Entertainment
I asked a pro photographer for the best iPhone camera settings — my pics are now better than yours
I thought I had the best iPhone camera settings simply because I have the iPhone 16 Pro Max — the latest and greatest smartphone from Apple.
However, I was humbled quickly when I saw Mashable’s professional photographer, Joe Maldonado, shooting out in the field with a highly tuned iPhone 14 Pro. Although we were taking the same photos, and despite using the best handset out of Cupertino, Maldonado’s photos turned out more crisp, sharper, and more vibrant than mine.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
At first, I thought a dirty lens was the problem. But even after carefully cleaning the sensors with a microfiber cloth, Maldonado’s photos were still far superior to mine.
Finally, I asked, “Wait, how does your iPhone 14 Pro take better pictures than my iPhone 16 Pro Max?”
“It’s all about the settings,” Maldonado said.
Mashable Light Speed
Best iPhone camera settings, according to an expert
So how do you get the crème de la crème of photo quality out of your iPhone? Follow these steps — and thank our pro photographer Maldonado later.
- iPhone
- preferably a recent Pro model
Step 1:
Go to ‘Settings’
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Step 2:
Tap on ‘Camera’
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Step 3:
Tap on ‘Formats’
Here, make sure “High Efficiency” under Camera Capture is ticked as well as “24 MP” under Photo Mode. Plus, make sure “ProRAW & Resolution Control” is toggled on.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Step 4:
Tap on ‘Pro Default’
Ensure there’s a checkmark next to “ProRAW Max (Up to 48MP)” as well as JPEG-XL Lossy (the latter is only available for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max).
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Step 5:
Go back to ‘Camera’ menu and tap on ‘Preserve Settings’
Make sure the following are toggled on: Camera Mode, Creative Controls, Macro Control, Exposure Adjustment, Night Mode, Portrait Zoom, ProRaw & Resolution Control, Live Photo. Like the menu name suggests, this ensures that your current settings are preserved every time you open the Camera app.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Step 6:
Return to ‘Camera’ menu
Enable ‘Grid’ and make sure ‘Level’ is toggled on. According to Maldonado, these settings help him line up his shots. Plus, ensure that ‘Portraits in Photo Mode,’ ‘Prioritize Faster Shooting,’ ‘Lens Correction,’ and ‘Macro Control’ are enabled.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
And that’s it as far as the Settings app is concerned.
While you’re actually in the Camera app, Maldonado suggests that users toggle “Raw MAX” on.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Plus, while shooting, make sure you’re hitting “1x” (the main sensor known as the wide camera) to get the best-quality photos.
Now, go out there with your newly tweaked iPhone and let us know in the comments if you notice a difference.
Entertainment
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 19, 2026
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition will be a little easier if you love baseball.
As we’ve shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections: Sports Edition?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication’s sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Mashable Top Stories
Here’s a hint for today’s Connections: Sports Edition categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Here are today’s Connections: Sports Edition categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
-
Yellow: AL East Teams
-
Green: First Words of Football Positions
-
Blue: Premier League Managers
-
Purple: Nicknames for the Dodgers Franchise, Over Time
Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s Connections: Sports Edition #573 is…
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?
-
AL East Teams — BLUE JAYS, ORIOLES, RAYS, YANKEES
-
First Words of Football Positions — DEFENSIVE, RUNNING, TIGHT, WIDE
-
Premier League Managers — EMERY, GUARDIOLA, MOYES, SLOT
-
Nicknames for the Dodgers Franchise, Over Time — BRIDEGROOMS, DODGERS, ROBINS, SUPERBAS
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.
Entertainment
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 19, 2026
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you have a sweet tooth.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Mashable Top Stories
Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
-
Yellow: Lippy
-
Green: Gowns
-
Blue: Played in Vegas
-
Purple: Sweet treats
Here are today’s Connections categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
-
Yellow: Cheeky
-
Green: Dress measurements
-
Blue: Cards in Texas Hold ‘Em
-
Purple: Last words of candy brands in the singular
Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s Connections #1043 is…
What is the answer to Connections today
-
Cheeky: ARCH, FRESH, SASSY, WISE
-
Dress measurements: BUST, HIPS, LENGTH, WAIST
-
Cards in Texas Hold ‘Em: FLOP, HOLE, RIVER, TURN
-
Last words of candy brands in the singular: CAP, DUD, KID, MINT
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today’s puzzle.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.
Entertainment
NYT Strands hints, answers for April 19, 2026
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re constantly changing.
Strands, the New York Times‘ elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There’s always a theme linking every solution, along with the “spangram,” a special, word or phrase that sums up that day’s theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Small change
The words are related to changes.
Mashable Top Stories
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe fine-tuning.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is There I Fixed It.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
NYT Strands word list for April 19
-
There I Fixed It
-
Adjust
-
Modify
-
Alter
-
Improve
-
Tweak
-
Refine
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable’s Games page has more hints, and if you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Strands.
