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Jason Cipriani/CNET
The Genius Bar is typically the best place to visit when having issues with an Apple device, but don’t forget to make an appointment first. Each time I make a visit to the store, I stand and watch as customer after customer comes in, thinking Apple takes walk-in Genius Bar appointments quickly. More often then not, the customer has to book an appointment and come back at a later time.
Save yourself some time the next time you need some troubleshooting advice, and book the appointment directly from your iOS device while you’re out and about.
In order to do so, you’ll first need to download the official Apple Store app for your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad.
iPhone
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
On the iPhone (or iPod Touch), launch the app and tap on the Store icon along the bottom. You’ll then need to select the store you’d like to view within the app. You can do this by searching for it, or allowing the app to use your current location to find the nearest store.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Once you have a store selected, you’ll see a screen similar to the one above. Tap on Genius Bar. On the Genius Bar screen you can select the device having issues and select a time to set your appointment. After setting your appointment using your Apple ID as your identification, you’ll receive an e-mail confirming the time and location.
iPad
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
The process on the iPad is similar, yet a little different due to the layout of the app. After launching the iPad Apple Store app, tap on Apple Retail Store along the top. You may have to scroll across the list of options at the top in order to see it. Select your preferred store or let the app find the nearest one to you.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
When viewing the details of the store the Genius Bar option will now be along the top. Again, tapping on it will let you select the device you’re having an issue with and select the date and time for your appointment.
Of course, you can always use Apple’s Web site to book an appointment, but why would you want to do that when you can use the convenience of your iOS device? Well, unless your iOS device doesn’t work at all and that’s why you need to some help. In that case, visit this page on Apple’s site to setup your appointment.
