TechKnowledge

TechKnowledge

Photo Stream discontinued by Apple end of July 2023

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Did you get an email from Apple about the Photo Stream shutting down?
 
Is this a scam? Am I going to lose my photos? What is the Photo Stream anyways?
 
Well, in short, and respective order; No, no and… good question.
The Photo Stream was Apple’s first attempt at photo synchronization, and not a very good one.
 
These days, most people have all their photos in the cloud with Apple’s iCloud Photos feature. Having your photos in the cloud means that all your photos are accessible on all your devices. When you take a photo on your iPhone, it shows up automatically on your iPad and/or computer. When you delete a photo on one device, it disappears on the other devices. This is exactly how syncing has always worked for other types of data; contacts, calendars, notes, etc. I create a contact here, and it shows up over there. The same thing is true when deleting. Photos however, have not always synchronized in this manner, namely due to their size. Contacts are tiny, and there has always been plenty of room to store contacts in the cloud. Photos are not tiny, and the cloud was limited in its’ ability to store too many.
 
The first model of cloud synchronization for photos, was called Photo Stream. Since cloud space was limited back in the day, you couldn’t just store all your photos in the cloud and sync them to all your devices. Rather, you just sent your photos through the cloud back to your computer for storage and safe-keeping. This means that as I take photos with my iPhone, a copy of the photo stays on the phone, and another copy goes into the Photo Stream. The Photo Stream carries 30 days worth of photos through the cloud and deposits them on my computer. After photos have safely been dropped off at the computer, the photos in the Photo Stream automatically delete. The word ‘delete’ sounds scary, but don’t forget that the photos in the Photo Stream are duplicates. The copy on your iPhone is still there.
 
In the iCloud Photos model, your iPhone, iPad, and computer can all share the same photo library via cloud storage. In the Photo Stream model, the iPhone and the computer have separate photo libraries. The Photo Stream bridges the two libraries, but the two libraries are not syncing. So when I delete a photo on my computer, nothing happens to the same photo on my iPhone, and vice versa. When I add photos to my library on my computer, in similar fashion, nothing happens on my iPhone. Those new photos added to the computer do not sync to my iPhone. The Photo Stream was meant to be a one-way bridge; from iPhone to computer.
 
Geek speak aside, what should you do about that scary message from Apple? Probably nothing. If you would, please take a look at your Settings app; Tap Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Photos. If ‘Sync this iPhone’ is enabled, then iCloud Photos is making sure that your photos are all safely stored in the cloud. It’s possible you may have both iCloud Photos and the Photo Stream enabled, and in that case, these services are competing. iCloud Photos is doing a better job at the same task as the Photo Stream, so you can let the Photo Stream quietly disappear when the timer is up. You may have Photo Stream disabled, which means you’re already not using it, so there is nothing to worry about. You may not even have a Photo Stream setting on the screen described above, which means you really have nothing to worry about. You may have iCloud Photos disabled and Photo Stream enabled. In that case, when Apple’s timer is up, the copy of the photo in the Stream will disappear. The copy in your Photo Library will stay put. Here again, nothing to worry about.
 
The Photo Stream is an old feature that not too many people are using, at least not intentionally. Some people have Photo Stream enabled, but are not sure how or why, and don’t want to mess with a feature they’re not sure they understand. Seriously, don’t worry. You don’t have to turn it Off, Apple will do it for you in the coming weeks, and you won’t lose any photos.
 
Are you still nervous? Let’s do a test. Close the Settings and open your Photos app. Tap Library and find a recent photo that you don’t need to keep, but don’t delete it. Now tap Albums at the bottom, and look for an album near the top labeled Photo Stream. You may need to glide up or down, or right and left to locate it. If you don’t see a Photo Stream album, then you probably already have it turned Off in the Settings. If you do see a Photo Stream album, tap it to open it, and locate the same photo you just saw in your Library. Delete the photo here from the Photo Stream album. Wait 24 hours and then go back to your Photos app and tap Library at the bottom. Now look for the photo you deleted from the Photo Stream the day before… it should still be in the Library. It’s there because what you deleted from the Photo Stream is a copy of the photo in the Library. This demonstrates that even though you see the same photo in both places, that one is a copy, or duplicate, of the other. I wanted you to wait 24 hours to show that the Library and the Photo Stream do not sync with each other. The Library and the Photo Stream operate independently of each other.
 
The bottom line of the test above shows that when photos are removed from the Photo Stream, nothing happens to the same photo within the Library. So when Apple quietly makes your Photo Stream disappear in the coming weeks, there will be no impact on the photos in your Library. It’s all good. Rest easy.

You Need a Backup, Part 2 – How to Setup a Backup

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After reading my last blog entry about WHY you need a backup, here is the follow up on HOW to setup your backup. If you didn’t read the first blog article, or arrived here with uncertainty about needing a backup, I’ll provide a brief summary below, or click here to read that first article in full.

In quick review:

• The cloud backs up mobile devices only, not computers (the computer is too big).

• A few key folders can be sent to the cloud, but some folders are excluded.

• Retrieving data from an internal hard drive can be shockingly expensive.

• Backup drives costs between $75-150, and retrieving data from a backup is easy.

• Buy an external desktop drive for a desktop computer, and an external portable drive for a laptop.

OK, now that I’ve purchased my backup drive, how do I set it up?

(Instructions below for both Mac and Windows users)

Mac Users – Get the hard drive out of the box, plug it in to the computer (and to power if using desktop drive), and wait a few seconds for the Mac to recognize it. If you have no backup drive setup, the Mac knows this, and will display a pop-up window recognizing that you’ve plugged in an external drive. It will ask you if you’d like to establish the drive as a backup. Click the affirmative button, and you’re done. Your first backup will begin in the next minute or two. It really is that easy!

A couple fine print details now – All drives come formatted, either for Mac or Windows, which just refers to the file structuring system set for the drive. Apple’s backup software is called Time Machine, and it wants the drive formatted for Mac, so… when you plug in a drive formatted for Windows, the Mac knows, and asks you if it’s OK to reformat the drive into Mac format. This means erasing it, which I know can be scary, but the Mac is smart enough to not erase the hard drive that you are currently using for all your data, so don’t worry about that. Just read the message slowly and proceed with caution. If you are uncertain, then stop and get some help, but know that you MUST erase a drive formatted for Windows for use with your Mac. Because Mac users are the minority, most drives you buy will come formatted for Windows. That being said, you can certainly find Mac formatted drives if you include that in your online search, or ask a salesperson for it.

Your first backup will take some time since your computer’s hard drive is large, so it could potentially take a few hours. You can still use your computer for other tasks while the backup is occurring. If you want to monitor the backup progress, open System Preferences, and click Time Machine. Subsequent backups are much faster, because you are only backing up new or changed items, not the entire hard drive again. For desktop Macs, your backup drive stays plugged in 24/7 and will complete a backup every day. For laptops, plug in your backup drive on a schedule that fits your life, I recommend once a week, but many choose once a month. Just remember that if your computer crashes, you can only restore data as recent as your last backup. Once you plug in your backup drive, the backup should begin automatically. Give it an hour to complete the backup, and then don’t forget to eject the drive before unplugging it, or the Mac will tell you that it’s not happy with you. To eject a drive, click the blue happy face Finder icon, and look for the drive in the sidebar on the left side. Click the eject symbol, which looks like a triangle with a rectangular bar beneath it. Once the drive disappears from the sidebar, you are good to pull the plug. If you pull the plug before clicking eject, you risk corrupting the drive, and you may have to erase it again to reuse it, or you may have to replace it.

Windows Users – I am not a Windows expert, but I do have some information and some online instructions for you. Windows has more than one way to backup your computer. Briefly, Windows has backup features called File History, and another called Backup and Restore. File History does what is called ‘versioning,’ whereby documents are stored in different states as they change over time. In a plain English example, imagine you’ve been working on the same document for months, modifying it regularly, and you realize that you saved over your document and need to go back to last weeks’ version of  it. File History lets you restore an individual document to a previous state. Backup and Restore is designed to create what you might think of as a more traditional backup; an archive of the hard drive that can be used to restore data on the occasion that you replace your computer. This is what allows you to pick up on the new computer where you left off on the old one. You can even setup both File History and Backup and Restore on the same backup drive if both options sound useful and are available.

So, when you’ve got your backup drive in hand and you’re ready to set it up, read these instructions from Microsofts’ website, plug your drive in to your computer and start the process. Windows has a nice setup wizard to walk you through the process.

Good luck!!

Thank you for using Adobe Flash Player

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Have you seen this message on your computer?

If you haven’t seen a message like this on your Mac or PC yet, you probably will soon. This message begs a few other questions; Is it OK to uninstall it? What is Flash anyways?

This message makes it sound like Flash player is going away, and indeed, it is. It’s not that it’s vacationing in Florida for the Winter, it’s that we just don’t need Flash anymore. So what is Flash?

In brief, Flash Player is software and Flash is a file type created by software giant Adobe, the same people who brought us Photoshop. Flash was designed way back in the early years of the World Wide Web, you know, in 1996. As you may know, the World Wide Web was (and still is) built from a coding language called HTML. But in those early days, HTML did not support dynamic content like interactive games or even simple videos. You might have played one of these games on Facebooks’ website, or watched one of these videos on a site like YouTube. Adobe stepped in and created Flash to make this possible. At the time, this was good, we needed Flash.

Flash Player made it possible for your browser, the app you use to surf the Web (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.) to play those games and videos. Think of Flash Player as an accessory to your browser. Just like your vacuum cleaner has accessories for special purposes like those tight spaces you can’t normally reach, Flash Player enhanced your browser with a special ability to read Flash files when a given website hosted them. Just like you need Word to open Word documents (.docx), you need Flash Player to open Flash files (.swf). Here’s an example: A news website you visit has a written new story with an embedded video included for additional coverage. The web master who created this website posted the video in Flash file format, and because your browser has the Flash Player accessory installed, the video plays just fine.  If your browser did not have Flash Player installed, then you can’t play the video and you get an error message instead.

Most people have had Flash Player installed on their computers for decades. You might also remember that Flash Player needed to be updated about every 5 minutes. OK, I like to exaggerate, but Flash Player was seriously needy software, which is one reason why it’s good that Flash is retiring. You see, just like software evolves, coding languages do too. HTML now supports interactive games and video content, and it does it better than Flash did. So we don’t need Flash anymore, and Adobe knows that, too. So that’s why you will sooner or later see a message like the one above as Adobe is officially ceasing development, and even prompting, the removal of Flash Player. So, yes, it’s OK (and encouraged) for you to click that Uninstall button and be done with it. Your computer may ask you for a password to remove Flash, after all, you are changing the software on your system, and this may require authorization of an administrator. This would be the same password you use to sign on to your computer when it first boots up.

I should briefly mention that there could be some sites out there still using Flash, but I would think and hope that they would communicate with their site members to hold off on uninstalling Flash if that were so. Adobe has given website builders a couple years to transition over to HTML, so sites that are still using Flash are waaaaay behind.

OK, there is one more reason why it’s good that Flash retire, and it’s even more important than the first reason. If you remember, the first reason was that Flash was needy, it needed to be updated quite often. Here’s the juicy detail: malware makers knew that, too. Malware makers exploited the high update frequency needs of Flash Player, and over the years, have tricked tons and tons of people into installing malware apps alongside of legitimate Flash Player updates. Here’s how it went: You visit a website wanting to watch a video or play a game, etc. and you get a message saying that your Flash Player needs to be updated. So, you follow the link and click the Update button, and in the days that follow, you get all these pop up windows asking you to scan your system for viruses. Additionally, your browser home page looks different, and you get all these strange ads as you surf the Web.

Sound familiar? So you call Gregg (that’s me, the author), and he removes the malware but leaves you with a lecture about not following pop-up ads on websites asking you to update Flash. But how could you have known? You didn’t install malware on purpose! The malware makers tricked you… they did give you the Flash update that you needed, but they bundled one or more malware apps with it. This is the other reason that it’s good for Flash Player to retire, it lowers the opportunity and probability of us getting tricked into installing malware as we try to update Flash.

Now, super important for everyone to understand… the malware makers will now have to figure out a new way to trick us into installing their malware. On the down side, we don’t know yet what that new scheme will look like. On the plus side, we know that we can’t get malware from updating Flash anymore when there is no Flash to update. However, malware makers I think will bet that many people will not have read this article, will not understand that Flash is retired, and will continue for some time presenting messages that Flash needs to be updated to unsuspecting users.

Let me put it all together now… If we know Adobe has told us that Flash is retired, and yet as we surf the Web we get a pop-up window telling us that Flash needs to be updated, guess what that means…? Well, 100% of the time, it means that a message to update Flash is a trick, that we will install malware if we continue and follow the link. Did I mention 100% of the time? Yes, a message like that from now on is always a trick, 100% of the time. Don’t follow any link to update Flash Player!! If you do see a message asking you to update Flash, there is no reason to panic, just close the window, quit and reopen your browser, and try again to resume whatever you were doing previously.

It remains to be seen how malware makers will shift their tactics to a new trick once people get savvy enough in regards to Flash. I’ll let you know once I know, so stay tuned. Stay safe out there!

HP will damage your computer…

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Have you seen a message like this on your computer?

 

 

If you are a Mac user, and an HP printer owner, you might see a message like this eventually. First and foremost, the good news: No, this actually isn’t malware, and it won’t damage your computer. The bad news: You still have a problem that needs a solution. Recently I’ve been getting a lot of calls about messages like the two displayed above, but there are many variants of this scary message, and they all have in common the notion that an HP (Hewlett Packard) device will damage my computer. All of these messages also happened to have appeared on Apple Mac computers. I think it’s possible that these messages could affect Windows computers as well, but I don’t work with Windows very much, so I just don’t know. In case the pictures above are hard to read, here’s a couple examples of this message;

HPDeviceMonitoring.framework will damage your computer

HP Scanner 3 will damage your computer

HPDM.framework will damage your computer

So is this some kind of new malware? No, it does not appear to be malware, even though the computer appears to think so. My initial research when this issue first arose in the Fall of 2020 was that this message was related to some kind of expired certificate or support file for HP printer/scanner units. Apparently, when these support files expire, the computer flags them as malware and presents a pop-up message like the examples above. I’d like to share how I resolved this issue for most of my clients, but I should warn you that I have encountered two very different outcomes. At best, this can be resolved by deleting the file in question, and then reinstalling the print drivers, a task which many could do on their own, and instructions are below. At worst, you may need to replace your printer.

Here’s how I resolved this issue for most of my clients. Take another quick look at the images above that display the error message, as I’ll be referring to them in my instructions.  Click the button on the error message that says Show in Finder. This will open a window and display a system folder where the expired support file resides. Delete the file in question, but don’t touch anything else in this folder. Generally speaking, deleting files you don’t recognize in your system folder can, actually, damage your computer, so it’s safer to just let it alone unless you know it’s creating a problem, as it is in this scenario. Once you’ve deleted the file, close the window. This solves the first problem, but it creates a new one… you can’t print anything.

Now we need to reinstall the printer driver for your HP printer. Open the System Preferences app, which may appear on the Dock at the bottom of your screen as a box of silver gears. In the window that appears, click Printers & Scanners. Any printer drivers you’ve installed appear in a list on the left side of this window. You may only see one printer listed, and that makes sense if you only ever print to a single printer in your own home. Select your HP printer in that list, and then click the – symbol at the bottom of that list, and then click Delete Printer to confirm. The printer will disappear from the list.

Now let’s install a new printer driver. Make sure your HP printer is turned on, and connected either to WiFi, or via USB cable to your computer if that’s how you usually print. Now click + at the bottom of the printer list, and another window appears, which is the computer searching for a connected printer. If the computer ‘sees’ a printer, it will display it in this window in a list, and again, there could be only one device that appears. By the way, if it says USB multifunction next to your printer brand and model, that means the computer sees that the printer is connected via cable. If it says Bonjour, that means the computer sees the printer on the wireless network. Select your printer, and then click Add at bottom right. Wait a few seconds, and that should be it. The second window will close automatically, and your printer should now be displayed in the printer list. You can now close this window too.

That’s it. Hopefully, you should be able to print or scan again at this point, and the computer should be happy and not bother you anymore with the same error message. Happy printing :0)

If these instructions seem like too much, or you have difficulty, please contact me and I’ll be happy to help. There’s a big Contact button on my website at the top you can use to reach me if you don’t already have my contact information. Thanks.

What to expect when updating to MacOS 10.15 Catalina

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I recently updated two Mac computers to MacOS 10.15 Catalina, and the transition has been good. There are some things I think you’ll want to know about the transition, and so this blog entry is a brief description of what to expect when it comes to the changes and new features in this system software update.

  1. How to Update – Apple changed the process for initiating the update in the last system software; Mojave. So, if you’re using something older than Mojave, you’ll go to the App Store > Updates section to initiate this update. If you’re using Mojave currently, you’ll open the System Preferences, and click Software Update to initiate the update. This is the new method, because it’s more consistent with the steps to run updates on the iPhone/iPad.
  2. Dark Mode – Once Catalina has been downloaded and installed, a brief setup process will make you aware of a couple new features by way of a few questions before your Mac boots up the startup screen. The first one relates to a new display mode called Dark Mode, which reverses the color scheme of your Mac from black text on white background to white text on black background. Dark Mode is much easier on the eyes if you like to work late at night. Dark Mode was actually introduced in Mojave, but now you’ll be presented with an option to have Dark Mode on Auto, which means that your Mac will turn On Dark Mode in the evening automatically.
  3. Screen Time – The other feature that’s new is something that first arrived on the iPhone last year; Screen Time. Screen Time is designed to report to you the amount of time that you spend on your screen so that you can at least be aware, and possible so that you can set limits for yourself, or others, or restrict certain apps or content on your device. Your Mac may also ask a few other questions during the startup process, depending on what version of the software you were using before updating to Catalina.
  4. iTunes – The BIG news with Catalina is the discontinuation of iTunes. Apple’s long-standing music app is now broken up into a few smaller apps; Music, Podcasts, TV. This is a good thing… iTunes had become a behemoth application, archiving medias of all types, and housing the digital storefronts for all those same media types. It was too much, and iTunes had become super clunky. As it already is on your iPhone, the Mac now reflects the same approach for different media types to have their own app.
  5. Relocated Items – Kind of a weird thing… once your Mac is updated to Catalina and you work your way through the setup screens, you’ll come to your Desktop and find a new folder there called Relocated Items. Catalina will locate some settings and preference files that are no longer compatible with the new system software. For whatever reason, Apple didn’t feel comfortable just deleting these files on your behalf, so they put them in a folder called Relocated Items. What should you do with them? You could tuck these files away for safe-keeping, but here’s my thought… The folder on your Desktop is actually a shortcut, it’s not the actual folder, that’s what the tiny arrow in the corner of the folder indicates. The real folder is located in your Shared folder, which is already tucked away out of sight. I would just delete the Relocated Items folder shortcut present on your Desktop, which won’t delete the actual Relocated Items folder that’s tucked away out of sight. If this year goes by and you never need those little preference files, we’ll delete them completely at that point.
  6. 32 bit apps – Apple is now (and has been) using 64 bit technology in Mac computers that allows the various apps available to your Mac to be more dynamic and powerful. Apple has been phasing out 32 bit apps for almost 10 years. What does this mean to you? Some apps that you might be using may not work after you update to Catalina. This could happen to old apps, apps developed by individuals (as opposed to big companies), niche apps, etc. What do I do if I discover an app that won’t work in Catalina? The first thing to do if you discover an app that won’t open is to visit the website for the company that developed the software. If you don’t know that information, try doing a Google search for the name of the app and see if you can get yourself to the website of the developer, where you might be able to download a new 64 bit version of the same application. You may need to contact the app developer and ask if they have a new version coming. It’s also possible that a software developer may have sent you an email a few months ago letting you know that a 64 bit version of their app is on the way. If that rings a bell for you, that’s the developers way of saying, “I’m working on a new version of my app, but I’m a little behind, so don’t update to Catalina quite yet.” I would take their advice and wait for further instruction from them. If all you’re doing on your Mac is surfing the Web, checking email, and working with Photos, you won’t have anything to worry about. If you are using some specialized apps, I recommend checking with the developer to see if updating to Catalina will create any problems. It’s not easy to downgrade, so please be cautious and attentive to this matter!

There are more changes and features in Catalina, but the 6 issues mentioned above are the most important to discuss. The Reminders app has been redesigned, the Photos app has a new layout for displaying photos, and there is more. But I’ll let you discover the rest!

Using dictation on the Mac

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Did you know that you can dictate email and text messages on your Mac just like you can on your iPhone/iPad? Perhaps you’ve seen a little microphone at the bottom of the keyboard on your iPhone/iPad, which you can use to dictate your messages. When using this, your device listens to you speak, and then converts your speech into typed words. It’s really convenient during those times you can’t easily press those little keys with your big fingers. 

Even though your Mac’s keyboard is bigger and more suited to typing, you can do the same thing on your Mac. You have to first turn On the dictation feature. Open your System Preferences (silver gears icon) –> Keyboard –> Dictation. Now click the On button. Note the Language (probably defaults to English but can be changed), and also note the Shortcut. The Shortcut is what will begin the dictation process. The Shortcut probably defaults to Press Fn (Function) Key twice (but can be changed as well).

Close out of the System Preferences, and create a new email message. Click in the body of where you would normally type your message. Find your Function key which is likely at the bottom left of your keyboard. Press the Function key twice (fairly quickly), and look for a microphone image to appear on the screen near where you’re ‘typing’, and then begin speaking. You’ll see your speech appear on the screen as typed text right before your eyes! Insert your punctuation by speaking it at the right moment. Say “comma,” or “period,” at the end of a sentence. You’ve got about 30 seconds to speak before your Mac automatically stops listening. Press the function key twice again, and continue your dictation. When you’re all finished, click the Done button below the microphone. Don’t forget to speak clearly, and turn any background music down low. 

Give it a try! You can use this trick anywhere on your Mac where you might otherwise type, including email and text messages, Subject lines, Search boxes, etc. Enjoy!

P.S. I typed most of this Blog post using dictation, although I had to go back and correct a few things, so expect at least a few errors along the way. 

Don’t close this window, you have a virus! (…not really)

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The latest scam going around is fooling many people, and this article and attached tutorials are designed to help you identify the scam and avoid being taken for hundreds of dollars. Here’s how this scam typically happens…

 

You’re surfing the web when all of sudden, a message pops up that says “Don’t close this window, you have a virus! Call the phone number listed below for immediate assistance.” So you panic. You then try to close the message, but the cursor is frozen and the window won’t close. You can’t quit your browser, and so you panic some more. Even though it doesn’t sound like a good idea, you decide to call the number, where a man or woman with a friendly eastern accent answers (not always true). You are quickly guided through installing software that allows the tech support agent to remotely control your computer. They guide you to some folders on your hard drive that you’ve never seen before, and show you some files that are named strangely. These files are identified as a virus, and the tech support agent offers to install some good anti-virus software for $700. You mention that you can’t afford this much, and so they offer to lower it to only $500. Perhaps you haggle to an even lower price, and then you give them your credit card number. After the money is paid, the warning message is closed and your computer returns to working like normal. You say goodbye to the agent and all is well again. 

 

Sound familiar? No doubt either you or someone you know has been affected by this scam. Some people pay the charges, while others hang up the phone before giving out their credit card number. Even if you avoid the charges, the agent will call you repeatedly over the next few months to try again to get payment.

 

So how do you avoid these scams? It’s best to understand what to look for and how to resolve these situations. Avoiding the pop-up warning messages can be tricky because it’s hard to know what was clicked to prompt the message. These messages seemingly pop up when viewing very innocent websites, which means that this scam can potentially appear anywhere. Often times, the messages appear when an advertisement is clicked, perhaps accidentally. It can also happen if you type in an accidental, but incorrect website address that’s off by even a single letter. Because you never know when one of these messages will appear, it’s best to know how to identify a scam and what to do to get out of these panic inducing situations.

 

I stumbled across one of these virus warning messages the other day while helping a client look for printer drivers online. The message that appeared even had a recorded voice telling me about all the malware on the computer. I knew what these messages looked like and how to resolve it, and so my client and I just had a good laugh instead of panicking. We closed the window and went on with life. You can do the same…

 

I hope to complete this article in more depth on this blog, but in the meantime, I’ve got a couple documents in PDF that you can download that will give you more information on what to look for, and what to do if you get caught in one of these situations. There are three documents below; one is for Mac users, one for PC users, and one for iOS users (iPhone/iPad). I recommend downloading the document(s) you need, printing them out, and keeping them near your computer so the information is handy when the situation arises.

 

For Mac users: Click Here

For PC users: Click Here

For iOS users: Click Here

Messages in the cloud (Updated)

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We’ve known this was coming… And on Tues, May 29, Apple did in fact release the iOS 11.4 software update for iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod). This update does in fact provide mobile device users with the opportunity to use iCloud to synchronize their text messages with their other devices… for the most part (see The Hiccup below…). In the past, you could use any mobile device, and even a Mac computer to sign into the Messages app and receive text messages from your iPhone. But this was only for receiving messages, it didn’t truly synchronize. If it did truly sync, then when you delete a message here, it should delete over there, just like email does (should).

 

Messages couldn’t truly sync because it didn’t use the cloud, which is what enables synchronizing. Now in the latest update to iOS 11.4 for mobile devices, the option is now present. I expected that after running the update to iOS 11.4, that something would appear on the screen asking me if I’d like to enable this feature, but nothing like that happened. I discovered that Apple quietly placed the On switch for this feature in the iCloud settings page. If you’d like to see it, you can find it after you’ve done the update in your Settings app. From there, tap your name at the top, then tap iCloud. Glide up and you’ll see what wasn’t there before, a new item in the list; Messages.

 

Now, before you flip the switch to enable Messages in the cloud, there is something you need to know. This feature requires two factor authentication (2FA).  I’ve got a more in depth article on 2FA that you can read by clicking here, but for now, 2FA is a security feature that makes it harder for criminals access your Apple account, which protects your iCloud data. 2FA also makes it harder for YOU to access your own Apple account, and for that reason, some people prefer to disable 2FA. The choice to use 2FA or not is your choice, but if you want to use Messages in the cloud, you must also use 2FA. I thought I might try to be clever and just disable 2FA after setting up Messages in the cloud.  Well, it didn’t work… Messages in the cloud was automatically disabled when I disabled 2FA. No other features of iCloud require 2FA, but Messages do. This is probably because Messages may contain data that could be more sensitive than say, a list of contacts, or a bunch of vacation photos.

 

So, understanding that 2FA comes with Messages in the cloud, if you still like the idea of having your text messages sync across all your devices, tap that On switch in the iCloud settings screen so that it appears green. Make sure that the same switch you’ve enabled on your iPhone is also enabled on your iPad, or this won’t work the way it’s supposed to. It may take a little time to get all your messages uploaded to the cloud, but it should begin syncing relatively quickly.

 

So, who should use this feature? I think most people will benefit from this feature. Not only can your messages be kept in sync across all your devices, but it also frees up space on your device because the content of your Messages app is leaving the device and migrating to the cloud. This is really a pretty good feature that many have been waiting a long time to see.

 

So, who should not use this feature? I don’t think too many… maybe people who don’t like change, or people who don’t want to pay Apple .99/month for upgraded iCloud storage. You can’t increase the storage space on your device, but you can increase your storage space in the cloud. It’s nice to have the option to send more data to the cloud, which in effect, frees up more of the valuable space on your device.

 

The Hiccup – We’re still missing a small piece of this puzzle. In order for messages to truly sync with all our Apple devices, we need this feature to appear on our Mac computers. It’s not there as of May 29, but it is expected to arrive in the next MacOS update (any day now). When Apple releases a new feature, they usually release updates for both Mac and iOS at the same time, so that users can get the full benefit of the new feature on both computers and mobile devices. Not so this time. So right now, you can at the very least, get your messages uploaded to the cloud by enabling the switches on your iPhones/iPads, but your Mac computer can’t sync yet until Apple releases MacOS 10.13.5.

 

What about Windows computer users? The Messages app is only made for Apple devices, so syncing messages between your iPhone and iPad is as good as it gets (which is still pretty good). Mac users on the other hand, will soon have the ability to sync messages to all three devices (iPhone, iPad, and Mac). It’s coming soon, so check back here on this blog for more information. I’ll keep you posted :O)

 

[Update]

 

Apple released the MacOS 10.13.5 update on Friday, June 1. This update adds the expected Messages in the Cloud feature that was previously released for iOS. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find the switch to enable the feature on the Mac.

 

[Sidenote]

 

Dear Apple, it would’ve been nice to have found the switch for Messages in the Cloud in the iCloud settings screen on the Mac, just like it appears on the iPhone or iPad. If you could make that a little more consistent, that’d be great. Sincerely, Gregg

 

OK then, if you’ve already enabled Messages in the Cloud for your iPhone and/or iPad, here’s how to enable the feature on your Mac after it’s been updated to 10.13.5. Open the Messages application, which looks like blue and white speech bubbles. Once open, in the menu bar across the top, click Messages, then click Preferences. In the window that pops up, click the Accounts button. In this window, click the small box next to, ‘Enable Messages in iCloud.’ That’s it, you can now close all the windows we just opened. That should begin the syncing process. Soon, you should see the same text messages on all your Apple devices.

 

This means that you can now receive and respond to text messages on whatever device is closest to you when a text message arrives. Don’t forget that now, unlike before, when you delete a text message on one device, it deletes on your other devices! I’ve been using the feature now for a few days and am enjoying the convenience of having my text messages synchronize between all my devices. Hope you enjoy it as well. Cheers!

Understanding Your Apple ID

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It’s not uncommon for me to receive a call from a client complaining about a few things that may seem unrelated, but in fact are all connected. The complaints could sound like this… “My contacts aren’t synchronizing between devices.” “Music I purchased on my iPhone I can’t get on my iPad.” “My device keeps asking me for an iCloud password, but I don’t know if I have one…” All these questions relate to your Apple account, which effects synchronizing data, music purchases, iCloud, and a lot more.

 

Your Apple account is accessed with two pieces of information; your Apple ID and password. Just as your Amazon account or any  online account has a User ID and a password, your Apple account is no different. However, Apple calls your User ID, an Apple ID. Your Apple ID borrows your email address (like many online accounts), which uniquely identifies you when you sign in. Think about it… lots of people may use the same first and last names as you, but nobody else in the world has the same email address!

 

Your Apple account connects you to Apple’s various digital media stores and services. If you’ve been an Apple device user for a long time, you may remember the precursor to what is now your Apple account: An iTunes account. These two account names can cause a little confusion, so here’s the story.

 

Many moons ago Apple created the iTunes application, which made it possible to listen to the music CD’s that you own, using your computer. iTunes could even import the songs from the CD into a digital music library on your computer. At that time, there was no need for an account.

 

Soon after, the iTunes Store was created as a new feature in the iTunes application. This made it possible to purchase new (and digital) music directly from Apple. Enter now the need to create an account. This involved providing Apple with contact and payment information. A password was created, and together with your email address this became your iTunes account.

 

Fast forward to today, Apple now sells more digital media than just music. The iTunes Store now sells movies, tv shows, books, apps for  iPhone/iPad, and more. Some of Apple’s digital media stores have spun off from the iTunes Store into a dedicated app. One example  is the iBooks app, which sells digital books on both Mac and  iPhone/iPad.

 

There’s also a dedicated App Store, again on both Mac and iPhone/iPad. Now that Apple sells more than music, the term ‘iTunes account’ is inaccurate. So what was once your iTunes account, is now your Apple account. There are, however, still moments when you will see a request for your iTunes account password. Rest assured, your iTunes account and your Apple account are one in the same account.

 

Not only can you purchase music, movies, and apps with your Apple account, you can also use this account to access other Apple services. Using FaceTime, Messages, and iCloud all require your Apple account. Your Apple account is used for so many things that your Apple ID and password should be kept at the ready. If your password is lost or forgotten, it can be reset. Apple won’t tell you what the password is, but they will let you change it. Visit iforgot.apple.com to change your Apple account password.

 

On a final note, it’s critical to address a misconception that often comes up after it’s too late. It goes like this: “My Apple ID is using an old email address that I no longer use. I guess I should create a new Apple account with my new email address, right?” The answer is ‘No’, never create a second Apple account when you’ve changed your email address!

 

This is important for several reasons. When you download an app to any Apple device, the app will at some point request an update. To complete the update, you’ll need to enter the password for the Apple account that purchased it. If you have apps purchased from two different Apple accounts, then you have two passwords to remember on the same device.

 

Multiple Apple accounts can also prevent devices from synchronizing with each other. Many people like to have their iPad and iPhone sync contacts and calendars. Synchronizing requires use of the same Apple account on all devices. Therefore, an iPad using an old Apple account and an iPhone using a new Apple account will not sync.

 

Additionally, if you begin using a new Apple account, then purchases like music or movies can get lost. Imagine you’d like to download an album you’ve already purchased in the iTunes Store. If your device is using a new Apple account, then purchases made with an old account will not be available to you.

 

Sound like a nightmare? It is… and there are even more reasons why you should never create a second Apple account. For many people, it’s too late. So what do you do if you’ve already created two Apple accounts before you read this article? Unfortunately, you can’t merge two accounts. You can update an Apple account to use a new email address, but not if it’s already in use with a second Apple account.

 

If you’ve already created a second Apple account, you’ll want to choose one of your Apple accounts to use moving forward. Don’t use the other account, let it fade into obscurity. Choose the account that has the most purchased content associated with it.

 

If you have one Apple account, but it is using an old email address, you’ll want to update your Apple account with your new email address. Visit appleid.apple.com, and sign in with your Apple ID and password. Once inside your account profile page, click Edit to change the email address. The new email address must be verified. This means that Apple will send a link or a code to that email address to confirm that you own that email address. Check your email, and either click the link, or enter the code on the website. Once the new email address is verified, you’ve successfully updated your Apple account.

 

This is not a new Apple account, it is an old account that has a new Apple ID. The new email address becomes your Apple ID for the same account that you’ve always used. We could liken this process to someone getting their legal name changed. They may have a new name, but are still the same person.

 

It should be known that at times when attempting to sign in to your Apple account, that you may see a link or button that says “Create Apple ID.” The language here is a little strange, as this really means creating a whole new Apple account. This is only for those who do not already have an Apple account. It might become tempting to do this when it becomes difficult to sign into your Apple account. Don’t forget you can always reset your password.

 

In summary, everyone should be using only one Apple account on all devices they own.

Avery Label Template for Apple Pages users

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For anyone who needs to print their own address labels using Pages on their Mac, I have made a template that is available for download here –> avery-5160-template. Templates for Avery labels can also be found on Avery’s website, however, they are all provided in Microsoft Word format, and they don’t translate well into Apple’s Pages application. Mac users have long been able to print address labels using the Contacts application by creating a Group, but there is no automated way to print return address labels. So this template is home-made, it works great, and it’s yours for the taking if you need a return address label template (it works for regular address labels as well). This template fits Avery labels 5160, a standard and popular size for address labels. Please note that many Avery label stocks have different numbers due to label colors, etc., but many of these labels still use the standard 5160 label template, which is always noted on the label packaging. You can purchase these labels at any office supply store. Happy labeling!

 

After clicking the link to download the template, be sure to find it in your Downloads folder. Your Downloads folder can be usually be found by opening the Finder (blue happy face icon), and then locating Downloads in the left side bar of the window that opens. Good luck :o)