If you regularly run into issues opening images that use the .heic extension, the easiest solution is to convert the file into a more compatible format. Using apps like Photos and Preview on a Mac makes the process simple, but macOS Monterey just streamlined the process so that you don't even have to open an app anymore. Ever since iOS 11, Apple has supported the HEIF image format for pictures taken with the iPhone's Camera app. While these types of photos, which use the .heic and .heics exte...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
While Touch ID has been a part of the iPhone's legacy since 2013, Apple waited until 2016 to add biometrics to its MacBook lineup, and it's not as impressive. An iPhone with Touch ID can register up to five fingerprints, but Macs can only register a maximum of three per account. If that seems unfair, there's an easy trick to doubling that number, meaning six of your fingerprints could unlock your laptop! When we say "easy," we mean easy. There are no utilities to download, no Terminal command...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
You're in a Zoom meeting, and you're click-clacking away at your keyboard, typing important notes from the call. More realistically, you're doing something unrelated to the meeting, such as browsing the web, playing a game, or messaging friends. Whatever it is you're typing, if your microphone is on, everyone on the Zoom call will be able to hear the sound of you typing. You could always manually turn off your mic when needed, but if you constantly need to switch from speaking to listening to...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
When you export an image from the Photos app in macOS, you may not be getting the whole deal. In the export menu, you need to select either JPEG, TIFF, or PNG, and if you don't make any adjustments to the quality settings, it'll likely be compressed. If you need the original full-resolution file or want to get the video that's attached to a Live Photo, there's a simple way to do it. You can get the original file by dragging and dropping in conjunction with a keyboard modifier, or you can get ...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
With iOS 8.4 and iTunes 12.2, we got our first look at Apple Music, Apple's new streaming subscription service. While it's a little late to the party, there is definitely an incentive for iOS and Mac OS X users to switch over from competitors due to its heavy integration with the Apple ecosystem. While switching over from your current service is easy, bringing along all of those playlists you probably spent months and years cultivating and tailoring to perfection is not. But if you're migrati...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
This video demonstrates how easy it is to take a screenshot with shortcuts in Mac OS X. Pressing Command-Shift-3 will take a screenshot of the entire screen, while Command-Shift-4 will let you take a screenshot of just a selected area of the screen instead. For the latter, once you use the shortcut, your mouse pointer will turn into crosshairs, and you would click on one point of the screen, then drag and release your mouse to take a capture of the selected area. Download the QuickTime movie ...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
There are many ways to take a screenshot in macOS (previously Mac OS X), but all of the well-known options give you a drop shadow in the picture when snapping application windows. If you use the Command Shift 3 shortcut, it takes a screenshot of the entire screen. If you use Command Shift 4, it lets you select a portion of the screen. If you use Command Shift 4, followed by Spacebar, you get an option to take a screenshot of a specific window. If you use Command Shift 5 on Mojave and higher, ...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
I just opened my excel file on my phone, which I was sent to the mail for work. The file is frozen and now, when opening, an error about an unknown format comes out. I tried to restart the application, but nothing has changed for the better. I'm sure that everything was in order with the program. What to do with...more| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
I didn't use the newest version, because I was used to it and thought it was more convenient in my work, but recently it began to give me a lot of mistakes during my work, which forced me to update the software. With the update, the errors did not appear again, but the important file was corrupted. The DBF file tried to open the plugin from the TotalCommander BaseView. Opens with hieroglyphs: Then I did not understand DBF and came here. What to do with it...more| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
I have a MacBook pro, connected to my neighbours' wifi...How i can redirect the https/http traffic to another website *if i visited youtube.com it is will change to...more| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Apple has a built-in way to protect you from opening up potentially malicious apps on your computer in Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, and macOS Sierra. This setting, named Gatekeeper, will never stop you from installing apps from the Mac App Store, but it could from anywhere else. If it's an app you're sure you want to install on your system, here's how to do it. Choosing Your Gatekeeper OptionsOpen up your "System Preferences" and head to "Security & Priva...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
There's a new macOS vulnerability that hackers within physical reach of your computer can use to gain root access to your system and accounts. Just by using "root" as the username and a blank password on a privilege escalation prompt, someone can install malware on your computer, access hidden files, reset your passwords, and more. Root access gives them the ability to do anything they want. Right now, this only appears to affect Mac users running macOS High Sierra 10.13.1. How to See if Your...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
While it hasn't gotten as much attention as iOS 10, Apple's big 10.12 update to their Mac operating system is finally out for all to enjoy—and you can download it for free from the Mac App Store right now. Don't Miss: 60+ Cool New Features in iOS 10 Siri is definitely the most tempting feature in macOS Sierra, which is more powerful than its iOS equivalent. Another great one is the ability to copy/paste between your iOS 10 device and Mac. You can also use Apple Pay in Safari, unlock your Ma...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Quick Look, first introduced in 2007, is an instant preview feature on the Mac operating system that lets you view files and folders without opening them up. Just highlight a file, like a picture or text document, then press the spacebar on your keyboard to get a speedy preview of it. You can use Quick Look to preview photos, videos, music, PDFs, spreadsheets, word documents, and more—even from the trash can. If there's no real preview available, there will be an option to open the file up ...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
When was the last time you restarted or shutdown your Mac? In the post-iPhone era, most devices are now powered on almost constantly. For better or for worse, the computing landscape has accommodated this "always on" trend, but you still need to periodically restart your devices—especially your Mac. If you were ever wondering, Mac OS X's built-in utilities can give you information about your computer's uptime status, recent reboots, and recent shutdowns—and it's pretty easy to access. Thi...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
When Apple wanted to bring their Notification Center to Mac OS X, I loved the idea. But after using it since its integration in Mountain Lion, it's been more annoying and distracting than anything. More and more apps incorporate notifications, so I'm constantly getting sound alerts and banners in the top right corner that I don't want. To solve the constant barrage of alerts, Do Not Disturb mode can be turned on right from the Notification Center, but it only lasts a day. The Notification Cen...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
When a friend asks me what screen recording software is best to use, I always say the same thing—you don't need any! Even though it's been around since 2009, many Mac owners do not realize that they have a powerful screen recording software built right into OS X. You can record the full screen, or just a selection of it, and edit it right in the app after you're done. So, if you need to make a screen recording to show a friend how to use Photoshop, or to capture some gameplay footage you wa...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Whether you want to edit photos, compress files, play games, or DJ your next party, there's a free Mac app that can help you out. But things can get annoying real fast if you download a lot of free apps from the Mac App Store, since you have to type in your Apple ID password each time. iOS had a similar issue, which was nicely resolved with the release of iOS 8.3 back in April 2015. Naturally, having the option to download free apps from the App Stores without a password makes sense, since th...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Apple's MacBook line of laptops is quitefamous for their extensive battery life, thanks to various technologies that Apple has utilized. However, all things must pass, and over time your MacBook's battery will degrade. Certain use scenarios can accelerate the degradation of the battery—from excessive usage to high temperatures to overloading the system—and this can all lead to the untimely obliteration of your battery. So to keep your battery in tip-top shape for longer, it's a good idea ...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
You can use the F1 key to notably dim your Mac's display, but sometimes that just isn't dark enough. If you're working in pitch black conditions, have a migraine or tired eyes, or just want a more comfortable environment, you might want your screen even darker—without making it pitch black. This is where Shady for Mac comes in, which lets you dim your laptop or monitor's display to below the default value Apple set. Don't Miss: Use f.lux on Your Display for More Eye-Friendly ColorsDownload ...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Macs are generally highly power efficient due to, in part, the optimized sleeping schedule with OS X. Yet in certain scenarios, you might not want your Mac to go to sleep: downloading a huge file, reading a book, reviewing a spreadsheet, analyzing some content on the screen... the list goes on. To resolve this, you can go to System Preferences and mess with the settings, but this can be an annoying process if you need to do it often. Naturally, there are various solutions available for this d...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
If you've been around computers long enough, you've probably heard the phrase "have you tried turning it off and on again?" This trick usually works because it forces your computer to empty out the contents of its RAM and disk caches when you restart. When you run programs and do other activities on your computer, content of different sorts gets loaded into the RAM and disk caches, and when you quit a running program, all that loaded content should be purged from memory. OS X is responsible f...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Apple makes it easy to access your favorite and most recently used applications and documents in Mac OS X. You can simply add your favorite apps and folders to the dock, and you can always visit the Apple menu from the menu bar to see a list of your most recently used apps and docs. However, the Recent Items menu isn't as efficient as I'd like, and the dock can get pretty cluttered if there's a lot of apps and folders on it. Luckily, there's a simple OS X trick that'll help solve both of thes...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
If you have no desire to get a separate Mac desktop computer, but want to either supersize your laptop's screen for gaming or need to get additional screen real estate while you work, then connecting your MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro to an external display is the right call. Connecting Your External DisplayWhether you are connecting your external monitor to your Mac notebook using HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, DVI, Mini-DVI, or Micro-DVI, the process is exactly the same. Simply...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
When an Apple TV remains idle, it will eventually trigger its majestic video screen saver that includes aerial views New York, San Francisco, China, Hawaii, and more. Now, thanks to developer John Coates, you can have the exact same screen saver on any Mac running OS X Mavericks and above. Don't Miss: How to Get Apple TV's 'Aerial' Screen Saver on Android TVDon't Miss: How to Turn your Mac's Screen Saver into an RSS FeedAs per the developer, new aerial videos will automatically update so that...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
OS X is built upon a UNIX foundation, which grants you access to the benefits that UNIX offers, including the standard toolkit (make, gcc, clang, git, perl, svn, size, strings, id, and a lot more) via the command line developer tools, which are an essential if you're a developer. Aside from developers, the command line tools can offer benefits to normal users as well, like the ability to purge RAM for better performance. The command line developer tools are automatically installed if you inst...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Yes, screen savers are fun to look at for a few seconds, but those animations actually used to serve a purpose beyond simple entertainment. In older CRT and plasma monitors, and even newer OLED ones, leaving a static image on the screen for an extended period of time could create a burn-in, i.e., a burned in image that you'll vaguely see for a limited time (as in image persistence) or permanently. This issue is rare on LCD monitors and laptop screens, so it's not a huge issue today for your M...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Back when CRT and plasma monitors were still a thing, screensavers served a purpose beyond just aesthetics: the moving images and patterns prevented static images from being burned into the display. While I was completely oblivious to their past benefits when I was a kid, I do have fond memories of sitting in front of the family computer, gazing at whatever screensaver popped up for hours on end. This was back in the days of Windows 95/98 when 3D Maze, Mystify Your Mind, and Haunted House scr...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
In 1987, two brothers, Thomas and John Kroll, began work on an image editing software, which was eventually acquired in 1988 and released to the world in 1990 by Adobe. That software was Photoshop 1.0, initially exclusive for the Macintosh platform. Over the years, Photoshop became a great wizard of image editing and gained application rockstar status. Naturally, most of us are familiar with Photoshop, but more than 20 years later, the game has definitely changed, and there have been a growin...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
I'm lucky enough to have internet access on my laptop practically everywhere I go because of my mobile hotspot plan. All I have to do is enable the personal hotspot feature from my iPhone and I can surf the web on any Wi-Fi enabled device. But of course, there's a catch. I only have 2 GB of cellular data available per month, and it goes by pretty quickly. While there are ways to manage it (not watching too many high-definition videos, not downloading huge files, etc.), background activity can...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Piracy, it can be argued, is the scourge of the internet. But when it comes to music, sometimes it's best to give a listen to a track or album before deciding to spend your hard-earned money on fully supporting it. Unfortunately, there are few good ways to do this without explicitly breaking the law, but I recently discovered a novel concept for recording tracks from various services, including Google, Spotify, Pandora, SoundCloud, and others. Using Piezo by Rogue Amoeba, you won't have to do...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
If you're seeing "damaged" apps on your Mac, you're not alone. A huge digital rights management blunder in Apple's Mac App Store on Wednesday, November 11th has rendered some apps unusable. When opening certain apps, the following message could be displayed: "[App Name]" is damaged and can't be opened. Delete "[App Name]" and download it again from the App Store.The issue was caused by an out-of-date security certificate that expired on November 11th. These certificates are issued by Apple to...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Work, school, and everything in between keeps us pretty busy—so much so, that sometimes we run out of the house with our shirts on backwards, our headphones misplaced, and our computers running all day long. While I can't help you with the first two problems, I can definitely give you advice on how to make sure you never leave your computer on when you're not using it. You know you can easily schedule your Mac to not only shut down, restart, or go to sleep at a certain time, but also turn o...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
When most people think of "gaming computers," they're probably thinking of Windows-based PCs. They offer a huge variety of devices with better equipped software and hardware for a cheaper price, and there are more available games than there are for OS X-based systems. But that's not to say that you have to replace your Mac with a Windows computer in order to improve your gaming experience. In this guide, I'll be going through several tips you can use to optimize your Mac to have the best gami...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
The iOS 7 release brought with it many new aesthetic upgrades, from new flat, vibrant icons to a sleeker text messaging interface. Another small, yet noticeable, difference is the minimal and clean lock screen, which removed the overbearing "Slide to Unlock" background bar in lieu of just the text. If you just can't get enough of this new iOS 7 lock screen look, I'm going to show you a quick and easy way to replicate it on your Mac OS X computer using iOS Screensaver for OS X. Only instead of...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Apple's latest update to Mac OS X, 10.11 El Capitan, is currently available in the Mac App Store for everyone to download and install at no cost. The new OS features Split View mode for better multitasking, a cleaner Mission Control, smarter Spotlight, a way to mute Safari tabs playing audio, enhanced Mail and Notes apps, and more. If you have multiple computers that need the El Capitan upgrade, then a bootable install flash drive will make the process easier and faster, since the install fil...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Have an iMac with El Capitan and a V600 Epson Flatbed scanner that I use to improve old photo and transfer 35mm slides into Photo using Epson scan but lately I find my device (scanner) listed as devices but I can find no way to disable Image Capture which I dont use because now the scanner will only work on Image Capture or Apple Preferences so the functions I use it for are not usable on those. Occasionally a pop up will ask if I want to sue scanner on twain and if I punch yes it works but i...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Hi everyone! I have an old iMac, dual boot - running both Windows XP and Mac OS X 10.5.8. I want to upgrade my Mac OS X 10.5.8 to at least Snow Leopard, because I can't even run youtube.com/download Google Chrome on my iMac right now (yes it is THAT old). If i buy the Snow Leopard disk and install it, how will this affect the Windows XP? Will Snow Leopard work fine? Hoping to get some tips, just afraid that my iMac would stop working if I upgrade to Snow Leopard/ any other higher OS. Thanks i...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Who said you need a smartphone to use Snapchat? A new application in the Mac App Store, appropriately dubbed Snappy, allows you to send and receive Snapchats directly on your computer. Check out the guide below to learn how to go through all of your Snapchat stories, take and send photos with filters, and text just like you would on your mobile device. UPDATE: Snappy no longer works and is no longer supported by Snapchat or the Snappy developers. Some of you may still be able to use it depend...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
I dabble in video editing, and when working on even the shortest of motion graphics clips, the exported files take up quite a bit of space. For all of you heavy Mac users out there, I'm sure you know my pain. After a short period of time, our computers tend to slow down due to the high demand of storage space we need. Slowing down is not an option for me, and replacing a Mac for the latest and greatest isn't viable. So how can we keep our machines fast for the longest amount of time possible?...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
I'm a PlayStation 4 owner, but also enjoy gaming on my Mac. Though it may not be as synonymous with computer gaming as a Windows system, it's still a great experience. But what makes it even better is ditching the keyboard and mouse for my PS4's DualShock controller. Don't Miss: Connect Your PS4 Controller to Your Android DeviceIt's a simple process that can benefit those who simply hate using a keyboard and mouse and would rather use something a little more familiar, like your PS4 controller...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
As I've said before, slowing down is not an option for me. At one point, I realized that there were plenty of files on my Mac that I didn't need any more, but too many to delete individually. In other cases, your Mac can be experiencing some major malfunctions: constant crashing, locked controls, slow boot times, missing files, etc. Often, the best option to fix these problems would be to reformat your computer and reinstall your OS, but since most of us don't plan on ever taking this drastic...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Like the majestic mountain structure it's named after, Apple's latest version of OS X, El Capitan, goes a little deeper to expand on the foundation laid by Yosemite. While the update may not be as monumental as some have hoped, it is an improvement and includes tons of useful new features you don't want to miss. Don't Miss: How to Use Split View Mode on El CapitanTo help you get accustomed to Mac OS X 10.11 and take advantage of its new features, here's a list of some tricks and tips that you...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
For minor adjustments and color-correction, the Photos app is extremely useful, but its capabilities are limited to just the basics. Now, with Mac OS X El Capitan, Apple is opening the door for third-party extensions, meaning we can utilize additional, unique tools when editing pictures in Photos. Don't Miss: Tips, Tricks, & Hidden Features for Mac OS X El CapitanSince all new features require some kind of learning period, here's how to get started with third-party extensions in Photos on...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Catching up with Windows 8, Apple has finally included a way in Mac OS X to use two apps side by side in full screen view. In the 10.11 El Capitan update, it's called Split View, and it works fairly well for the most part. It's not quite as intuitive as it should be, but easy enough once you get the hang of it. Below are some of the tricks to using Split View, as well as troubleshooting info if you can't get it working. Don't Miss: How to Create a Bootable Install Disk of El CapitanDon't Miss...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Since the new Mac OS X 10.11 El Capitan is brand new, I recommend installing it on a separate partition on your hard drive. This will keep your current Yosemite system safe from harm, and will let you easily switch back to it should El Capitan become unusable for any reason. Dual-booting will also let you uninstall El Capitan easily (you just delete the partition) should you decide you're not ready for it. You will be stuck with the El Capitan recovery partition, though, so you won't be able ...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Software update notifications are meant to be a reminder to keep your operating system and apps up to date, but that doesn't mean that they never get annoying. I get a notification telling me to update every day. Not that there's anything wrong with this, but sometimes I'm content with what I have and don't feel the need to update just yet. On autopilot, every single day, I hit "Remind Me Tomorrow" because I might feel different about updating the next day. But then the next day rolls around,...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
When setting up a new Mac, there can be a bunch of settings that need to be changed in order to get the system running the way you like it. That usually involves going through tons of System Preferences panes and app settings—but it doesn't have to. If you'd rather get everything set up using just one app and a couple of minutes, then you have to get used to firing up Terminal whenever you load a fresh copy of OS X. Must See: Create a Bootable Install Drive of OS X El CapitanMust See: How t...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Managing files can be time consuming on your Mac, for the simple reason that keyboard shortcuts and right-clicks sometimes lack the effectiveness we need. But with a simple third-part app, you can expedite the process of sharing, moving, deleting, and overall managing files on your computer. With FilePane, from developer MyMixApps, you'll be able to drag any file and drop it into a small window, where you can then quickly choose what to do with it: share it via email, upload it to social medi...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Keyboard shortcuts can make using your Mac faster and easier, and leave your mouse feeling archaic. With just a few taps, you can save files, open new tabs, or play a movie—all without using your mouse even once. Don't Miss: 30+ Keyboard Shortcuts You Should Be Using on YouTubeBut the trouble with keyboard shortcuts is that they're tough to remember. Each application has its own set of shortcuts, so a keyboard shortcut in Photoshop might perform a different action than if you used those sam...| macOS Tips - Gadget Hacks
Ready to take your Mac on one last Intel-powered adventure? Apple's macOS Tahoe 26 just dropped its third public beta, and here's the kicker: this is your final chance to experience cutting-edge macOS features on Intel hardware. The next macOS version, Tahoe, will be the last one to support Macs with Intel processors, making this beta a historic milestone rather than just another software update. Whether you're clinging to that trusty 2018 MacBook Pro or want to squeeze every drop of performa...| Apple - Gadget Hacks
Picture this: you're working on sensitive code at 35,000 feet, need to process confidential documents without sending them to some server farm, or simply want an AI assistant that doesn't cost you $20/month forever. Sound familiar? What you need to know: Apple Silicon makes it possible: M1, M2, and M3 chips leverage unified memory architecture to run ChatGPT-quality models locally, enabling truly free AI without recurring subscriptions Complete privacy by design: Every conversation happens of...| Apple - Gadget Hacks
When you download files from certain apps like Safari and Chrome on your Mac, those files are tagged with the "Where from" metadata attribute. Depending on where the file was downloaded from, this attribute may refer to the host's URL, a sender's email address, or another piece of identifying information. While not obvious, you can delete or even change this attribute.| Gadget Hacks
Unlock the full potential of your Apple devices' cameras with our comprehensive tips and tricks. From mastering photography techniques to leveraging innovative apps and settings, explore expert advice on how to enhance your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch camera experience. Capture stunning images and videos, discover advanced editing hacks, and stay updated on the latest camera features—transform every shot into a masterpiece. Dive in and elevate your photography game with Gadget Hacks!| Gadget Hacks
If your Safari browser is lagging when opening new tabs or windows on your Mac, there's an easy fix that will speed things back up to how they're supposed...| Gadget Hacks
Wonder How To is your guide to free how to videos on the Web. Search, Browse and Discover the best how to videos across the web using the largest how to video index on the web. Watch the best online video instructions, tutorials, & How-Tos for free. Have your own how to videos? Submit them to share with the world.| Gadget Hacks
Wonder How To is your guide to free how to videos on the Web. Search, Browse and Discover the best how to videos across the web using the largest how to video index on the web. Watch the best online video instructions, tutorials, & How-Tos for free. Have your own how to videos? Submit them to share with the world.| Gadget Hacks
Wonder How To is your guide to free how to videos on the Web. Search, Browse and Discover the best how to videos across the web using the largest how to video index on the web. Watch the best online video instructions, tutorials, & How-Tos for free. Have your own how to videos? Submit them to share with the world.| Gadget Hacks