Never fear: getting the weather widget back in the pull-down notifications window is actually pretty easy.

The first step to getting the weather back in Notification Center is to make sure the iOS Weather app has permission to access your current location.

Here’s how…

• First, let’s grant the “native” iOS 7 Weather app as permission to access your current location. Tap Settings, Privacy, Location, then scroll down to “Weather” and flip the switch on.
• Next, go ahead and open the Weather app to make sure it’s actually updating the weather conditions for your city. Can’t find the Weather app? Try using the “Spotlight” search box (go to the home screen on your iPhone or iPad, then tap, hold and pull down on the screen), or press and hold the home key to launch Siri (just say “Launch Weather app”). Once the Weather app launches, it should kick back into gear and display the local weather.
• Now, slide your fingertip down from the top of the screen to open Notification Center, then tap the “Today” tab; when you do, the local weather should snap back into place, just below the date. And in case you’re wondering, yes: the new weather widget is just text, no more weather icons or multi-day forecasts. Too bad.

Bonus tip

Want to see more details about the weather than just a few lines of text in Notification Center? Just tap the text to launch the iOS Weather app, complete with hourly and five-day forecasts, wind speed and humidity, and more.

Got more iOS 7 questions? Post ’em below, or send me an email.

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Well, just because you switched an app’s “Alert style” setting to “none” doesn’t mean you’ve turned off all of its alerts.

There are, in fact, a few more notification settings that need tweaking—and if you don’t, expect more messages on your iPhone’s “lock” screen, red badges on your home screen, and blaring alert tones when you least expect them.

Make sure you don’t miss these options when tweaking your iPhone’s notification settings.

Read on for three notification settings that are easy to miss, starting with…

1. Lock-screen notifications

Even if you diligently turn off all the other alerts for a given app, the app may still flash alert banners on your iPhone’s (or iPad’s) “lock” screen from time to time.

Related tip: What’s the difference between an alert, a banner, and a badge?

Want to banish the banners for good?

• Tap Settings, Notifications, then scroll down and tap the name of the offending app.
• Scroll down again until you see the “View in Lock Screen” setting, and make sure it’s switched off.

2. Red app badges

Seeing lots of little red badges stuck to the apps on your iPhone’s home screen?

Those numbered alerts are there to notify you of…well, just about anything, from an unread email message to a nagging reminder that you haven’t played “Words With Friends” for a month.

Had enough of these nagging little red badges? You can turn them off in just a few taps.

If there’s a specific red badge that’s driving you particularly batty, you can turn it off in just a few taps.

• Again, tap Settings, Notifications, and tap the name of the app that’s flashing an unwanted badge.
• Scroll down once more, then switch off the “Badge App Icon” setting.

3. Sound alerts

You set your iPhone to “silent” for an important company meeting, only to hear an embarrassingly loud “beep!” coming from your pocket right in the middle of your boss’s presentation. Ack!

Yep, the alert tones for some iPhone apps may still sound off even when your handset’s ringer switch is off. Annoying, right?

To shush an app’s alert tones, just…

• You guessed it—head back to the iPhone’s Notifications settings (Settings, Notifications) and tap the app you want to silence.
• Scroll down until you get to the “Sound” setting and switch it off—or, if there’s a choice of alert tones, make sure it’s set to “None.”

Bonus tip

You can temporarily silence all iPhone notifications and calls by turning on the “Do Not Disturb” mode.

You can get a temporary break from iPhone notifications thanks to the “Do Not Disturb” setting.

Tap Settings, then flip the switch next to “Do Not Disturb,” or tap Settings, Notifications, Do Not Disturb to schedule a daily quiet period.

Keep in mind, though, that Do Not Disturb will only block notifications while your iPhone is locked—and don’t forget to switch it back off when you’re ready to get calls again.

Click here for more iPhone tips, or click here for help with your iPad.

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Hi Thea! So, the just-released iOS 6 update for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch comes with a new “Do Not Disturb” feature that blocks incoming calls, alerts, and other notifications with the flick of a switch, or on a predetermined schedule.

Yes, the new “Do Not Disturb” mode in iOS 6 will block incoming calls and alerts—but only when your iPad or iPhone is locked and asleep.

Sounds like the answer, right?

Here’s the thing, though: the new “Do Not Disturb” mode only blocks notifications when your iPad or iPhone is locked and asleep.

Now, that’s fine if you want to silence your iDevice while you’re taking a nap or sitting in on an important meeting.

But if you’re actively surfing on your iPhone or watching a movie on your iPad, calls and notifications will continue to roll in, even with the “Do Not Disturb” mode (which you can access in the Settings menu on your iPhone or iPad home screen) turned on.

And no—there’s no universal “pause all alerts and banners” switch for iPhone or iPad, like there is on the Mac.

Ugh.

So, what’s the best way to keep banners, alerts and beeps at bay while, say, you’re watching a video on your iPad?

Well, there are a couple things you can do.

1. Turn on Airplane mode

If you really want to shut off your iPhone or iPad from the outside world, you can switch on Airplane mode, which cuts off all wireless access to and from your device. That means no incoming calls, texts, FaceTime alerts, or e-mail messages—and hence, no ring tones or message notifications.

Just flip the “Airplane Mode” switch to shut off all wireless access to your iPhone or iPad.

To turn on Airplane mode, open the Settings app, then flip the “Airplane Mode” switch.

Once you do, the wireless signal bars in the top-left corner of your screen will be replaced by a little airplane icon.

Ready to start getting calls again? Just go back to the Settings menu and switch Airplane mode off again.

So, Airplane Mode will take care of incoming calls and message notifications while you’re watching an iPad movie. But what about so-called “local” reminders and calendar alerts, which will continue to sound even without a Net connection? For those, you’ll have to…

2. Tweak specific notification settings

Tap Settings, Notifications on your iPad or iPhone, and you’ll find a huge list of settings for all the notification-happy apps on your device.

To disable “local” alerts, you’ll have to dig into the notification settings for specific iOS apps, such as Calendar and Reminders.

Select any one of them—say, Calendar—and you’ll find options for whether the app displays its notifications as banners or pop-up alerts, or sounds an alert tone.

To silence “local” alerts that don’t depend on a wireless connection (I’m thinking mainly of Calendar and Reminders, although there may be others), you’ll need to dig into the notification settings for each of those specific apps and disable their alerts.

Make sure to select the “None” option under “Alert Style,” and switch off Sounds—or, in the case of Calendar and Reminders, tap “Calendar Alerts” or “Reminder Alerts” and select “None.”

And get this: once your movie is over, you’ll need to go back and re-enable all the notification settings you just disabled.

Pretty annoying, no question.

Anyway, Thea, I wish I had a better answer for you.

Still have questions? Or does anyone want to chime in with a suggestion? Post ’em below in the comments.

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So, annoyed that your good-as-new iPhone already looks obsolete next to the just-announced iPhone 5 and its jumbo-sized touchscreen? 

Well, good news: your old iPhone is about to get a fresh coat of paint.

Besides the iPhone 5 and its snazzy four-inch display, Apple has another trick up its sleeves: a brand-new version of “iOS,” the software that powers the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Slated to arrive on September 19, iOS version 6 (or “iOS 6” for short) packs in a slew of must-have features, including a revamped Maps application, easier Photo Stream and Facebook sharing, on-the-go FaceTime calling, and a long-overdue “do not disturb” mode.

(And yes, your iPhone will alert you when the “over-the-air” update is ready to download.)

Best of all, you don’t need an iPhone 5 (which is set to go on sale September 21, by the way) to take advantage of the goodies in iOS 6.

Indeed, most of the new iOS 6 features will work on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, and even the three-year-old iPhone 3GS, not to mention last year’s iPod Touch and the two most recent iPads. (Yep, lots of confusing makes and models, I know…)

I’ll have in-depth coverage and tips on many of the new iOS 6 features in the days and weeks ahead. In the meantime, though, let’s take a quick tour of the highlights, starting with…

1. New and improved Maps app with turn-by-turn driving directions

Apple has rebuilt the iPhone’s Maps app from the ground up, adding nifty new features like eye-popping 3D “flyovers” of major metropolitan areas, smoother map scrolling, and real-time traffic alerts.

In addition to turn-by-turn car navigation, the new Maps app in iOS 6 also features real-time traffic alerts.

Best of all, through, the native Maps app is finally getting true, turn-by-turn navigation complete with spoken directions, just like on the latest Android phones.

The catch? Turn-by-turn directions and 3D “flyovers” will only work on last year’s iPhone 4S and the new iPhone, not the iPhone 4, 3GS or any other prior iPhone models.

Update: Hate the new iOS 6 Maps app? You’re not the only one, and even Apple has apologized for its patchy, glitchy map data. Luckily, there is a way to get Google Maps back on your iPhone.

2. A full-screen version of the Safari web browser

Want web pages on your iPhone to fill the entire display? With iOS 6 on board, you’ll be able to tap a new “full screen” icon when you’re holding your iPhone in a “landscape” orientation. Nice.

3. A “do not disturb” mode for calls, notifications and alerts

Want a little peace and quiet? A new “do not disturb” mode will shush all those insistent beeps, ring tones, banners and other alerts from the iPhone’s Notification Center, perfect for keeping your iPhone quiet at the movies or while you’re trying to get some shut-eye.

Just activate the iPhone’s new “do not disturb” mode to take a break from beeps, buzzes, and other alerts.

You’ll also be able to set the “do not disturb” mode to turn itself off and on automatically at certain times of the day, as well as designate specific contacts who will always be able to get through, no matter what.

4. Photo Stream sharing

Want to show off the latest snapshots in your iPhone’s Photo Stream? The latest version of iOS makes it much easier to share Photo Stream pictures with fellow iPhone and iPad users: just tap the photos you want to share and choose some names in your contact book.

You’ll also be able to share Photo Stream photos over the web, or comment on the Photo Stream images that your pals have shared with you.

5. Vastly-improved Facebook sharing

Annoyed that you can’t post your latest snapshots to Facebook without opening the Facebook app or composing an email? Well, thanks to iOS 6, you’ll be able to post photos directly from the iPhone’s camera application or your photo albums.

You’ll also be able to sync the profile photos and personal info of your Facebook pals with the iPhone’s contact book, as well as add Facebook birthdays and other events to the calendar.

6. Decline calls with a text message

With iOS 6 on your iPhone, you’ll be able to send a text message at the same time you’re declining a call.

Android phone users have long had the ability to decline a call and send a text message to the caller at the same time—and now iPhone users will have the same nifty feature, plus the option of getting a reminder after turning down a call.

7. FaceTime over cellular data

Until now, FaceTime video chat on the iPhone and iPad has been restricted to Wi-Fi only. Starting with the release of the new iOS software, however, you’ll be able to make FaceTime calls over cellular 3G and 4G data networks on the new iPhone, the iPhone 4S, and the new iPad.

Unfortunately, owners of the iPhone 4 or earlier iPhones will still be stuck with Wi-Fi when it comes to FaceTime.

Also, don’t forget that mobile data isn’t free, and that some carriers (such as AT&T) may demand you switch to a new plan before making mobile FaceTime calls.

Looking for more iPhone tips? Click here!

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That’s all well and good when you want to keep an eye on your Mail inbox or worried about missing a meeting. But what if you want to sit back and enjoy a movie on iTunes, or if you simply want a little peace and quiet for a few hours?

Well. you could always plunge into your Mac’s Notifications settings (click the Apple Menu, select Preferences, then click Notifications) and turn off the banners and alerts for all your various Notification Center-supported applications.

Eventually, though, you’d have to go back and turn notifications for each of your apps back on again—a tedious process, especially if you just want a temporary break.

But here’s the thing: you can, in fact, put all your notifications on “pause” with a simple swipe and click.

Here’s how it works:

• Click the Notifications icon in the top-right corner of the screen (it’s the one with three short horizontal lines) to open the Notification Center.
• Next, swipe up with two fingers on your trackpad, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse. (If you have the Mac’s “natural scrolling” setting turned on, you’ll need to swipe down.)
• At the top of the Notification Center, a blue switch labeled “Show Banners and Alerts”  “Do Not Disturb” [update: as of Mac OS X “Mavericks,” the “Do Not Disturb” mode in iOS has officially made its way to the Mac] will appear. Go ahead and click the switch to pause all your notifications.

That’s it!

Once you’re ready to turn notifications back on, just click the switch again. If you forget to flip the switch again, don’t worry—your notifications will resume automatically the next day.

Bonus tip

Lost track of whether you’ve paused your banners and alerts? Just look at the Notifications icon at the top of your desktop. If the icon is solid black, your notifications are on; if they’re paused, the icon will turn gray.

Looking for more Mac tips? Click here!

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