How to Make an Alias (Shortcut) on a Mac
Matt Cone January 7, 2021
If you’ve ever wished you could have a single folder in two different places at once, you should consider creating an alias, which is known as a shortcut on Windows-based operating systems. An alias looks like a folder, but when you double click it, you open the actual folder it points to. It’s literally a shortcut to a different directory on your Mac. Many people create aliases for their most commonly used folders, such as Documents or Applications, and move those aliases to the Desktop.
How to Kill a Process on Your Mac
Matt Cone January 7, 2021
In a previous tutorial, we discussed how to force quit Mac apps. That procedure works in most situations, but sometimes the hidden components of an application, referred to processes, can stop responding and slow your Mac down. Fortunately, you can use the Activity Monitor application that comes with every Mac to stop, or kill, processes on your Mac. Here’s how to kill a process on your Mac: Open the Activity Monitor application (it’s in Applications → Utilities).
How to Find Your iPhone's Serial Number
Matt Cone January 7, 2021
Every iPhone is assigned a unique serial number. This isn’t something you’ll need to know under normal circumstances, but if you ever need to check your AppleCare status or have Apple repair your iPhone, you’ll need to provide them with your iPhone’s serial number. Here’s how to find your iPhone’s serial number: From the iPhone’s home screen, tap Settings. Tap General, and then tap About. Your iPhone’s serial number is displayed at the top of the page, as shown above.
How to Find Your iPhone's IMEI Number
Matt Cone January 7, 2021
Your iPhone has a unique identifier known as an IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity number. This isn’t information you’ll need under normal circumstances, but this number can be used to unlock your iPhone and activate it with a different mobile carrier. You’ll need the IMEI number to unlock the iPhone and switch carriers. Here’s how to find your iPhone’s IMEI number: From the iPhone’s home screen, tap Settings.
How to Check Your Apple Bluetooth Keyboard's Battery Life
Matt Cone January 7, 2021
The Apple Bluetooth keyboard is one of those rare, indispensable devices I couldn’t live without. It’s wireless, it’s portable, and I love typing on it. There’s only one problem: When the keyboard’s batteries run out of juice, it stops working. This can be an issue when I’m working away from home or trying to meet a tight deadline. Fortunately, there’s a quick way to check the keyboard’s remaining battery life. Here’s how to do it:
Set Your iPhone's Clock to 24-Hour Time
Matt Cone January 6, 2021
Many people use a 24-hour clock, also known as “military time,” to keep track of time. This is the most commonly used time notation in the world today, and it’s the international standard notation for time of day. The 24-hour clock is especially popular in military and health care environments. Here’s how to set your iPhone’s clock to 24-hour time (military time): From the iPhone’s home screen, tap Settings.
How to Find Your iPhone's IP Address
Matt Cone January 6, 2021
Your iPhone is assigned something called an IP address when it connects to a Wi-Fi network. Other devices that are connected to the same Wi-Fi network can use this unique identifier to transfer information to and from your iPhone. If this sounds confusing, it might help to think of an IP address as your iPhone’s home address. Just like physical mail, which is routed to your home via a unique address, digital information is routed to your iPhone using an IP address.
How to Turn Off Amber Alerts on your iPhone
Matt Cone January 5, 2021
By default, your iPhone will automatically notify you when local authorities issue an Amber alert or other public safety notification. These Amber alerts can be really annoying! They always seem to be sent at the most inconvenient times and the alert sound is absolutely horrendous. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to disable Amber alerts and public safety notifications. Here’s how to turn off Amber alerts on your iPhone: From the home screen, tap Settings.
How to Output Stereo Audio in Mono
Matt Cone January 5, 2021
Recently I replaced my aging Bose QC25 headphones with a pair of AirPods Pro headphones. Both products are a major upgrade from the stock earbuds that ship with iPhones, but the high-quality audio output also means that you can hear every imperfection in the music. For example, older tracks that were recorded in mono sometimes have output that is only audible in one channel, which means that you can only hear the music in one ear.
How to Force Quit Mac Apps
Matt Cone January 4, 2021
Under normal circumstances, you can quit applications on your Mac by pressing the Command and Q keys or selecting Quit from the application’s menu. But sometimes an application is frozen and just won’t quit. When that happens, you can force quit the application on your Mac to completely close it. Here’s how to force quit Mac apps: From the Apple menu, select Force Quit. The window shown below appears.