You might (or might not) know about using a VPN to keep your Mac secure. But did you know you can also use a VPN on your iPhone? Here’s how to set one up.
Tips
![How To Use Email Aliases In Apple Mail [Update]](https://www.macobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/macbook_apple-mail02.webp)
How To Use Email Aliases In Apple Mail [Update]
At some point in your life, you might find yourself juggling multiple email addresses. Maybe you have several personal addresses, or a personal address and a work address. In any case, it can be a bit of a hassle to manage all of them. A way to solve this is to use an email alias. [Updated for clarity when setting up aliases in the web version of Mail on iCloud.com]
Here's How to Set the Apple TV Remote to Not Launch the TV App
Apple released iOS 10.2 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch on Monday with support for the new TV app, and a matching update rolled out for the fourth generation Apple TV, too. That’s pretty cool, unless you aren’t watching any channels the TV app supports. If that’s you, then tapping the Home button on your Apple TV remote doesn’t need to take you right to the TV app. If that’s you, here’s how to change the remote back so it takes you to the Home screen.
Apple Watch: Editing Your Workout Screen
Today’s Quick Tip is about working out with your Apple Watch. You can make your workout view look any way you’d like, so whether you’re a statistics person or a “one thing at a time” type, you’ll get what you want. We’ll also show you how to customize each kind of workout!
For Geeks Only: Hey Alexa, Tell Sonos to Play Stevie Wonder in the Kitchen
Sonos and Amazon jointly announced their Alexa integration earlier this year and the world rejoiced. Voice control of your Sonos system is one of those holy grails. The integration is expected to be available at some point in 2017. But I’m an impatient geek so, while I’m waiting for official support to be available, I spent an hour yesterday getting this working using freely-available open-source tools. You can do this, too, and I’ll walk you through what you’re doing and how to get started.
macOS: Archiving a Time Capsule
This Quick Tip is about making a backup…of your backup. So if you’re super-paranoid about your file archives, you can make sure that your Time Capsule’s historical data is saved in multiple locations. Hey, where backups are concerned, we think paranoia is good, so come read all about it!
macOS: Saving Out Messages Conversations
Got some incriminating text messages you’d like to save? Or maybe you don’t want to blackmail your friends and would just like to keep a certain conversation forever and ever? This Quick Tip is for you in either case. We’ll discuss how to save out a single Messages conversation on your Mac!
How to Show the User Library Folder in macOS Sierra
Can’t find your user Library folder in macOS Sierra? There are workarounds to temporarily reveal it, but here’s a quick tip to make the user Library folder show up in Finder, and stay there.
macOS: Four Quick Ways to Find and Open Files
Today’s Quick Tip will give you tricks on finding and opening files within macOS. If you’ve ever wondered what the fastest ways are to do that, then this article’s for you! (Or heck, if you just want to tell us in the comments that we forgot your favorite method, then that’s fine too.)
How to Show the Virtual On-Screen Keyboard Viewer in macOS Sierra
Mac Geek Gab listener Bruce recently upgraded to Sierra and noticed that one of his favorite features, the Mac’s virtual on-screen keyboard, was missing. Thankfully, Apple hasn’t removed the Keyboard Viewer, it’s just hiding in a new location. Here’s how to access it!
macOS Sierra: Launching Apps from Unidentified Developers
macOS Sierra wants to keep you safe from apps that might not have your best interests at heart, say like, ransomware that locks you out of your files until you pay out a couple bitcoin. But what about the apps Sierra won’t let you launch that you know are safe? There’s a fix for that once you know where to look.
Quickly Close a New Safari Tab With a Swipe
Most Mac users know how to close a new Safari tab with the mouse or via a keyboard shortcut, but Mac Geek Gab listener Dale discovered a lesser known method via a swipe gesture. Here’s how it works.
Stop Safari From Launching iTunes and the App Store With a Free Extension
When you visit an iTunes or App Store website link in Safari, those apps automatically launch. While this makes it easy to find and download content, many users don’t want apps popping up all over their Mac. Here’s a free Safari extension that can solve this problem.
How to Check if Your iPhone 6s is Eligible for Apple's Free Battery Service Program
Is your iPhone 6s unexpectedly shutting down, even when you have plenty of battery charge left? If so, your device may be suffering from a known battery issue, and Apple is now willing to repair affected devices for free. Here’s how to check if your iPhone 6s is eligible.
Podcasters: How to Log Chapter Timestamps with Keyboard Maestro
Many podcasters – and especially podcast listeners – have come to appreciate having chapters in podcast episodes. Putting chapters into a show can be a real chore for podcasters, though, especially for a show that’s recorded live. For all the podcasts I host, I employ a few Keyboard Maestro macros that, used together, allow me to have an internal clock running that simply pastes the existing timestamp wherever my cursor is. Here’s how I do it… and a download link to the macros I’ve already created for you!
iOS 10 Mail: New "Organize by Thread" Options
If you like organizing the emails on your iPad or iPhone by thread, then iOS 10’s got a couple of handy new choices for you. In this Quick Tip, we’ll go over them (and we’ll also cover what threading looks like if you’re unfamiliar with it!).
Disarming and Deleting Calendar Spam Without Auto-Notifying the Spammer
Calendar spam is now a thing. Bryan Chaffin shows you how to disarm calendar spam. More importantly, he shows you how to delete calendar spam without auto-notifying the spammer.
macOS Sierra: Enabling Your Mac's Firewall and Stealth Mode
Your Mac is pretty safe on your private home network, but what about when you’re surfing the Web in coffee shops? Anyone with a computer and rudimentary hacking skills could target you, which is why it’s important to make sure your Mac’s built-in firewall is enabled—and that Stealth Mode is turned on, too. Read on to learn how.
iOS and watchOS: Seeing Historical Heart Rate Data
Today’s Quick Tip is all about using the iPhone’s Health app to view collected heart rate data from your Apple Watch. If you’ve never looked through that info, then boy, are you gonna be surprised at how much you can see! It’s a little nuts, to be honest.
Wi-Fi Mesh Systems Compared: eero, Orbi, AmpliFi
The future of home Wi-Fi is mesh networking, a new approach to consumer wireless networks that includes smart management and multiple radios designed to handle the load of today’s gadgets. If you’ve been fighting with range extenders and other solutions to broaden your Wi-Fi coverage and keep your streams alive, you can now stop all that silliness and blanket your home with Wi-Fi. The future is here, and that future is mesh networking.
iOS 10: Deleting Previous Handwritten Messages
If you haven’t tried out iOS 10’s new handwriting mode in Messages, you’re gonna want to check out today’s Quick Tip. We’ll cover not only how to use this feature but how to erase the (potentially embarrassing) things you’ve drawn!
iOS: Shake to Undo on iPhone and iPad, and How to Turn it Off
Did you know you can shake your iPhone to undo many of your most-recent tasks? The reality is that many of us do know this, but everyone I’ve talked to—including me—forgets it. Some people will find it handy, though, so let’s take a look at it. For those who don’t like it, Bryan Chaffin will show you how to turn it off.
iOS 10: Drawing on Your Pictures in Messages
If you liked Melissa Holt’s Quick Tip about using Photos on the Mac to mark up images, then you’re gonna need to check out this one too. Wanna annoy your friends and family by drawing on the pictures you send them through Messages? Sure you do, and we’ll tell you how!
iOS 10 Maps: Adding Pit Stops Along Your Route
Today’s Quick Tip is about how to use the redesigned Maps app to get directions along your route, so you can stop at a gas station or grab coffee when you’re already navigating somewhere. This feature will even help you figure out how much time making a pit stop will add to your trip, so come find out how to use it!
