 versions were all called macOS 10, since Apple used decimal points to represent each release. Like macOS 10.1, then 10.2, instead of macOS 11 and 12.

Then things got even more confusing when the code name for their 2002 update was leaked. Internally, every project Apple works on has a code name. For example, iPhone was called Purple, iPad was called K48, and the Apple Watchwas called Gizmo. These names are used to prevent employees from leaking information about upcoming products.

The code names Apple had used for macOS 10 came from big cats. Version 10.0 was called Cheetah, and version 10.1 was called Puma. Both of these code names were kept secret. But with macOS 10.2, its code name Jaguar was leaked, and it was posted all over internet forums and rumor sites. Luckily for Apple, people like the name, and their marketing team suggests using it to promote the operating system. Apple even used Pixar’s 3D rendering technology to create a realistic graphic of an X covered in fur.

So for the first time, Apple not only assigned macOS a version number, 10.2, but also a name, Jaguar. This continued until we ended up with Lion and Mountain Lion. As you can imagine, they were starting to run out of cat names.

So in 2013, they switched to naming macOS 10 updates after natural landmarks in California. And in 2015, Craig Federighi said this: "OS 10 has been with us for over 15 years, but when we look at it alongside our other operating systems, something sticks out. We realized there was a name that would be so much clearer and so much more elegant. And so the name is now macOS."

So they dropped the Roman numeral 10 from its name, but it was still in the version number. It wasn’t until 2020 that Apple moved on from 10 completely with macOS 11. Every year since then, they’ve followed the same pattern as their other operating systems with macOS 12, 13, 14, and 15.

Now let’s take a look at tvOS, which was heavily influenced by the Mac. In fact, its initial interface was just an updated version of Front Row, a Mac media center application. And the OS didn’t even have a name. Apple typically just updated the interface when a new model of Apple TV came out. It wasn’t until 2015 when the operating system was officially called tvOS, and they gave it the number 9 to match the corresponding version of iOS.

So by 2020, Apple had made a lot of progress in optimizing their operating system lineup. iPad went from running iOS to iPadOS. The Mac went from being stuck on the same OS 10 number for 16 years to receiving a new number every year, and tvOS became a distinct operating system.

This resulted in the lineup we have today. With iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. The names are streamlined, intuitive, and clear. But there’s a whole other side to this equation that isn’t so clear, and that is their version numbers.

Three of them match. iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and tvOS 18. But the other three are all over the place. With macOS 15, watchOS 11, and visionOS 2.

Now you could argue this isn’t an issue, since each number just represents how many updates there have been. But as we covered earlier, that’s not actually true. Apple has been pretty inconsistent with how they name and number their operating systems. Yes, iOS 18 has had 18 versions, but macOS 15 has had about 30 versions. tvOS 18 has had 17 versions, and iPadOS 18 has had 6 versions. So users are left thinking, what do these numbers even mean?

In an effort to clear up this confusion, Apple completely rethought how they numbered their operating systems. Now you might assume they’d just make each number reflect how many versions of that OS had been released. But this actually becomes pretty complicated.

Consider macOS. Technically, the first version was released in 1984, although that wasn’t its name at the time. Back then it was called Macintosh Systems Software. Would you include all those early versions in the total number of macOS updates today? And what about iPadOS? It technically ran iOS for its first nine years. Would you still count those versions when calculating its number?

I think the more important question is, does Apple need to advertise an operating system’s version history? I mean, the Mac went 16 years with this same number, OS 10, and they didn’t even use numbers to differentiate between versions. They used cats.

So what might make the most sense is moving away from version history and instead focusing on something that does three things. First, unifies all six of their operating systems. Because it doesn’t really make sense that Vision OS 2 came out the same year as iOS 18. Second, it should be easy to understand which version came out when. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people ask what version of iOS are we on now, because the numbers are all over the place. And third, it should be a long-term solution that won’t break down with the release of a new operating system or when dividing one OS into two, like what happened with iPad.

So what was Apple’s solution? Well, they did what the car industry has been doing for decades. Giving new updates a number based on the upcoming year. That’s why Apple skipped iOS 19 and jumped all the way to iOS 26. It may not seem intuitive today, but it solves all the problems Apple’s had, and it’ll make updates much easier to understand going forward.

The post Why Apple Skipped iOS 19 and jumped all the way to iOS 26 appeared first on nerdsmodo.

Before you can start using your new iPhone, you need to set it up, configuring its operating system (iOS) — the software that makes the iPhone tick — to work the way you want it to. You may also need to activate the iPhone to connect it to Apple’s services and to your cellular carrier’s service.

You can turn on and set up your new iPhone with an internet connection. You can also set up iPhone by connecting it to your computer. If you have another iPhone, an iPad, or an Android device, you can transfer your data to your new iPhone.

Prepare for setup

To make setup as smooth as possible, have the following items available:

• An internet connection through a Wi-Fi network (you may need the name and password of the network)
• Your Apple Account and password; if you don’t have an Apple Account, you can create one during setup
• Your credit or debit card account information, if you want to add a card to Apple Pay during setup
• Your previous iPhone or a backup of your device, if you’re transferring your data to your new device
• Your Android device, if you’re transferring your Android content

Turn on and set up your iPhone

Turning on your iPhone

Start by turning on your iPhone. Press and hold the side button, the physical button on the iPhone’s right side. When the Apple logo appears on the screen, release the side button and wait until the Hello screen appears. Then swipe up from the bottom of the screen to begin the setup process.

Choosing the language, country or region, and appearance

A series of screens walks you through the first three steps of the setup process:

• Language: Choose the language you want your iPhone to use, such as English.
• Country or Region: Specify your country or region, such as United States.
• Appearance: Drag the slider along the Default–Medium–Large axis to choose the size of text and icons on the screen. Tap the Continue button.

At this point, the Quick Start screen appears, enabling you to finish setup quickly by using your current iPhone or iPad. Read on.

Using Quick Start or continuing setup

If you have an iPhone or iPad set up with your Apple Account, you can use that device to set up your new iPhone quickly. When the Quick Start screen appears, unlock your current device and bring it close to your new iPhone. Your iPhone then displays a complex pattern on the screen, and the Camera app opens on your other device, showing a target ring. Aim this ring at the pattern to establish the connection between the devices, and then authenticate yourself on your iPhone by entering the current device’s passcode. Follow the prompts to set up your iPhone based on your current device.

If you don’t have an iPhone or iPad to use, or if you want to set up your new iPhone differently, tap the Set Up Without Another Device button, and then follow through the next subsection.

Setting up your iPhone without another device

If you chose to set up your iPhone without another device, work your way through the following screens:

• Choose a Wi-Fi Network: Tap the Wi-Fi network you want to use, type the password on the Enter Password screen, and then tap the Join button.
  • If you need to use a Wi-Fi network that hides its network name, tap the Choose Another Network button. On the screen that appears, type the network name and the password, and then tap the Join button.
  • If no Wi-Fi network is available, tap the Continue Without Wi-Fi button to use a cellular data connection.
• Activation: Wait while iOS activates your iPhone over the Wi-Fi connection (or the cellular connection, if you tapped Continue Without Wi-Fi). Activation may take several minutes.
• Data & Privacy: Read the information, and then tap the Continue button.
• Face ID: Follow the prompts to scan your face by aiming the recognition circle at your head, and then rotating your head to replace the white marks with green marks. On the Use Face ID with a Mask screen, choose whether to configure Face ID for use when you’re wearing a protective mask.
• Create an iPhone Passcode: Tap the six-digit passcode you want to use, and then confirm it on the second screen.
  Tip: If a six-digit passcode doesn’t suit you, tap the Passcode Options button on the Create an iPhone Passcode screen. In the dialog that opens, tap Custom Alphanumeric Code, Custom Numeric Code, or 4-Digit Numeric Code, as appropriate, and then enter the code twice on the following screens. A custom alphanumeric code of eight characters or more is the most secure, though it will take longer to type. A custom numeric code enables you to create a numeric code of the length you prefer. Four digits is the minimum. Each digit more than six digits makes the code that much more secure. A four-digit numeric code is not strong enough for serious security, but you might want to use such a short code on an iPhone you’re using for a demonstration, such as at a trade show.
• Transfer Your Apps & Data: Choose whether (and if so, how) to transfer your apps and data to your new iPhone. You have five choices:
  • From iCloud Backup: Tap this button if you have a backup of your current or previous iPhone and want to restore it to your iPhone.
  • From Another iPhone: Tap this button if you have a current iPhone and want to transfer its apps and data. Normally, you would use the Quick Start feature earlier in the setup process to transfer your data from your current phone, but this button provides an alternative means.
  • From Mac or PC: Tap this button if you used your Mac or PC to back up your previous iPhone and you want to restore data from one of those backups.
  • From Android: Tap this button if your current device is an Android phone or tablet. You won’t be able to transfer apps available only on Android.
  • Don’t Transfer Anything: Tap this button to set the iPhone up from scratch.
    For the first four choices, follow the prompts in the resulting screens. For example, when restoring from an iCloud backup, you need to sign in to iCloud using your Apple Account, and then select the backup to use.
• Terms and Conditions: Read as much of the Terms and Conditions as you wish, and then tap the Agree button if you want to proceed.
• Make This Your New iPhone: This screen appears after you set up the means of transferring apps and data using one of the methods mentioned previously. The screen displays buttons summarizing what can be transferred, such as Apps & Data, Settings, and Wallet. If one of these buttons has > at its right end, you can tap the button to reveal a list of details — for example, tapping the Wallet button reveals a list of the payment cards to be transferred with Wallet. Tap the button again to hide the details. Tap the Continue button to continue with this selection, or tap the Customize button if you want to choose what to transfer.
• Update Your iPhone Automatically: Tap the Continue button if you want iOS to automatically download and install updates. Keeping iOS updated is wise from a security perspective, but it means you may occasionally find your iPhone updating when you want to use it. If you prefer to control when iOS installs updates, tap the Only Download Automatically button instead.
• Location Services: Tap the Enable Location Services button to enable Location Services immediately. Normally, you’ll want to enable Location Services because apps such as Maps depend on it. You can tap the Disable Location Services button if you don’t want to use Location Services or if you plan to enable it later.
• Apple Pay: Tap the Continue button (and then follow the prompts) if you want to set up Apple Pay now, adding one or more credit or debit cards. Tap the Set Up Later button if you prefer to set up Apple Pay later or not at all.
• Siri: Tap the Continue button to set up the voice-driven virtual assistant now, or tap the Set Up Later in Settings button to set up Siri later (or never). If you enable Siri, the Improve Siri & Dictation screen appears, prompting you to share your Siri audio recordings anonymously to help Apple improve Siri; tap the Share Audio Recordings button or the Not Now button, as appropriate.
• Screen Time: Tap the Continue button if you want to activate iOS’s parental-control and self-control feature now. Screen Time can be highly effective for tracking iPhone usage, either your own or that of your family members. However, if you don’t plan to use Screen Time, tap the Set Up Later in Settings button instead.
• iPhone Analytics: Tap the Share with Apple button or the Don’t Share button, as appropriate, to choose whether to share analytics data anonymously to help Apple improve the iPhone and iOS.
• App Analytics: Tap the Share with App Developers button or the Don’t Share button, as appropriate, to choose whether to share app analytics data with developers, again anonymously.

Once you’ve completed setting up your new iPhone, the Lock screen appears. Unlock it using Face ID. After you unlock your phone, the Home screen appears.

See also: How to Restart, Force Restart, or Reset an iPhone

The post How to Set Up Your New iPhone The Right Way appeared first on nerdsmodo.

Using Your iPhone Controls

On every iPhone, you take most actions via the touchscreen, the main hardware control. iPhones have several other hardware controls, such as the Side button on the right side and the Volume Up button and Volume Down button on the left side. Newer iPhone models (iPhone 15 and later) include a dedicated Action Button on the left side. Many iPhone models use Face ID to authenticate the user, while some older iPhone models use Touch ID.

Identify the Controls on The Side of Your iPhone

Near the top of the right side of your iPhone is a button called the Side button. This button enables you to take several actions, including powering on your iPhone; putting it to sleep and waking it; and summoning Siri, the virtual assistant. You can use the Side button in combination with the Volume Up button and the Volume Down button to perform other tasks like powering off your iPhone. Some newer iPhone models have a Camera Control on the right side, a dedicated control for activating the Camera app, taking photos and videos, and adjusting camera settings.

The left side of your iPhone has several controls:

• On iPhone 15 and later models, near the top of the left side is a button called the Action Button. You can customize it in the Settings app to take your preferred action, such as recording a voice memo or turning on the flashlight. The action button’s default action is to toggle between ring mode and silent mode; long-press the action button until you feel haptic feedback confirming the mode change. On older iPhone models, there is a physical ring/silent switch instead.
• Below the Action Button or ring/silent switch are the Volume up/down buttons. The Volume Up button and Volume Down button enable you to control the volume quickly without having to use the touchscreen. The upper button increases the volume; the lower one decreases it. You use the volume buttons to raise or lower the loudness of the ringer, alerts, sound effects, songs, and movies. During phone calls, the buttons adjust the voice loudness of the person you’re speaking with, regardless of whether you’re listening through the receiver, the speakerphone, or a headset. These buttons also work in combination with the Side button for other actions.

Turn Your iPhone On and Off

To turn on your iPhone when it is powered off, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears on-screen; then release the Side button. Your iPhone continues to start, and then the lock screen appears.

To turn off your iPhone, press the Volume Up button once, press the Volume Down button once, and then press and hold the Side button until the Power Off screen appears; then drag the slide to power off slider to the right.

Unlock and Lock Your iPhone

If your iPhone has Face ID (available on iPhone X and later), hold the iPhone so the front cameras can scan your face. The iPhone unlocks and the "Swipe up to open" prompt appears at the bottom of the screen. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen. The iPhone unlocks, and you can start using it.

If your iPhone has Touch ID (iPhone SE models and earlier iPhones with a Home button), place your finger on the Home button or the Touch ID sensor. The iPhone unlocks, and you can start using it.

To lock your iPhone and put it to sleep, press the Side button once. Depending on how the iPhone is configured, the iPhone may also go to sleep automatically after a period of inactivity.

Using Sleep and Wake, Siri, App Store, and Apple Pay

When your iPhone is awake, press the Side button once to put it to sleep. When your iPhone is asleep, press the Side button once to wake it.

On your iPhone, press and hold the Side button at any time to activate Siri, the virtual assistant. Your iPhone plays a tone and displays a lighting effect around the screen’s edges.

When making a purchase or installing an app from the App Store on your iPhone, double-click the Side button to authenticate yourself via Face ID (or Touch ID on supported models) and confirm the purchase or continue installing the app.

Tapping, Swiping, Dragging, and More

To control your iPhone, you gesture with your fingers and (sometimes) thumbs on the touchscreen. The following list explains the eight main gestures:

• Tap: You tap the screen, placing your finger on it briefly and then lifting your finger again, to select items or to give commands. For example, you tap an app’s icon on one of the Home screen pages to open that app. Similarly, you tap to start playing a song in the Music app, and you tap to open a photo album in the Photos app.
• Double-tap: You tap the screen twice in rapid succession to take actions such as zooming in and out on web pages, maps, and email messages.
• Triple-tap: You tap the screen three times in rapid succession to give special commands, such as enabling the Zoom feature, which lets you zoom the whole screen rather than zoom in individual apps.
• Flick: You flick your finger across the screen to scroll quickly through lists of songs, emails, and picture thumbnails. To flick, place your finger on the screen and then move it rapidly in the direction you want the content to move. For example, flick up a list of songs to move the list up so that you can see later items. You can either wait for the list to stop scrolling or tap to stop the scrolling.
• Pinch and spread: On a web page or picture, pinch your fingers together to shrink the image, or spread your fingers apart to enlarge the image. Pinching and spreading (sometimes called unpinching or pinching apart) are easy and effective gestures.
• Drag: Place your finger on the touchscreen and then, without lifting your finger, move it. You might drag to move around a map that’s too large for the iPhone’s display area.
• Swipe: Swiping is like a more controlled version of flicking; you place your finger on the screen and move it quickly but not extravagantly. For example, you can swipe left on the first Home screen page to display the second Home screen page.
• Slide: Sliding is a move you use with the onscreen keyboard’s QuickPath feature, which lets you enter a word by placing your finger on the first letter and then sliding your finger to each other letter in turn without lifting it from the screen. When you finish the word, or when the Predictive feature guesses it correctly, you lift your finger, and iOS enters the word.

Multitasking and Switching Apps

Multitasking lets you run numerous apps on your iPhone simultaneously and easily switch from one app to another. Normally, only one app is visible and is displayed full screen. This is the foreground app. All other apps are in the background, where they keep running, but you don’t see them. For example, the Music app can keep playing music in the background while you work in the Mail app in the foreground. You can switch quickly from one app to another, bringing a background app to the foreground and thereby moving the previous foreground app to the background.

The main exception to only one app being visible is that the picture-in-picture feature enables you to watch video or take part in a FaceTime call while working in other apps. The picture-in-picture video feed appears in a small window in front of the foreground app.

To switch from one app to another, you use App Switcher, which you display by swiping up from the bottom of the screen, and then pausing for a moment before lifting your finger. App Switcher appears as a carousel containing previews of your open apps. The foreground app appears on the right, with the next most recently used app to its left, followed by other recently used apps in order. Each app’s icon appears above its preview. Swipe from left to right to see more preview pages. Tap the icon or the preview for the app you want to switch to, and the app appears, enabling you to restart work or play where you left off.

To display the Home screen, tap it below the App Switcher’s carousel.

To close an app, swipe it up off the carousel. This move is especially useful when an app is not responding, but you can use it on any app at any time.

Navigating beyond the First Home Screen Page

The Home screen is divided into pages, one of which appears at a time. iOS normally starts you off with two Home screen pages, plus the App Library page, which appears after the last Home screen page. You can add other pages freely to organize your apps and widgets the way you prefer them. iOS also adds Home screen pages automatically when you install apps that overflow from the last existing page. You can have up to 15 Home screen pages.

The four icons in the bottom row — Phone, Safari, Messages, and Music by default — are in a part of the screen known as the dock. When you switch from one Home screen page to another as just described, these icons remain on the screen, unless today view, App Library, Control Center, or Notification Center is in view.

By default, the oval search button appears above the dock, enabling you to search quickly from any Home screen page. This button does double-duty with a series of dots that indicate the number of Home screen pages (the total number of dots) and which page is currently displayed (the dot that is white rather than gray). The dots appear when you swipe left or right between Home screen pages.

Tip: If you want to see the dots all the time, choose Settings > Home Screen & App Library, go to the Search area, and then set the Show on Home Screen switch off (white). You can then display the Search panel by performing a short swipe down the middle of the Home screen.

If you swipe all the way from left to right, today view appears; see the section "Using Today View," later in this guide. Swiping all the way from right to left displays the App Library page; see the section "Visiting App Library," also later in this guide.

You can easily move icons within a screen or from screen to screen. Long-press any icon until a menu appears; this menu varies considerably from app to app. Tap Edit Home Screen on this menu — or simply continue to long-press — and all the icons on the screen will begin to jiggle. Then drag the icon you want to move to its new location. The other icons on the screen step aside to make room. To move an icon to a different Home screen page, drag it to the right or left edge of the screen and wait for the next page or previous page to appear. When you’re satisfied with the new layout, tap the Done button to stop the jiggling.

To move an app, long-press any icon, and then tap Edit Home Screen on the menu.

A circled minus sign also appears on each of the jiggling apps. Tap it if you want to remove the app from your phone. For a third-party app, you can remove it from the Home screen but leave it in App Library, or you can delete it. For either move, you’ll get one last chance to change your mind. For most built-in apps, your only option is to remove them from the Home screen but leave them in App Library.

Want to jump back to the last Home screen page you used? Simply swipe up on the screen. Want to jump to the first Home screen page, assuming you’re not already there? Swipe up again.

Press and hold down the side button for a second to invoke Siri.

Organizing Home Screen Icons into Folders

To organize the apps on your Home screen pages, you can create folders and add app icons to them. Like the Home screen itself, each folder can have up to 15 pages; each page can contain up to 9 icons; so a folder can contain up to 135 icons.

To create a folder, go to the Home screen page that contains the first two icons you want to put into a folder. (If they’re on different Home screen pages, move one of them to the other’s page.) Long-press one of those icons, and then tap Edit Home Screen on the pop-up menu, making all the icons on the screen jiggle. Drag the icon on top of the second icon, and iOS creates a folder for you, opening it and assigning it an automatic name based on the category of the two apps — for example, Productivity. To change the name, tap the x-in-a-circle to the right of the name, type a new name, and then tap Done on the keyboard.

Tap outside the folder to close it. You can then drag other app icons to the folder.

To launch an app that’s inside a folder, tap that folder’s icon, and then tap the icon for the app that you want to open.

You can drag apps into and out of any folder. If you drag all the apps outside the folder, or delete the last app in the folder, the folder automatically disappears.

Visiting App Library

App Library is a tool for storing and accessing apps you don’t use so often. To find App Library, swipe from right to left on each Home screen page in turn.

At the top of the App Library screen is the search box. Tapping in the search box makes App Library display its contents as an alphabetical list.

You can scroll down to the app of choice, start typing the app name in the search box, or tap a letter on the side to jump to listings beginning with that letter. The # symbol (after Z in the list) takes you to apps whose names begin with a number.

Back on the initial App Library screen, just below the search box, iOS organizes apps into the Suggestions category and the Recently Added category. Suggestions contains suggested apps based on time of day, location, or activity. Below Suggestions and Recently Added, iOS presents the apps in various categories, such as Utilities, Creativity, Social, and Productivity.

Apart from Suggestions, each category contains three full-size icons and one group icon containing up to four miniature icons. Tap a full-size icon to launch that app. Tap the group of miniatures to display the remaining apps in the group. You can then launch an app by tapping its icon.

Using Today View

Today view, which you access by swiping left to right on the Lock screen or the first Home screen page, presents a collection of widgets designed to give you an overview of what’s happening (or should be happening) today.

To get the most out of today view, customize it to contain only the widgets you want, and put them in your preferred order. To start customizing today view, long-press a blank space until the widgets start jiggling. You can then remove an existing widget by tapping its remove icon (–), add a widget by tapping Edit > Add Widget, and drag your widgets into your preferred order. When you’re done, tap the Done button.

Searching Your iPhone

The Search button that appears on each Home screen page by default enables you to search your iPhone’s contents quickly. Tap the Search button to display the Search screen. Look quickly at the Siri Suggestions box and the items below it to see if either shows what you want. If so, tap the item; if not, start typing your search term. Search results appear, and you can tap the search result you want to see.

Remember: If you chose not to display the Search button on the Home screen, swipe a short distance down the middle of the Home screen to open the Search panel.

Tip: If your searches produce too many results, you can limit the search scope by choosing Settings > Search, and then working on the Search screen.

Using The Control Center

Control Center puts your iPhone’s most essential controls at your fingertips. From Control Center, you can turn Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb Mode, and Orientation Lock on or off; control music playback and volume and direct your iPhone’s audio and video output to AirPlay devices; change the setting for the AirDrop sharing feature; and quickly access key apps and utilities.

To open Control Center on your iPhone, swipe down from the upper-right corner of the screen.

See also: Is the iPhone waterproof? Here’s what you need to know

The post How to Use iPhone for Beginners (Step by Step) appeared first on nerdsmodo.