In this month’s meeting, we will dive a bit deeper into the upgraded Spotlight that is part of macOS Tahoe. We’ll not only show some traditional uses of Spotlight, but we’ll show how it has been redesigned, how it has replaced Launchpad and how it can be used for Spotlight Actions. We’ll also show how you can use Spotlight to run shortcuts, and how Spotlight introduces a clipboard history for the first time (by Apple).

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NOTE: VERY IMPORTANT

As discussed in our last meeting, our hosting provider is discontinuing all their Mailman-based mailing lists at the end of December. It’s an old platform (30+ years!) that still works, but they don’t want to support it anymore, and I can understand that. They’re encouraging their customers to look for more modern ways of communicating with their groups and teams.

That means that we’ll be moving to a more current method that won’t involve email for us to communicate. We’ll use an online platform called Discord. Some of you may already be familiar with Discord (or similar systems like Slack), so it won’t be much of a learning curve for you. For those of you that have never used it before, don’t worry…it’s pretty easy, and it allows us to separate our chat topics into different “channels”. We’ve already got a “General” channel, and I’ve created the following other channels: “Mac”, “iPhone/iPad”, “Buy-Sell”, and “Off Topic”. As we start to use the system, we may discover that there might be more channels to create. Feel free to suggest things you think about, and we’ll consider them.

Discord is available on multiple platforms:

macOS: https://discord.com/

iPhone/iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/discord-talk-play-hang-out/id985746746

Once you’ve downloaded it and created an account, join our LAPUG community:

Note that all requests to join the LAPUG Discord group will need to be approved to prevent any spamming. Once you get approved, Discord will automatically put you in the “General” channel. To view the other channels, click or tap on the topics you want to see.

Please continue to ask your LAPUG-related questions on Discord from now on as we’re going to be phasing out the email list at the end of the month. That means you should join our Discord server group sooner rather than later as that’s where all the action will be.

Note that this month’s meeting will be the last to be announced via email using our current mailing list. Next month, we’ll be posting the Zoom links in the Discord group only.

Last month, we kicked off reviewing new features in the OS 26 collection by starting with iOS 26. We got thorough most of the features and newer ones will be released in the coming year as updates become available.

This month, we'll go over new features in macOS 26 Tahoe as well as iPadOS 26. There are some features with each OS that are unique to each and that aren't in other Apple products and we'll be sure to point those out, too.

If you haven't yet upgraded to any new OS, it may be time to do so as version 26.1 of each OS has been released and they're ready for mass consumption with a few refinements, enhancements and security updates (as always).

Now that OS 26 is out on all Apple platforms, we'll spend the next few months talking about some new features. This month, we'll review some of the changes and standout features in iOS 26. We'll talk about new things that all iOS 26 users can do, and we'll point out what can only be done on iPhones that can run Apple Intelligence. We may even discover a few hidden things, too!

Apple's fall announcements will be made on September 9 so we'll move our next meeting to the Monday following those announcements. It's anticipated that a new line of iPhones will be announced and perhaps a few other updates to existing products.

In addition, the OS 26 suite will be made available soon and we'll review all the new features of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and others in the 26 family. There are lots of changes and new features so you'll want to make sure to make this meeting!!

Because Ben, Pat and Phil will all be away at Apple during the week of our normally scheduled meeting, we'll be postponing that meeting for a week. The August meeting will be set for Tuesday, August, 19 at 7:00 on Zoom.

Join us for this month’s meeting as we explore Apple Focus, a powerful feature built into macOS, iOS, and iPadOS that helps you take control of notifications and stay productive. We’ll explain how Focus works, clear up common misconceptions, and show you practical tips for customizing it across all your Apple devices. Focus modes can be tailored for almost any situation—create a Work Focus to silence personal notifications during office hours, a Personal Focus to hide work distractions in the evening, or a Sleep Focus that ensures you wind down without interruptions. You can even build custom Focus modes for activities like Fitness, Driving, or Travel.

By the end of the session, you’ll know how to sync Focus across devices, allow important contacts through, and take full advantage of this built-in feature to minimize distractions and boost your productivity. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your Apple devices work smarter for you!

Also, note that the September meeting may also be postponed one week as Phil will be on vacation the week of our normally scheduled meeting.

Think you know your Apple devices inside and out? This month, we’ll take a tour of the lesser-known but incredibly useful features built right into macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. From overlooked system tools and hidden gestures to power-user shortcuts hiding in plain sight, you’re sure to discover at least one gem that will streamline your daily routine. Bring your favorite secret features to share during our open discussion segment!

Apple's 2025 World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) will be upon us the week of June 9. As usual, we assume that Apple will discuss new operating systems for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro. Many new features are expected, including visual redesigns for all products and the industry is looking forward to hearing about Apple's continuing efforts in Apple Intelligence which was introduced last year but fell short in actual deliverables. We'll see what Apple will actually release in the coming year and what they've been working on beyond last year's release. The industry is guessing that this may be one of the most important operating system releases from Apple in years. Join us for some fun!

Most of us have added apps to our iPhones and iPads over the years and we keep adding them and adding them. Sometimes, we even take the time to organize them….and sometimes, we don't. This month, we'll spend some time going over options for app organization and we'll review how to tell if there are apps that are taking up space but are no longer needed. How much space do these apps actually use? How much space do you need? We'll also talk about Focus and how you can use just the apps you need when you need them.

And, of course, we'll review the new announcements from Apple, which might be just what you've been waiting for!

iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia have recently introduced several new features. Some are more noticeable, while others are more subtle or even hidden. Some changes have raised questions among users of everyday apps. We’ll explain these changes and how to adjust them if desired.

Given the recent news about the new administration’s apparent overreaching changes that may affect US citizens’ security and financial information, we’ll also discuss steps you can take to secure yourself online with various institutions and Apple’s iCloud.