David Crookes

Contributor

David Crookes has been writing professionally for close to 30 years and, as well as a great fondness for gaming, space, film, music, history, health and politics, he's largely specialized in technology for much of his career. He particularly focuses on Apple devices, having admired the company's tech since using iMac G3 in 1998. He also developed a fondness for the older Macintosh LC III that he later used in his first job as a newspaper reporter.

Since becoming a freelance writer, he has written for a wide number of publications including the Apple-focussed magazines iCreate and Macworld as well as Micro Mart, Web User, T3, Retro Gamer, MagPi, Computer Shopper, Gadget and 3D Artist. His love of gaming has seen him write for Retro Gamer, GamesTM and Wireframe among others and, despite his love of Apple, he still uses a PC – working for PC Pro and once writing for Total PC Gaming.

One of his joys is helping others to use technology which has led him to writing many “how to” tutorials explaining many ways of getting the most out of various devices. He's become an expert user of the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. He also likes to kick back with a gaming session on an PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X | S while getting his retro fix on an Evercade handheld.

Latest articles by David Crookes

How to block no caller ID on iPhone — 5 simple steps

By David Crookes Published 18 February 25

Learn how to block No Caller ID on your iPhone and avoid being disturbed by nuisance callers.

Phones

iOS 18.3 lets you identify plants and animals — here's how to do it

By David Crookes Published 10 February 25

iPhone users can now easily recognize plants and animals with iOS 18.3 and visual intelligence.

Phones

With the Hive AI Detector, you can check whether AI has been used to produce content

By David Crookes Published 9 February 25

With the Hive AI Detector, you can check whether AI has been used to produce content

How to use Google Maps to avoid being late

You can use Google Maps to avoid being late — here’s how

By David Crookes Published 9 February 25

Avoid being late with Google Maps by making sure you set off at the right time.

Phones

Google Maps can help you find accessible locations — here’s how

By David Crookes Published 6 February 25

Discover if a business you’re looking visit is wheelchair or pram-friendly

Phones

With iOS 18.3 you can turn any poster into a calendar event — here's how

By David Crookes Published 4 February 25

Use Visual Intelligence on your iPhone to quickly add events to your calendar

Phones

iPhone lets you record calls — here’s how to do it

By David Crookes Published 26 January 25

Ideal if you’re interviewing someone or just need to make a note of what’s being said

Phones

How to back up your iPhone — don't risk losing your data

By David Crookes Published 23 January 25

Make sure your data is safe by learning how to back up your iPhone to iCloud or a computer.

Phones

How to report traffic incidents on Google Maps

How to report police sightings in Google Maps

By David Crookes Published 19 January 25

Learn how to report police sightings on Google Maps and contribute to real-time updates in your area.

Phones

You can report wildfires in Google Maps using Crisis Alerts — here's how

By David Crookes Published 18 January 25

Learn how to use Google Maps' Crisis Alerts feature to monitor and report wildfire activity in your area.

Phones

How to use AirPods with Xbox Series S|X or Xbox One

By David Crookes Last updated 14 January 25

Discover how to use AirPods with Xbox Series S|X or Xbox One and make the most of Apple’s earbuds

Airpods

You can limit your Google searches to a single website — here's how

By David Crookes Published 30 December 24

Learn how to restrict web searches to specific websites, making it easier to find exactly what you need.

Search Engines

How to use your Alexa as a Bluetooth speaker

You can use your Alexa as a Bluetooth speaker — here’s how

By David Crookes Published 28 December 24

Learn how to use your Amazon Echo as a Bluetooth speaker to play audio from any device or service.

How to control your PS5 with your TV remote

By David Crookes Published 27 December 24

Learn how to swap your PS5 controller for a remote, making it easier to watch television on your console.

Gaming

You can generate AI images on your iPhone using Image Wand in Notes — here's how it works

By David Crookes Published 26 December 24

Learn to create and customize AI-generated images directly in Notes using iOS 18.2's new Image Wand feature.

Phones

You can direct all of your Siri queries to ChatGPT in iOS 18.2 — here's how

By David Crookes Published 23 December 24

Learn how to use ChatGPT with Siri on your iPhone, enabling more advanced AI features and capabilities in iOS 18.2.

Sony PS5 with PlayStation DualSense controller

How to get the classic PlayStation boot screens on PS5 and PS5 Pro

By David Crookes Published 18 December 24

Learn how to add nostalgic PlayStation startup screens to your PS5, including the iconic original PlayStation boot sequence.

Playstation

How to save and share moments from Netflix shows and movies

Netflix's Moments feature lets you share your favorite scenes — here's how it works

By David Crookes Published 17 December 24

Learn how to use Netflix's new Moments feature to share your favorite scenes directly with friends and family.

Netflix

How to get the most out of Amazon’s Rufus

By David Crookes Published 19 November 24

Amazon Rufus AI shopping assistant helps customers make smarter purchase decisions by analyzing reviews, answering questions, and providing product recommendations.

How to use Apple Maps in iOS 18

By David Crookes Published 18 November 24

Let us guide you through iOS 18's Apple Maps features, from offline access to custom navigation tools.

Phones

How to activate Firefox picture-in-picture mode

How to activate picture-in-picture mode in FireFox

By David Crookes Published 15 November 24

Learn how to enable Firefox's automatic picture-in-picture mode, letting you watch videos while browsing different tabs.

Desktop Computers

Reduce interruptions with Apple Intelligence

How to reduce interruptions using Apple Intelligence

By David Crookes Published 4 November 24

Reduce interruptions with Apple Intelligence on iPhone using smart notification filtering, schedule-based alerts, and customizable focus modes.

iPhones

How to search for moments in videos using Apple Intelligence in iOS 18

By David Crookes Published 2 November 24

Learn how to use natural language in iOS 18.1 to find specific moments captured inside your videos.

iPhones

How to keep to keep iCloud Drive files downloaded on your Mac

By David Crookes Published 1 November 24

Ensure you always have access to key files by preventing them from being evicted when storage space is low

macOS

MacOS Sequoia lets you view saved passwords via the menu bar — here's how

By David Crookes Published 21 October 24

Learn how to quickly access passwords in macOS Sequoia using this menu bar feature. Find your account credentials in a flash without having to open the full Passwords app.

macOS

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