Track a Flight on your iPhone

Flight tracker apps are a popular way to keep tabs on planes in the sky, because when you’re preparing to fly or when someone you know is on board a flight, you can use them to check that things are still on schedule. But if you have an iPhone, you don’t need to download and install a third-party app to track a flight – it’s a handy built-in feature of the operating system.

The ability to track flights in iOS is thanks to the data detectors that Apple has integrated into the system for quite a few years now. Data detectors recognize things like times, dates and addresses, and in the right context, turns these into tappable links.

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Block Nuisance Calls on iPhone

Unsolicited phone calls and messages can become a regular annoyance and even a cause of stress for many smartphone users these days. Thankfully, Apple provides features in iOS that allow you to block nuisance calls and messages from the same number coming through to your phone, and in this article we’re going to show you how to set them up.

Whether it’s messages from a debt collector looking for the wrong person, a random number from a foreign country that keeps calling in the middle of the night, or just someone in your contacts that you’d rather not hear from again, following the steps below should stop them from bothering you.

How to Block a Recent Caller on iPhone
If the number you want to block is a recent caller, follow these steps on your iPhone.

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Stop iPad screen from automatically dimming

If you’ve ever been reading, following instructions, or watching video on your iPad only to have the screen dim at the most inconvenient moment, you’re not alone. Automatic dimming helps preserve battery life, but it can be frustrating when you need your screen to stay bright and active. Fortunately, you can prevent your iPad screen from dimming automatically, and all it involves is a change in settings.

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iOS 18.2: End Accidental Camera Control Presses on iPhone 16

In iOS 18.2, Apple has introduced a thoughtful new feature for the Camera Control button on iPhone 16 models that helps prevent accidental camera launches by requiring the screen to be on before the button will register clicks. Keep reading to gain more control over when the Camera app opens.

Apple located the Camera Control button to make it conveniently placed for quick access, but it can sometimes be too responsive – especially during those moments when you’re not actually trying to take a photo.

Recognizing the potential for this, Apple in iOS 18.2 has added a new Require Screen On feature for Camera Control. It’s particularly useful if you often find your iPhone accidentally opening the Camera app while it’s in your pocket or bag. By requiring the screen to be on first, you can significantly reduce those unwanted camera launches while still maintaining quick access when you need it.

Require Screen On for Camera Control
Here’s how to enable the new option to prevent accidental Camera Control presses:

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Set Up Out-of-Office Replies in iCloud Mail

Apple’s native Mail app for macOS does not offer an automatic reply or out-of-office option for standard email accounts. However, if you use an iCloud email address, you can set up automatic replies via the ‌iCloud‌ website.

Surprisingly, Apple’s Mail app still doesn’t feature an auto-reply option. The only exception to this state of affairs is if you have an Exchange or Office 365 account, in which case you should be able to find the option in Mail Settings ➝ Accounts, under the “Account Information” section.

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How to Turn Off Mail categories in iOS 18.2

In iOS 18.2, Apple introduced a major change to the Mail app with its new Categories feature. Categories automatically sorts your emails into four distinct sections: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. However, while this organizational system aims to help manage email overload, not everyone is going to prefer the new layout.

Mail Categories attempts to intelligently organize your incoming emails into different sections. Important emails are shown in a “Primary” category, with orders, newsletters, social notifications, and deals organized into three other sections.

The “Transactions” section includes receipts, orders, and deliveries, and aims to make it easy to find orders that you’ve placed and shipping information for those orders. Meanwhile, the “Updates” section includes newsletters, alerts for things like doctor’s appointments and correspondence, and other subscription emails. Lastly, Apple’s “Promotions” category includes special offers and deal emails.

Note that even if an email would normally fall into Transactions, Updates, or Promotions, it will also appear in your Primary inbox if it contains time-critical information. On devices that support Apple Intelligence, the system goes a step further by highlighting priority emails that require action or have deadlines.

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Install Mac Apps on external Storage in macOS Sequoia

If you’re running out of space on your Mac’s internal drive, macOS Sequoia 15.1 includes a handy new feature that lets you install large apps directly to external storage.

Apple is known for charging customers a very high markup for additional storage when buying a new Mac. Given that internal storage usually can’t be upgraded after purchase, it’s no wonder that external drives are a popular solution for many Mac users who want the extra space but don’t want to pay a premium for the privilege.

Until recently, macOS automatically installed new apps downloaded from the Mac App Store to a Mac’s boot drive, which was not particularly helpful to users with dwindling internal storage. In macOS Sequoia 15.1, however, Apple has added a new option that lets you download and install apps that require more than 1GB of storage to an external drive. Anyone working with large apps like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro, or gamers with space-consuming titles, will surely welcome this ability to download and install large apps to a separate disk.

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Auto-Delete Old Messages Chats on iPhone

Deleting old messages from your iPhone or iPad is a good way to save on your device’s storage space, but going back through your old conversations and deleting them individually would be a tedious and long-winded process.

Fortunately, there’s a simpler way to say goodbye to old messages in iOS – Apple’s mobile operating system can be automated to discard messages that have been on your device for longer than a specific period of time.

For example, it’s possible to have iOS automatically remove any conversations that are older than 30 days, or any messages more than a year old. You can choose your preferred cut-off for old messages by following the steps below. Note that when messages are removed from your device, they’re gone for good.

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Adjust TV App Video download settings on iPhone

If you have an Apple TV+ subscription or you’ve rented or purchased movies via iTunes, you can download the videos to your iPhone and iPad over Wi-Fi or cellular using Apple’s TV app, which allows you to watch them offline.

Apple gives iPhone and iPad users granular control of TV app video download settings. So if you want, you can choose high quality video if you don’t mind them taking longer to download and taking up more storage space. Alternatively, you can prioritize faster downloads that take up less storage, but at the price of video quality.

You can adjust these settings independently for when you’re downloading over Wi-Fi or cellular, which is particularly handy if you don’t have an unlimited data plan or you don’t want to hog your household’s bandwidth. Simply follow the series of steps below to adjust the download quality over the data connection that applies to you.
Adjusting Video Download Settings Over Cellular

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Genmoji in iOS 18.2: create custom Emoji in Messages

Apple’s new Genmoji feature lets you create personalized emoji that aim to perfectly match what you want to express, going far beyond the limitations of standard Unicode emoji. Want an emoji of a break-dancing astronaut or a dog playing bagpipes? With Genmoji, you can make it happen.

Unlike standard emoji that are fixed Unicode characters, Genmoji are dynamically generated using on-device AI. They work seamlessly in text, appearing as inline emoji characters in supported apps like Messages and Notes. You can even create Genmoji based on people in your Photos app, making them more personal and expressive.

Requirements and Availability
Currently, Genmoji is only available in the iOS 18.2 beta for developers and public beta testers. The feature also requires Apple Intelligence, which is limited to iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and iPhone 16 series models. Apple Intelligence does not currently work in the EU.

Even with a compatible device in a supported region, you’ll need to join a waitlist for Apple Intelligence features like image creation (Settings ➝ Apple Intelligence & Siri). Apple will notify you when access is granted. Note that Apple Intelligence is only available when your iPhone and Siri are set to the same language.

Apple Intelligence is available in English (US) in most regions around the world, while iOS 18.2 adds Apple Intelligence support for English (Australia), English (Canada), English (Ireland), English (New Zealand), English (South Africa) and English (UK).

Compatibility
While Genmoji work best between iOS 18.2 devices, they’re also viewable on devices running iOS/iPadOS 18.1 and later, as well as Macs running macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later.

On older Apple devices or Android phones, Genmoji appear as regular images rather than inline emoji characters. Third-party apps need to specifically add Genmoji support to enable creation and proper display of these custom emoji.

Creating Custom Emoji in Messages

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