A BOLD NEW DIRECTION

The all–new iMac is finally here! After months

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Thank you for the write up in your

All–new iMac is here!

Slim, stylish, next–gen iMac with Apple silicon

iPhone 6 (2014)

The eighth–generation iPhone was applauded for its improved

CRAVE

THE GEAR WE’RE LUSTING AFTER

85 BIG SUR SECRETS

Hidden tips, tricks, and shortcuts revealed!

Finder and System Preferences

Finder may look a little unfamiliar but you can tweak it to your liking

Gestures and shortcuts

There aren’t any new system–wide keyboard shortcuts or

HOW TO Customize your desktop

e 1 CHANGE PICTURE Big Sur comes with

How to use Photos extensions

Extensions in Photos allows you to access many

Photos

Photos now allows you to edit videos, add new effects, and much more

What about iMovie?

Now that Photos allows you to edit videos,

HOW TO Create a shared photo album

1 CREATE THE ALBUM In the sidebar

Safari, Mail, and Messages

Safari has new customization and privacy features

HOW TO Send a message with Photos, Effects, or GIFs

1FIND A GIF TO SEND Click the new

Maps

Start planning a trip on your Mac and then continue on your mobile device

Music, Apple TV, Podcasts, & Books

It was evolution rather than revolution for these entertainment apps in Big Sur

Other Big Sur tips and tricks

There are even more ways to get the most from Big Sur

BOOST YOUR ONLINE SECURITY

Beat malware, keep hackers at bay, and ensure your online activities stay private and out of the hands of snoopers and ad agencies

SECURITY BASICS

Combat malware and strengthen passwords

SURF SAFELY

Make sure the websites you visit are kept at arm’s length

SECURE MESSAGES AND MAIL

Encrypt your email and chat to keep conversations private

TOUGH TESTING, TRUSTED RATINGS

Sawyer Blatz, HERE AT MAC|LIFE we believe you

Airthings House Kit

Breathe easy with this air–quality monitor

Notability

Share and sync with your iPhone and iPad

TextBuddy

A textcellent utility

Rip Them Off

In this game, greed is good

Razer Kiyo Pro

A flawed gem of a camera for Mac users

Gemini 2

Still purging duplicates after all these years

Attentat 1942

Life under Nazi occupation made real

ZipDrive

Your computers, now available from everywhere

Commander One 3.0

A dual–pane Finder alternative ready for Big Sur

TRUE WIRELESS NOISE–CANCELLING HEADPHONES

Upgrade your iPhone, iPad, or Mac audio and rid your surroundings of unwanted noise

APPLE AIRPODS PRO

Balanced audio, effective noise cancelling, easy– to–use, and an unparalleled transparency mode

Nudget: Spending Tracker

An easy way to monitor your money

Scanner Pro: PDF Scanner App

This excellent mobile scanner is now free

GoodTask 6.4

Track everything about yourself

Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee

A promising game thwarted by tough luck

DEVONThink To Go 3.0

The organizer for everything

6 apps to take the pain out of parenting

Make raising your kid child’s play with these tools

Best of the best

Can’t find the hardware or app you’re looking for in our reviews section? Then check in here — we’ve highlighted the best in every major category, as voted for by us

HOW TO GET SMART IN THE GARDEN

The smart home has well and truly escaped the bounds of its traditional four walls and is taking over your yard

ASK

TECH SUPPORT & TECHSPLANATIONS

Notification Center in Big Sur

Master widgets and notifications to keep yourself organized on your Mac

Refined edits in Luminar AI

Move on from one–click templates and manually adjust picture properties

Burn a DVD in Big Sur

If you still miss iDVD, don’t worry — iMovie and Finder have your back

Print out Contacts labels

How to quickly print addresses onto labels for greetings cards and more

Get image files organized

How to manage your photos with ACDSee Photo Studio For Mac 7

Be mindful on your Mac

The mental health chatbot that can help you feel better

Get started with Signal

Keep your messages free from prying eyes with extra privacy features

Offload your iOS files

Use USB sticks and memory cards to move files from your iPhone or iPad

Use Sleep Mode in iOS 14

Get better sleep with help from your device

Music–recognition software

We discover how apps like Shazam work their magic

The special relationship between the Mac and Microsoft Word

Charlotte Henry on how Microsoft’s Word became a core part of the Mac