Macworld

Macworld TL;DR: Own Word, Excel, PowerPoint , Outlook, Teams, and OneNote on your Mac with a lifetime license for $99.97 (MSRP $219). A Microsoft 365 subscription bills you every year for as long as you use it, and the total climbs well past the cost of the apps themselves. Purchasing Office outright ends that cycle, and a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac is on sale for $99.97 (MSRP $219). Your one-time payment gets you Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams Bas

Macworld TL;DR: A lifetime license to PDF Reader Pro Premium for Mac is on sale for $39.99 (MSRP $79.99), giving you full PDF editing, OCR, forms, and signatures with no subscription. Editing a PDF on a Mac usually means exporting it somewhere else, making your changes, and hoping the layout survives the trip back. Preview handles basic markup, but it wont let you touch the original text or swap an image. PDF Reader Pro Premium for Mac fixes that, and a lifetime license is on sale for $39.99. Yo

Macworld TL;DR: This refurbished Apple MacBook Pro is on sale for $199.97 (reg. $699). Brand-new MacBooks have always been pretty expensive, but its even harder to deal with when tech prices are rising across the board. If you want a good computer for the basics, older refurbished tech is a great option. This MacBook Pro refurb has a Grade B rating, meaning it only shows minor signs of wear, but it still works great, and you can pick it up on sale for just $199.97 (reg. $699). This MacBook has a

Macworld TL;DR: Protect up to 10 devices for five years with an AdGuard VPN subscription for $34.97 (MSRP $359.40) through September 20. Most VPN services bill you month after month, and five years of that runs into the hundreds. A one-time price ends the recurring charge, and a 5-year AdGuard VPN subscription is on sale for $34.97 (MSRP $359.40) from the team behind the well-known AdGuard ad blocker. Your subscription connects up to 10 devices at once, so one account can protect your computer,

Macworld Apples list of currently available content for Apple TV continues to grow, and so does the list of upcoming projects in the works. Some of these projects have been officially announced and acknowledged by Apple, while others have been reported by the Hollywood press. Weve divided this list in two: Coming Soon is a list of shows and films for which Apple has given an official release date or release window, and Further Out compiles content that is still in production or perhaps havent ev

Macworld Whats new on Apple TV? What are the best shows and movies? How do you sign up and what does it cost? This article will answer all of that, and youll also get a list of all the currently-available Apple TV content. Theres also a ton of new content in the works for Apples service, too. If you want to know whats on the way, check out our list of upcoming Apple TV shows and movies . Updated September 18, 2026: The sixth season of Slow Horses is now streaming. Mentioned IN THIS story Apple T

Macworld Choosing the right Apple Watch depends on your budget, lifestyle and which features matter most to you. As of September 2026, Apples lineup consists of the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple Watch SE 3, although the various combinations of case size, material, color and band can make choosing one seem like a bit of a minefield. The Apple Watch Series 12 is the best choice for most people, combining a tougher display and more advanced heart-rate sensing with an S11 chip

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Macworld Apples latest iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max look identical to the previous iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max generation, with a few minor visual differences such as a smaller Dynamic Island at the front and, of course, the new colors (RIP Cosmic Orange). The brushed aluminum unibody chassis and camera plateau are practically identical, and according to Apples tech specs, they have the exact same measurements: iPhone 17 Pro dimensions Height: 5.91 inches (150mm) Width: 2.83 inches (71.9mm) Dep

Macworld Battery life is one of the most important factors when choosing which iPhone to buy. Measuring iPhone battery life in straight hours of real-world usage (as Apple likes to do) is not an accurate metric for comparison purposes as so many use and environmental factors play a part. Here at Macworld we run our own battery life tests, which should give you a more accurate representation of how long the battery in your iPhone will last. In the table below you can see battery life (in minutes)

Macworld Meet the New Era of Protection Less Bulk. More Freedom. View Ostand Q3 (function () { document.querySelector(#sticky-promo-block a).addEventListener(click, function(e) { const debug = document.location.host.search(/lndo.site|go-vip.net/) !== -1; const text = this.closest(#sticky-promo-block).querySelector(p.promo-title).textContent; const data = { event: stickyConversionUnitClick, eventCategory: Sticky Conversion, eventAction: Click, eventLabel: text }; if(debug)console.log(Sticky Conve

Macworld Whether youre buying a new Series 12 or upgrading a Series 11 to watchOS 27, some big changes are coming to your Apple Watch. Apple Intelligence will have a prominent role on Apples wearable device for the first time, with a new Siri AI app and several Audio Intelligence features on the latest models. One of those features, Live Rewind , records everything that you hear in 15-second intervals that can be accessed by double-pressing the Digital Crown. Current Apple Watch users will recog

Macworld Even though Apple would probably like to see this happen, virtually no one is going to buy both a new iPhone 18 Pro and an iPhone Duo . But is the new, expensive iPhone Duo superior in every respect? Lets take a look at Apples two new iPhones and see how they stack up and which is the best model to buy. Design Visually, the iPhone 18 Pro is the spitting image of its predecessor. With the iPhone Duo, on the other hand, you get a truly new iPhone with an ingenious design and a completely

Macworld TL;DR: Learn to automate real work with Claude through this Claude AI e-degree , now only $19.99 (reg. $159). Most people are not using AI to its full potential. One of the most useful things AI can do is automate basic tasks, but learning how to do that is tough. If you want help, the Claude AI Professional E-Degree takes you from the basics through to advanced skills like automation, and lifetime access is on sale for $19.99 (reg. $159). Four modules take you from prompting fundamenta

Macworld TL;DR: Get 27 native Mac apps with lifetime licenses in one bundle for $29.99 (reg. $390). Buying Mac utilities one at a time, or renting them through monthly subscriptions, is laughably expensive. Its also not your only option. This Mac Bundle collects 27 native macOS apps for everything from productivity and file cleanup to development, design, and media, all under lifetime licenses on sale for $29.99 (reg. $390). You might already be paying a monthly fee for tasks some of these apps

Macworld Apple now has a wider iPhone range than ever, making it harder to decide which model is right for you. Your choice will largely come down to price, camera capabilities, display, performance, battery life, size and storage. You may also be wondering which screen size suits you, how much storage you need, or whether to save money with an older model rather than buy the latest iPhone. Youll also want to consider which model offers the best balance of features and value. In this guide, we e

Macworld Siri AI has arrived, and the general public can finally join the waiting list and enjoy the upgraded voice assistants improved features and accuracy. Provided their device is set to English, that is. When Siri AI was first announced, Apple explained that it would initially be available in English only, but the latest beta has indicated that a batch of further languages will be added next month. Specifically, speakers of French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish will get access t

Macworld Apple updates iOS every year, bestowing upon our iPhones a range of new features and security improvements, as well as the occasional redesign. In September 2026, iOS 27 made its debut. Most iPhone users will move to the new platform straight away, and the majority are likely to love the changes. But what if you encounter bugs, poor battery life, or another problem that makes you wish you could return to iOS 26? And what if subsequent iOS 27 updates may also introduce problems that leav

Macworld Apple products have never been thought of as a budget option, but this year has been particularly rough for fans on a budget. The situation can be traced to the rise of AI, as datacenters hoover up the available memory chips, pushing up wholesale prices and leading manufacturers to pass on these extra costs to the consumer. For a while, Apple customers were largely unaffected, but in June the company ramped up the price of all Macs and iPads by at least $100 (and in one case by as much

Macworld The iPhone 18 Pro is one of Apples most iterative releases in years. While it introduces impressive camera improvements, a smaller Dynamic Island, and a significantly faster chip, not much else has changed. Paired with the price hike, many frequent buyers will hold onto their iPhone 17 Pro models and skip upgrading this year. But thats the thing about iPhones: You dont need to buy a new one every year. Most users arent on a yearly upgrade cycle, and the incremental enhancements stack up

Macworld TL;DR: iScanner turns your iPhone or iPad into a document scanner , and a lifetime subscription is on sale now for $39.99. Physical scanners take up desk space and are tied to one room, and the free scanning apps on your phone are usually just a vehicle to send you ads. iScanner is a US-based scanning and document tool for iPhone, iPad, and Android that works with virtually any document, and a lifetime subscription is on sale for $39.99 (reg. $199.90). iScanner finds the edges of a page

Macworld This is episode 1,000 of the Macworld Podcast!Weretaking this opportunity totake a lookat some historic Apple releases andhow they were coveredway backthen. This is episode 1,000 with Michael Simon , Jason Cross , and Roman Loyola . Watch episode 1000 on YouTube Listen to episode 1000 on Apple Podcasts Tune in to episode 1000 on Spotify Get info Click on the links below for more information on what was discussed on the show. Apple unveils the iPhone: Episode 64 Cyrus Faviar, the founder

Macworld Just a couple days after the wide release of iOS 27, Apple has released the first beta of iOS 27.2. Thats not a typo: its iOS 27.2, not 27.1. We never saw a 27.1 release, but Apple is beginning beta tests for the 27.2 branch. This likely has something to do with the iPhone Duo, which is going on sale in October. We know the iPhone Duo will come with iOS 27.1, but we dont yet know if any other devices will ever get a 27.1 update, or when all the devices will get on the same version toget

Macworld According to a report by The Information, Apple could re-enter the server hardware market. The servers would be targeted at the AI development, with availability starting in 2029. While Apples plans are tentative, the servers have reportedly been in the works for a year. The company has two types of servers centered around M8 Ultra chips, one with two M8 Ultra chips, while another has four M8 Ultras. The Information also reports that Apple could use Nvidias NVLInk Fusion technology, whi

Macworld You waited months for Apples new iPhones to arrive, but its worth protecting that investment from day one. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are tougher than previous generations, but they can still be scratched, chipped or damaged in a drop. A good case also does more than protect your phone: it can improve grip, add a stand or wallet, support MagSafe accessories and give your iPhone a completely different look. There are hundreds of iPhone cases to choose from, ranging from inexpensive si

Macworld With the launch of iOS 27 this week, Apple Intelligence has reached maturity, with a real chatbot assistant in Siri AI, powerful photo editing tools, and legitimately good image generation. And its mostly free. Unlike ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI tools, which charge monthly fees for anyone who uses the service more than occasionally. For example, the free Claude plan has session-based usage limits that can kick in when youre using it too much. Those limits dont exist with Siri AI or an

Macworld Upgrading macOS doesnt always go as planned. A new release might slow down your Mac, break essential apps, introduce bugs, or simply change features you rely on. If youre wishing you could go back to the version you had before, the good news is that you can downgrade macOS. While reverting a macOS update is generally easier than downgrading an iOS update , its not as simple as installing macOS . It is a multi-step process that typically requires wiping your Macs internal drive, as Apple

Macworld iOS 27 is Apples best update in years . It fixes nearly every issue we had with iOS 26: Its faster, cleaner, and more responsive, and the new Siri AI is actually useful. But theres one new feature thats driving me crazy. For as long as I can remember, two things have been constant on my iPhone: Swiping down from the middle of the screen brings up Spotlight search, and swiping down from the middle of the top edge of the phone reveals the Notification Center. I use both regularly, as Im s

Macworld TL;DR: Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows runs inside Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or Boot Camp on a Mac without a second Microsoft 365 subscription, and a lifetime license is on sale for $54.99 (reg. $249.99). Theres a cheap way to get Microsoft Office running on the Windows side of a Mac, and it doesnt involve paying for a second Microsoft 365 subscription on top of whatever the Mac already runs. Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows installs once i

Macworld Apple has announced that paying iCloud+ subscribers now have access to Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and curated Apple Music stations as well as the cloud storage they originally signed up for. But this applies in certain countries only, and the list doesnt include the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. The upgrade covers every paid tier, all the way down to 50GB, and Apple insists theres no extra cost for the additional services. Wherever the new offer is available, the company w

Macworld Apple Watch owners hoping to upgrade to watchOS 27 could be in for disappointment. Apple released watchOS 27 on September 14, bringing Siri AI, a new tap gesture for selecting widgets in the Smart Stack, a dynamic app grid and design refinements throughout the system. But a significant number of Apple Watches that could run watchOS 26 have been left behind. watchOS 27 drops support for the Apple Watch SE 2, Series 6, Series 7, Series 8 and the original Apple Watch Ultra. That means the

Macworld Apple MacBook Air M5 View Deal (function () { document.querySelector(#sticky-promo-block a).addEventListener(click, function(e) { const debug = document.location.host.search(/lndo.site|go-vip.net/) !== -1; const text = this.closest(#sticky-promo-block).querySelector(p.promo-title).textContent; const data = { event: stickyConversionUnitClick, eventCategory: Sticky Conversion, eventAction: Click, eventLabel: text }; if(debug)console.log(Sticky Conversion CLick - pushing to dataLayer: , da

Macworld Since the launch of the original iPhone in 2007, Apple has released dozens of versions of iOS, introducing new features, design changes, performance improvements, security updates and more. From the early days of iPhone OS through landmark releases such as iOS 7, iOS 14 and the current iOS 27, each version has changed the way we use the iPhone. Whether youre trying to identify the version running on your iPhone, check compatibility before upgrading, or find out which releases are still

Macworld Since the debut of Mac OS X in 2001, Apple has released dozens of versions of its Mac operating system, introducing new features, design updates, performance improvements, and more. From early big-cat releases such as Panther and Leopard to more recent California-inspired versions like Sonoma, Sequoia, Tahoe and Golden Gate, each release marked a new chapter in the Macs evolution. Whether youre trying to identify the version running on your Mac, check compatibility before upgrading, or

Macworld Apple TV continued its triumphant awards season on Monday night, with the offbeat comedy-horror Widows Bay reaching a total of 14 Emmy wins for the year. Pluribus and Slow Horses also scored wins this week, adding to Emmy successes for other Apple TV properties such as Mr. Scorsese , Palm Royale , and Margos Got Money Troubles earlier in the month. The Emmys are split into multiple ceremonies. The first section of the 2026 awards, Creative Arts, took place on September 5-6. Widows Bay w

Macworld Macs are expensive, so its understandable that many users want to put off replacing them for as long as possible. But just how long should you expect a Mac to last? You may also be considering an older, used or refurbished Mac to save money. Is that 2018 MacBook Pro for $300/300 a good deal, or would you be better off spending a little more on a newer model? Whether a Mac is too old depends on two main factors: hardware durability and software support. Hardware : Macs and MacBooks are b

Macworld Apple has released macOS 27 Golden Gate, the newest version of the Mac operating system. It includes several AI features, including Siri AI and Apple Intelligence . It also has new features in Safari, Image Playground, and Photos. And it has a ton of refinements, as well as optimized performance. Before you install macOS 27 Golden Gate, you should back up the data on your Mac, just in case. You can use Time Machine or another method . Also, you should check if your Mac is compatible wit

Macworld Apple just released macOS 27 Golden Gate to the general public, but Ive been using it since the first beta became available. Overall, I think its an excellent upgrade that users should install as soon as possible. Golden Gate has a lot of cool features, but there are three in particular that I absolutely love and use a lot. I think you will, too. Captions for personal videos Ive come to rely on video captions for a couple of reasons: My hearing isnt as good as it once was, and I watch v

Macworld If you are thinking of buying an older generation or used/refurbished iPhone , or wondering whether its worth upgrading your current iPhone to a new one, one important factor to consider is how long Apple will continue to support it. The good news is that Apple provides software support for iPhones for many years. In most cases, iPhones receive security-related software updates for seven to eight years. Battery replacements and other repair services are often available for devices that

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Macworld TL;DR: MacPilot gives you access to macOS settings and system tweaks that Apple keeps tucked away, with lifetime access available for $39.99. macOS is designed to keep things simple, but that simplicity can come at the expense of control. Plenty of useful settings and system-level options are hidden away or require digging through menus or even opening Terminal. MacPilot puts more of those controls in one place, making it easier to customize and fine-tune your Mac without getting into

Macworld We think iOS 27 is really very good . One of Apples best iPhone updates in years, honestly. But if youre for any reason unwilling or unable to update to iOS 27 and you still want all the dozens of security updates that come with it, Apple has you covered with iOS 26.7. It doesnt include quite as many security updates as iOS 27 because there are lots of fundamental changes to the low-level code in the latest release, but there are still nearly 80 fixes in iOS 26.7. Apples release notes f

Macworld Apple unveiled iOS 27 at WWDC on June 8, 2026 . It immediately entered a beta-testing phase, and was widely released on September 14. There are three main sets of features in this update: Siri AI, which is an entirely new Siri architecture with a dedicated Siri app, new features for parental safety, and a big emphasis on system improvements like faster performance and a lot of quality-of-life features users have been asking for. iOS 27 supports every iPhone back to the iPhone 11 and iPh

Macworld It used to be that operating system point releasesthe minor updates throughout the yearcontained around a dozen security vulnerability fixes. But that number has been growing in the last couple of years and has exploded in the past few months. There were 35 security vulnerabilities fixed in iOS 26.0. That was up to 43 in iOS 26.5. A 26.5.2 update solely for security fixes added another 29 and iOS 26.6.7 adds 79 more . But thats nothing compared to the latest round of updates. There are

Macworld Headline changes in macOS 27 Golden Gate include an all-new Siri AI assistant, major upgrades to apps including Safari, Photos, Messages, Mail and Calendar, expanded child-safety features, design refinements and performance improvements throughout the operating system. Golden Gate continues Apples tradition of naming macOS releases after iconic Californian landmarks. More broadly, the update represents another step in Apples push to make the Mac smarter and more proactive, with greater

Macworld Even if youre not getting a new iPhone 18 Pro this week, you can still make your old phone feel new again. iOS 27 is here, and the update brings a slew of new features, including the long-awaited Siri chatbot, along with a slew of AI tools across the system and first-party apps. Those averse to artificial intelligence will still appreciate the other unrelated features, design changes, and performance improvements across the board. Hesitant about updating your iPhone? Below are the top a

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Macworld A few weeks ago, code references in the first macOS 26.7 release candidate pointed to the imminent launch of two game controller devices . (There were also clues in there to a set of camera-equipped AirPods , but thats another story.) And a new report has now added further detail about the launch plans for these products. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman confirms that Apple has indeed been working on these iPhone gaming accessories for a b

Macworld Should you upgrade to macOS Golden Gate? Upgrade to macOS Golden Gate if you have an Apple Silicon Mac and want the latest Apple Intelligence features. Golden Gate is especially appealing for heavy Spotlight users, Safari users, Shortcuts fans, and families who use parental controls. Note that some features need newer hardware. All Macs with Apple Silicon can run macOS 27, but certain advanced AI features require newer chips and more memory. macOS 27 Golden Gate arrived on September 14,

Macworld Should you update to iOS 27? iOS 27 is worth upgrading for users who want a smarter Siri, new AI-powered photo tools, stronger security and faster everyday performance. Owners of the iPhone 15 Pro and newer models will benefit most from Apple Intelligence, while older supported iPhones miss out on some of the more advanced AI features. iOS 27 arrives on September 14, 2026, bringing one of the biggest upgrades to Siri yet, along with faster performance, new AI-powered photo editing tools