Want to learn how best to use your new iPhone, iPad, or Mac? You can always check out how-to articles on the web, buy a book, or try to teach yourself. But one free and helpful option available comes directly from your local Apple Store.
Apple Stores offer free workshops on the company's core products and services. You can take classes to pick up tips and tricks on using the iPhone and iPad, the Mac, the Apple Watch, iCloud, Apple Music, and iWork. You can also bone up on such topics as how to edit and share your photos, how to edit movies on the Mac, and how to draw and paint with the iPad. Each class is free, lasts for 60 or 90 minutes, and is taught by an Apple Store product expert. Here's how it all works.
Fire up your browser and surf to the Apple Support page. Scroll down the page until you see the section on "Enjoy free in-store workshops." Click on the link to "Find a workshop near you."
At the page entitled "The best place to learn about Apple products," scroll down until you see the "Find a workshop" field. Type your ZIP code or your city and state and press Enter.
Scroll down and you'll see a list of your closest Apple Stores. Click on the link to "See available workshops" for the store you wish to visit to attend the free class.
At the "Get started with workshops" page, scroll down until you see the workshop you wish to take. Workshop options include:
- iPad Basics
- iPhone Basics
- Mac Basics
- GarageBand for Mac
- Into to Apple ID and iCloud
- iPhone and iPad Advanced Basics
- Mac Advanced Basics
- Organize Your Photos on Mac, iPad, and iPhone
- Share Your Ideas with Keynote
- Spreadsheets Made Easy for Mac
- Write Your Best with Pages
- Edit and Share Your Photos
- Edit Your Movies on Mac with iMovie
- Final Cut Pro X for Storytellers
- iPhone Photography
- iPhone Videography
- Shoot More Artistics Photos with iPhone
- Sketch, Draw, and Paint with iPad
- Create Cinema-quality 3D Titles in Final Cut Pro X
- Import, Sort, and Organize in Final Cut Pro X
- Accessibility Basics: Assistive Learning Tools on iPad and iPhone
- Accessibility Basics: Literacy Tools on iPad and iPhone
- Accessibility Basics: Literacy Tools on Mac
- Productivity with iPad
- Studio Hours: All Projects
- Studio Hours: Art & Design Projects
- Studio Hours: Documents, Presentations, and Spreadsheets
- Studio Hours: Music Projects
- Studio Hours: Photo Projects
- Studio Hours: Video Projects
Click on the workshop of your choice. Then select the date and time you want to attend and click on the button to "Sign in to Reserve." Alternatively, you can click on the link to check other nearby stores to see if a more suitable date and time are available.
Sign in with your Apple ID and password. Apple then confirms your reservation and offers to add it to whatever application you use for your calendar appointments.
You'll then receive a confirmation email. If you need to cancel or reschedule your reservation, you can click on the "Manage my reservations" link in the email.
At the "My Reservations" page, click on the "Cancel" or "Reschedule" link. If cancelling, click on the button to confirm that you wish to cancel. If rescheduling, select another date and time.
But wait, there's more coming. Apple recently announced that it plans to expand and enhance its workshop offerings. The company said it will unveil all new free classes in May on such topics as photo and video editing, coding, and art and design. Known as "Today at Apple," the new workshops will be taught by trained Apple employees as well as by artists, photographers, musicians, and other working professionals. Stay tuned.
For more Apple tutorials, check out:
- How to Find Cover Art for Your iTunes Albums
- How to Share Your iTunes Library Among Multiple Devices
- How to Turn On Apple Two-Factor Authentication
- How to Cancel Apple Music
- How to Use a Smartphone App to Find Your Car
- How to Use Apple Support