Category: iPhone

Enhance Your iMessage with iOS 18 Text Effects

The latest iOS updates enhance the Messages app by allowing users to use bold, italics, and animated text effects in iMessage on iOS 18 or later. These features add flair and emphasis to messages, but recipients must also have iOS 18 to view them properly.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
November 5, 2024

Overview

The Messages app is much livelier thanks to the latest updates to iOS. With these updates, you can express yourself in more ways than ever with special effects. You can now bold text, italicize it, and even apply some of these effects to emojis! Let’s find out how to add the impact to iMessage in iOS 18.

What’s to Like About This Feature

  • Add some extra flair to every text you send.
  • Emphasize parts of a message to make it stand out.

System Requirements

This tip is for iPhones running iOS 18 or later.

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Adding Effects to a Message

First, open an iMessage conversation, and tap the Text Effects button to the lower right. Refer to the below image:

Text Effects 1
Selecting the Text Effects button

Next, there is a wide variety of text effects to choose from. Just highlight the text to which you want to apply an effect. The top row is simply for formatting the text. You can choose between Bold, Italics, Underline, Strikethrough, or all at once. See the below image:

Text Effects 2
Selecting text formatting options

Now, you can also apply some animation texts to give your texts some extra flair. 

Thankfully, a preview of each animation effect will play on a loop so you can see how they look to your recipient(s).

See the following image for the Big and Small effects:

Text Effects 3
Selecting Big and Small text effects

Next, you can try the other six effects by tapping its button. To turn off an effect, tap the button again.

Note! Your recipient(s) must be running iOS 18 to see the effects. If they are using iOS 17 or below, the message will be in plain text.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

 “Real eyes, realize, real lies…”

Tupac Shakur

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Was this post helpful? We would love to hear your comments. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us, you can send screenshots of the data related to your question.

Author’s E-Book

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

Identify Landmarks Easily with Visual Look Up on iPhone

The Visual Look Up feature in the Photos app allows iOS users to identify landmarks in their images using AI. This tool enhances travel experiences by providing information about locations, helping users remember where photos were taken.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
July 23, 2024 – 2 minutes read time

Overview

If you are familiar with the Photos app, you might be familiar with a feature called Visual Look Up, which uses AI to identify objects in your photos. Most people have heard about its ability to recognize specific faces and identify plants. But, did you know that you can also use Visual Look Up to identify locations and important landmarks?

It’s so cool to know at a glance exactly where a photo was taken, especially if you have recently been traveling and have been to numerous historical sights or landmarks. It can be difficult to keep track of what photo was taken where. Now with the AI of the Visual Look Up feature, you no longer have to remember!

Why You Will Like This Tip:

  • Get the most out of the Visual Look Up feature by learning to use it to identify locations.
  • Quickly and easily obtain additional info about the landmarks and locations you have visited.
  • Not sure what that cool landmark in front of you is? Use Visual Look Up to find out!

System Requirements

This is for iPhones running iOS 16 or later. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 18+

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Identifying Landmarks

First, open the Photos app. Refer to the below image:

Landmark 1
Accessing the Photos app

Next, select a photo that features a famous location or landmark. (This will not work if the photo is of your shoes at the statue of Andrew Jackson. It needs to be a photo of Andrew Jackson himself, otherwise, the AI will not be able to identify it.) See the below image:

Landmarks 2
Select a photo

Now, tap the info button at the bottom. If the AI works on this photo, the Info button will be decorated with sparkles. See the following image:

Landmarks 3
Selecting the Info button

Next, tap the Look Up Landmark. Refer to the below image:

Landmarks 4
Selecting the Look Up Landmark option

Now, you can select various options for further inquiry, like getting directions, placing a call to the location, or looking up further information about the location via the Internet. See the below image:

Landmarks 5
Options for your landmark photo

Summary

Now you can use Visual Look Up which uses AI to identify locations and important landmarks in your photos.

It can be difficult to keep track of what photo was taken where. But now with this feature. you no longer have to remember the landmark photo location.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

“The great myth of our times is that technology is communication.”

 Libby Larsen

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Was this post helpful? We would love to hear your comments. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us, you can send screenshots of the data related to your question.

Author’s E-Book

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

How to Disable AI Overviews in Google Search

This post provides tips for handling AI-generated summaries in Google search results. It explains how to disable these overviews using specific search modifiers.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
July 23, 2024 – 3 minutes read time

This is for devices running Google or Bing. Screenshots are from Windows 10 desktop

Get the Latest Desktop Google Update

Open Google, click the 3-dot menu icon (upper right corner), then click the Settings option. If Google is outdated, it will automatically update.

Why You Will Like This Tip

  • View your Google or Bing search results without an AI-generated summary.
  • Narrow your search results to what you just want to preview.

Overview

We rely on Google every day to provide us information. But what happens when our source of knowledge becomes messy and unreliable? AI Overviews utilize Google’s Gemini AI to provide an answer to your query right on the search page; no need to click.

Using the AI Modifier

Still in its infancy, this feature occasionally surfaces incorrect information, so some web surfers look to disable it entirely. There are a few ways to make an AI Overview go away, but no method is as simple as tricking Google itself into getting rid of it. Google uses search modifiers, named operators, which help narrow search results. Here are a few examples:

  • Use quotations (” “) to search for the exact phrase
  • Add site: to search a single website
  • Search for a certain type of file with filetype:
  • Exclude terms with a minus (-) symbol. The minus symbol stands for NOT.

If we ask “who owns Facebook” an AI-generated summary will be displayed. Refer to the below image:

Google Tip 1
With AI-generated summary

And if you add the term -AI at the end of the query, an overview is not generated. It’s a very simple solution to the AI Overview problem that can be quickly repeated on subsequent queries without needing multiple steps. See the below image:

Google Tip 2
Without AI-generated summary

However, it’s worth noting that this does not work because of the -AI modifier. On subsequent tests, we found that putting pretty much anything in there (Ex: -i, –sports, -farm) also did the same thing.

Summary

So, no, Google did not add a secret AI kill switch to its search engine. Instead, AI Overviews are likely only available under certain conditions, and by using a search modifier, you circumvent those parameters. Still, it’s an easy way to game the system until we get an easier way to disable these overlays.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

“Real gs move in silence like lasagna.”

Lil Wayne

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I Would Like to Hear From You

Was this post helpful? We would love to hear your comments. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us, you can send screenshots of the data related to your question.

Author’s E-Book

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

Protect Your Privacy: How to Opt Out of Yahoo Data Selling

This post provides instructions for protecting your privacy on Yahoo Mail for iPhone and PC. It explains how to prevent Yahoo from selling your information and control personalized ads.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
October 1, 2024 – 4 minutes read time

This is for the iPhone and PC running Yahoo Mail. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17.7

Overview

Most companies today are selling your information in some way or form. Luckily, most companies allow you to opt out of having your data sold; if you know how to ask for it.

While you would think the “do not sell my personal information” setting would be on the Yahoo security page, you will find it under a different menu. Let’s explore telling Yahoo, “Do not sell my personal information” and control personalized ads.

System Requirements

  • Yahoo Mail
  • iOS 16 or later
  • Browser
  • Windows 11/10
  • iPhone

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Why Apply This Post

  • Protect your privacy by stopping Yahoo from selling your information.
  • Make sure your data stays out of the hands of third parties.

Opening Settings

First, open the Yahoo Mail app. Next, tap your profile icon in the upper left. Now, tap Settings. Refer to the below image:

Yahoo 1
Accessing Settings

Accessing Privacy

First, scroll down and tap Manage account privacy. Next, tap Your Privacy controls. Now, tap the Yahoo logo. See the below image:

Yahoo 2
Accessing Privacy

Setting the Do Not Sell Option

First, you will be prompted to log into your Yahoo mail account. Enter your username/email address, tap Next, and follow the on-screen prompts to log in. Next, After logging in, scroll down to the Sale and sharing of personal information and tap the link. See the following image:

Yahoo 3
Accessing the Sale and Share link

Disable the Do Not Sell Option

First, tap the toggle. The default is set to Allow Yahoo to sell your data. Next, the page and its toggle will turn gray, indicating that the setting has been disabled. Refer to the below image:

Yahoo 4
Setting the Do Not Sale option

You may want to read the “fine print” about setting the option to Don’t Allow. If you clear cookies for your browser, the option is reset to Allow. See the below image:

Yahoo 5
The fine print

While here, go back to the Sale and sharing of personal information screen to control ads. Tap the Personalized ads link and turn off any option on delivering ads. See the following image on the first of four options:

Yahoo 6
Turning off Personalized ads

Using a PC Desktop/Laptop Running Windows 10/11

  • Open Yahoo Mail
  • Click the Gear icon in the upper left below the Home icon
  • Click the More settings link
  • Click About our Ads menu option. You would think of accessing the Security and Privacy menu option, but Yahoo wants to hide selling your data.
  • Under What choices do I have section, click View our other Privacy Controls
  • click the Yahoo logo, and sign in
  • Click the Sale and sharing personal information link
  • Click the toggle. The default is set to Allow Yahoo to sell your data. Next, the page and its toggle will turn gray, indicating that the setting has been disabled. If you have set the toggle to Don’t Allow on your iPhone first, the toggle will already be disabled.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

“I play to win, whether during practice or a real game.”

– Michael Jordan

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That’s it. Please feel free to share this post! One way to share is via Twitter.

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Checkout TechSavvy.Life for blog posts on smartphones, PCs, and Macs! You may email us at contact@techsavvy.life for comments or questions.

I Would Like to Hear From You

Was this post helpful? We would love to hear your comments. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of the data related to your question.

Author’s E-Book

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

Get Visual Alerts for Calls and Messages: iPhone Flash Notification Setup

This post provides a guide on turning on flash notifications for iPhone, especially beneficial for the deaf or hard of hearing. It includes system requirements, and step-by-step instructions.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
September 24, 2024 – 3 minutes read time

Overview

How do you turn on the flash notification on your iPhone? Sometimes we might need an extra alert if an important message or phone call is expected.

This feature is intended to be used by the deaf or hard of hearing, but it can be helpful for anyone who would rather receive visual alerts. Be aware that turning on this feature could deplete your battery life rather quickly, depending on how many notifications you get throughout the day. Let’s explore how to turn on flashlight notifications on iPhones.

System Requirements

This post works on iPhones running iOS 16 or later. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17.6.1

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Reasons For This Tip

  • Get an extra visual alert any time you receive notifications.
  • Make sure you never miss an important text or phone call.

Turn on Flash Notifications

Open the Settings app, and tap Accessibility. Refer to the below image:

Flash 1
Selecting Accessibility option

Tap Audio & Visual. See the below image:

Flash 2
Selecting the Audio & Visual option

Select LED Flash for Alerts. See the following image:

Flash 3
Selecting LED Flash for Alerts option

Tap the toggle next to LED Flash for Alerts to enable this feature. Refer to the below image:

Flash 4
Toggle to enable LED Flash for Alerts

By default, the LED will only flash if your iPhone is locked and the ringer is on. However, two toggles allow you to make it so that the flash will still go off when your device is unlocked or if Silent mode is enabled. See the below image:

Flash 5
Other options for flash alerts

That’s how to use your iPhone flashlight for notifications. Since the flash is on the back of your phone, placing your phone face down when you set it down is best. Just make sure you have a good scratch-protectant cover on the screen.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

When times are bad is when the real entrepreneurs emerge.

Robert T Kiyosaki

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I Would Like to Hear From You

Was this post helpful? We would love to hear your comments. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us, you can send screenshots of the data related to your question.

Author’s E-Book

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

iPhone Battery Health: Monitoring, Optimization, and Maintenance Tips

Apple faced backlash for slowing down older iPhone models to preserve battery life. Users can now monitor battery health and enable optimized battery charging to prolong battery lifespan. Additionally, they can track battery usage by app and learn to conserve battery and prevent overheating.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
September 17, 2024 – 4 minutes read time

Overview

Apple landed in hot water with customers several years ago when a feature designed to slow the processors of older iPhone models to keep them from suddenly shutting down came to light. Critics maintained that Apple was throttling the speed of earlier iPhone models to push customers toward newer devices. At the same time, Apple insisted that the feature was necessary to cope with aging batteries. Now, Apple lets users monitor the health of their iPhones’ battery. Let’s explore this feature.

System Requirements

This post works on iPhones running iOS 15 or later

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Check Battery Health

First, open the Settings app, and tap on Battery. Refer to the below image:

Battery 8
Accessing the Battery option

Next, tap on Battery Health & Charging. See the below image:

Battery 7
Accessing the Battery Health option

Now, you will see your battery capacity next to Maximum Capacity. See the following image:

Battery 6
Viewing the Maximum Capacity of the battery

The Maximum Capacity tells you your iPhone battery’s capacity compared to its capacity when it was brand new. For example, if your Maximum Capacity is 85%, that is all your battery can charge. On this screen, you can also enable Optimized Battery Charging, which reduces aging by optimizing how your battery behaves when charging. Refer to the below image:

Battery 5
Enabling Optimized Battery Charging

If your battery’s Maximum Capacity has dropped below 80%, a message like this will pop up on your screen if you experience an unexpected shutdown. See the below image:

Battery 1
Viewing Battery Health degradation warning message

You can tap Disable to turn off battery throttling on your iPhone or you may want to consider replacing your battery to improve your iPhone’s performance and the amount of time it can operate between charges.

Track Battery Usage by App

To view your battery usage by app, go back to:

Settings > Battery

Swipe down on the Battery settings screen and you will discover battery usage by app, starting with the biggest battery hogs. By default, the tool shows you the percentage of battery charge by each app. Tap Show Activity or a specific app, and the information changes to display the time the app has used the battery, both in the foreground and background. See the following image:

Battery 4
Viewing Battery Usage

Conserve Battery

Besides Optimized Battery Charging you can conserve your battery, turning down the brightness of your screen will increase battery health. To adjust the screen brightness, head to:

Settings > Display & Brightness 

and moving the slider. Refer to the below image:

Battery 3
Turning down Brightness to conserve battery usage

Keep Your iPhone Cool

 Using your iPhone in hot conditions can permanently shorten battery life. Store your device where the temperature is between -20º and 45º C (-4º to 113º F). Do not leave your device in your car, because temperatures in parked cars can exceed this range.

If your device gets too warm or too cold, certain features might become temporarily disabled. In extreme conditions, your device might become temporarily disabled. A temperature warning screen will be displayed. See the below image:

Battery 2
iPhone is too hot warning message

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

The real secret to a life of abundance is to stop spending your days searching for security and to start spending your time pursuing opportunity.

Robin S. Charma

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That’s it. Please feel free to share this post! One way to share is via Twitter.

Just click the Tweet icon below. This will launch Twitter where you click its icon to post the Tweet.

Checkout TechSavvy.Life for blog posts on smartphones, PCs, and Macs! You may email us at contact@techsavvy.life for comments or questions.

I Would Like to Hear From You

Was this post helpful? We would love to hear your comments. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us, you can send screenshots of the data related to your question.

Author’s E-Book

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

iPhone Call and Text Blocking: Practical Steps for Contacts and Numbers

The post provides instructions for blocking contacts and numbers. It covers blocking contacts in the phone app and blocking numbers from recent calls.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
September 10, 2024 – 3 minutes read time

Overview

You can easily block any number if you receive texts and calls from a saved contact or a random number. Let’s explore how this is accomplished.

System Requirements

This post works on iPhones running iOS 15 or later. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17.6.1

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Block a Person in Your Contacts

If the person you want to block is already saved in your iPhone’s contact list, you can block them via the contacts tab in the Phone app. 

First, open your Phone app. Refer to the below image:

Block Caller 1
Accessing your Phone app

Next, tap the Contacts icon. See the below image:

Block Caller 2
Selecting your Contacts icon

Now, tap the contact you want to block. See the following image:

Block Caller 3
Selecting a Contact to block

Next, tap the Block Caller option. Refer to the below image:

Block Caller 4
Selecting the Block Caller option

Now, tap the Block Contact menu option. See the below image:

Block Caller 5
Selecting the Block Contact option

Block a Number

If the number you want to block is not saved in your iPhone contact list, you can still block it in the Phone app.

First, open the Phone app. Refer to the below image:

Block Caller 1
Accessing your Phone app

Next, tap the Recents icon. See below image:

Block Caller 7
Selecting your Recents icon

Now, fund the number you want to block and tap the Info button. See the following image:

Block Caller 8
Selecting the Info button of the number to block

Next, tap the Block Caller option. Refer to the below image:

Block Caller 9
Selecting the Block Caller option

Now, tap the Block Contact menu option. See the below image:

Block Caller 10
Selecting the Block Contact option

And that’s how you block a number or a contact on your iPhone. You can always unblock a caller by the above steps and tapping the Unblock Caller option.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

 “Success is not achieved by winning all the time. Real success comes when we rise after we fall. Some mountains are higher than others. Some roads steeper than the next. There are hardships and setbacks but you cannot let them stop you. Even on the steepest road you must not turn back.”

Muhammad Ali

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Yea, you are finished. Please feel free to share this post! One way to share is via Twitter.

Just click the Tweet icon below. This will launch Twitter where you click its icon to post the Tweet.

Checkout TechSavvy.Life for blog posts on smartphones, PCs, and Macs! You may email us at contact@techsavvy.life for comments or questions.

I Would Like to Hear From You

Was this post helpful? We would love to hear your comments. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us, you can send screenshots of the data related to your question.

Author’s E-Book

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

How to Use Dynamic Island for iPhone Flashlight Control | TechSavvy.Life

This post provides instructions for using the Dynamic Island feature to control the flashlight on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 models. The upcoming iOS 18 update will introduce new features for controlling the flashlight.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
September 3, 2024 – 3 minutes read

This is for iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Max, and iPhone 15 running iOS 17+. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17.5.1.

Click here to learn how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Overview

Did you know you can use the Dynamic Island to control your iPhone’s flashlight? The Dynamic Island is one of the most useful features, thanks to shortcuts like this.

There are many different ways to turn off the flashlight on your iPhone. The iPhone 14 Pro and any iPhone 15 models introduced an extra option for switching off your flashlight with Dynamic Island. Let’s explore this feature.

What is Dynamic Island

The Dynamic Island is a relatively new interactive iOS 16 feature housing the TrueDepth front camera notch.

Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped zone on the upper side of the ‌iPhone‌ display. It adapts the camera hardware and is a shape-shifting hub for vital iPhone alerts or your ongoing activity. Since the feature is triggered automatically, you can view a multitasking bar within seconds without additional actions.

This UI area displays;

  • Alerts and Notifications
  • Background Activity
  • Access to Controls
  • Real-Time Updates

Turning On/Off the Flashlight

First, access the Flashlight by swiping down on your Home Screen from the upper right. Refer to the below image:

Flashlight 1
Swiping down to reveal the Control Panel

Now, the Control Center will be displayed. See the below image:

Flashlight 2
Your Control Panel

Next, tap the Flashlight icon. See the following image:

Flashlight 3
Selecting the Flashlight icon

Now, you will see a tiny flashlight icon in the Dynamic Island. Tap it. Refer to the below image:

Flashlight 4
Taping the Flashlight icon in the Dynamic Island

Next, your Flashlight status will be shown in the Dynamic Island. Tap the icon to turn off the Flashlight. See the below image:

Flashlight 5
Taping the Flashlight icon to turn it off

New Flashlight Feature

In the September 2024 iOS 18 update Apple will add swipe capabilities to control the Flashlight beam and brightness.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

. “Real science can be far stranger than science fiction and much more satisfying.”

– Stephen Hawking

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Author”s E-Book

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

How to Enable Night Vision Mode on iPhone for Enhanced Visibility

The iPhone’s night vision mode turns the screen red to reduce eye strain. This feature is beneficial for low-light environments and can be enabled in the device’s settings. The red screen helps with quicker eye adaptation in the dark and can be useful for various activities such as stargazing and viewing smartphones discreetly in dark environments.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
July 30, 2024 – 3 minute read

This is for the iPhone. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17.5.1+

The iPhone has a “night vision” feature that turns your screen red. More than giving a spy movie vibe, a red screen could help sharpen people’s night vision by reducing the harmful effect of the bright displays we stare at all day.

Overview

Night vision mode is helpful at night and when we first wake up, since the regular light the iPhone displays can cause fatigue and harm our eyes. Apple already offers some built-in options to protect our eyes, such as:

  • Warn that the iPhone is too close to your face.
  • Night Mode, which reduces blue light and reduces fatigue.
  • True Tone, which adjusts the display color based on your environment.
  • Dark Mode, which switches the bright whites to black or dark gray colors, puts less stress on your eyes.

Still, there are benefits to turning your iPhone screen red. The color is more difficult to see than other light frequencies, so it tricks our eyes into thinking it’s less bright than it actually is. In a dark room, for example, your pupils will not have to adjust as much to the light. Also, when you look away, your eyes adapt quicker to the darkness around you. Refer to the below image:

iPhone Red Screen
iPhone Red Screen for Night Vision

In addition, this iPhone feature can also help you use star map apps for astronomy, sneaking your phone at the theaters, eyesight animals, or when you check your phone in the middle of the night.

Enable Night Vision

With that in mind, Apple has this Night Vision mode. Here’s how you can enable it.

  • On your iPhone, open Settings
  • In the Accessibility tab, search for Display & Text Size
  • Turn on Color Filters
  • Move Intensity to the far-right position for the full red-screen effect.
  • Select Color Tint

Quickly Turn the Screen to Red

Now that you know how to turn on this iPhone’s feature, there are three options to make turning it on and off more straightforward.

Triple click: 

On Settings, Accessibility, Accessibility Shortcut, choose Color Filters to triple-click the side button and activate this setting.

Control Center:

On Settings, Control Center, and Accessibility Shortcuts, you can add this shortcut to your Control Center, so it’s just one tap away from changing your display from bright white to red.

Siri:

You can ask Siri to either enable or disable color filters.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.

Friedrick Engels

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Checkout TechSavvy.Life for blog posts on smartphones, PCs, and Macs! You may email us at contact@techsavvy.life for comments or questions.

I Would Like to Hear From You

Was this post helpful? We would love to hear your comments. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of your data related to your question.

Author’s E-Book

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the “Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath” can be accessed from a Kindle device or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

iPhone Camera Macro Mode: How to Enable and Disable the Flower Icon

The Flower icon in iPhone Pro indicates macro mode for close-up photography. To disable the macro lens, tap the Flower icon in the camera app. In settings, under Camera, toggle Macro Control to disable the Flower icon. The iPhone 15 Pro models support macro photography, while the standard model does not.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
July 16, 2024 = 4 minutes read

This is for the iPhone Pro. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17.5.1

If you have a Pro iPhone, you have probably noticed the Flower icon while taking photos on your iPhone camera. This icon should only appear when your camera enters Macro mode for taking close-up pictures. Let’s explore how to use and disable the Macro mode Flower icon.

What is the Flower Icon on Your iPhone Camera

As you might have guessed, the icon indicates your iPhone’s macro camera is enabled. iPhone macro photography lets you take clear, extreme close-up shots of nearly any subject. If you do not need to use the iPhone’s macro lens, you can easily disable it from the camera by tapping the Flower icon.

How to Turn Off the Macro Lens

If you are uninterested in iPhone macro photography, you can disable the macro lens.

First, when the camera is open, tap the yellow Flower icon. Refer to the below image:

Macro 1
Maco Mode is enabled

Next, when it is gray with a slash through it, that means it has been disabled. See the below image:

Macro 2
Macro Mode is disabled

That’s how to disable the macro photography lens. If you want to disable the icon itself, see the below section.

How to Disable the Flower Icon in iPhone Camera

If you do not want the Flower icon to appear on your iPhone camera, you can disable that in the Settings app.

First, the Settings app, and tap Camera. See the following image:

Macro 3
Accessing your Camera option

Next, scroll to the bottom and tap the toggle next to Macro Control to disable or enable the Flower icon. Refer to the below image:

Macro 4
Disable or enable Macro Control

Note! This does not disable Macro mode, only the Flower icon. You will not be able to turn off Macro mode if you turn off the above toggle.

FAQ

What does Macro mode do?

Macro mode keeps the image clear while taking extreme close-up shots. This means you can take crisp photos of smaller subjects, like plants or animals.

Does the iPhone 15 have macro photography?

The standard iPhone 15 model does not have a Macro mode. However, all Pro models iPhones, including the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, can capture macro photography images.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

“Don’t believe everything you hear: Real eyes, Realize, Real lies.”

Tupac Shakur

X (Twitter) Info

That’s it. Please feel free to share this post! One way to share is via Twitter.

Just click the Tweet icon below. This will launch Twitter where you click its icon to post the Tweet.

Checkout TechSavvy.Life for blog posts on smartphones, PCs, and Macs! You may email us at contact@techsavvy.life for comments or questions.

I Would Like to Hear From You

Was this post helpful? We would love to hear your comments. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of your data related to your question.

Suthor’s E-Book

You can access the E-book from a Kindle device, or the Kindle App for a desktop or smartphone. The apps are free.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath