How to set up a Legacy Contact on iOS

Posted on January 16, 2022

What is Apple’s Digital Legacy program?

Apple’s Digital Legacy program is a way for someone that you choose to access your digital information stored in your Apple account after you die.

So much of our important data is stored in digital form — like photos, messages, contacts, email, notes, and more. For Apple users, that info is locked away behind an Apple ID password. If the account owner, rightly, hasn’t shared the password, then loved ones will be unable to access any of that information once they are no longer around.

Instead of being left in the lurch, Digital Legacy allows users to name select friends or family members as Legacy Contacts who can request a copy of their data in the event of their death.

How to add a Legacy Contact on iOS

Here’s how to do it on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 15.2 or later.

Open Settings.
Tap your name.
Tap Password & Security.

Tap Legacy Contact.
Tap Add Legacy Contact. A dialog box will explain the Digital Legacy feature.
Tap Add Legacy Contact once more to proceed and you’ll be prompted to use Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to continue.

If you use Family Sharing, you’ll be presented with a list of family members from which to pick. Tap their name and hit Next. Alternatively, tap Choose Someone Else to add someone from your Contacts.
Tap Continue.
Once you’ve selected the person, you may need to choose their primary email as the mode of contact.

One Final Step

By default, a Legacy Contact assignment only lasts for three years, and then it goes away. We recommend also making a Calendar appointment for yourself for 3 years from the date you set this up (with a name like “Reassign Legacy Contact iOS” or similar).

Best to Be Prepared

Life is unpredictable. That’s why it’s a good idea to set up some Legacy Contacts so that your important information can be accessed by the friends and family members you choose.

Apple’s Digital Legacy feature is the best iPhone implementation we’ve seen for this sort of information sharing and, once set up, you can go on with one less thing to worry about. It doesn’t solve all of the problems of estate planning, but it’s a good place to start.

But Wait: Can’t You Do It For Me?

Why yes – that’s what we’re here for. Contact Us and we will set it up for you!

(Excerpted from a longer article from iMore.com.)

Should you upgrade to MacOS 12 Monterey?

Posted on October 18, 2021

(Update: Apple released Monterey 12.1 December 13th, 2021, which fixed numerous bugs. We now recommend this upgrade, with the caveats listed below.)

Apple will release their most recent upgrade for Macintosh October 25th, called Mac OS 12 Monterey. (Yet another in the series of California-themed packages like Big Sur, Catalina and Mojave.)

For the most part, last year’s macOS 11 Big Sur release has proven to be relatively solid, with far fewer complaints than previous upgrades. Some beta testers believe that macOS 12 Monterey is more of a refinement upgrade, without the major architectural changes that marked Big Sur and Catalina. That would suggest more stability and the possibility of an easier and earlier upgrade.

macOS 12 Monterey is looking to integrate all your Apple devices much more seamlessly than ever before, and it’s getting a lot of changes that will make it the best version to update to. Big Sur was the first macOS to bring constant integration with other iOS devices, and Monterey is looking to improve that. Here is a quick look at the new upgrades that are going to take place with Monterey over Big Sur:

Seamless and Universal Control across all Apple Devices
Spatial Audio support
AirPlay being introduced in macOS
Improved FaceTime and audio features
Newly designed Safari and extensions
Automation and Focus increases productivity
Under the hood improvements for Notes and iCloud
Improved Performance throughout the UI
Privacy improvements for the OS and User

All these design and performance upgrades are looking to change the overall experience of how you use your Mac and make it a whole lot better and tightly integrated, compared to Big Sur.

So, should you upgrade to macOS Monterey?

Here’s a list of the models the can run Monterey:

iMac – Late 2015 and later
iMac Pro – 2017 and later
MacBook – Early 2016 and later
MacBook Air – Early 2015 and later
MacBook Pro – Early 2015 and later
Mac Pro – Late 2013 and later
Mac mini – Late 2014 and later

If you’re someone who has crucial data that you can’t risk losing at all and are happy with how Big Sur is performing for you, then stay as you are, and hold back on the update and let it roll out to see how it fares with your device and how stable it is to use.

An Ounce of Prevention…

If you are ready to dive in, as always, the very first thing to do is to make a solid backup of your existing data. RoaringApps has a full listing of which apps are compatible with Monterey and which are not. Also note that the installer download is over 12Gb huge, and you will need plenty of hard drive space for the install to complete.

Want some help with that?

Contact Us if you would like some help with making your transition to Monterey as smooth and as safe as possible. We will get it done!

Should You Upgrade to iOS 15?

Posted on September 15, 2021

Well… yes! We do recommend you upgrade to iOS 15, once it has been released on September 20, 2021. Usually with a major upgrade to iOS software we recommend waiting a few weeks or months until someone else(s) has worked out all of the bugs before taking the plunge to upgrade your devices. But Apple has really done their homework on this one. The beta testing process has been unusually gotcha-free. I’d have to say, this is the smoothest iOS upgrade in years.

Steps to upgrading to iOS 15

As usual, the first thing you should do is to make sure that your iPhone or iPad is fully backed up. You can do this either to your computer or to the cloud. You can check that under Settings:(Your Name):iCloud:iCloud Backup and choose “Backup now.” Alternatively, you can connect your iOS device to your computer and let it back up there.

Which iOS devices can get the upgrade?

Apple has a handy article that show exactly which devices can be upgraded.

How to Download and Install iOS 15

On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings:General:Software Update. From September 20th on, you will see an option to upgrade to iOS 15.

What’s New and Notable?

Notifications have been redesigned in iOS 15, adding contact photos for people and larger icons for apps
Focus is a new feature that can filter notifications and apps based on what a user wishes to focus on at a certain time
Safari features a completely new design
The Maps app now offers a new 3D view in cities with significantly enhanced details, showing buildings, pedestrian crosswalks, bike lanes, and more. There is a new city-driving experience with added road details and improved Transit features, such as pinned favorite lines, notifications to disembark, and AR walking directions
iOS 15 brings voice isolation and Spatial Audio to FaceTime calls so that voices sound as if they are coming from where the person is located on the screen. FaceTime also supports Portrait mode and offers a new grid view to see more faces at the same time. SharePlay is a new feature that allows users to share media together in sync during a FaceTime call.
iOS 15 also introduces new privacy measures, such as processing Siri requests directly on the iPhone, and Mail Privacy Protection to stop senders knowing if an email has been opened and detecting a recipient’s IP address.

Where can I learn more:

MacRumors has a great article that outlines in-depth all the new features contained in this upgrade.

What if I’m unsure and want some help to do this upgrade?

Excellent! Contact Us and we’ll get you taken care of!

Reduce Your Email Load with Mute, Block, and Unsubscribe

Posted on August 1, 2021

Is your Apple Mail inbox filling up with ridiculous numbers of unread messages? The good news is: Apple has built features into the last couple versions of Mail—on the Mac, iPhone, and iPad—to help out. Here are three that you might find useful in different situations: mute, block, and unsubscribe. Mute To help you quiet… Continue Reading

5 Things to Know Before Buying a Refurbished iPhone

Posted on July 22, 2021

If you’ve lost your cell phone or it stops working, a brand new replacement probably won’t be cheap. If you want to save money, buying a refurbished iPhone can be a great option. But what exactly is a refurbished iPhone and what are the pros and cons of buying one? In this article, we’ll tell… Continue Reading

How to Stop Robocalls for Good

Posted on June 1, 2021

For many years, junk and robocalls were relatively few and far between for most people. The National Do Not Call Registry worked well for a while. Legitimate companies were generally very compliant, and the violations were rare. But over the last few years, the number of junk calls started climbing. Nearly 46 billion robocalls went out in… Continue Reading

7 Tips to Keep Your iPhone Safe

Posted on May 12, 2021

As a technical support specialist, I am sharing my top tips to keep your iPhone and your personal information safe. 1. Set Up a Secure Passcode If your iPhone is lost or stolen, it’s important to make sure it’s locked so only you can easily access your information. iPhones have options to set up a… Continue Reading

Why You Should Update Your Medical ID in Health

Posted on April 15, 2021

It’s been seven years since Apple introduced the Medical ID on your iPhone, and if you still haven’t set it up, here’s how you do it — and why you should. The Health app on your iPhone was introduced in 2014. It is where you can enter your Medical ID details — and that’s the kind of… Continue Reading

Why Should You Invest in the New iPad?

Posted on March 11, 2021

(This article submitted to MacFinesse by Aliah Kristine Monteverde) Apple is reportedly working on a new version of the iPad Pro, which is rumored to be released this year. Since its introduction in 2010, Apple has managed to launch new models for the iPad almost annually, and lately they have been favoring late-year releases —… Continue Reading

Mac OS Big Sur: Is It Too Big to Upgrade?

Posted on November 12, 2020

(Update 2/1/2021 – Apple released their Big Sur 11.2 update, and we now give this a thumbs-up, after you have read the entire article below.) Apple this week finally released their latest operating system for the Mac, Mac OS Big Sur. We’ll start with the hardest decision—when should you upgrade to macOS 11 Big Sur?… Continue Reading