Introduced in 2007 and required by 2012, sandboxing is a tool used by macOS to limit the damage that a hijacked app can do. Apple says, “While App Sandbox doesn’t prevent attacks against your app, it does minimize the harm a successful one can cause. macOS app sandboxing protects users by limiting how much trouble […]
How to Fix Messages When It Breaks on macOS
A lot of problems can make you want to fix messages. Maybe you can send messages but not receive them. Maybe text messages work, but iMessages fail to send. Maybe all your messages come through, but you can never reply to a conversation. Perhaps you see multiple conversations for every contact based on where the […]
How to Record Your Screen on macOS
Recording your screen on a Mac used to be a real trial, but it’s become incredibly easy in the last year. The latest version of macOS, Mojave 10.14, includes a built-in application that can capture high-quality video of your Mac’s screen. There are plenty of third-party options if Screenshot is not powerful enough.
Using and Configuring Network Preferences in macOS
The Network preference pane can be a dark and foreboding place. With some training, you can actually understand what you’re doing when you try and fix your internet connection. Pop open the Network pane found in System Preferences, and let’s explore.
Pro Terminal Commands: Working with chflags in macOS
Flags are a system outside of permissions on macOS that are used to control how files can be changed. They are primarily concerned with controlled the modification of a file, but differently from permissions. Flags can only be set by an administrative user or the owner of the file, except in cases of system flags. […]
Power Up the Cloud With CloudMounter
CloudMounter is a menu bar application that connects to cloud services like connecting to network hard drives. Connect to OneDrive, for example, and you’ll see it appear as a network volume in Finder. You don’t need to use cumbersome custom sync or backup programs just to access your files. Instead, you can access all your […]
How to Read Hexadecimal Source Code on macOS
When dealing with unusual files, looking at the actual bits that compose the file can be hugely valuable. If nothing else, you can read the file’s headers and decipher its purpose. Editing hexadecimal code is a complex business, but it can be done with a variety of hex editors in macOS. What is hexadecimal code, […]
Play NES, SNES, and N64 Games on macOS With a Console Emulator
You can play retro games on macOS with an emulator. An emulator imitates a console gaming system, allowing you to play console games on your Mac. With the instructions below, you can play retro games on macOS from NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, and a ton more. 1. Get a Console Emulator Emulating a […]
Connect Your Xbox One Controller to Your Mac
The Xbox One controller is one of the finest handheld controllers on the market. It’s a case study in usability and ergonomics. The total lack of major changes over the years is a testament of just how “right” Microsoft made the Xbox controller. No hard edges, everything is in easy rich, comfortable with any hand […]
Why is Your MacBook’s Bluetooth So Unreliable?
My first encounter with Bluetooth on my Mac was a mystifying experience. Whether devices were discovered seemed to be determined by eldritch forces beyond human comprehension. File transfer was hilariously unfinished, despite theroretically existing. The magic of Apple did not seem to extend to this backwater of wireless connectivity, and I shelved it in my […]
