Blog

Introduction

I've been using an Apple product for more than 15 years, and I still love them. But I don't use my Mac or iPad as much in the office as I do at home. In fact, much of what keeps me away from my computer is the fact that there are only so many things you can do with these devices: copy stuff between them, share files between them...that's about it! With some clever apps and features available on newer models like iOS 11's Handoff (see below), however, we can make working on our Macs and iPads easier than ever before.

Auto Unlock

This feature is the same as the one that allows you to unlock your iPhone without typing in your password. It's enabled by default, but if you'd like to enable it yourself, just follow these steps:

On a Mac running OS X El Capitan 10.11 or later, open System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Login Items.

In the list of login items (the middle column), select "User" from the list on the left side, then click "Use Auto Unlock" at bottom left of window that appears.

Handoff

Handoff is a feature that allows you to start a task on one device, and finish it on another. It's available on MacBooks and iPhones, so if you have an iPhone and a Mac at home or work—or even both—you can use Handoff to send emails from your computer as well as text messages from your phone. Handoff works with Mail, Safari (on iOS devices), Notes (on Macs), Reminders (on Macs) and Maps (on Macs).

Sidecar

Sidecar is a simple but powerful app that allows you to use your iPad as a second screen for your Mac. It works with any iPad model and any Mac model, including the latest iMacs and MacBook Pros.

Sidecar can also be used to extend the size of your screen or mirror your current display on an external monitor, so you don't have to sit next to someone else when they're working on their computer at home!

Universal Clipboard

The clipboard is a place where you can store text or images. You can share data between devices, copy and paste from one device to another, and use the clipboard on all your devices.

You can use it in iOS, macOS and tvOS apps that support universal Clipboard features (see below).

Universal Control

If you've ever tried to use your Mac and an iPad at the same time, you know how frustrating it can be to switch between them. If you're an iPhone user, there's also a lot of switching back and forth between apps on your phone and your computer.

With Universal Control, all of these problems are gone! You can use any device that has an Apple Watch support like Apple TV or iPad Pro (or other devices), and they'll all work together seamlessly as if they were one device.

These features make working on an Apple device more seamless and useful.

Auto Unlock

Handoff

Sidecar

Universal Clipboard

Universal Control

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed our overview of some of the most important features of Apple devices. As we’ve seen, these are just a few examples of what makes working with an Apple device so convenient and efficient. The point is that there are lots more ways to get stuff done with your iPhone or iPad than ever before!