Mac OS

Mac OS, Mac OS X, or macOS, is the operating system that resides on Apple’s desktop and portable computer lineup. Built upon a Unix core, it is easy to use yet highly advanced, extremely stable, and an excellent OS for productivity and creation. Browse through our articles or use the search feature to look for something specific that is pertinent to the Mac operating system.

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EFI Firmware Updates for MacBook Air, iMac, MacBook Pro Bring Lion Internet Recovery to 2010 Models

Feb 7, 2012 - 2 Comments
MacBook EFI Firmware Update

Apple has released firmware updates for 2010 model year MacBook Air, iMac, and MacBook Pro. The EFI update brings OS X Lion Internet Recovery, which is accessible by booting into Recovery mode and allows a user to reinstall OS X Lion, to each Mac from 2010. The EFI Firmware updates are available to download from … Read More

New High-DPI Cursors & Interface Elements found in OS X 10.7.3

Feb 7, 2012 - 5 Comments
HiDPI Cursor in Mac OS X 10.7.3

Mac OS X 10.7.3 added several new high-dpi interface elements, giving another hint that Apple may be working towards releasing Macs with ‘retina’ displays. DaringFireball points out that it’s possible these elements were updated to make Universal Access and cursor artwork more attractive, but also mentions that some Mac Mini users inadvertently booted into high-dpi … Read More

Minimize and Hide All Windows in Mac OS X with Command+Option+H+M

Feb 7, 2012 - 27 Comments
Hide All and Minimize in OS X Lion

By combining the Hide All windows shortcut with the minimize keyboard shortcut in Mac OS X, you can use a third ‘Minimize and Hide All’ shortcut that both hides and minimizes all windows open on a Mac. This hide and minimize all trick is accomplished by hitting the Command+Option+H+M keys together.

How to Delete iTunes From Mac OS X

Feb 6, 2012 - 28 Comments

We recently showed you how to delete Safari, Mail, and other default apps installed with Mac OS X, and procedurally iTunes is not much different. Unlike uninstalling applications from third parties, if you attempt to drag the iTunes app into the Trash can, you’ll see a dialog box warning that ‘β€œiTunes.app” can’t be modified or … Read More

Focus on Apps Easier & Apply Background Filters with Isolator for Mac OS X

Feb 6, 2012 - 5 Comments
Isolator blur effect

It’s easy to be distracted by other open applications and windows while using a computer, and sometimes even the best of us need a bit of help to focus. Lion’s full screen mode can be helpful, but when that’s not enough or when you need access to other windows and apps, then Isolator is your … Read More

Switch Background Styles of Launchpad in OS X 10.7.3

Feb 6, 2012 - 11 Comments
Launchpad Background Styles

The OS X 10.7.3 update brought with it a variety of subtle changes, including a minor adjustment to how the Launchpad background image style is switched. In previous Mac OS X versions, Command+B would switch between the background effect styles, but this is now achieved with Control+Option+Command+B. Try it yourself by opening Launchpad and then … Read More

Check SHA1 Checksum in Mac OS X

Feb 5, 2012 - 10 Comments
Mac Terminal icon

SHA hashing is frequently used with distribution control systems to determine revisions and to check data integrity by detecting file corruption or tampering. For common usage, a SHA checksum provides a string that can be used to verify a file been transferred as intended. If SHA checksums match, the files integrity has been maintained. This … Read More

How to Delete Safari, Mail, FaceTime, Photo Booth, and Other Default Mac OS X Apps

Feb 5, 2012 - 76 Comments
Delete Safari, Photo Booth, Stickies, Chess, and other default OS X apps

If you have tried to delete Safari, Mail, FaceTime, Chess, Photo Booth, Stickies, QuickTime, or any of the other default Mac OS X apps before, you’ll know the Finder prevents you from doing so. Try to move one of these apps to the trash to uninstall it and you’ll get a message saying: ‘”Safari.app” can’t … Read More

Mac OS X 10.7.3 Combo Silently Updated?

Feb 4, 2012 - 24 Comments
Comparing OS X 10.7.3 Updates

Apple looks to have quietly updated the troubled Mac OS X 10.7.3 Updater, first noticed by several of our readers and confirmed by OSXDaily. No official change was announced and there is no revised version number provided by Apple’s Support page, but presumably the new build addresses any potential installation problems or CUI errors that … Read More

Rosetta Crashes Resolved with Mac OS X 10.6.8 Security Update 2012-001 v1.1

Feb 4, 2012 - 2 Comments
Security Update 2012-001 v1.1 for Snow Leopard

Apple has released an updated version of Security Update 2012-001 to v1.1, which resolves the Rosetta issues in the first release that caused many PPC based applications to either crash or not run at all. If you have been experiencing problems with apps like Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Quicken, crashing after installing the security update, downloading … Read More

How to Boot into Recovery HD Partition on a Mac OS X with Yosemite, Mavericks, & Mountain Lion

Feb 3, 2012 - 13 Comments
Recovery HD

All Macs with OS X Mavericks, Yosemite, Lion, Mountain Lion, have a bootable Recovery partition that can be accessed in case of system problems, allowing you to troubleshoot, restore from Time Machine backups, and even reinstall Mac OS X. There are two ways to reach Recovery mode on a Mac: Hold down the OPTION key … Read More

Fix Rosetta in Mac OS X Snow Leopard After Security Update 2012-001

Feb 3, 2012 - 5 Comments
Mac OS X Snow Leopard

The problems updating to Mac OS X 10.7.3 aren’t the only issues with Apple’s recently released Mac OS X updates, as MacRumors reports that SecurityUpdate 2012-001 aimed at Mac OS X 10.6.8 has caused significant problems with Rosetta apps in Snow Leopard. Applications effected seem to be anything that relies on Rosetta PowerPC support to … Read More

Secure Empty Trash in Mac OS X

Feb 3, 2012 - 14 Comments
Secure Empty Trash on a Mac

If you need to delete sensitive information and have it completely inaccessible, you’ll want to use the “Secure Empty Trash” feature. This works by writing random patterns of data over a trashed file immediately after it has been emptied, or removed from the filesystem, such a process which otherwise takes place over time throughout normal … Read More

Reindex Spotlight from the Command Line in Mac OS X

Feb 2, 2012 - 9 Comments
Spotlight

Spotlight is generally very good at keeping a valid index of a drives contents up to date, but if you’ve recently restored a drive or had to delete the Spotlight index for one reason or another, you may need to reindex the drive manually. This is easy from the Spotlight control panel, and can also … Read More

Web Server Added to OS X Lion Server with 10.7.3 Update

Feb 2, 2012 - 5 Comments
OS X Lion 10.7.3 Web Server

The recently released Mac OS X 10.7.3 update is proving to be a more significant upgrade than originally anticipated, with the update for OS X Lion Server adding a simple web server. The web server pane is found in the Server application, and has the standard features you would expect. Apple specifies the following capabilities … Read More

Change the Time Machine Backup Schedule

Feb 2, 2012 - 32 Comments
Time Machine Scheduler

Every Mac owner should be using Time Machine, it’s by far the easiest and most painless backup solution, running in the background and allowing for easy recovery of files or the entire operating system should something go wrong during an OS X update or otherwise. There’s no way around it, having backups of your Mac … Read More

Fix Mac OS X 10.7.3 Update Problems, CUI Errors, Stuck Installs, and Crashes

Feb 1, 2012 - 89 Comments
Fix OS X 10.7.3 Installation Problems with the Combo Updater

Mac OS X 10.7.3 update was just released, and for the vast majority of users the update installed trouble free. But not everyone was so lucky, and a series of problems have cropped up for some users, ranging from being stuck on an endless spinning loop progress indicator, to apps crashing nonstop, to a very … Read More

Mac OS X 10.7.3 Update Released [Download Links]

Feb 1, 2012 - 37 Comments
Mac OS X 10.7.3

Apple has released Mac OS X 10.7.3 to the public, the third minor update to OS X Lion. The update includes bug fixes including a Wi-Fi stability update, and also fixes a handful of other issues that have effected OS X 10.7. The update also includes support for several new languages, and updates Safari to … Read More

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