David Crookes
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
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How to recall an email in Gmail
By Alan Martin , David Crookes last updated
You don't get long to recall an email message in Gmail, but you can make that window a little bit wider. Here's how.
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How to change your name in Gmail
By Alan Martin , David Crookes last updated
The name you choose for Gmail isn’t necessarily permanent. Here’s how to change your Gmail name.
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How to downgrade from iOS 17 beta back to iOS 16
By David Crookes published
Worried the iOS 17 beta is unstable or buggy or finding some apps aren't working? Time to switch back to iOS 16
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How to create and open zip files on iPhone
By David Crookes published
To save space, discover how to create and open zip files on iPhone using the built-in iOS Files app
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I'm a new parent — here's how I'm keeping my baby's room cool during a heatwave
By David Crookes published
A baby should sleep in a room with a temperature between 60 and 68°F — which can be a tricky target to reach in a heatwave!
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Pictures not appearing in text messages on iPhone? Here's how to fix it
By David Crookes published
Images paint a thousand words, so fix pictures not appearing in text messages on iPhone with this guide.
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How to enable macOS beta updates to try macOS 14
By David Crookes published
If you're feeling impatient, learning how to enable macOS beta updates will ensure you get the latest versions of the Mac operating system first
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How to use the data saver setting on Android to save money
By David Crookes published
Learn how to use the data saver setting on Android especially if you're on a light plan or want to save money
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Netflix has hidden test screens to calibrate your TV — here's how to find them
By David Crookes published
Netflix has hidden test screens for adjusting your TV picture to make the most of your display. Here's how to turn them on.
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7 iPhone features every movie buff should know about
By David Crookes published
Watching movies on your iPhone doesn't have to be a painful experience, especially when you use these 7 hacks.
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How to change iPhone notifications sounds
By David Crookes published
When you know how to change iPhone notifications sounds, you can change the message tone and a host of other alerts
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Working on your iPhone? These 5 features make life way easier
By David Crookes published
Make working from your iPhone way easier with these 5 hidden features.
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How to connect classic-style controllers to your iPhone
By David Crookes published
You can hook up classic-style controllers to your iPhone. It's quick and easy, so here's how.
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9 hidden iPhone features you need to know for summer travel
By David Crookes published
If you're going on vacation or travelling this summer, these are the features you should use.
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7 hidden iOS features that massively improve iPhone gaming
By David Crookes published
Make your iPhone gaming experience even smoother with these 7 hidden features.
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7 hidden iOS features every new iPhone owner needs to know
By David Crookes published
Your iPhone comes with so many hidden tricks and features, you may not notice when you first get it. We'll show you 7 of the best.
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This underrated Apple Mail trick means you'll never forget to reply to an email again
By David Crookes published
When you know how to set up email reminders on iPhone/iPad and macOS, you can receive notifications prompting you to take action.
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How to make a GIF on iPhone
By David Crookes published
A picture paints a thousand words but knowing how to make GIF on iPhone can make a bigger impact
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This little-known Gmail feature lets you encrypt sensitive emails
By David Crookes published
Gmail's confidential mode is a simple way to restrict what a recipient can do with your message — here's how to use it.
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This underrated iPhone trick makes typing faster and reduces autocorrect mistakes
By David Crookes published
When you know how to use text replacement on iPhone, you can avoid frustrating autocorrections and create shortcuts for often-used words and phrases.
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Your iPhone camera has a self timer for selfies and group portraits — here's how to turn it on
By David Crookes published
Here's how to use the iPhone camera self timer and boost the quality of your shots.
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How to clear the cache on Mac
By David Crookes last updated
Need to know how to clear the cache on Mac to free up space or fix a problem? Then check out this guide.
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How to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone
By David Crookes last updated
There are several ways to transfer data between two iPhones, which we cover step by step in this guide.
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