Macworld In this article, were going to show you how to perform a clean install of macOS. There are a number of reasons why you might want to do a clean install: You might want to reinstall the operating system in order to correct problems with your Mac doing a clean install may be a good option if your Mac is running slow or otherwise misbehaving. Doing a clean install allows you to clear away old files that you might have been accumulating for years before installing the operating system onto

Macworld The iPhone 15 officially arrives today and people all around the world will be eager to get up and running as soon as possible. But there are a couple of things you should know if youre one of the happy early adopters. Apple has issued two support documents that address potential issues with the iPhone 15. The first could come into play almost immediately: Apple yesterday pushed out an iOS 17.0.2 update that specifically addresses bug fixes and security updates in the iPhone 15. Its not

Macworld iOS 17 only just arrived last week and were still discovering new features that Apple didnt tell us about. For instance, this one: In the Safari settings, you can now choose separate default search engines for standard and private browsing. While youve long been able to change the default search engine on your iPhone, theres a new tab in the Safari settings for Private Search Engine. Like the standard search engine, you can select between Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia, or

Macworld The newest version of the Mac operating system, macOS Sonoma , will be available to download on Tuesday, September 26. It has some cool new features, but should you install it as soon as it arrives? Heres an overview of how macOS Sonoma compares to macOS Ventura , which it replaces. Find out how the two compare in our whistle-stop tour of the current and future versions of macOS. Whats the difference between Ventura and Sonoma? The core functionality of each macOS version remains the sa

Macworld Wondering if the iPhone 15 comes with a charger? Unfortunately, the answer is no. For environmental reasons, earphones and chargers (by which we mean the adapter plug) are no longer packed in the iPhone box. This means that when you buy a new iPhone you wont get anything to plug it into when you need to charge it up. Apple hasnt sold any iPhone with a charger in the box since September 2020. This includes the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14 and iPhone 15-series smartphones. But when App

Macworld Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but its cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Call to Action The people reading this column can presumably be divided into two groups: those who bought a new iPhone on Friday, and those who are feeling sorry for themselves. Yo

Macworld Given the digital nature of most of our lives, its no surprise that individuals and corporations alike are concerned about cybersecurity. Its top of mind for everyone, as evidenced by the over 1.2 billion views on cybersecurity on TikTok. If you want to do your due diligence and protect yourself or are considering a career change, jumping into a cybersecurity boot camp can be helpful. Fortunately, this bundle consisting of cybersecurity and IT courses is on sale for only $39.97 (reg. $6

Macworld Now that the iPhone 15 has USB-C, you can finally dump your Lightning cables and charge everything with the same cord. But you still need a great power adapter and Apples newest dual-port charger is one of our favorites, especially at this price: Amazon is selling Apples 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter for $45 , a savings of $14 and matching the lowest price weve ever seen. This power adapter has a pair of down-facing USB-C ports and a compact design with folding prongs. Eithe

Macworld Keeping up with your personal education can get tougher the older you get. For many people, despite feeling FOMO about missing out on interesting reads, keeping away from social media can be tough. Replace doom scrolling with micro-learning with a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium , which is on sale for just $59.97 (reg. $299) now through October 2nd. This mobile app provides digestible summaries that let users glean key insights and ideas from bestselling works of nonfiction. To

Macworld Apple ships a simple but effective charging cable with the Apple Watch that will fast-charge an Apple Watch Series 7 or later (Watch 8, Watch Ultra). You wont find a faster charging accessory but you can also choose from a wide range of stylish and practical charging stands, docks and power banks for your Apple Watchincluding some that can also charge other Apple devices such as your iPhone and AirPods. Here, we round up some of the best Apple Watch chargers, docks and charging standsso

Macworld If youre looking for a new laptop, the 15-inch MacBook Air is one of the best you can buy, with a fantastic display and a thin and light design. But todays sale makes an incredible value too: Amazon is selling the 15-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage for $1,049 , a savings of $250 and the best price weve ever seen. The 15-inch MacBook Air was introduced at WWDC and is Apples first 15-inch laptop since 2019. Its Liquid Retina display has super-slim bezels and the incredibly thin and

Macworld Weve rounded up the best MagSafe and MagSafe-compatible magnetic chargers, from the plain to the multi-functional (up to six devices charged) and even the most colorfulfrom snap-on chargers and modular stands to foldable power bank and full desk mat. Apples MagSafe technology presents a more efficient way of wirelessly charging compatible iPhones. MagSafe is the ring of magnets around the iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15s internal charging coil, which senses compatible accessories and magnetica

Macworld Traveling is an exciting, horizon-expanding activity. But when you have to check your email, it becomes deeply annoying. Stopping into a cafe or hotel to get on the Wi-Fi is a pain, but you dont have to do it when you have an eSim plan.Now through 9/24, you can get an aloSIM Mobile Data eSim Plan with $50 worth of data for just $21.97, no coupon needed . With aloSIM (rated 4.5/5 stars on the App Store) you can connect to data networks in more than 170 countries and regions instantly, wi

Macworld Wondering which versions of macOS your Mac can run? Weve put together a macOS compatibility checker that will show you what Macs the different versions of macOS and Mac OS X support, so you can tell what version you should be running on your Mac. What Mac operating systems can my Mac run? Apple releases a new version of the Mac operating system almost every yearbut the new version of the Mac operating system will not support every Mac. Each year more and more Macs fall off the compatibi

Macworld The iPhone 15 officially arrives today and people all around the world will be eager to get up and running as soon as possible. But there are a couple of things you should know if youre one of the happy early adopters. Apple has issued two support documents that address potential issues with the iPhone 15. The first could come into play almost immediately: Apple yesterday pushed out an iOS 17.0.2 update that specifically addresses bug fixes and security updates in the iPhone 15. Its not

Macworld Apple on Thursday released the first update to iOS 17, bringing bug fixes and security updates just days after the major update arrived on iPhones. If youre not running iOS 17 yet (or cant), theres also an update for iOS 16. Arriving two weeks after the last minor update, iOS 16.7 and iPadOS 16.7 bring important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users. Most notably, the update includes three zero-day patches to fix vulnerabilities that may have been exploited: Ke

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Charges Watch, iPhone, AirPods Fast charge Watch 15W MagSafe for iPhone Small footprint Cons In black only Our Verdict A multi-device charging station is a great way to declutter your desk or bedside table, removing multiple cables and wall chargers. The Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe is a small-footprint charging station for iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods that is fully certified and so charges your Apple devices at the fastest possible speeds. Price When

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Adds two 14-inch screens Portable Easy setup Cons HD not 4K screens Our Verdict If you need a portable mulri-screen solution thats perfect for video conferencing or multiple application work, the Limink LK14 is a premium, neat and easy-to-use, if pricey, solution for laptops. Price When Reviewed $699.99 Best Prices Today: Limink LK14 Al Alloy Portable Triple Monitor Retailer Price $699.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Price

Macworld If youre thinking of buying AirPods any time soon, youve got a few options to choose from. Apple currently has four models in the range, but how do they compare in terms of features? In this article, we take a look at which AirPods are the best for your needs, not to mention your bank balance. What types of AirPods are there? Apple sells various types of AirPods. These range from the standard AirPods right up to the over-the-ear AirPods Max and as the models vary quite a bit in terms of

Macworld Only the lucky few are able to upgrade their iPhones on a yearly basis. For most of us, a more realistic ambition is to buy a new handset every two or three years; that way, aside from the more manageable cost, you get multiple sets of upgrades at once, and the improvements are far more noticeable. So this years announcement of the iPhone 15 refresh may be of more interest to those who own an iPhone 13 from 2021 than those with an iPhone 14. With that in mind, weve put together an easy-

Macworld If youve just bought a brand-new iPhone 15 , youre probably still in the honeymoon phase: staring at the thing and wondering how you got so lucky. But its time to get serious. Youre holding one of the worlds most versatile and advanced handheld devices, and you need to make the most of it. Of course, the first few jobs after taking a new iPhone out of the box are obvious: peel off the cellophane, turn it on, maybe charge it, connect to Wi-Fi and cellular, and restore from your latest ba

Macworld If youve used Apple hardware for a while, it can be easy to rack up extra Apple ID accounts. For those of us who went through multiple cloud service transitions with Apple (MobileMe, anyone?) you could have at least two: one for iCloud and one for all your purchases. I know Ive set up some test accounts in the past. And everyone has a relative who, every time they get a new iPhone or Mac, seems to think they have to set up a fresh Apple ID, too. Apple doesnt hide Apple ID account deleti

Macworld Were always looking for ways to keep more of our critical devices powered up and running while carting around fewer cables, connectors and charging bricks. With this nifty 3-in-1 magnetic wireless charging pad , you can get all that charging versatility all in one compact, handy little power hub. While traditional charging cables pour out of pockets and over desktops like a sprawling mess, this convenient charger tightens everything up, unfurling into an unobtrusive 9 inches, then the s

Macworld The iPhone 15 arrives on Friday, and if youve preordered one, youre counting down the minutes until it lands on your doorstep. But before you check out the new camera and toss all of your old Lightning cables, youll want to take a trip to the Settings app. Just days after iOS 17 arrived for all compatible iPhones, Apple has released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 for iPhone 14 and earlier and iOS 17.0.2 for iPhone 15 models. Its not clear exactly whats in the update, as Apples release not

Macworld The Apple Watch gained the option for cellular functionality back in 2018 when the Apple Watch 3 launched. Before the arrival of the cellular Apple Watch, the feature had been held up as a missing piece of functionality by those competitors that did include LTE support in their own smartwatches, but is the cellular capability really that necessary? When you consider that the cellular version of the Apple Watch Series 9 costs an extra $100/110, and then you also have to pay for a plan, y

Macworld With macOS Sonoma, you can create a Personal Voice, which is a voice that your Mac uses that sounds like you. The Macs text-to-speech capabilities can be used to recite in a voice similar to yours anything typed using the Live Speech feature. According to Apple, the voice that is created uses the Macs machine learning, and since everything is kept on the Mac, the users voice information is kept private and secure. So you dont have to worry about your recording being used for nefarious r

Macworld Apples newest iPhones go on sale this week and the reviews are already starting to roll in. The first impressions are incredibly positive and based on the preorder wait times, theyre already flying off shelves. The star of the show by far is the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which brings several upgrades over the previous model, including a titanium design, A17 Pro processor, 5X optical zoom with a 120mm lens, a customizable Action button, and of course USB 3 speeds. Individually, theyre all nice

Macworld Apples AirPods wireless headphones offer an iconic look, exceptional convenience, and strong audio quality. They come with a premium price tag, however, so its important to shop around for a good deal or find a bunch of tech experts wholl do this for you. Thats where we come in. In this article, we round up the best AirPods discounts and bundle deals to help you save money. Weve got the best prices on the 3rd-gen AirPods that were released in October 2021, the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro that l

Macworld For those of us who rarely transfer files physically across devices, file-format capability may be a distant memory. It used to occupy a lot of attention. But it still crops up whenever youre trying to put files on a USB thumb drive to hand off to someone else. If youre both Mac users, swell; with Mac and Windows in the mix, you might be tempted to pick FAT32 when formatting that thumb drive. But FAT32 is distinctly out of date. Designed for an earlier time, it cant handle files larger

Macworld Earlier this week Apple backed up the truck and dropped a whole bunch of operating systems on us! iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and even tvOS 17! Theyre all here and we talk about them in this episode of the Macworld Podcast! This is episode 856 with Jason Cross , Michael Simon , and Roman Loyola . Listen to episode 856 on Apple Podcasts Listen to episode 856 on Spotify Get info Click on the links below to learn more about what was discussed on the show. iOS 17 superguide iPadOS 17: W

Macworld Look, were not gonna tell you how to conduct your business. Howeverits not too early to start thinking about holiday travel plans. And we all know that doesnt just mean tickets to get to Grandmas house. This holiday season could be spent in Cancunor Norwayor how about Christmas Down Under? All options are on the table, particularly if youre a Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus member. And right now, you can start fielding a lifetime of exceptional travel deals by joining DFC at one of its

Macworld Every iPhone user is concerned with battery life, and for good reason. Our phones are our everything these days, and when the battery dies we feel cut off from the world and unable to capture the moment. With the iPhone 15, Apple is providing a new option to help increase battery longevitynot how long a single charge lasts, but to reduce the natural degrading common to all rechargeable batteries. In iOS 13, Apple added a new Optimized Battery Charging feature that, when enabled, looks a

Macworld Apple launched two new Apple Watches in 2023: the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9. Apple also still sells the Apple Watch SE from 2022. With the arrival of the two new Apple Watches, Apple discontinued the Apple Watch 8 and the original Apple Watch Ultra, however, you may still be able to buy those older Apple Watch models from resellers and from Apples Refurbished Store .Weve included the best prices right now for these older WAtches at the bottom of this article. In this

Macworld WhatsApp is an incredibly popular iPhone app, connecting more than a billion active members around the world every day. It lets you send messages to friends, or groups of friends, over Wi-Fi or 4G/5G and make savings on your phone bill. (Of course, you may end up paying for data if you go over your limit, so dont go crazy!) Unfortunately, right now WhatsApp is only available for iPhonethere isnt a version of the app for the iPad despite the fact that WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart (in Janu

Macworld Its been a long time since you could only get the originaliPhonedirectly from Apple or from AT&T. Today, its offered by all major carriers and big retailers, and many of them want to entice you to buy with them by offering special deals. Of course, you can still buy from Apple directly , either in-store or online. If youre anxious to get your hands on the new iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus,iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max, heres a summary of some of the best deals and promotions offered b

Macworld Ah, September: The time of year when hot summer days turn to crisp autumn ones, leaves are burnished in shades of red and gold, and pumpkin spice begins its inexorable creep back into all our lives. But if you breathe deep you can just smell something else in the air: fresh Apple software updates. Yes, Apple this week dropped a slew of revisions to almost all of its major platforms (sorry, macOS, you have to wait until next week). Youve no doubt already read of contact posters, new widg

Macworld The iPhone 15 is lots of things, but it isnt indestructible. Drop it, knock it, or scratch it, and it will suffer damage that no one would wish on their expensive new purchase. The most obvious way to protect your iPhone 15, 15 Pro, 15 Plus, or 15 Pro Maxaside from leaving it in the boxis to buy a case that will take the hard knocks and scrapes, leaving your iPhone as Apple intended. What to look for in an iPhone case Protection: According to surveys in the U.S., 45 percent of phone own

Macworld Apple updates iOS every year without fail, bestowing upon our iPhones a range of new features and security improvements as well as the occasional redesign. In September 2023 iOS 17 made its debut. Most iPhone users will move to the new platform pretty much straight away, and the majority are sure to love the changes. But what if you want to go back to an older version of iOS? Is that even possible? In this article, we explore what options you have when wanting to downgrade iOS on your i

Macworld If youre going abroad sometime soon, why not learn the language of your destination ahead of time? With a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning, you could become conversational in as little as 30 days. Get it on sale for just$169.97 now through September 24th . Babbel is rated 4.6/5 stars on the App Store, and it was developed by more than 100 expert linguists and is trusted by more than ten million people worldwide. The bite-sized, accessible curriculum is designed to help

Macworld Apple has created an all-new charging stand experience for iPhones with iOS 17. Branded StandBy, this new feature turns your iPhone into a pseudo-smart-home hub whenever it is connected to power and turned to landscape orientation. You can view a digital photo album, see the time and date, and access widgets for weather, Home, and more. The feature works with any iPhone that runs iOS 17all you have to do is turn it landscape (sideways) while connected to power, either plugged in or usin

Macworld If youre buying a new iPhone 15 Pro, its going to get dirty. With an all-glass body and titanium frame, your new phone is going to pick up fingerprints and smudges throughout the day and will need something to clean it. And nothings better than the Apple Polishing Clothespecially when its on sale for $17 . Normally selling for $20, the Apple Polishing Cloth is made of soft, nonabrasive material. That means itll clean all of your screens without the risk of scratching them, including the

Macworld The reviews for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus have started to appear on the internet. The consensus appears to be that if youre upgrading from an older iPhone, the iPhone 15 is a big leap forward. If you cant afford to splurge on an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, theres no shame in thatthe non-pro models are the phones for the rest of us. The iPhone 15s design features an aluminum frame with rounded edges, and MobileSyrups Patrick ORourke points out that this makes the device more comfort

Macworld The iPhone 15 lineup is here, and now we can officially start thinking about the iPhone 16. Naturally, any rumors or leaks you see this early are going to be fluid at besteven if they are accurate now, plans can and do change and theres still plenty of time to do so before the iPhone 16 enters production. With all that said, heres what the most prolific leakers and tipsters say we can expect about the iPhones coming in the fall of 2024. Update 9/19: Added information about the A17 proce

Macworld One of the best features of iOS 17 is Live Voicemail. When someone leaves you a voicemail, you can see a live transcription as theyre leaving the message so you can decide whether to pick up or not. Its enabled by default, but of course you can turn it off. Heres how Live Voicemail works, and how to turn it off if you dont like it. At a glance Time to complete: 1 minute Tools required: none Materials required: iPhone with iOS 17 Cost: 0 1. Use the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island Foundry W

Macworld If you have an iPad already or are thinking of picking up an older one, maybe a refurbished model that would save you some money, its a good idea to find out how long it will still be able to use apps and services. Apple is usually excellent in this area, often keeping older generations of its products on the latest versions of iPadOS or at least blessed with security updates to keep them safe. But there comes a time when the software on an iPad can no longer be updated to a secure vers

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Two USB-C ports and one USB-A port Fast charging Doesnt get hot Practical folding plug Cons Recommended operating temperatures seem restrictive Our Verdict The Anker Prime 735 Charger is very compact yet still supports three connections with fast charging speeds and it maintains a proper operating temperature.You get good performance for the price, and if youre looking for a new charger, the Prime 735 is one to consider. Best Prices Today: Anker Prime 73

Macworld If you are thinking of buying an older generation or used iPhone, or wondering whether its worth updating your current handset, one important factor to consider is how long Apple will be offering support for that handset. There are two ways in which Apple supports iPhones. One is the software ensuring that any bugs and security flaws are addressed. The other is the hardware providing the parts and labor to fix a problem with your phone (for a price, of course). Its for this reason tha

Macworld The iPhone 15 line has not even hit the streets yet but its high time for us to determine once and for all how its doing. The Macalope thinks weve waited long enough. People were, as usual, weighing in even before its announcement. Used tech site SellCell (see what they did there, they combined selling with the popular 2000 Jennifer Lopez movie The Cell , very clever) released the results of a survey that said : 44% of Android Owners Say Move to USB-C Will Tempt them to Buy iPhone 15. S

Macworld Apples AirPods Pro just got an update at the iPhone 15 event to bring USB-C and a few other improvements, and theyre already on sale: Best Buy is selling the new AirPods Pro with a USB-C case for $200 , a savings of $49, and the best price weve seen so far. The latest update brings a USB-C port to the charging case for compatibility with the iPhone 15s reverse wired charging feature. Otherwise, the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro have the same design as the original model but have lots of upgrades

Macworld iOS 17 is finally out, but its only partially out. It brings a wealth of improvements and new features: Contact posters , live voicemail transcription , StandBy , FaceTime messages, new autocorrect and dictation, Siri improvements, and a lot more. But some features you may be looking for wont be there when you update your iPhone in September. While theyre part of iOS 17, they wont be ready until later this year. Apple does this every year with iOS updates, and its no cause for concern.