Best free apps for Mac & iOS

hello (again)

We’ve always been honest at MacFormat about the

Apple unveils AirPods Max

And Apple Fitness+ also hits the big time

HoudahSpot 6 $34  (about £30)

Never lose a file on your Mac again

Crave

THE GEAR WE’RE LUSTING AFTER

MATT BOLTON…

ONLY NEEDS TO SEE TO SEE ONE MAJOR AREA OF IMPROVEMENT FROM APPLE IN 2021, AND THAT’S THE ACCESSORIES

Apple TV + show time

If you’ve previously dismissed Apple TV+ , it might be time to take another look…

The iOS 14 Shortcuts primer

Get started with Shortcuts and learn how to create a range of powerful workflows that will simplify your life

Screen Sharing in Messages

Help friends and family members by accessing their Macs remotely

Master Messages in Big Sur

The new version of macOS features some big improvements in Messages

Do more with your images

Photoshop Elements 2021’s Guided Edits make photo editing simple

Run Linux on your Mac

Run a virtual machine for free with VMware Fusion Player 12

Keep your Mac awake

Prevent sleep interrupting your tasks with the Amphetamine app

Look your best on video calls

Can’t meet in person? Here’s how to master the art of video calling

Make the most of Scribble

The iPadOS feature that’s a lot like handwriting, only smarter

Create shareable videos

New features and an interface overhaul have made Clips even easier to use

Create custom widgets

Widgetsmith gives control over your Home screen in iOS 14

Ceramic Shield

It’s the toughest glass on any smartphone. How does it work?

Upgrade from macOS Sierra to Big Sur

EXPERT ADVICE Our resident genius solves your Mac

iOS software

Swipe away your touchscreen troubles and rekindle your love of Apple’s mobile devices

Mac hardware

We help to solve your hardware hassles, from interrupted upgrades to running diagnostics 

macOS

Shine a spotlight on the solutions to your most irritating Mac problems

APPLE HOME

Big-name movies are now premiering on home formats. It took a massive global crisis for this to happen, but could well be a permanent change

Roku Streambar

A streaming device and soundbar at a great price

Marshall Monitor II ANC

Marshall’s traditional headphones gain up-to-date noise cancellation features

Synology DiskStation DS1520+

A DIY high-end NAS drive

OWC Envoy Pro Elektron portable SSD

Rugged, fast data storage on the go

Urbanears Luma

Low-price AirPods alternative

The best iPhone 12 cases

Magnetic cases to keep your iPhone protected

Luminar AI photo editor

A great way for novices and experts to enhance images

Filter

The app to help you stay focused

Stellar Photo Recovery

Recover deleted images with this ‘search and rescue’ app

Day One Journal

Record your daily thoughts

Muse – tool for thought

A very different kind of notes

Halide Mk II – Pro Camera

Raw shooter for iOS gets a big upgrade

Reeder 5

A superb RSS reader

Streaks 6

Start and stick to good habits

6 apps for book lovers

Find more things to read, in more ways, and more people to discuss them with

STORE GUIDE

Your complete guide to the best Apple hardware and third-party accessories

BEST BUYS… Curated picks of third-party kit›

› DESKTOP SPEAKER Ruark MR1 £32 9.99 ruarkaudio.com

BEST BUYS… Curated picks of additional apps›

NEW! › PHOTO EDITOR (MAC) Luminar AI From

iPod headphones

Charlotte Henry looks back at the iconic new-style earbuds that shipped with Apple’s first iPod