MacMost: iOS

The Control Center on iOS is very useful, yet many people don't use it to quickly access common functions. There are many buttons that you can add to Control Center that add even more. If you have an iPhone or iPad you should take the time to look at all of the buttons to get the most from your device.

The Podcasts app in iOS 11 allows you to subscribe to podcasts, download their episodes, and listen or watch them. You can browse the iTunes store for shows and grab an individual episode or subscribe to the whole show. You can set up the app to download new episodes automatically. You can create a playlist, called a Station, to group together new episodes of shows and have them ready to listen to when you want to enjoy your podcasts.

You can record the screen of your device using iOS 11 to create a video. Previously you could only do this by connecting your iPhone or iPad to a Mac. This can be handy for capturing epic gameplay or simply documenting a problem in an app. The video is saved to your Photos library.

The new iTunes version 12.7 removes the ability for iTunes to easily store and sync ringtones to your iPhone. But the method for manually adding and removing ringtones is easier than ever. Learn how to add custom ringtones to your iPhone through iTunes on your Mac.

With iOS 11 you can export documents from many different apps as PDFs using the Share function. Other apps have special save or export functions for PDF creation. But any app that can print can also create a PDF using a hidden feature in the AirPrint function.

With iOS 11 on the iPad you can drag and drop items between some apps. Learn how you can drag and drop photos, links, locations and other objects into a Mail message and a Pages document. This technique makes composing messages and documents much easier if you need to grab elements from other apps. You can also use it to export photos from the Photos app to iCloud Drive.

iOS 11 has a new method for doing multitasking on the iPad. You can now have a floating window as well as two apps sharing the screen. The floating window can be easily moved and temporarily hidden. In all multitasking modes both apps are active. You can also exit and return to screens that are showing multiple apps.

The new Files app improves on the old iCloud Drive app in many ways. You can now access files in third-party systems like Dropbox and Google Drive. You can preview PDF, text, image, sound and video files. You can move, rename, duplicate and delete files. You can create new folders and organize your iCloud Drive files. Like Preview on the Mac, you can mark up PDF and image files. You can also look inside ZIP archives and even extract files. You can share files with iCloud Drive to collaborate or simply let others see your files.

iOS 11 adds new ways to interact with the on-screen virtual keyboard. On the iPhone Plus models, you can move the keyboard to the left or right side to make it easier for you to type with one hand. On the iPad, you can swipe down with your finger on keys to access other characters without needing to switch to another keyboard layout.

The Control Center looks and works differently in iOS 11 on both the iPhone and iPad. You can now customize the controls, adding in buttons with interesting new functions. Many controls will perform an immediate action when you tap them, but offer more options if you tap and hold.

Apple's Workflow app allows you to create a variety of automations on your iPhone or iPad. An example is a workflow that takes a video from your library and creates an animated GIF from it. You can store this in your Photos app even though Photos doesn't display the animation. You can then share it online instead of the video.

The Workflow app on your iPhone and iPad allows you to string together actions to create a custom process. In this example, we'll use two actions to record a quick voice memo and save it to your iCloud Drive. You can put this workflow process on your Home screen for quick access.

You can use three special whole-hand gestures on your iPad to switch between apps. There is a gesture for switching to the App Switcher, one for going back to the Home screen, and one for moving left and right between apps. You can also disable these gestures if you are triggering them inadvertently.

In iOS 10.3 for the iPhone and iPad Apple has changed where you look to view and update your Apple ID, iCloud and related settings. Now there is a large ID category at the very top of Settings that gives you access to everything. You should take time to familiarize yourself with these changes to the Settings app.

Both macOS and iOS allow you to search for system settings. You can use the Search field at the top of System Preferences, or the Search field in the Settings app to quickly find specific items. But the results aren't perfect.

The iOS 10 Lock Screen gives you access to the camera and to a new Widgets screen. On this widgets screen you can place various widgets from apps installed on your device, such as the Calendar, Mail, Music, Siri, and so on. You can edit the widgets on the screen and reorder them. Many third-party apps include widgets as well, and some have more than one widget you can add.

iOS 10's Home app allows you to control devices like lamps, lights, thermostats, locks and other things. Setup is very easy if you are using a device that conforms to Apple's HomeKit standard. Your iOS device will quickly recognize the device without any configuration in advance. Then you can even set up schedules and actions for your devices.

The new Messages app in iOS 10 adds a ton of new features that should be fun to use. You can animate text bubbles in a number of ways. You can also send full-screen animations. You can send animated drawings and videos. You can attach stickers from developer-supplied packs. There is an easy way to send a quick response to a text and you can also insert emoji without searching for them.

If you need to hand your iPhone or iPad over to a child, consider using Guided Access to lock them into a single app and restrict what they can do. Guided Access allows you to turn off buttons and controls and even set time limits. You can regain access to your device with a password or Touch ID.

Often you need to type a name, special word or non-dictionary word on your iPhone or iPad. Autocorrect will then replace that word with something else from its dictionary. You can easily force iOS to accept anything you type by tapping one button.