Author: MyMacBlog

Welcome to 2025! With the new year comes a fresh start, time to say goodbye to yesterday. And because your computer’s hard drive has a finite amount of space available, the first of the year is a good time to clean things up when it comes to the data on your computer. And this goes for your email as well. 

First thing you’re going to need is an external hard drive, preferably a solid state (SSD) model, although if you have an old school type lurking about, that will do the trick. Once you copy your data to the external drive, plan on putting in a secure place, such as a safe or lockbox.

OK, so the best way to back up data is to copy your entire “home” folder onto a backup drive. Not only will that copy all the files on your Desktop, Documents, and Downloads folders, it will back up your Library folder, which contains your browser settings, your email (whether you use Apple’s Mail program or Outlook), and other miscellaneous items, such as Quicken files, among others. Your “home” folder (which usually named after you) is found inside the Users folder, which is found in the top level of your hard drive, which is named “Macintosh HD” by default. 

*Important note: If you have multiple user accounts on the computer, you will want to back up ALL the different “home” folders found within the Users folder. 

To back up your “home” folder, plug in the external hard drive and allow it to mount. Depending on how you have your finder settings enable it may appear on the desktop. If it does, double click it and drag your home folder onto it. If it doesn’t appear on the desktop, open a new finder window (Command-N) and look for it in the sidebar of the window. Best practice dictates that you first create a new folder on the external drive with the date of the transfer. 

*More important notes: If you’re using the external drive for a Time Machine backup, you won’t be able to use it for any additional files, unless you have an older Mac OS. AND if you have any files that you want to copy that are OUTSIDE of your home folder (on the top level of the hard drive, for example), you’ll have to copy those to the external drive after you copy the home folder. Yes, things get more complex as time rolls by…

Keeping your files organized on your computer is as important as keeping stuff organized in your home; it’s good to follow the “a place for everything and everything in its place” as Benjamin Franklin said a few years ago. Ergo, sticking every file you have on your desktop is a dangerous road to travel. Knowing where to store your files (and how to easily access them) is key.

But – I’m often asked about the best way to organize computer files. I’m no digital hoarder, but I’m not a minimalist either. (There is a happy medium!) 

First of all – the only files I keep on my desktop are things that I need right now (such as this Word document and other newsletter files), items that will need my attention shortly, and aliases of couple of folders. The main folder I use (this year, anyway) is called 2024, which resides in my DOCUMENTS folder. I consider “2024” to be my file cabinet, at least for the next 31 days, when it will be replaced with “2025.” (More on that later.)

Inside 2024, there are a series of other folders, with names such as:

• Admin
• Blogging
• House & Home
• Finances
• Medical
• Work

(Among many others)

So – every file I create finds a home in one of these folders, all of which reside inside of 2024, as mentioned previously.  Note that these folders can also contain subfolders – for example FINANCES has a TAX folder and a BUSINESS RECIPETS folder, among others. And, if for some reason, I have a document that doesn’t fit neatly into any of the top-level folders (or subfolders), I’ll create a new folder. 

Every January 1, I archive the previous year’s folder and lock it away for safe keeping. And I create a new folder for that year. I may be bring some of last year’s data into this year’s folder, such as tax items I’ve accumulated along the way. And my previous year’s data is safe and sound, off of my computer. And, for any reason, I need reference information from previous years, I know exactly where to find it.

Passwords – the bane of many people’s existence. (Including mine!) Sometimes it seems that clients spend 80% of their time chasing down passwords.

Funny thing, but a lot of people don’t even know they have passwords for important things. I often get “I don’t have a password!” when I ask a client to enter their password. (Sorry, but virtually EVERYTHING requires a password these days.) And then there are rules about passwords – how many characters are required, whether it requires any caps, numbers, or special characters, and all that fun stuff, but that’s a subject for a future blog.

But most importantly – how do YOU record your passwords? One tech guy I worked with back in my corporate days had every employee’s password on a sheet of paper. Thumbtacked to the wall of his cube. But it was secure – he tacked it on backwards. (Don’t be that guy!)

But what are the best ways to record your passwords? 

Here is what I have come across in my tech journeys. PLEASE understand that this is an extremely surface level look at this subject – there’s enough here to write a best-selling book on the subject. (Now, that’s a great exit strategy!)

Method: Recording passwords on scraps of paper

Pros: Very accessible to you

Cons: Also accessible to bad actors, easily lost among other clutter

I see lots of this – scraps of paper with passwords scrawled (and crossed off) on them. Probably the most primitive way to handle this issue. Sure, it works, but if the papers get lost, stolen, or not updated the next time you forget a password and need to reset it, it’s a fairly worthless exercise. Plus, you’re always one coffee or red wine spill away from disaster.

Bottom line: You can do better than that! Move on to a more sophisticated method.

Method: Using a notebook

Pros: Very accessible, easier to organize than scraps of paper

Cons: Can find its way into the wrong hands (if you’re not careful), easily misplaced

The next level up on the food chain, the notebook is yet another popular method for storing passwords. The pros and cons are the same as the scraps example listed above, but at least they’re all in one place. More organized. And easier to hide or lock up. 

Bottom Line: Not the best way to handle things, but not the worst, either. 

Method: Spreadsheet

Pros: Reasonably safe, as long as you secure it with a password

Cons: If your computer goes down without a backup, you’re hosed – same answer if you forget the password to the file

Making a spreadsheet with your passwords is one decent way to save them. Simply create an Excel (or Numbers) spreadsheet, put a column in for your usernames, one for passwords, one (or more) for security questions, and one for the recovery phone number and/or recovery email you’ve established. Then secure the spreadsheet with a password. (Which means you have a password to access your passwords.) Just don’t forget the master password, or else you’re in big trouble. 

Bottom Line: A step in the right direction – at least you have the ability to lock it up!

Method: Allowing your browser to save passwords

Pros: Very convenient – it’s a “set and forget” scenario

Cons: Can be spread across your devices via an account, can be lost if your computer crashes without a backup of your Library folder, and it’s vulnerable to security breaches at the tech company that hosts your data

All the browsers out there have the option to “save your logins” within. A good idea in theory, but, for illustration’s sake, let’s look at doing this using Google Chrome. 

If you elect to save your passwords within Chrome, take note whether you’re “signed in” with a Google account – look in the upper right corner of a Chrome window to see if that’s the case. If you are, your passwords are being synced to all your devices that are also signed into that particular Google account. This is very convenient, as most of us own multiple devices, but there’s a downside – meaning your data is residing on somebody else’s server. 

Now, most of us have no lost love for Google, but on the flip side, it IS a top-tier company, and it takes security very seriously. Firefox (Mozilla) and Safari (Apple) also have similar functionality and security practices. Yes, all of these tech firms probably encrypt user data and are very secure, but you must understand that once you engage in this practice, a lot of this is out of your control. 

Bottom line: If you opt to save within your browser, decide how much you trust these big tech players with your data if you do elect to sync. 

Method: Password managers

Pros:  Makes password management simple, your data is encrypted 

Cons: Prone to tech issues, possibility of being hacked, single point of failure

There are a bunch of password manager software programs (a.k.a. apps) out there – designed to save (and possibly sync between devices) your passwords. The most popular ones are DashLane and 1Password, but there are scores of others, and most of them are pretty similar in features. The gist of password managers is that they remember usernames, passwords, and (in most cases) answers to security questions, and have a browser extension that allows autofill of your information. Most of them have two-tier options; a lower tier works on one device only, and a premium tier that syncs across all of your devices. Which brings to mind the sync issue described in the “save within browser” section above. Just check out what happened to LastPass a couple of years ago.

Bottom Line: With password managers, you must understand that you’re trading security for convenience. 

And now what NOT to do: NEVER allow any of your other sites (Facebook namely, but X as well, and [insert big tech firm name here] – which means NONE of them!) to save your logins! Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk both talk a big game about their companies, but do you really want one of those out-of-touch tech titans to have access to your data?

Let’s put it this way: I’m sure you know somebody who got their Facebook account hacked. How much help was Facebook? Does it have a number you can call? Perhaps an online chat or email that solved those issues? NO, to all of the above. Never trust your data with a company you can’t contact.  

Final tip: No matter what method you employ, when changing a password, make sure you mark the date you’ve changed it. (And expunge the previous password in your records!)

Released in mid-September, macOS 15 (Sequoia) has the most useful features of any Mac OS version of the last few years. The good news is that it delivers an entire host of useful features (plus some non-essential ones), but on the flip side, it’s only compatible with fairly recent Mac models, making it a non-issue for users with older Macs. If your Mac supports macOS 14 (Sonoma), it will run Sequoia (with the notable exception of pre-2020 MacBook Air laptops).

And, as expected, there are plenty of “cute” additions, bells and whistles, things that nobody ever uses (or cares about – new emojis, I’m talking to you!), but c’est la vie, these have become expected from our friends over in Cupertino. But all the fluff is.  outweighed by the addition of the useful new features. 

The five best new features of macOS Sequoia:

iPhone Mirroring 

This feature (actually a new app included in the OS update) allows you to control your iPhone from your Mac. Which is an extremely useful feature when it comes to troubleshooting your iPhone remotely. In iPhone Mirroring, you can use your Mac input devices (mouse, keyboard, trackpad) to control your iPhone. 

Of course, there are conditions. Not only does the Mac have to be upgraded to Sequoia, but the iPhone also has to be running iOS 18. And the iPhone must be signed in to the same Apple Account as the Mac. I’m finding this a little quirky in my tests, but I’m sure the big brains at Apple will get those bugs straightened out sooner rather than later. Hopefully.

Passwords App

Another new app, Passwords, was also included in the OS update. Gone are the days of messing around with Keychain, a semi-helpful item hidden in the Utilities folders. (Where is the Utilities folder?) Back then, all sorts of encryption keys and other non-useful stuff clogged up Keychain; in Sequoia, Keychain has been expunged. 

Now the user-friendly Passwords app looks to take on rival password managers, namely 1Password, Dashlane, Keeper, and LastPass (which has had its own share of trouble). 

Notes Upgrades

The Notes app has been part of the Mac OS since way-back-when, but with the release of Sequoia, there are some serious upgrades.  These include:

• Collapsable Sections: You can now collapse sections of notes, as long as they’ve been created under a “heading” within the note.

• Highlighting: Now, Notes allows texts in colors other than black. Five colors – pink, purple mint, blue, and orange – have been added. (Henry Ford be damned!)

• Recording and Transcribing: Notes now has a built-in audio recording feature, allowing you to compose (and transcribe) audio notes. This function does not replace Voice Memos, which is still available on the Mac and iPhone. 

Window Title Bar Options

This feature allows you customize what happens when you double click on the title bar of a window. In System Settings > Desktop & Dock, you have the option to fill the screen, zoom, or minimize. Or do nothing, if you have trouble making decisions. 

Calculator Upgrades

Similar to Notes, the calculator has been part of the Mac OS for a couple of light years. Way longer, as a matter of fact. In Sequoia, you know have the option to switch between Basic, Scientific, and Programmer calculators, as well as a whole host of conversions, using the Convert option.

These, and plenty more upgrades are all functions of the Sequoia OS. There are also plans for Apple Intelligence to be integrated into this (and iOS 18), but, for the most part, that is going to be included in an incremental upgrade. Stay tuned.  

Apple is holding its next event (Glowtime) on Monday, September 9^th, at 1 PM EST, which, of course, you can watch either live, or via a replay. If you have an Apple TV streaming media player (using the Apple TV app), you can watch it on there, or on any internet-connected device here. 

There are plenty of podcasts, articles, and other news outlets with full-time tech reporters that will give you the entire rundown on what’s the latest from Cupertino; but here, I’ll distill it down to what’s new and why you would want it. The iPhone 16 will no doubt be the centerpiece of the event. What’s better about the iPhone 16?

• Slightly larger screen size (for the Pro and Max series)
• Ability to run “Apple Intelligence” (more on that later)
• “Action Button” as introduced on the iPhone 15 last year
• Camera upgrade
• More color choices

Other upgrades/new versions expected to be announced:

• Apple Watch (Series 10 & Ultra 3)
• AirPods 4 (should be the entry-level standard, replacing AirPods 2 & 3)

In addition, some new software upgrades are expected:

• iOS 18 (the long-rumored Apple intelligence will have to wait until the iOS 18.1 update*
• watchOS 11
• MacOS 15 Sequoia

There are three other hardware rumors, both legacy products getting upgrades: iPad mini, AirPods Pro, and a long shot, a totally redesigned Mac mini computer, the latter of which interests me the most. Along with the iPhone 16 pro.

*iOS 18 will be backwards compatible with the iPhone 15 – not any previous models

 iCloud – something that continually confuses users. What is it? Is it good? Is it bad? What does it cost? Is it something that I really need? All the questions, all the time!

OK, to put it simply, iCloud is a service. It’s a service that allows you to sync data (and photos) between devices, back up your data (and photos) to the cloud, and more. There is a free version and a paid tier. 

If there is one takeaway you get from all of this – it’s that iCloud is a SERVICE. It’s Apple’s cloud platform, one that built into every modern Apple device. 

In iCloud, you can sync your data* between devices, including:

• Photos
• Files
• Notes
• Passwords
• Contacts
• Calendars
• Mail (if you opt for an @icloud.com account)

* Sync your data means that all the information that is shared between your devices automatically updated on all devices when changed on one of them. Useful for contacts, calendars, notes, and more.

It also allows you to back up your iOS devices (iPad and iPhone) to the cloud.  Helpful in the event your device gets lost or damaged, you can restore your data onto the replacement device and get on with your day. Simply enable iCloud on the new device, and all your data comes flowing in like water. 

The “Find My” feature helps locate misplaced devices and allows you to track family members. 

One thing in the liability column that Apple could easily improve upon; users are only allocated a Scrooge-like 5 GB for free. After that is gobbled up, you have to pay to play. And you should also understand most of these features are also available from competitors in the same space (namely Google, but there are others), but the hook is that all of these are seamless throughout the Apple ecosystem.

Understand that this is only touching on the most important (read: useful) aspects of iCloud. There’s an entire “family sharing” function, iCloud Private Relay (a fancy way of encrypting data), Hide My Email, HomeKit Secure Video, and more – things most users don’t bother with.

Like most other things in life, your email is subject to physical limitations. Sure, it’s hard to imagine that these 1s and 0s take up any space at all, but they sure do. Now also understand that your email provider (which could be Google, Optimum, Apple, or any number of other services) gives you a finite amount of space to store your mail on its server. These numbers vary, from a stingy 5 GB from Apple (iCloud) to a more generous 15 GB from Google (Gmail). Of course, you always have the option to buy more storage. Note that this extra storage is NOT on your computer, but the amount of space allocated to your account on your mail provider’s server.

So why does all this matter? 

It matters, because, if you go “over quota,” your email will no longer be functional. And then you’ll find yourself scrambling to free up some space or buy more storage from your provider. (Note that not all providers – including Optimum – offer this option.) 

So how exactly do email messages take up space?

Generally, email messages are tiny, at least in the big scope of things. However, once attachments are factored in, these can hog up the space you’re dished out. And understand that sent messages, junk email messages, the trash folder in your mail client, and the infamous “Archive” or “All Mail” folders, both evil locations where your email messages from the year one are stored.

So, what do you do when you receive the dreaded “running out of space” message?

First of all, you need to act quickly! If you go over the line, not only will you be unable to send email messages, but you also won’t be able to receive them as well. And far worse, the emails that people send when you’re down won’t be waiting there when things are back on track. 

So, first thing, is to empty your junk folder. And then empty your email’s trash. (Which is different from your computer’s trash.) After that, you can start cleaning out your inbox and sent folders (as well as the Archives folder) and again, emptying your mail client’s trash along the way. Pro tip: If you need to delete blocks of emails at one time, sort by “sender” so you can get rid of all the Groupon and CVS emails you never opened. 

So, here’s (my) definition of “junk mail” – it’s email from senders you didn’t give permission to receive messages from. CVS, J. Crew, Whole Foods? If you’re getting email from these types of senders, they’re NOT junk – even if they annoy you. They’re just legitimate businesses, sending you email that you approved of! Any of those types of email messages have an “unsubscribe” link at the bottom – if you don’t want to hear from them, then unsubscribe!

So, a quick recap: Email that is obviously a scam, OR messages from senders you never gave permission to: Junk mail.

Email from legitimate businesses that you signed up for or have dealt with: Marketing email.

To eliminate FUTURE sends of email from legitimate senders: Use the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the email. As far as standard junk mail goes, just grin and bear it, and delete it when it comes in. No use fighting it – it’s like emptying a swimming pool with a teacup.

And as far as political email (and text) goes: Once you donate, it’s like feeding a stray animal – it’ll keep coming back for more. And tell all its friends as well. That’s the peril of giving money to politicians.

OK, I sound like a broken record (as the old folks used to say), BACK UP YOUR DATA!

But why?

For one reason, most of your “stuff” is digitally based these days, so instead of making paper copies like people did in ancient times (pre-1999), it’s all on the computer. And since I’ve been doing this for a few years, and good enough at it so I can still afford to live here without having to drive Uber in the evenings, I can definitely tell you about how important it is to BACK UP YOUR DATA! Because I’ve seen more than a few tears shed from clients about lost data, that’s why. I have a degree in psychology AND one in journalism, so I’m qualified to deal with those issues as well as write about them. So, what’s the best way to back up your data?

Local backup: A local backup is the simplest method to back up your data. It’s simply connecting a hard drive to your computer and using software to make a copy of your data onto the hard drive. The Mac OS has built-in software, Time Machine, which is a “set and forget” type of thing. You configure it once, and as long as the hard drive remains connected to the computer and it doesn’t get filled to capacity, it will back your data up on a regular interval.

A great advantage of using Time Machine is that you are able to recover data from any number of dates – for example, if you deleted a document (or need an earlier version of one), you can navigate back to the date of the backup you want and easily restore it to your computer. One drawback of this Time Machine: Laptop users don’t like having a drive tethered to their computer all the time, so the practice is often abandoned.

Network Attached Storage: Similar to a local backup and one level up is Network Attached Storage (NAS). A NAS device is essentially a hard disk, but rather than being attached directly to your computer, it’s a network drive that allows multiple users to back up data without the nuisance of connecting a hard drive. Back in the day, Apple produced a line of Wi-Fi networking gear (AirPort), one of which had a storage device attached. Sadly, that era is gone, but there are plenty of network attached storage options out there. Most NAS units are compatible with Time Machine, but there is one disadvantage; they can be a pain to properly configure.

Cloud backup services: There are a bunch of services that will automatically back up your computer to the cloud – Carbonite, Backblaze, and Sync.com among others – and they can add a second line of defense to your data. It’s a pay to play deal, you subscribe to the service, install the software, and off you go. Sounds seamless, but Carbonite, the most popular choice here, can be cranky and unpredictable on Macs (don’t know how well it performs on Windows machines), often going into “disabled” mode for no apparent reason. And moving subscriptions between computers is a whole dog and pony show, with the company having to terminate your old account and open a new one. Files seem relatively easy to recover, but if your entire computer needs to be restored, it’s not going to happen quickly. In short, this should NOT be used as your only backup, but as a secondary one.

Other cloud services: Dropbox, iCloud, and Google Drive lead the charge here – consumer-friendly cloud services. Not so much of a backup service as it is a sync and file sharing method. All these services have a free version and a paid tier, and, of course, the paid tier allotting more storage space. I’ve worked in recovering legacy files from Dropbox (paid tier), and it was slight pain, but workable. I see Dropbox and Google Drive being used more in collaboration scenarios, where a group of users need to access the same documents.

And even more: Although I listed iCloud in the section above, I find it to really be a personal thing, for syncing your own data. It’s Apple’s version of Dropbox, although it has many more features than the other cloud services. There are others that fall into this category, generally ones that are application-specific; OneDrive by Microsoft and Creative Cloud Storage by Adobe, although the latter is making some changes to its terms.

Does your crystal ball tell you that a new computer is in your future?

I get asked (all the time!) about when is the best time to buy a new computer – and I usually give the same answer: Think of it like a car, when it’s time to get a new one, you’ll know. Not exactly rocket science, but I like to think I’m pretty good about suggesting when. But it’s the what that requires me to put on my detective hat and start asking questions.

Now besides the cost of the new computer and any related expenses (for a quick refresher, read my blog post from July 2021), there is the small matter of deciding what model/configuration is best for you.

First thing to ask yourself: Laptop or desktop model? That’s a question only you can answer, it’s all a matter of how, where, and when you plan on using your computer. Of course, once you’ve answered that, you have sub-questions to answer. If you decided on a laptop, there are many choices below that: MacBook Pro or MacBook Air? Screen size? What processor? If a desktop model is in your future, then your choices are a bit narrower. It’s pretty much a 24” iMac (sorry, the 27” is no longer produced) or a Mac mini, a computer that you must add a third-party display to in order for it to be functional. (Most users aren’t going to go with a Mac Studio or Mac Pro.)

My best advice here: Ask yourself how you’re going to use the computer. On the go? Laptop. At home? Desktop. Then decide how you’re going to customize it. Gone are the days when you could easily add RAM or a larger hard drive, so plan accordingly. As far as RAM goes, Apple gives a minimum of 8 GB, which is fine for basic tasks (word processing, email, web surfing, etc.), but if you’re doing anything more processor intensive (audio or video editing, graphic arts, etc.), you’ll want to bump that up a level or two. Ditto for the processor, which you can think of as horsepower (to continue with the car analogy), the higher number, the more power.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, internal storage size (the device formerly known as hard drive capacity) should be gauged before pulling the trigger. Since modern internal storage is now solid state and no longer the old-school spinning disks and all that fun stuff, the capacity offered is usually less than on the computer you purchased a decade ago. Of course, these days, so much media is streaming, so users tend to have less music and fewer movies saved on the computer. But before whipping out your credit card, determine how much data is being stored on your computer. Then buy one with an equal (or larger) storage capacity. Think of it like renting a dumpster – decide what size you think you need, and then end up getting the largest one available anyway. I’ve never met a user who said “wow, I wish I had less space on my computer!”