NEW 15-INCH MACBOOK AIR: THE BEST GETS BIGGER

AUGUST 2023

APPLE’S
FUTURE
IS NOW
A REALITY

APPLE
VISION
PRO
PLUS: WHY THE
MAC WAS THE
REAL HERO
AT WWDC
 ION OF STA
IAT TE
OC
SS

FO
NATIONAL A

RE
STERS

FO 0
U N D E D 192
 I N C O R P O R AT I N G M A C U S E R
AUGUST 2023 CONTENTS
Apple Vision Pro 38
15-inch MacBook Air review 52
COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF APPLE
MACUSER
The Mac was the real hero of WWDC 7
Apple needs the M2 Ultra Mac Pro more
than we do 11
The new Apple silicon Mac Pro is both
cheaper and more expensive 13
Apple is already testing a faster 15-inch
MacBook Air with an M3 chip 15
Apple Vision Pro will replace the Mac long
before the iPhone 17
MacUser Reviews 21
Hot Stuff 25
iOSCENTRAL
How Screen Time can keep your iPhone
and iCloud accounts safe from thieves 29
If you have an iPhone 8 or iPhone X, you
should probably sell it now 32
iPhone SE won’t arrive until 2025 34
Apple Pencil could have Find My 36
WORKINGMAC
Using a Mac with a broken display 59
How to share a mouse and keyboard
between multiple Macs and iPads 62
How to enhance your network security
with private Wi-Fi network addresses 69
Connect two Macs without a network 72
PLAYLIST
Change Airplay password 79
How to prep a HomePod for sale 81
AirPods noise cancellation is about to
become a lot smarter 83
Review: Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 85
Review: Beats Studio Buds + 92
HELPDESK
Stop Safari’s smooth scrolling; set up an
Apple ID with a trusted phone number;
find your Media Access Control address
for configuring router settings; copy your
Photos library from one Mac to another 97
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 3
MASTHEAD

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Matt Egan

EDITOR IN CHIEF, CONSUMER BRANDS Jon Phillips
DESIGN DIRECTOR Robert Schultz
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Michael Simon

Editorial
SENIOR EDITOR Roman Loyola
STAFF WRITER Jason Cross
SENIOR CONTRIBUTORS Glenn Fleishman, Rob Griffiths,
Joe Kissell, Kirk McElhearn, John Moltz, Dan Moren, Jason Snell
COPY EDITOR Gail Nelson-Bonebrake

Design
ART DIRECTOR Steve Traynor
DESIGNER Rob Woodcock

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INTERNATIONAL DATA GROUP CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Walter Boyd
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Kumaran Ramanathan

4 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

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AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 5

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MACUSER News and analysis about
Macs, macOS, and Apple

Why the Mac, not Apple Vision Pro,

was the real hero of WWDC
Apple’s Mac announcements were huge news.
BY JASON SNELL

I
get it. You’re excited and/or angry about
the $3,500 headset Apple might sell
you next year if you’re in the right
country. It’s worth getting excited about
(fave.co/3NqvgpK). But in terms of real-
world, right-now impact, the surprise
winner of the Worldwide Developers
Conference 2023 keynote in early June
was…wait for it…the Mac!
I would never have imagined it, but it’s
true: Apple’s Mac announcements were
huge news, despite being overshadowed
by shiny future products and platforms that
won’t let anyone do anything until 2024.
MACBOOK AIR +2
While I’m acting all contrarian, let me
double down. The most important Mac

IMAGE: APPLE AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 7

 MACUSER T HE M AC WAS TH E H E R O OF W WD C
announcement wasn’t the upgraded Mac
Studio (fave.co/46dBzpf) or the Mac Pro
(fave.co/3PsFA2Z), the final piece of the
Apple silicon puzzle. It was the humble
MacBook Air (fave.co/3Jtx9AW).
As Apple enjoys pointing out, the
13-inch M2 MacBook Air (fave.co/3zbn71l)
is a hit. Apple says it’s the best-selling
laptop around, and even if you accept that
Apple’s competitors are selling 30
different models while Apple sells only a
handful, it’s still a real accomplishment.
The MacBook Air’s combination of power
and affordability is pretty much unmatched.
This leads us to Apple’s biggest laptop
weakness, at least until this June’s
announcements: If you wanted a larger
screen than that 13-inch display, you had to
pay $800 more for the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Apple says its 13-inch M2 MacBook Air is the best-selling
laptop around.
8 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
And if you wanted an appreciably larger
display, you had to pay $1,300 more for the
16-inch MacBook Pro (fave.co/3ETaZ8Q). The
MacBook Pro is an incredibly powerful
computer with a best-in-the-world display,
but even its dedicated fans would probably
admit that buying one is overkill if all you
really want is a slightly bigger display.
Now here comes the new 15-inch
MacBook Air, bringing more pixels to the
party for a mere $200 premium over the
13-inch model. (And let’s not forget the
16-inch MacBook Pro also weighs 1.4
pounds more than the 15-inch Air, so not
only will your credit card feel better, but so
will your back.) I guess you could argue
that by offering the 15-inch Air, Apple is
going to lose some sales from people so
desperate for more screen real estate that
they were willing to buy a
MacBook Pro, but I think it’s
far more likely that Apple
was losing sales to 15-inch
PC laptops, or selling
13-inch MacBook Airs to
people who were unhappy
about having to make a
compromise on the size of
the screen.
If you read closely
between the lines of
Apple’s announcement at
WWDC, you can see that
the company is positively
salivating about the prospect
of entering a large 15-inch
laptop market currently
occupied by a lot of Windows
PCs. Apple is suddenly
relevant in that category, and
it would like to kindly point
out that macOS works really
well with that iPhone in your
pocket. I’d imagine that Apple
will soon be trumpeting how
many PC switchers it captured
via the 15-inch MacBook Air.
But that’s not all the
MacBook Air goodness! In
what might be the surprise Want a bigger MacBook Air? Now you can finally get one,
move of the year, Apple cut and it’s only an extra $200.
the price of the 13-inch M2
MacBook Air from $1,199 to $1,099. Last I’m going to be a lil’ stinker again: I’m more
year, I think we were all a bit disappointed excited by the announcement of the M2
that Apple couldn’t manage to release the Mac Studio.
M2 Air at the same price as the previous First off, after the iMac Pro came and
M1 model. This year, things look a lot went as a single model, I admit to being
better. (And the M2 13-inch model is now skittish about the potential future of the
$999 in education, a key price point.) Mac Studio. It hadn’t yet received an M2
Let’s reflect on this move for a moment. update, so was it going to ever? And
In an era of inflation, Apple took its most would Apple perceive it as standing in the
popular Mac and cut its price by $100. I way of the Mac Pro, leading the company
sure didn’t have that on my bingo card. to hold it back in order to keep the Mac
Pro firmly established as the top of the
A NEW ERA OF PRO MACS Mac product line?
Rather than dropping a load of confetti and None of that happened. The new Mac
celebrating the end of the Intel Mac era Studio doesn’t just come in an M2 Max
with the announcement of the M2 Mac Pro, base model that, for my money, might be

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 9

 MACUSER T HE M AC WAS TH E H E R O OF W WD C

The Mac Studio isn’t dead, but the crown has to be

is available with shared from now on.
the same M2 Ultra
This is not to say the Mac Pro won’t
chip that’s in the
Mac Pro. have its adherents. If you’re someone who
needs more ports, more internal storage,
PCI cards, and the like—and there are a lot
of people in pro audio and video who
do—then the Mac Pro will be a better
(albeit more expensive) choice. But the
Mac Pro audience keeps getting
increasingly esoteric, and all the other
factors that affect computer performance—
memory, CPU, and GPU—are identical in
both systems.
So all hail the mighty Mac Studio, which
is sharing the throne with that new Mac
the best balance of power and price in the Pro. And three cheers for the new 15-inch
entire Mac product line. It also comes in an MacBook Air and its now more-affordable
M2 Ultra model—the very same chip that 13-inch sibling. Everyone else in the world
powers the new Mac Pro. is talking about the Apple Vision Pro and
To be clear, the new Mac Pro shares the promise of 2024, but all of these new
the title of Fastest Mac Around with the Macs are here right now. ■
M2 Ultra Mac Studio.
They are joint
champions. There is
nothing about the Mac
Studio that’s
compromised to allow
the Mac Pro to eke out
a victory. Both Macs
have enough cooling
to let them run at full
speed, unthrottled, all
of the time. The king The M2 Mac Studio offers the best balance of power and price.

10 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

Apple needs the M2 Ultra Mac Pro
more than we do
The Apple silicon Mac Pro has one job: To keep Apple’s most demanding users from
switching to a PC.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA
A
pple’s transition to Apple
silicon is complete, now that
the Mac Pro (fave.co/
3PsFA2Z) has finally been
unveiled. But the reality is, Apple met its
deadline last year when it rolled out the
Mac Studio—a computer that, for a lot of
customers, filled the role of the Mac Pro
(fave.co/3NLAaiy) as a Mac with the most
processing muscle. In terms of mass
market appeal, Apple was able to
IMAGE: FOUNDRY
provide, within two years, Macs with its
silicon for just about every use case.
The Mac Pro is a computer that very
few customers will actually consider
buying. Apple could have probably
dropped the Mac Pro from the lineup after
the Mac Studio arrived and few would
have complained. But after the 2013 trash
can Mac Pro debacle (fave.co/3G6nBYP),
Apple is uniquely aware that the needs of
those few are extremely important. It’s not
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 11
 MACUSER M 2 U LT RA MAC P RO
just that they need powerful CPUs and
GPUs, PCIe slots for expansion cards, and
support for multiple, high-res displays. It’s
that they want a Mac to do PC things.
That’s why Apple has brought back the
Mac Pro tower design (fave.co/44cIPzR) in
2019—and in fact is still using the same
case for the M2 Ultra model. While it might
be disappointing to us common folks that
the new Mac Pro has the same design as
the Intel model, it didn’t really need to
change. And most importantly, the new
Mac Pro can literally slide into the same
spot as the old Mac Pro, whether it’s on a
desk or in a server rack.
The Mac Pro is the nichest of niches. It
doesn’t sell in enough numbers to
drastically impact Mac sales, and the
companies and users who are buying one
won’t replace it for several years. But in the
PC market where Apple touts the power of
The Mac Pro is the nichest of niche products.
12 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
its silicon, the company needs the Mac Pro
to complete a picture that shows how its
Mac lineup can accommodate users from
the most basic to the most demanding
professional. It needs to satisfy those users
who want a Mac but need a PC.
The Apple silicon Mac Pro is a far cry
from the Intel model it replaces. It costs
$1,000 more at the low end and $40,000
less at the high end. It doesn’t have user-
upgradable RAM. There aren’t any $2,400
graphics card options at checkout. And the
Afterburner card that was a $2,000
upgrade is now standard—and Apple says
the M2 Ultra’s media engine is equal to
seven of those cards.
But the Mac Pro is still the Mac Pro—
and now it’s all Apple inside and out. The
Mac Pro is a bit like the cherry on top of
the delicious ice cream sundae that is the
Mac lineup. Most users who need the
power that a Mac Pro provides can turn to
the Mac Studio, which is available with the
same M2 Ultra chip, memory, and storage.
It comes down to PCI slots, which are
limited to audio and video I/O, networking,
and storage cards. More than ever, the
Mac Pro seems like a superfluous vestige
of old Apple.
But the Mac Pro isn’t a frivolous part of
Apple’s lineup. Even with matching
performance to the Mac Studio, the Mac
Pro has an important role: to keep its most
demanding users from switching. ■
The new Apple silicon Mac Pro is
both cheaper and more expensive
The wheels still cost the same, though.
BY MICHAEL SIMON
A
pple introduced the new Mac
Pro in early June (see page 7),
and much as with the Mac
Studio, it’s hard to tell what’s
changed. As is the case with the Mac mini,
the outside of the Mac Pro is identical to that
of its predecessor.
IMAGE: FOUNDRY
The most obvious difference is the lack
of a graphics card. The Intel Mac Pro
shipped with an AMD Radeon RX 5500X
MPX Module that took up one or two of
the eight PCIe slots, depending on the
configuration. Without that sizable module,
the Mac Pro looks downright empty.
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 13
 MACUSER M 2 U LT RA MAC P RO

purchase or $699 after.

There are six open PCI slots inside the
Mac Pro (two x16 slots and four x8 slots),
but only the highest-end users will fill them
up. Apple limits the Apple silicon Mac Pro
to audio and video I/O, networking, and
storage cards.
Considering that the Mac Pro already
has a pair of 10Gb Ethernet ports and up to
8TB of storage, as well as HDMI support
for up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K
resolution at 240Hz, variable refresh rate,
Visually, the outside of the M2 Ultra Mac HDR, and multichannel audio, there isn’t
Pro is identical to that of its predecessor much the Mac Pro is missing. Other than,
(pictured).
well, about $40,000 in upgrades. ■
You can also see the difference in the
price. The Apple silicon Mac Pro actually
costs a thousand dollars more than the
Intel model, now starting at $6,999. The
reason for the price hike: more storage
(1TB versus 256GB) and RAM (64GB
versus 32GB), as well as the inclusion of
Afterburner-level performance, which was
a $2,000 upgrade on the Intel model. Add
it all up and Apple will tell you you’re
actually saving about a thousand bucks.
At the high end, the Mac Pro is about a
quarter of the price of the most expensive
Intel model. That’s mostly due to an overall
lack of upgrade options—other than RAM
and storage, the only graphics upgrade is
the M2 Ultra with a 76-core GPU for an
At the high end, the Mac Pro is about a
extra $1,000. Oh, and you can still get a set quarter the price of the most expensive Intel
of wheels for your Mac Pro for $400 at model.

14 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

Apple is already testing a faster 15-
inch MacBook Air with an M3 chip
The new model will reportedly arrive in 2024.
BY DAVID PRICE
A
pple only recently announced
the launch of its M2-based
15-inch MacBook Air (fave.
co/42P8JtH), but the company is
already working on the machine’s successor.
A 15-inch Air with an M3 processor is
expected to launch sometime in 2024,
according to prolific leaker Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his “Power On”
newsletter (fave.co/3CJak8p), the
IMAGE: APPLE
Bloomberg reporter responded to
speculation about the choice of
processor in the new Air. The M2 chip,
after all, is already a year old, first
appearing in the 13-inch Pro and Air
laptops announced at WWDC 2022. It
seems like a strange choice for the
machine Apple described in June as “the
world’s best 15-inch laptop” (fave.co/
3Nm3pXx).
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 15
 MACUSER M 3 M AC BO O K A I R

(fave.co/441BDXK). Whereas M2 was a

cautious and incremental upgrade on the
M1, M3 will reportedly adopt the
3-nanometer chip process (in contrast to
the M1 and M2’s 5nm process) and thereby
unlock reduced power consumption and
increased speed. It’s less clear when the
next generation will launch; given that the
mighty and infrequently updated Mac Pro
(fave.co/3KSZPVf) has just been equipped
with M2-gen silicon, our best guess is that
The M2 arrived more than 18 months after the M3 is still about a year away.
the M1. The chip probably won’t land on the
MacBook Air first, however. According to
Realistically it was always possible that Gurman, Apple is working on an M3-based
WWDC 2023 would come too soon for the iMac (fave.co/3Gtkk8f) and a 13-inch
M3, given that the M2 arrived more than 18 MacBook Pro, and the former will likely
months after the M1. (Some pundits launch early in 2024, he predicts. ■
predicted that the cycle would
become annual [fave.co/3Jswxv8],
like the iPhone, but that
supposition was evidently wrong.)
But there have been plenty of
smaller advances since last
summer, including Pro, Max, and
most recently Ultra editions of the
M2 chip. The new 15-inch
MacBook Air doesn’t get access to
any of these, not even as a build-
to-order option, and it may start to
seem like less of a future-proofed
option once 2024 rolls around.
Expectations are high for It’s been reported that Apple’s M3 chip will first appear
Apple silicon’s M3 generation on an iMac.

16 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

Apple Vision Pro will replace the
Mac long before the iPhone
The Apple Vision Pro isn’t meant to be mobile yet. But it’s great for home offices.
BY KAREN HASLAM
W
hile the $3,499 Vision Pro
won’t be available for sale
until next year, Bloomberg’s
Mark Gurman recently
reported that Apple is already working on
a cheaper version (fave.co/3CJak8p). The
news isn’t exactly surprising—Gurman
himself previously reported on Apple’s
IMAGE: APPLE
plans to initially introduce the pricey mixed
reality headset (fave.co/40wN1ca) meant
for developers, with a device meant for the
masses released sometime later.
Gurman covers some of the ways
Apple could cut costs—lower-quality
screens, an older chip, and fewer cameras
among them—though much of the core
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 17
 MACUSER V I SI O N P R O W I L L R E PL AC E MAC

Vision Pro features, including the EyeSight iPhone) could end up replacing the Mac
eye tracking, will likely remain. The a lot sooner.
projected release date for this other
headset is late 2025, only two and a half IT’S NOT REALLY MOBILE
years from now. Gurman doesn’t mention a As it stands now, the Apple Vision Pro isn’t
smaller design, but it’s hard to imagine that a mobile device. This is based on Apple’s
Apple could develop the tech in that own demos an my very limited first-hand
amount of time to make a headset that’s experience (fave.co/3NqvgpK). Of course,
essentially a mobile device. things could change between now and its
That’s the eventual goal, we’ve been official release next year, or when the
told—that Apple’s headset will eventually non-Pro version ships in 2025, but it’s
replace the iPhone. But depending on pretty clear that the dreams of Apple AR
the speed of its design evolution, the glasses are a long way off.
Apple Vision Pro and the Apple Vision Of course, there will be people who will
(aka the cheaper headset, following the wear it out in public (count on it), but they’ll
naming scheme of the iPhone Pro and look incredibly ridiculous and could suffer
a backlash worse
than Google Glass
(fave.co/42UD3Su).
Functionally, Vision
Pro is better suited
for a controlled
environment, such
as an office. As
such, Apple’s
Vision Pro
demonstration
focused on work
collaboration,
video watching,
and immersive
content, not on
augmented
Apple showed how the Apple Vision Pro can be used as a Mac display. reality—at least,

18 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

not in the way it’s used on the iPhone,
such as for walking directions in Maps.
The size and functionality mean the
Apple Vision Pro is better suited for office
or home use, and that also means it makes
more sense to use the headset in place of
a Mac. Apple might even be aware of this
because, during the WWDC keynote, the
company showed the Vision Pro being
used as a display for a MacBook. Filmmaker
Matti Haapoja, who also participated in an
Apple Vision Pro demo, tweeted that “Final
Cut Pro in AR” (fave.co/42QRKWF) will be
available for the headset. (This has not
been verified by Apple.)
THE END OF THE MAC
AND iPHONE?
Does this mean that sometime in the
future, we’re going to look back at the
WWDC23 keynote on June 5, 2023, as the
start of the end of the Mac, despite that
same keynote having some big Mac
announcements (fave.co/46jp4bC) of its
own? Maybe, but it’s going to be a long,
long time from now. The Mac is a mature
platform with a clear definition of what it
does. Apple Vision just started its story,
and it’s going to take a long time for the
software to develop, the hardware to
evolve, and the use cases to unfold—
longer than the evolution of the iPhone,
Apple Watch, or any new Apple product in
recent history.
But it’s clear that the killer use case, at
least at launch, will be the ability to use
your Mac in AR. All of Apple’s demos took
place in a home or office setting, and while
it only got a brief mention, the virtual Mac
section was the most exciting. It’ll take time
to get there, but it’s not hard to see a work
where Apple sells a Mac mini–type
machine that’s meant to be paired with a
Vision Pro.
We must constantly remind ourselves
that Apple is investing in Apple Vision for
the long haul. The mistake a lot of pundits,
analysts, and naysayers make is that they
define the “long haul” as the next five
years. It’s actually much longer than that,
and this is where the generation gap is an
even bigger factor. It’s unlikely that anyone
reading this is going to adopt the headset
as a primary platform. But what about
someone who is an infant or toddler right
now? By the time that child is ready to use
a computing device on a consistent basis,
the Apple Vision could be mature enough
to fulfill that need.
And by then, as Apple Vision has
entrenched itself as a viable Mac
alternative, perhaps Apple will have
created a version of Apple Vision that’s not
that far from being like a pair of glasses.
Then it can also replace the iPhone and
become Apple’s primary platform.
But that’s a long time from today—a
really, really long time. ■
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 19
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 MACUSER

The Latest Mac Products

Reviewed & Rated REVIEWS

HUB STAND
While Apple’s Mac mini (fave.co/3oyjzVz) is
SATECHI STAND a tiny powerhouse of a computer blessed
with a range of ports on its back, its front
& HUB WITH SSD: face is unhelpfully bare, devoid of even
FIXING THE one handy port or slot. There’s nothing but

MAC MINI’S a little light to show that it’s on. Apple

certainly put the “mini” in “minimal” when it
SHORTCOMINGS came to the head-on looks of its
BY SIMON JARY diminutive desktop computer.
The Mac Studio (fave.co/3FuBlPt) has
the same width and depth as the Mac mini

IMAGE: SATECHI AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 21

MACUSER REVIEW: SATECHI STAND & HUB WITH SSD
but is taller. The Mac Studio also boasts
two 10Gbps USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4
on the M1 Ultra model) and an SD card
reader on its front. At the back, the Mac
Studio and M2 Pro Mac mini ports are the
same, while the entry-level M2 Mac mini
has two fewer Thunderbolt 4 ports.
The Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac mini
fixes the mini’s bare front face by adding
four USB ports, both SD and microSD
card reader slots, and a 3.5mm audio
jack port. The inclusion of the card
readers is important since the mini lacks
this access point for inexpensive
portable storage. The card readers are
rated at UHS-I (104MBps)—312MBps
UHS-II would have offered speedier
transfers, but most users won’t notice
the difference. A 512GB microSD card
The hub sits perfectly under the Mac mini.
22 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
costs about $60/£50 online (fave.
co/42Vq0Qx)—a super-cheap way of
adding storage.
The USB ports are rated at 5Gbps for
data transfer, compared to the Mac mini’s
40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 connections. The
Satechi’s rival Mac mini hub, the OWC
miniStack STX (fave.co/44czmcJ), does
offer 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 but comes in
at 2.5 times the price for the privilege.
5Gbps should be ample for most non-pro
basic data-transfer needs.
Satechi says the Stand & Hub’s USB
ports are data only and are not capable of
charging, although in our tests we were
able to charge an Apple Watch and iPhone
reasonably quickly using the Stand &
Hub’s USB ports.
The Stand & Hub also fixes another
major Mac mini
limitation: the non–
user-upgradable
internal storage. If you
want more than the
base 512GB storage
in the Mac mini, Apple
makes you pay
handsomely at the
time of purchase
(upgrading to 1TB
costs $200/£200),
and then it doesn’t let
you later upgrade the
storage yourself.
 Inside this mini
accessory is an
enclosure where
you can install an
SSD made as
internal storage
board for
computers. It’s
cheaper in
comparison to
Apple’s build-to-
order options—a
1TB internal SSD
costs around Inside this mini accessory is an enclosure where you can install an SSD.
$50/£50 (fave.
co/3r8Mj80). that the hub’s 5Gbps USB bandwidth is
The hub sits perfectly under the Mac fine and there’s no USB bottleneck.
mini, making the combined pair of Many people don’t need blistering
devices look like a slim Mac Studio but storage speeds and can keep any files
with more handy frontal ports. It that need low-latency fast performance
connects to the computer via an on the Mac mini’s own speedy internal
integrated USB-C cable at the back of SSD and move more archival storage
the hub. The ports are USB rather than onto the enclosure’s SSD.
Thunderbolt and are rated at 5Gbps NVMe SSD boards are more common
compared to Thunderbolt’s 40Gbps. than SATA M.2 SSDs these days, so make
Another technical aspect to consider sure you select the correct type when
is the type of SSD the enclosure purchasing for this accessory. Installing the
supports. The Satechi Stand & Hub SSD inside the Stand & Hub is simple, and
supports SATA M.2 SSDs, and not faster the correct-size screwdriver and screw are
NVMe M.2 SSDs. NVMe M.2 SSDs (with included with it.
theoretical transfer speeds of up to This stand hub also fits under Apple’s
20Gbps) are more performance-driven Mac Studio, so it’s an inexpensive way to
than SATA M.2 SSDs (max 6Gbps). add fast storage to Apple’s newest pro-
However, that max 6Gbps limit means level desktop, too.

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 23

MACUSER REVIEW: SATECHI STAND & HUB WITH SSD

The Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac mini with SSD Enclosure is available in the Silver color only.

If you don’t need the extra storage which it is compatible—the model with the
space, Satechi also offers its Stand & Hub SSD enclosure is not compatible with the
for Mac mini (fave.co/3JxN29d) in a model older Mac mini.
without an SSD enclosure for $20 less. For more Mac mini accessory options,
We’d recommend spending the read our feature on “How to
extra for the Stand & Hub for upgrade the M2 and M2 Pro
Mac mini with SSD Enclosure mmmmh Mac mini” (fave.co/44on9ll).
(fave.co/3Xskh3N) as you may Satechi Stand & Hub
with SSD
find yourself needing the extra PROS
VERDICT
storage space down the line. • Adds ports to the front of The Satechi Stand & Hub for
Mac mini.
The Satechi Stand & Hub Mac mini with SSD Enclosure
• Adds an SSD enclosure for
for Mac mini with SSD inexpensive extra storage. offers an inexpensive fix to two
CONS
Enclosure is available in the of the Mac mini’s limitations: no
• 5Gbps USB, not 40Gbps
Silver color only, like the latest Thunderbolt. front-facing ports and fixed,
models of Mac mini itself. The • Supports SATA M.2 SSD, non-upgradable internal
not faster NVMe M.2 SSD.
version without the enclosure PRICE storage. Adding a terabyte or
is also available in a Space $99 two via the SSD bay will save
COMPANY
Gray color, so it will match the you hundreds compared to
Satechi
2018 Mac mini model, with buying from Apple. ■

24 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

 What we’re
raving about
this month

THROWBOY CLASSIC DESKTOP

KNIT COTTON BLANKET
throwboy.com

Throwboy’s blanket is a tribute to the history of the Macintosh operating

system, featuring the original Finder, complete with throwback folder icons, a
mounted floppy disk, and a Trash that needs to be emptied. The blanket
measures 50 by 60 inches (127 by 152 centimeter), and it is made of recycled
cotton and polyester materials. And it’s made in the U.S.—ROMAN LOYOLA

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 25

MACUSER

Hot Stuff
UGREEN 145W
POWER BANK
ugreen.com

The 145W Power Bank has a

massive 25,000mAh battery,
enough power to fully charge a
13-inch M2 MacBook Air in 90
minutes. It can also charge three
devices at the same time. The Power
Bank measures 6.3 by 3.2 by 1.1
inches (16 by 8.1 by 2.8 centimeters)
and weighs 18.1 ounces (23.3 grams),
so it can fit into a backpack or laptop
bag.—ROMAN LOYOLA

26 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

OTTERBOX CORE
SERIES CASES
otterbox.com

Otterbox has expanded its Core Series

of iPhone cases to include cases for
the second-generation AirPods Pro
and AirTags. The Core Series cases are
made using recycled post-industrial
plastic waste to create a festive confetti
pattern. The cases are available in four
colors: Carnival Night (black), House
Party (blue), Mardi Gras (purple), and
Shower (Grey).—ROMAN LOYOLA

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 27

 I am
more
than
who
I am
on
paper.

Samantha, Practice Coordinator -

Medical Administrative Assistant,
STAR

It’s time to let your skills shine.

Find resources for breaking through barriers like
degree screens and stereotypes. It’s time to tear the
#HireSTARs
paper ceiling limiting STARs: workers Skilled Through
Alternative Routes rather than a bachelor’s degree.

TEAR THE PAPER CEILING.ORG

iOSCENTRAL The latest on iOS, iPhone, iPad,
Apple Watch, and App Store

How Screen Time can keep your

iPhone and iCloud accounts safe
from thieves
Screen Time is not just for keeping the kids in line.
BY JACKIE DOVE

I
t’s almost as if having your iPhone
stolen is worse than having your house
robbed. It’s not just losing an
expensive device—your iPhone holds
so much of your private life that criminals
don’t even have to do the work of
ransacking your place for cash, jewelry,
credit cards, and electronics.
Recent reports have detailed how
criminals can use your iPhone to break into

IMAGE: FOTOKITA/SHUTTERSTOCK AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 29

 iOSCENTRAL H OW SC RE EN T I ME KEE PS YO U SA F E
You can use Screen Time to prevent thieves from
locking you out of your handset.
your iCloud and bank accounts to quickly
drain your finances and steal your identity by
permanently locking you out of your Apple
account. That’s in addition to cutting off
contacts, notes, emails, and photos. How?
As long as a thief has your unlocked
phone (either by snatching it out of
your hand while you’re using it or
surreptitiously observing you tap
in your passcode), they can
immediately change your
passcode and Apple ID
password, and from there even
the iPhone Recovery Key—the
only information that Apple
currently recognizes as proof of
your identity.
Forget everything you know
about Find My iPhone and
30 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
iCloud backup. Once thieves have
changed your phone’s basic
information—which can take just a
few minutes—Find My won’t help
you, and neither will Apple. But it
turns out there’s a way to prevent it
all from happening. You might not
know it, but your iPhone’s Screen
Time feature hides a fairly
bulletproof way to prevent thieves
from locking you out of your
handset (and all your other Apple
devices) even if they do manage to
steal your phone.
SCREEN TIME FOR
ADDED PROTECTION
If you’re childless and aren’t concerned
about how much you use your phone,
chances are you have never used iOS’s
Once
thieves have
changed your
phone’s basic
information
Find My
iPhone won’t
help you.
 scroll down to the
Allow Changes
section and tap
Account Changes
and then Don’t
Allow. That will
prevent anyone
else who has your
phone from
accessing or
1. changing
passwords
Screen Time feature. But Screen Time has because they would first need to tap in the
another feature that can prevent anyone unique Screen Time password, which they
from changing your most important won’t have.
passwords. Here’s how it works. This simple Screen Time setup can
stop thieves from draining your bank
1. Turn on the Screen Time account, setting up credit cards in
Passcode setting your name, and stealing your identity
Go to Settings, launch Screen Time, and as you struggle to recover your lost
toggle on the Use Screen Time Passcode. property, privacy, and sanity. Sure,
We recommend using a different there’s more you can do, but this is a
passcode from the one you use to unlock great place to start. ■
your iPhone for
obvious reasons. 2.

2. Set Content
& Privacy
Restrictions
Next, go to Screen
Time → Content &
Privacy Restrictions
and toggle it on if it’s
not already on. Then

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 31

 iOSCENTRAL
If you have an iPhone 8 or iPhone X,
you should probably sell it now
No more updates means no more value.
BY MICHAEL SIMON
W
hen iOS 17 arrives this fall
(fave.co/46me5Oy), it’ll
bring a slew of new
features to your iPhone,
including personalized contact cards, live
voicemail, and so many stickers. But not
every iOS 16 phone will get it. As
announced at the Worldwide Developers
Conference, Apple is only supporting
32 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
iPhones going back to the XS (fave.
co/3Puhq8g), which means the iPhone 8
and iPhone X, announced in 2017, have
reached the end of the line and will only
receive security updates going forward.
If you own one of those phones you’ll
probably want to upgrade—and you’ll want
to get as much as you can for your old
phone. If that’s the case, you should sell it
IMAGE: APPLE
The iPhone X was announced back in 2017.

as soon as possible. According to a report running the latest operating system, you’ll
from SellCell (fave.co/3CKhwBa), the need an iPhone XS or later. So you might
iPhone 8 and X could lose nearly 50 as well get the most you can for it before
percent of their value when iOS 17 arrives it’s too late. ■
in September.
The company reports that the “Phone
6S and 7 ranges lost 42.8 percent of their
value, on average across all models, by the
time iOS 16 rolled out in 2022.” According
to the charts tracking trade-in prices, the
iPhone 7 Plus went from $138 in June 2022
to $80 in September 2022, while the
iPhone 6S Plus went from $94 to $47.
As of Wednesday, June 14, the iPhone
X was getting a max of $193 (fave.
co/43X5Wid) and the iPhone 8 Plus
around $150, both decent returns on a
near-six-year-old phone. But SellCell
expects the value of those phones to
“plummet once we hit the two/three-week
mark following iOS 17 Beta release.”
Granted, SellCell has a vested interest
in getting you to sell your old iPhone
sooner than later, but it’s hard to argue The iPhone 8 Plus and 8 will lose value when
with the logic. If you want an iPhone iOS 17 arrives in the fall.

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 33

 iOSCENTRAL

Sorry, iPhone SE fans. The new

model probably won’t arrive until
2025…if at all
Pushed-back launch of fourth-gen iPhone SE suggests that Apple’s in-house
5G modem isn’t close to ready, which is great news for Qualcomm.
BY DAVID PRICE

T
here was a roughly two-year gap
between the second (fave.
co/42Y6SkP) and third (fave.
co/42T1Ea8) iPhone SE models,
launched in April 2020 and March 2022,
respectively, so it would be reasonable to
hope that a fourth model might make an
appearance in spring next year. But the
latest word from the analyst grapevine is
that it won’t be appearing until 2025
at the earliest.
In a research note shared with
MacRumors (fave.co/42YgQmk), Barclays
analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O’Malley

34 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023 IMAGE: APPLE

this week said that, based on multiple Updates on iPhone SE 4 research and
conversations with Apple’s supply-chain prediction:
partners, the company is unlikely to 1. I previously predicted that the iPhone
release a new iPhone SE in 2024. SE 4 would be a derivative model of the
The news will be a disappointment for iPhone 14. However, my latest research
some (although perhaps not as much of a indicates that this derivative model will
disappointment [fave.co/44gy67j] as the likely be an engineering prototype for
third-gen SE) but there could be wider Apple in-house 5G baseband (fave.
implications for Apple’s smartphone lineup. co/3JuTgH3).
The analysts note that a delay in the —Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo),
launch would suggest a similar delay in the April 13, 2023 (fave.co/43Z7rMz)
development of Apple’s in-house 5G
modem (fave.co/3qU3bzk). At this rate, Kuo added that if testing doesn’t go the
they say, even the iPhone 16 handsets may way Apple wants, the 5G modem “may be
feature Qualcomm modems; good news pushed back to 2026 or later.”
for Qualcomm, but bad news for Apple Of course, there’s still plenty of time for
and its quest to lower costs and increase plans to change. Keep up with the latest
its granular control of iPhone componentry. news and rumors with our regularly
This far from launch, it’s difficult to updated iPhone SE 4 superguide (fave.
reach concrete conclusions about the co/3qXHRch). ■
likely timeframe. Before the
Barclays note was circulated,
the analyst community was
divided on the question of
Apple’s fourth iPhone SE.
Ross Young, a highly reliable
displays expert, has
predicted a launch in 2024;
Jeff Pu has said it will arrive
in 2025; and the widely
respected Ming-Chi Kuo has
claimed that the fourth-gen
SE Apple is currently working A delay in the development of Apple’s 5G modem means
on won’t ever be sold at all. even iPhone 16 handsets may have Qualcomm modems.

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 35

 iOSCENTRAL

A future Apple Pencil could have

Find My support
Patent application reveals Apple’s plans to help users find a missing Pencil.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA

W
e’ve all lost pens and
pencils before. It’s annoying
when it happens, but they’re
easily replaceable, so you
don’t give it much thought. But losing an
Apple Pencil? That’s a real pain. Not only is
it a specialized, unique tool—it’s costly, too.
A recent patent application by
Apple hopes to save users from that
aggravation. Patently Apple (fave.
co/3CRsMeU) reports on U.S. patent
20230161545 (fave.co/3png7NS), which
describes how acoustic resonators can
be used in the Apple Pencil so if it goes

36 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023 IMAGE: APPLE

missing, it can alert a user as to its
current location.
Finding a lost Pencil could
work in the same way a
user can use
Find My
to locate a
misplaced iPhone,
iPad, or Mac. The user launches
the Find My app and goes to the From Apple’s patent filing, a diagram of the
Devices section, and Bluetooth (which is Apple Pencil acoustic resonator.
what the Pencil uses to connect to an
iPad) would be used to sense its patent, there’s no way to add such a
proximity. The user could then click on feature to those Pencils in software. It
the Pencil in the Find My map and have it requires new hardware and would be a
play a sound and vibrate. part of a brand-new Pencil the company
Since the Pencil’s design doesn’t would release in the future. ■
allow for a speaker, Apple has
developed acoustic resonators.
According to the patent, the resonators
would be located at the top part of the
Pencil, underneath the cap that houses
the haptic module. “The drive signal
generated at the haptic module can be
transferred to the acoustic resonators
through a path of material that
mechanical couples the acoustic
resonators to the haptic module.”
Apple currently has two versions of
the Pencil available, and both the
original Pencil (fave.co/3qTfETW) and
the 2nd-generation Pencil (fave.
co/3u83THF) do not have the capability
to emit sound. By the looks of Apple’s Apple sells two versions of the Pencil.

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 37

FEATURE

EVERYTHING YOU

38 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

U NEED TO KNOW

APPLE HAS
UNVEILED ITS
MIXED-REALITY
HEADSET, WHICH
WILL LAUNCH IN
2024. HERE’S
WHAT YOU
NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT WHEN
THE VISION PRO
WILL GO ON
SALE, ITS PRICE,
WHAT IT WILL
DO, AND WHAT IT
IS LIKE TO WEAR
(WE’VE TRIED IT
ON!) BY KAREN
HASLAM

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 39

FEATURE A PP LE V I SI O N PR O
A
pple has announced the
long-rumored headset, the
Vision Pro. That suggests that
one day in the not-so-distant
future we will see a cheaper Vision
headset, rumored to arrive in 2025.
Apple isn’t calling the Vision Pro a
virtual reality headset. Rather, it’s referring
to the headset as its “first spatial
computer,” with a big emphasis on how a
user will be able to stay present in the
physical world while wearing it. Apple CEO
Tim Cook spoke about how the Vision Pro
ushers in “the beginning of a new era for
computing.” Here’s everything we know
about the Vision Pro headset so far.
40 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
Want to know what it’s like to wear a
Vision Pro? Macworld’s Roman Loyola has,
and he describes what it was like on page
42! We also discuss his experiences with
the Vision Pro below.
RELEASE DATE
Apple has said that the Vision Pro headset
will be available “early next year,” so a
spring 2024 release date looks likely. The
headset will initially only be available in the
PODCAST: HANDS-ON
WITH THE APPLE
VISION PRO
Listen now at fave.co/3poTJ6K
U.S., with other countries having to wait Will there be a cheaper version?
until “later next year.” There will likely be a We took the fact that the Vision Pro has
dedicated event (fave.co/3O0UJHX) to the word Pro in its name as a big hint that
launch the headset, much like the Apple a less Pro version will be coming down the
Watch event in 2015. line. That’s not exactly evidence, but
In past years we’ve seen Apple hold an Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes a
event in the spring on the following dates, cheaper headset will arrive in 2025.
which may give a hint as to when we can In a June 2023 newsletter, he wrote
expect Apple to hold the spring event at that a “cheaper” version of the Vision Pro
which it will launch the Vision Pro. Late is in development (fave.co/44mXGYt). It will
March looks most likely. likely have “lower quality screens, either
2023: No event an iPhone-grade chip or an older Mac chip
2022: Tuesday, March 8 and fewer cameras.” Gurman suggests the
2021: Tuesday, April 20 cheaper headset will be called either
2020: No event due to Covid-19 Apple Vision or Apple Vision One.
2019: Monday, March 25
2018: Tuesday, March 27 DESIGN
2017: No event Apple has picked the materials that the
Apple Vision Pro is made from to make it
PRICE as “wearable” as possible. A custom
Apple has confirmed
that the Vision Pro will
start at $3,499, but it
hasn’t confirmed the
price outside the U.S.
yet. There will be an
additional cost
associated with any
prescription lenses that
are required, but we
don’t yet know what that
will be. We also don’t
know whether there will You can adjust these flexible straps to fit your head and ensure
be additional options. that the Audio Pods are positioned near your ears.

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 41

FEATURE AP P LE VI SI O N P RO
aluminum alloy frame curves around the
user’s face and a modular design means it
can be “perfectly” tailored to fit each user.
The Light Seal is made of a soft textile
that comes in a variety of sizes and shapes
to suit the user’s face for a precise fit.
There are flexible straps that can be
adjusted to fit the head and ensure that
the Audio Pods are positioned near the
ears. The cushioned Head Band is
available in multiple sizes and can be
changed for another size or style.
PRESCRIPTION EYEWEAR
Those who need glasses will be able to
purchase custom optical inserts to correct
HANDS-ON: APPLE VISION PRO
My first hour with Apple’s new headset was emotional, immersive, and
completely captivating. By Roman Loyola
At Apple’s WWDC23, I think I saw the
future. [Pauses to ponder.] Yeah, I’m pretty
sure I saw the future—or at least Apple’s
vision of the future of computing. On
Tuesday morning, I got to try the Apple
Vision Pro, the new $3,499 mixed-reality
headset that was announced this week
and ships next year.
I’m here to tell you the major details of
my experience, but the overall impression
I have is that the Vision Pro is the most
impressive first-gen product I’ve seen
42 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
their vision. These ZEISS Optical Inserts
are sold separately and magnetically
attach to the headset’s lenses. The
additional lenses are not included in the
price of the headset, so there is an extra
cost associated with them.
When Macworld’s Roman Loyola tried
out the Vision Pro at Apple’s hands-on
(see page XX), an optometrist measured
his prescription and Apple fitted the
headset with the appropriate lenses. He
then removed his glasses when he put the
headset on. He said he was able to see,
but he thought maybe the prescription
wasn’t exact because he noticed fuzziness
with text.
from Apple—more impressive than the
1998 iMac or the 2007 iPhone. And I’m
fully aware that other companies have
made VR headsets, but Apple does that
thing that it does, where it uses its
understanding of what makes a satisfying
user experience to create a new product
in an existing market that sets a higher
bar of excellence.
Yes, it’s expensive, and yes, this
market hasn’t proven it can move beyond
being niche. Those are very important
 Apple confirmed to Loyola that when
you order the Vision Pro, you will have to
submit a prescription from your
optometrist. It’s unclear as to how that will
work when buying at an Apple Store.
Possibly a customer will have to submit a
prescription at the retail store.
COMPATIBILITY
Apple hasn’t said anything about
compatibility in terms of whether you will
need a particular generation of iPhone to
use the Vision Pro, but it seems likely that
not every handset will support it.
In fact, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has
suggested that the iPhone 15 will feature
considerations to discuss in other articles.
For now, I’ll convey my experiences and
impressions here, from a one-hour
demonstration at Apple Park. (I was not
In my demo of the Apple Vision Pro, I saw this photo in a
fully immersive 3D view. It felt like I had been at the party.
an upgraded Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip
for this purpose (fave.co/3r3hIsO)—which
may mean no other iPhone will support the
Vision Pro.
SPECS AND FEATURES
The Vision Pro will, according to Apple,
“deliver phenomenal compute
performance.” It is powered by both an M2
processor and a new R1 chip used to
process input from 12 cameras, five
sensors, and six microphones. It also
eliminates lag to avoid latency. Apple says
it can update images eight times faster
than the blink of an eye. The headset “runs
virtually silent,” according to Apple.
allowed to take photos or record video;
Apple supplied the photos posted here.)
The device I used is an early beta, so it’s
possible—likely, even—that the hardware
or software could change
before next year.
AN EMOTIONAL
HIGH, THANKS
TO THE DISPLAYS
My Apple Vision Pro demo
covered a lot of ground, but
the demonstrations of spatial
photos and video and of
immersive experiences are
what put me in awe of what »
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 43
FEATURE AP P LE VI SI O N P RO
There are two ultra-high-resolution
displays that combine to produce 23
million pixels and create a 4K display for
each that could generate a display that
appears to be 100 feet wide. Video can be
rendered at 4K resolution and text appears
sharp from any angle.
Two individually amplified drivers inside
each audio pod can deliver Personalized
Spatial Audio based on the user’s own head
and ear geometry. As a result, the sound
feels like it is coming from the space around
you. The Vision Pro also matches the sound
to the room using audio raytracing. There’s
also an advanced sensor array.
Inside the lenses, a high-performance
eye-tracking system uses cameras and a
HANDS-ON: APPLE VISION PRO
Continued
the headset could do. The spatial media
Apple demoed put me right in the middle
of the recorded memory and triggered
memories and emotions of my own from
similar moments. How would it feel to see
my own spatial media moments?
Incredible, I imagine.
The immersive video gave me thrills.
My body reacted to situations and my
mind responded to the sights and sounds.
In one demo, I got to pet a freakin’
dinosaur. Not a beast that looks like a 3D
44 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
ring of LEDs to project invisible light
patterns on the user’s eyes. As a result,
the Apple headset is able to tell what way
the user is looking and use high-
performance eye tracking to control the
interface. There are no external
accessories other than controllers for
playing games.
The Vision Pro also recognizes the
user’s iris via a new method to unlock the
device and authenticate passwords and
purchases called Optic ID. Like the
iPhone and Mac, all data is stored on a
dedicated Secure Enclave processor.
There’s also a nifty feature called
EyeSight that projects the correct
perspective of your eyes to the people
model set against an illustrated
background (fave.co/3r3YTpp), but a
realistic-looking dinosaur that sniffed my
hand and let me pet it. And it sent chills
up and down my spine.
Now, this sense of immersion isn’t new
to the world of VR headsets–it’s the core
of the product in general. But the
difference with the Apple Vision Pro is the
two displays set in front of each eye. The
resolution and color they display are
fantastic and make things look realistic.
looking at you. EyeSight also includes a
visual indicator that makes it clear to
others when a user is capturing a spatial
photo or video.
Battery life
Apple says the Vision Pro’s external
battery pack provides up to two hours of
use. It can also be used while plugged in.
SOFTWARE AND APPS
With a Vision Pro headset, users will be
able to watch a movie, listen to music,
browse photos, look at 3D objects, and
even collaborate on a presentation.
The Vision Pro headset will run
visionOS, an operating system that
They aren’t perfect. I notice pixelation at
times, and I often saw playback stutter not
of the demo videos, but of the live people
During my demo session, I made friends with this dinosaur.
Apple has designed from the ground up
for visual computing. On June 21, Apple
announced that the visionOS software
development kit is now available (fave.
co/441U3aI) to members of the Apple
Developer Program (fave.co/3PvEi7x). In
July, the company opened developer
labs at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters,
as well as in London, Munich, Shanghai,
Singapore, and Tokyo. At the lab,
developers can get hands-on experience
with Apple Vision Pro hardware and
support from Apple engineers.
There will be an App Store where users
will be able to download familiar iPhone
and iPad apps as well as new apps
designed for the Vision Pro. Apple says
in the room with me in real time.
Apple’s demo videos during the
keynote and on its website (fave.
co/3pq2QnQ) give the
impression that wearers
never see the headset
surrounding the video,
but you do see it, though
it doesn’t interfere with
the sense of immersion.
USABILITY AND
WEARABILITY
When seeing the Home
screen for the first time, »
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 45
FEATURE AP P LE VI SI O N P RO

there will be lots of apps

available at launch,
including Microsoft
Office Apps, third-party
video conferencing
apps, and Adobe
Lightroom. Apple also
previewed a SkyGuide
app that can “transfer”
you to space.
Apple says the Vision
Pro “makes new types of
games possible.” A number of well-known Apple apps will be available at launch.
Apparently, users will be
able to play over 100 Apple Arcade games A number of well-known Apple apps
on a screen as large as they want with will also be available at launch, including
support for popular game controllers. Safari, Messages, and FaceTime. Here

HANDS-ON: APPLE VISION PRO

Continued

my instinct was to use my finger to tap
an icon, as you would do on an iPhone
or iPad. But instead, you look at what
you want to use, and then use hand
gestures to perform an action. At first, I
felt like I would have a hard time
adjusting to this method, but after 20
minutes, it felt natural.
It helps that you don’t have to hold
your arms out and gesture like an
orchestra conductor. I was able to keep
my arms comfortably at my side while I
sat on a couch and navigate the user
interface, and the eye tracking was
accurate and didn’t feel like it put a
strain on my eyes. My experience using
the OS was limited; I didn’t get a chance
to use the on-screen keyboard, nor did I
use Bluetooth input devices. I also didn’t
use the Apple Vision Pro as a Mac
display, a major component of the
keynote presentation.
Before my demo, I was afraid that the
headset would be ill suited for my head,

46 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

are some of the apps that you can
expect to see.
Videoconferencing
FaceTime will be available for the Vision
Pro and will be able to take advantage of
the room around you so that you can see
everyone you are talking to in life-size
tiles. The participant’s voice will also come
from the direction of their tile, thanks to
Spatial Audio.
Apple has created a novel solution for
the fact that you have a mask on and don’t
have a camera in front of you. It can show
call participants a “Persona”—a digital
representation of the user created using
Apple’s most advanced machine-learning
The Apple Reality Pro headset is unlike anything
Apple has ever made.
which is on the big side (my hat size is
between 7½ and 7¾). But when I first put
techniques. The Persona is based on your
appearance and can even reflect face and
hand movements in real time.
TV and movies
Entertainment was a major part of the
WWDC presentation, with Apple showing
off an immersive experience when
watching movies and TV shows. With the
new Cinema Environment, you’ll be able to
watch shows and movies “at the frame
rate and aspect ratio the filmmaker
intended with immersive Spatial Audio”
and watch movies on what feels like a
100-foot screen. The Vision Pro will also
support 3D movies including Avatar: The
Way of Water.
the Apple Vision Pro on, I had to
tighten—not loosen—the straps to
get a proper fit. In my demo, the
headset had a Velcro strap that
goes across the top of your head—
this strap is not shown in Apple’s
product photos or videos. I think
that after the measurements were
taken of my head, Apple
determined that I would benefit
from this top strap.
Apple uses what it calls a Light
Seal to close the gap between the
face and the headset. It blocks out the light
in the room, and for me, it fits correctly »
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 47
FEATURE AP P LE VI SI O N P RO
Photos and videos
You’ll be able to take spatial photos and
spatial videos in 3D with the Vision Pro,
and then “relive those cherished
moments like never before with
immersive Spatial Audio.” And of course,
you’ll be able to view your plain 2D
photos and videos as well—for example,
Panoramas shot on iPhone will expand
and wrap around the user.
DISNEY+
Disney CEO Bob Iger joined Apple on
stage to demonstrate his excitement about
the new technology. In a video demo, he
showed movies, TV shows, and sports on
the Vision Pro. It brings entertainment to
HANDS-ON: APPLE VISION PRO
Continued
across the top where my eyebrows are.
But underneath there was a visible gap
between my nose and the headset. When
asked how the Light Seal sizing works,
Apple said that it doesn’t use a simple
small, medium, and large sizing scheme,
but that the Seal is available in multitudes
of shapes and sizes—after all, faces come
in multitudes of shapes and sizes. Had I
been in a retail situation, I could have had
Apple adjust the fit.
After about an hour, my demo was
48 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
new levels, with special movie
presentations, court-side views, and
interactive experiences. Iger said Disney
content will be available on day one.
WHAT IT IS LIKE TO USE
VISION PRO?
Macworld’s Roman Loyola was able to
spend an hour wearing a Vision Pro (see
page 42), an experience he described as
“emotional, immersive, and completely
captivating.” The device he tried on was an
early beta, so it’s possible—likely, even—
that the hardware or software could
change before next year.
During the keynote presentation that
introduced the Vision Pro, Apple said that
done and I took off the headset. I didn’t
have any fatigue in my neck or feel any
tenderness where the headset and straps
hugged my head. I felt like I could’ve
gone on longer with the session, and I
would’ve if Apple had let me. I left the
demo with a sense that I was lucky to see
something genuinely innovative that can
really affect how we use computers in the
future if Apple plays its cards right and the
market embraces the Apple Vision. And I
think it has a chance to do so. ■

Vision Pro is controlled by a person’s eyes, hands, and voice.
its input system is controlled by a person’s
eyes, hands, and voice. But the real
control happens with your eyes: The
Vision Pro is able to detect exactly where
you are looking. As a result, users can
browse through apps by simply looking at
them, tapping their fingers to select,
flicking their wrist to scroll, or using voice
to dictate. You can just look at a text input
and begin dictating, for example.
Loyola confirmed that you don’t have
to hold out your arms to gesture to control
the interface, you navigate by looking at
what you want to see, and then use hand
gestures to perform actions. Loyola said
he didn’t have too hard a time adjusting
from using fingers to tap icons to using his
eyes. “Eye tracking was accurate and
didn’t feel like it put a strain on my eyes,”
he reported. It took
about 20 minutes for
controlling the interface
this way to feel natural,
Loyola said.
When you first put on
the Vision Pro, you see
your surroundings. You
can freely move apps to
fill the space around you
and they can expand
into your space. Apple
says you can control
how immersed you are
in the Vision Pro with a
twist of the Digital Crown.
Loyola described being put right in the
middle of the recorded memory that
“triggered memories and emotions of my
own from similar moments.” He said that
the immersive video gave him “thrills,”
explaining: “My body reacted to situations
and my mind responded to the sights and
sounds.” In one demo, Loyola “got to pet a
freakin’ dinosaur. Not a beast that looks
like a 3D model set against an illustrated
background, but a realistic-looking
dinosaur that sniffed my hand and let me
pet it.” It all sounds pretty impressive.
According to Loyola, you do see the
headset while wearing it, though it doesn’t
interfere with the sense of immersion.
While there are other headsets that
can offer an immersive experience,
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 49
FEATURE A PP LE V I SI O N PR O
Loyola notes that “the difference with the
Apple Vision Pro is the two displays set
in front of each eye. The resolution and
color they display are fantastic and make
things look realistic.” While Loyola did
experience some pixelation and
playback stutter (of the people in the
room with him, not of the videos), he
was impressed.
If you are concerned that the Vision
Pro might not fit you, fear not. Loyola,
who feels that his head is large, said that
“when I first put the Apple Vision Pro on,
I had to tighten—not loosen—the straps
to get a proper fit.” He added: “The
headset had a Velcro strap that goes
across the top of your head—this strap is
not shown in Apple’s product photos or
videos. I think that after the
measurements were taken of my head,
The Vision Pro offers the most immersive experience we’ve ever seen.
50 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
Apple determined that I would benefit
from this top strap.” There is also a Light
Seal that fits across the forehead where
the eyebrows are, Apple said that this
seal is available in multitudes of shapes
and sizes to ensure the perfect fit.
After wearing the Vision Pro for an
hour, Loyola said that he didn’t have any
fatigue in his neck or any tenderness
where the headset and straps hugged his
head. There were some reports of testers
suffering from soreness around the top of
their head, but it’s very possible they were
also dealing with sunburn since Apple’s
keynote had been delivered outside in
bright sunlight.
Apple described one design goal of
the Vision Pro as “never [being] isolated
from the people around you.” It achieves
this in various ways. One is by displaying
your eyes when
there is someone
near you. This is
called EyeSight,
and it is designed
to send a clear
signal to people
that you can’t see
them when that is
the case. Similarly,
if someone is
nearby, they will
appear in your
view. This way it
should still be easy
to interact with the
world around you
while you’re wearing
the headset.
A user can bring
Mac wirelessly into
the Vision Pro just by
looking at it. The
contents of the Mac
screen are then
brought on to the 4K When someone is nearby, they will appear in your view.
display you see
through the Vision Pro. Loyola wasn’t PROBLEMS AND
able to test this feature. PROHIBITIONS
An advanced Spatial Audio system is If you have any of the following conditions,
core to the Apple Vision Pro experience, you may not be able to use an Apple
creating the feeling that sounds are headset.
coming from the environment around the
user and matching the sound to the If you’re prone to inner ear infections,
space, according to Apple. The Vision have ADHD/ADD, anxiety disorders, a
Pro will also work seamlessly with pacemaker, epilepsy, blackouts/seizures
familiar Bluetooth accessories, according or are pregnant, you may be warned
to Apple. against using the headset. In addition to
Ménière’s disease, past traumatic brain
TERMINOLOGY injuries, post-concussion syndrome,
VR: Virtual Reality (completely replaces migraines (fave.co/444Zvd0).
your view) Mark Gurman (@markgurman),
aR: Augmented Reality (overlays real June 2, 2023
world with graphics and information)
mR: Mixed Reality (combining AR and Those are all standard limitations for VR
VR) headsets, but nonetheless it illustrates
XR: Extended Reality (combining AR, the fact that this headset won’t be for
VR and MR) everyone. ■

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 51

FEATURE

52 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

 REVIEW
THE BEST IS
STILL THE
BEST BUT
NOW IT’S
BIGGER
THE 15-INCH MODEL IS A GREAT
ADDITION TO THE MACBOOK
AIR LINEUP, BUT WE CAN’T HELP
BUT WONDER WHAT THE M3
WILL BRING. BY JASONN CROSS
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 53
FEATURE REVIEW: 15 - I NC H MACB O OK A IR
Last summer when I
reviewed the 13-inch M2
MacBook Air (fave.co/
3zbn71l), I wrote, “For most of
us, the new M2 MacBook Air is all the
laptop we’ll ever need.” Well it’s a year
later, and Apple has given those who
prefer larger laptops what they want: the
same thing, only bigger.
This could be a shamelessly short
review. It would be entirely accurate to say
this 15-inch MacBook Air (fave.co/42P8JtH)
is exactly like the 13-inch MacBook Air
introduced last year, only with a bigger
display (and thus chassis) and better
speakers. That’s it! Review over!
54 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
But seriously, if you have some idea of
the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air, you know
what to expect here. The M2 is no longer
brand new, but it’s still an absolutely
excellent processor for everyday
computing in a thin-and-light laptop. The
display is bright sharp and colorful, but
lacks ProMotion or HDR. The ports are the
same. Battery life is excellent. Even the
price is reasonable (for Apple), starting at
$1,299/£1,399. (Our review configuration
PODCAST: MACBOOK
AIR, MAC STUDIO, &
MACOS SONOMA?
Listen now at fave.co/447bDKn
has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB
SSD, which puts the price at
$1,699/£1,799.)

WHAT’S DIFFERENT
It’s probably best, and easiest,
to describe what’s different
from the year-old 13-inch model
I like so much. It’s a short list.
The display is now 15.3
inches, up from 13.6 inches.
That means a higher pixel Can you tell which one is the 15-inch model?
count (2880x864), but the
pixels per inch is about the same. speaker system). That’s two pairs of force-
It weights 0.6 pounds more—of canceling woofers and one pair of tweets.
course. However, it has the same It definitely sounds better, and it’s
thickness as the 13-inch model and impressive for such a thin laptop, but
doesn’t feel much heavier because the there’s still a distinct lack of bass. This isn’t
weight is distributed over a larger body. your new dorm room party sound system.
Also, the trackpad is larger, which fits well The price is higher, of course. It starts
with the larger display. at $1,299, which seems like a $200 price
The battery is bigger at 66.5 watt- premium over the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air
hours. Our video rundown test, in which (now starting at $1,099 after a price cut),
we played a downloaded movie on a loop but that’s not quite the case. The 13-inch
with the display set to 150 nits, lasted entry level model has a version of the M2
about 8 percent longer—a total of almost
exactly 19 hours. In practice, with the
display a little brighter and mixed casual
BATTERY LIFE
Minutes
use, the extra battery more or less offsets 15-inch MacBook Air
M2 1,143
the drain from the bigger display. That 13-inch MacBook Air
M2 1,051
means battery life is the same as for the MacBook Air
M1 972
13-inch model, which is a good thing.
14-inch MacBook Pro
1,030
There’s a new six-speaker audio M1 Pro

HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER

system (the 13-inch model has a four-

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 55

FEATURE REVIEW: 15 - I NC H MACB O OK A IR
That’s an awfully big notch for just a webcam.
with an 8-core GPU, and to get the full
10-core GPU is another $100. The 15-inch
MacBook Air always has the 10-core GPU,
so it’s really a $100 price difference. And
under the old pricing system, it costs the
same as the comparable 13.6-inch model.
WHAT’S THE SAME
Everything else is just as it is on the 13-inch
MacBook Air. The M2 delivers…well…
M2-like performance. It’s not a brand-new
chip anymore, and it performs about the
same here as it does in the 13-inch model
and the Mac mini. Small variations in
performance can be attributed to slight
changes in OS versions or testing
GEEKBENCH 6.1
Multi-core
15-inch MacBook Air
M2
13-inch MacBook Air
M2
MacBook Pro
M1 8,459
HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER
56 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
software, but you’re not
going to notice a couple of
percent here or there.
It should be noted that
the 256GB SSD option on
the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air
delivers half the storage
performance compared to all
other capacities due to its
use of a single NAND chip
(fave.co/3pkb1Ca). We were unable to test
the 256GB option on the new 15-inch Air,
but it stands to reason that it’s true with the
15-inch model as well.
The display looks the same. It’s just as
bright (up to 500 nits), same P3 wide color,
and we’re still disappointed that there’s no
HDR or ProMotion, at least one of which
belongs in a laptop costing this much in
the year 2023.
The webcam, hiding behind a wide
notch that we can’t help but feel is a big
waste of space, is the same improved
1080p webcam introduced last year. It’s no
longer an embarrassment, but it’s not
excellent. It should be excellent.
GEEKBENCH 6.1
Single-core
15-inch MacBook Air
10,030 M2 2,619
13-inch MacBook Air
10,090 M2 2,628
MacBook Pro
M1 2,380
HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER
 Ports are still two
Thunderbolt/USB-4 on the left,
together with a separate
MagSafe charging port. A long
headphone jack sits on the right.
As with all M1/M2 MacBooks, you
can only hook up one external
display (M1/M2 Pro and Max can
do more). We have an article
with workarounds to hook up
more than one external display
(fave.co/3RbaED1).
The keyboard is identical, with a full
function row, no Touch Bar, and a nice big
Touch ID sensor. The extra space isn’t
enough for a full 10-key number pad, alas.
Wireless features are the same: Wi-Fi 6
(not 6e) and Bluetooth 5.3.
VERDICT
It’s great that Apple is offering a 15-inch
option for the MacBook Air.
Some people just love big
laptops, and you shouldn’t
have to spend $2,499 on a
16-inch MacBook Pro to get a
big Mac laptop.
We can’t fault Apple for
sticking to what works with this
model, despite coming out a
year after the 13-inch model.
It’s the same laptop, with a
bigger display. That’s not bad.
The 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro
It’s not exactly an expansive selection of ports, but two
Thunderbolt/USB-4 ports and a Thunderbolt port will
serve you well.
is a great general-purpose laptop for
most people.
It’s a year later, though, and we can’t help
but be anxious for more. Naturally we’re
curious to see what an M3 has to offer, but
there are other changes we’d make. At this
price, the display should go above 60Hz or
at the very least support variable refresh
rates. Or it should offer HDR. The webcam
should be better. I can’t help but
feel that the huge notch
mmmmh
deserves a full FaceID setup
15-inch MacBook Air
PROS
behind it.
• Big, bright display. If you want a big Mac
• Decent speakers.
laptop, you finally have an
• Awesome battery life.
CONS
option that won’t cost you
• Webcam isn’t as good as it anywhere close to the price of
should be.
• It still has an M2 processor.
a 16-inch MacBook Pro. That’s
PRICE great news. And the year-old
$1,299 M2 still holds its own in this
COMPANY
thin-and-light, general-use
Apple
category. Now, what’s next? ■
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 57
Barbara Poma
Founder,
onePULSE Foundation

AFTER
TRAGEDY AND HATE,
BARBARA VOWED
TO CONTINUE
A LEGACY OF
LOVE. Barbara co-founded Pulse Nightclub to create a
space of joy and love for the LGBTQ+ community in
Orlando. And in the aftermath of the tragic shooting
at Pulse, Barbara knew she had to preserve that
love. She established the onePULSE Foundation to
KRQRUWKHYLFWLPVVXUYLYRUVDQGðUVWUHVSRQGHUV
The love that Pulse represented lives on through the
Foundation's scholarships and community work.

1VPU)HYIHYHPU[OLÄNO[
for LGBTQ+ acceptance now at
LoveHasNoLabels.com
WORKINGMAC
How to use a Mac laptop or iMac
with a broken display
A few options can work, depending on the damage and your model.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN
I
f you have a Mac laptop or iMac with a
display that’s been damaged or no
longer turns on, but you’re sure the
computer is still functioning, a repair
may not be required to extract all its data
or continue using it.
IMAGE: PIXABAY
Tips, tricks, and tools to make you and
your Mac or iOS device more productive
(In fact, without a paid AppleCare+ for
Mac plan, repair costs (fave.co/42ZygPD)
for a display often far exceed a Mac’s
value unless a repair shop can find a
refurbished or salvaged display. It may be
cheaper or not much more expensive to
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 59
 WORKINGMAC H OW TO U SE A MAC WIT H A BRO KE N D I SPL AY
simply buy a used Mac of the same
vintage with a working monitor.)
USE AN EXTERNAL MONITOR
TO KEEP IT ALIVE OR
EXTRACT DATA
All Mac laptops and iMacs of the last many
years support an external monitor, though
the particular adapter and type varies
based on the vintage of Mac:
1. Determine your Mac model and
the kind of monitor and dock or cable
you need.
2. Shut down the Mac if it’s running. (If
you can’t see the display well enough to
select Shut Down, press and hold the
power button until it powers down, which
is about 10 seconds.)
3. Attach the monitor.
4. Start up the Mac. If you’re lucky, the
monitor is enabled with display mirroring,
so you see exactly on the monitor what
would appear on the internal display.
If the external monitor shows the image
of a second screen instead of a mirror of
the internal display:
> See if you can bring up the Displays
preference pane and check the Mirror
Displays box in the Arrangement tab. Even
if you can’t see it, you might be able to
grab the top of the window with the cursor
on the monitor that’s invisible to you and
drag it to the monitor you can see! It’s a
little like those terrible claw-equipped toy
60 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
machines—but you can’t even see the
claw or the toy.
> With a Mac laptop, shut the
computer’s lid, which may transfer the
display to the external monitor. You’ll need
an external keyboard, too.
> Try restarting the Mac and then reset
its NVRAM or PRAM per Apple’s
instructions (fave.co/2R3SDM9) at startup.
This might switch to mirrored displays.
If any of that works, you can continue
to use the Mac normally, or use the
second display to manage transferring
data from it.
CONNECT VIA SCREEN
SHARING OR VNC
macOS allows remote screen access via a
local network using Bonjour, but only if you
enabled Screen Sharing in the Sharing
preference pane. If you might have done
so, follow these steps:
1. Power the Mac up.
2. Go to another Mac that’s on the
same network. In the Finder, look in the
Locations section in the sidebar in any
window. Does the Mac’s name appear?
3. If so, click the Mac’s entry. Does
Share Screen appear in the upper-right
corner of the Finder window?
4. If that appears, click it, and enter
the account information in the Screen
Sharing app that launches. You should
now have access.
 With Screen Sharing enabled, if you 3. Start up your damaged Mac while
also clicked Computer Settings and holding down the T key.
enabled a password for VNC viewers, you If all is well, your Mac with a broken
should also or instead be able to use display will appear as a mounted drive on
standard VNC screen-sharing software the Mac to which it’s attached.
from any computer on the network Note that Target Disk Mode is a bit
(including a Mac), or one that can reach different on M-series Macs, but this can still
the network remotely. be done. See “All the new ways of doing
things on M1 Macs” (fave.co/3CNHqnK).
USE TARGET DISK MODE
If all else fails, Target Disk Mode may save CONNECT THE MACBOOK
the day. This allows a Mac to mount like a TO A DOCK AND USE AN
hard drive on other Macs. Apple has a EXTERNAL SCREEN
detailed set of instructions on its site (fave. If the laptop’s screen is broken, you can
co/44gxuyO), but the outline is: still use the computer connected to an
1. Power down your damaged Mac. external display. Sit the computer in a
2. Plug it in with the appropriate closed stand (see our roundup of the best
like-to-like cable with the Mac you want MacBook stands, fave.co/3NtVaJd) and
to mount it on. either connect directly to the monitor via a
video port if the
laptop has one, via
Thunderbolt using a
USB-C to HDMI or
DisplayPort adapter
cable, or through a
USB-C or
Thunderbolt docking
station or hub. Find
out which are the
best Thunderbolt
docks for Mac (fave.
co/3h1wVoY) and best
One option is to put your Mac in a closed stand, such as Rain USB-C hubs for Mac
Design’s mTower (pictured), and connect it to an external monitor. (fave.co/44dtkYZ). ■

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 61

WORKINGMAC

How to share a mouse and

keyboard between multiple
Macs and iPads
Universal Control means you can use the same mouse and keyboard with multiple
Macs and iPads. You can also use an external KVM, or virtual KVM software.
BY KAREN HASLAM

I
f you have multiple Macs you want to
use, it can be a hassle to manage
multiple keyboards, mice, and other
pointing devices. What if you could
use a single set of input devices to
control multiple Macs—and sometimes
even iPads?
Since Monterey, Apple has offered
Universal Control for Macs and iPads, a
solution for sharing keyboards and mice
between two Macs. Where Universal
Control doesn’t fit, you can try a hardware or
software KVM, which can share a set of
input devices among multiple computers.

62 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023 IMAGE: APPLE

WHAT IS UNIVERSAL
CONTROL?
Universal Control (fave.
co/3R6M8CW) will let you
use the same keyboard and
mouse for all the Macs and
iPads you are working on.
All you have to do to switch
devices is move the pointer
until it crosses the edge of
the screen. The new feature
also makes it extremely
easy to copy content
between devices using
drag-and-drop. You’ll need to ensure your iPad and Mac are near each other.

Universal Control builds

on the Continuity features Apple added
years ago that made it easy to move from
one device to another seamlessly. Then
with Catalina in 2019 came Sidecar, which
made it easy to use an iPad as an
additional screen for your Mac. Read:
“How to use an iPad as a second screen
with a Mac” (fave.co/3r3GfxT).
But Universal Control goes a step
further than Sidecar did: Rather than
turning your iPad display into a secondary
Mac display, Universal Control will maintain
the iPadOS on the iPad, so that you can
interface with the iPad as an iPad, rather
than as a second screen for your Mac.
Similarly, Universal Control brings a
Sidecar-like feature to the Mac, so you can
extend the primary screen to the secondary
Mac, but you can also choose to use the
two Macs independently so that you can
interface between the two devices.
Here we will explain how to use a
keyboard and mouse with two Macs or a
Mac and an iPad. Read on!
WHAT YOU NEED FOR
UNIVERSAL CONTROL
Universal Control lets you use a keyboard,
mouse, or trackpad across multiple devices
logged into the same iCloud account and
that are in proximity to one another. MacOS
Monterey version 12.4 or later and iPadOS
15.4 or later are required. You also need to
have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled.
Universal Control is turned on by
default on both your Mac and iPad, but you

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 63

 WORKINGMAC SH AR E MO U SE & K E Y BOA RD BE T WE EN DE VI C E S

do need to set up a few

things in advance.
> Universal Control
arrived in March 2022 in
macOS 12.3 (fave.co/
3JwkjBD) or iPadOS 15.4
(fave.co/3pnLbNr). In order
for Universal Control to
work, you will need to have
at least macOS 12.3 on your
Mac(s) and iPadOS 15.4 on You will need a compatible Mac, such as a MacBook Pro.
your iPad.
> You will need a compatible Mac and
iPad (see compatibility list below).
> You need to turn on Bluetooth and
Wi-Fi on your Mac and iPad.
> You’ll need to be signed into the
same iCloud account on both devices.
> You’ll need to move your iPad or
secondary Mac within 30 feet or 10 meters
of your Mac.
Apple offers a detailed setup guide
(fave.co/40WycQ6) that includes minimum
hardware model requirements for Macs
and iPads.
UNIVERSAL CONTROL
COMPATIBILITY
Universal Control won’t work with every
Mac or iPad. If you want to operate
multiple Macs and iPads with one
keyboard, mouse, and trackpad, you’ll
need a recent Mac and a recent iPad.
Both devices will need to be logged into
the same Apple ID. You will also need
two-factor authentication, and you will
need to be running macOS 12.3 or
iPadOS 15.4.
Compatible Macs:
> MacBook Pro (2016 and later)
> MacBook (2016 and later)
> MacBook Air (2018 and later)
> 21.5in iMac (2017 and later)
> 27in iMac (2015 and later)
> 24in iMac
> iMac Pro
> Mac mini (2018 and later)
> Mac Pro (2019)
Compatible iPads:
> iPad Pro
> iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
> iPad (6th generation and later)
> iPad mini (5th generation and later)
This means if your Mac is from 2015 or

64 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

earlier, it’s not a feature you can enjoy
(unless you have a 27in iMac from that era).
Does Universal Control work with
Intel Macs?
Universal Control will work with some
recent Intel Macs.
Does Universal Control work
with iPhone?
Universal Control only connects the Mac
and iPad, not the iPhone. The iPhone isn’t
really suitable for use as an additional
screen in this sort of setup.
How many devices can you link with
Universal Control?
Up to three Macs or iPads can be linked
this way. But you will need a Mac in order
to use this with an iPad—you can’t use
Universal Control to link two iPads (yet,
anyway).
HOW TO SHARE A
MOUSE AND KEYBOARD
WITH TWO MACS
If you want to use your keyboard
and mouse with two Macs follow
these steps:
1. Open System Settings or
System Preferences on your Mac
and select Displays.
2. If using Ventura, click on
Advanced; otherwise click on 1.
Universal Control.
3. Check all three boxes: “Allow your
cursor and keyboard to move between
any nearby Mac or iPad” (that’s signed into
your iCloud account), “Push through the
edge of a display to connect to a nearby
Mac or iPad,” and “Automatically reconnect
to any nearby Mac or iPad,” which will
ensure that your Mac and iPad reconnect
next time (1).
4. Go to the other Mac and select the
same three options in System Preferences
or System Settings → Displays. (If you don’t
do this, you won’t see the option to “Link
Keyboard and Mouse” under Add Display
in the next step.)
5. Click on the drop-down beside Add
Display. You’ll see the option “Link
Keyboard and Mouse” and the name of
your secondary Mac underneath (2). You
will need to make sure that these displays
are set up in the same way as they are on
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 65
WORKINGMAC SH AR E MO U SE & K E Y BOA RD BE T WE EN DE VI C E S

You are using the FaceTime app on the

MacBook, not the Mac mini.

HOW TO SHARE YOUR MOUSE

AND KEYBOARD WITH AN iPAD
On your iPad, follow these steps:
1. Go to Settings → General.
2. Go to AirPlay & Handoff.
3. Make sure Cursor & Keyboard is
selected.
Now, on your Mac, follow these steps:
2. 1. Open System Preferences/System
Settings → Displays.
your desk. 2. Click on Add Display.
6. Now drag your mouse to the 3. Under Link Keyboard and Mouse
second Mac and you will see the cursor you should see your iPad (3).
appear on that screen. Click on a 4. Select your iPad (If it disappears, just
document and you’ll be able to type with unlock your iPad or wake it up).
the keyboard. 5. You can click on the screens in the
7. Drag the displays into a location
that matches the setup on your desk
so that you can find each display.
Now when you drag your cursor
over in the direction of your
secondary Mac screen, when the
cursor gets to the edge of the
screen, it will move to the other
screen, and you will be able to use
your keyboard and mouse to control
the secondary device.
So, for example, if you want to use
FaceTime on your MacBook, you can
still use the mouse and keyboard
usually associated with your Mac mini. 3.

66 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

window (as seen above) and move
them to a position that matches the
setup on your desk so that you can
easily find them.
Note that when we used the
Home button on our iPad, that
stopped Universal Control, so if you
do that you may need to start it again
in System Preferences > Displays.
HOW TO DRAG AND
DROP BETWEEN MAC Prior to Universal Control, you needed to use AirDrop
AND iPAD to move a file between devices.
While it was already possible to
copy and paste text between your Apple
devices (fave.co/43XkNsZ), thanks to
Universal Clipboard, it’s now really easy to
drag and drop files and other things
between your iPad and Mac and vice
versa.
Prior to Universal Control, if you
wanted to copy a file or photo to an iPad
from a Mac (or vice versa), you could use
AirDrop (see “How to AirDrop on Mac,
iPhone and iPad,” fave.co/3Nq99jc), you
could message or email from one device
to the other, or you could save to iCloud,
where you could access it on either
device. For example, anything saved to
your Desktop can be accessed on any of
your Apple devices if you subscribe to
iCloud+ (see “How to use iCloud Drive to
sync files between Mac, iPhone and
iPad,” fave.co/3pmnlSm).
Now that Universal Control has arrived,
it’s easy to drag and drop from the Mac to
iPad, but you do have to show the file
where it needs to go on the iPad (it won’t
automatically get the correct place).
For example, if you want to copy a
photo from your Mac to your iPad, follow
these steps:
1. Open Photos on your iPad.
2. Click on the photo on your Mac.
3. Drag it from your Mac screen to
the iPad.
4. Drop the photo into the Photos app
(it doesn’t seem to work if you just drop
onto the Photos icon; you need the app to
be open).
On the other hand, if you want to drag
from the iPad to the Mac, the process is a
lot easier. Just drag and drop to the
desktop, and it will end up there (and if
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 67
 WORKINGMAC SH AR E MO U SE & K E Y BOA RD BE T WE EN DE VI C E S

you have Stacks selected, it will be in the
relevant folder). Read “Clean up a Mac
desktop with Mojave Desktop Stacks &
other tricks” (fave.co/44fJMr2).
Alternatively, drag it to a folder and
drop it there.
Today, a KVM can be much simpler:
You just need USB Type-A ports and can
use USB-C adapters as necessary to
connect to your Macs. This $19.99 list price
UGreen two-computer switch could fit the
bill for many people (fave.co/3D5TYHj).

WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOUR HOW TO USE A SOFTWARE KVM

MAC AND iPAD DON’T If you only want to switch among Macs, a
SUPPORT UNIVERSAL virtual KVM might be the path of least fuss.
CONTROL? Symless Synergy (fave.co/3D5U9SZ) is just
There are alternatives to Universal Control $29 for three computers, with those
that will also allow you to use a single licenses covering macOS, Linux,
keyboard and mouse with two Macs and Raspberry Pi, and Windows—you can mix
even an iPad. and match installations.
Synergy works similarly to Universal
HOW TO USE A Control (before Universal Control existed),
HARDWARE KVM letting you trigger movement among
Called KVM long ago for “keyboard, devices by sliding your cursor off the edge
video, and mouse,” a KVM switch was an of one screen and onto another. ■
important tool for system and
network administrators to avoid
the clutter of extra bulky CRTs and
keyboards in server rooms and
elsewhere. Later, KVMs became
handy for those who wanted to
dock a laptop next to a desktop
setup and use a larger monitor,
full-size keyboard, and mouse,
trackball, or trackpad. Those
KVMs had to include a VGA
connection, multiple serial and
Synergy lets you share a keyboard, mouse, and other
audio connectors, and sometimes input devices across computers running macOS and
USB 1.1. other platforms.

68 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

How to enhance your network
security with private Wi-Fi
network addresses
Apple built in a way to make yourself less trackable, though you may want to
turn it off for some networks.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

Y
ou might think that connecting
anonymously to a public Wi-Fi
network doesn’t reveal much
about you. You might be using a
VPN (virtual private network) to protect
everything you do. But even if you aren’t,
the vast majority of websites and email
servers (and pretty much all those run by
companies) use client-to-server encryption.
But what if you could be tracked anyway?
Apple has a solution for this as it does
for many tracking systems. The company’s

IMAGE: 13_PHUNKOD/SHUTTERSTOCK AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 69

 WORKINGMAC P R I VATE W I - F I N ETWOR K A D D RE SSE S

trick lies in how Wi-Fi (and ethernet) you may have had the experience of
adapters identify themselves over a local connecting to a Wi-Fi gateway and seeing
network when connecting wirelessly or via an option buried in advanced settings to
an ethernet cable. Every network adapter modify the MAC address. (This can be
has a factory-assigned unique address helpful when you’re replacing a router,
baked in at the time of manufacture. It’s and your ISP’s broadband modem or
called a Media (or Medium) Access Control adapter is registered to that older
address; the abbreviation is MAC, device’s MAC address.)
confusingly enough, but it has nothing to The ability for a MAC to change and
do with Macintoshes. the potential for a fixed Mac to be tracked
Where an IP (Internet Protocol) address is why Apple introduced Private Wi-Fi
defines your machine’s location on the Address as a feature nearly three years
internet, a MAC address defines it on your ago in iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and watchOS 7.
local area network (LAN). The MAC is in It’s enabled by default. You can view the
part how devices on a LAN all setting only for individual networks:
communicate with one another, whether > On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings
over Wi-Fi or ethernet. → Wi-Fi and tap the i (info) icon for the
Apple recognized that any fixed active network. Starting in iOS 16 and
identifier could be used to track someone
if it were tied to records captured beyond
the local network. When you connect to a
wireless hotspot, your Wi-Fi MAC address
gets transmitted because it’s part of that
connection. If that MAC address doesn’t
change over time, the back end of a
hot-spot portal could build up a profile of
you (or your device) using a variety of
clues that includes any Bluetooth
broadcasts, credit cards you use at a retail
location, and other network and broadcast
identifiers that only prove trackable when
paired with a fixed network ID.
While a MAC address is factory This private address helps prevent tracking
assigned, it’s not immutable. For instance, that goes beyond the local network.

70 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023


On an Apple Watch, open the Wi-Fi settings, choose a network, tap the
• • • button, and then turn on Private Address.
iPadOS 16, you can also tap Edit at the top
of Wi-Fi settings and tap the i icon to view
or change the Private Wi-Fi Address option
for that network.
> On a Watch, go to Settings → Wi-Fi
and tap the name of the network, and the
Private Address setting appears.
With Private Wi-Fi Address enabled,
your operating system invents a MAC
address for every network you join and
uses that address for that network unless
and until:
> Six weeks has passed since the last
time that you joined the network with
that device.
> You rejoin a network more than two
weeks after you used the Forget This
Network option for that network.
> You erase the device’s settings to
reset your
network settings
(in iOS 15 or later:
Settings → General
→ Transfer or
Reset iPhone/iPad
→ Reset → Reset
Network Settings;
in iOS 14 or earlier:
Settings → General
→ Reset → Reset
Network Settings).
(You might ask:
What if Apple
generates a MAC
address already in use? The number of
possible addresses is vast—over 280
trillion possibilities—and unlike a global IP
address, a MAC address only needs to be
unique on the local network.)
There’s no reason to disable this
privacy feature unless you want to have a
persistent MAC address for a personal or
work network; some networks control
access or assign IP addresses based on a
MAC address, and ensuring that the MAC
address remains static could be helpful.
You might also disable it if you think you’re
experiencing problems with a hot-spot
network that keeps losing your login. I’ve
seen this happen with airplane Wi-Fi, and I
haven’t yet diagnosed whether it’s an
issue with the airplane’s authentication
system or private MAC addressing. ■
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 71
 WORKINGMAC
How to connect two Macs
without a network
Apple offers four ways to connect two Macs, none of which is obvious.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN
A
network is great, but what if
you want to connect two Macs
and transfer information as fast
as you can? Using a gigabit
ethernet cable or a Mac with 802.11ac
(Wi-Fi 5) or later wireless networking
hardware, you can transfer data between
two devices at gigabit per second rates—
but you can do better than that!
72 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
Apple offers four built-in methods in
macOS, none of which is obvious to set
up. Each has different requirements,
advantages, and tradeoffs. Once your
Macs are connected, you use the same
tools to transfer data between them as you
would if they were connected to a network:
SMB file sharing: In the Finder, choose
Go → Connect to Server (Command-K) and
IMAGE: APPLE
click Browse. If the Mac doesn’t appear in
the Network window, go back to Connect
to Server, enter smb:// followed by the
other device’s network-assigned or self-
assigned IP address, and click Connect. (A
self-assigned address means the
computer couldn’t find a DHCP server,
which assigns addresses and provides a
path to the Internet.)
Bonjour: A Mac connected with any
method below should be discoverable via
apps that support Bonjour.
Direct app support: Some apps build
in their own network services and should
simply identify another Mac running client
or peer-to-peer software.
Here are the four methods, from fastest
to slowest.
A self-assigned network starts with 169.254, but you
can still connect to it from the Network browser.
CONNECT VIA THUNDERBOLT
Thunderbolt has long included a
computer-to-computer mode that allows a
10Gbps connection. While that’s a fraction
of its current 40Gbps data path for drives,
peripherals, and displays, it’s speedy
enough! (This method works with Windows
and other computers that have
Thunderbolt support, too.)
In my testing using a Thunderbolt 4
cable between two M1 Macs, I was able to
get 4Gbps of sustained writes and 8Gbps
of sustained reads using a speed-testing
app, and 5Gbps in copying large files from
one Mac to the other. Both rates are far
above gigabit ethernet.
It’s vitally important that you have a
USB-C to USB-C cable designed for
Thunderbolt 3 or 4. Buy it from a
company that has a good track
record, such as Anker (fave.
co/3XtMd7g), Belkin (fave.
co/3CPE6IG), CalDigit (fave.
co/44hn8yw), and Other World
Computing (fave.co/46ATx5g), to
name four of many. If you already
own a USB-C cable, check that it
has a lightning bolt symbol on the
plugs at both ends; it should also
bear a 3 or 4, though Apple’s
omits that, oddly enough. You
don’t want a USB-C charge-only
cable (typically unmarked ends) or
a USB 3-only cable (typically a
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 73
 WORKINGMAC CO N N E CT TWO MACS WIT H OU T A NET WO RK
USB symbol and
SuperSpeed+ or
SS+, SS 10, or SS
20 label).
If you have one
or two older Macs
with Thunderbolt 2, The Thunderbolt-to-Thunderbolt connection will appear with a yellow
you can use a dot and Self-Assigned IP in the Network preference pane.
Thunderbolt 2 to
Thunderbolt 2 cable or a Thunderbolt 3 or
4 USB-C cable with a Thunderbolt 2
adapter (fave.co/3NO2Zur) on one end.
Here’s how to set it up:
1. Connect the two computers with a
cable via any of their Thunderbolt ports.
2. Check the network settings:
In Monterey or earlier: Open Apple
menu → System Preferences → Network.
Make sure Thunderbolt Bridge appears in
the list of interfaces at left on both Macs. If
not, click the plus sign (+) and select
Thunderbolt Bridge to add it, click Create,
and click Apply.
In Ventura: Go to Apple menu →
System Settings → Network and make sure
Thunderbolt Bridge appears in the list of
interfaces at center. If not, click the More
(…) icon at the bottom of the interface list
and choose Add Service. Choose
Thunderbolt Bridge from the Interface
popup menu. Name it and click Create.
3. With the bridge interface in place
and the two Macs connected, you should
see a yellow dot and Self-Assigned IP
74 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
appear under the interface name.
4. Note the address of each
computer, which will be something that
starts with 169.254, like 169.254.14.103.
You’ll need that for SMB connections as
described above.
To disconnect, simply unplug the
Thunderbolt cable.
CONNECT VIA 1GBPS TO
10GBPS ETHERNET
MacOS can also automatically configure a
network connection over ethernet
between two Macs with the same outcome
above: a self-assigned IP address. Some
Macs—like the Mac Pro and Studio Mac—
have built-in 10Gbps ethernet. Macs
released in the last decade have 1Gbps
ethernet, known as plain gigabit ethernet.
To use 1Gbps ethernet, you need a cable
rated as Category 5E (or Cat5E) or higher;
for 10Gbps, at least Cat6. (If you want to
use 10Gbps on a local network, you can
get a 10 Gbps ethernet adapter for
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 for a whopping $199,
fave.co/3XrCRsx.)
Open System Preferences/Settings →
Network and make sure Ethernet appears
in the list of interfaces. If not, follow the
steps above for Thunderbolt to add an
Ethernet interface. Connect the two Macs
with the cable, and you’ll wind up as in
step 4 above for a Thunderbolt cable.
You can connect with computers
running other operating systems, as they
generally also automatically create a
self-assigned IP address and allow SMB
and other networking services.
Performance should be up to 1Gbps with
gigabit ethernet and match Thunderbolt
performance with 10Gbps ethernet.
CREATE A WI-FI HOTSPOT
WITH YOUR MAC
If there’s no Thunderbolt or ethernet cable
handy and no Wi-Fi network nearby, you
You can create a secure Wi-Fi network
managed by your Mac in the Sharing
preference pane.
can use your Mac to create a Wi-Fi
hotspot, once called a software base
station. (Apple began including this feature
decades ago.)
Read “How to share a Wi-Fi connection
via macOS” (fave.co/4435vD4) on how
to configure one Mac to offer such a
network. You use System Preferences →
Sharing rather than the Network preference
pane. (Visit the Network preference pane
and it shows Internet Sharing: On as the
Network Name for the Wi-Fi adapter.) Your
Mac also shows an upward-pointing
arrow inside the Wi-Fi fan to indicate
network sharing.
Once created, the Mac’s Wi-Fi network
can be selected by any device with Wi-Fi.
That includes Macs, gaming systems,
Android phones, and anything else.
Because this is a shared connection, the
machine connected to your Mac will be
assigned an IP address by your Mac.
With my Macs—an M1 MacBook Air
and M1 Mac mini—I achieved between
100 and 200Mbps of throughput, about
half what I could manage via a Wi-Fi
network to a gigabit internet connection.
A Mac-created Wi-Fi hotspot is good
in a pinch when no other network or
cables are available, but an 802.11ac
(Wi-Fi 5) or later Wi-Fi router can offer
more throughput, often making it a
better choice.
Disable the Wi-Fi hotspot by
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 75
 WORKINGMAC CO N N E CT TWO MACS WIT H OU T A NET WO RK

unchecking the Internet Sharing service Follow these steps:

in the left-hand list in System Preferences 1. On both Macs, go to System/Settings
→ Sharing. Preferences → Network, select your Wi-Fi
adapter, and click Advanced.
CREATE A COMPUTER-TO- 2. Check or enable “Show legacy
COMPUTER WIRELESS networks and options” and click OK or
NETWORK Done. In Monterey or earlier, click Apply if
As the last resort, you can revert to an the Apply button appears.
older wireless method once known as ad 3. In the Wi-Fi menu on the Mac on
hoc. It’s out of date and lacks Wi-Fi which you want to create the network,
security. Still, it has very little overhead select Create Network.
because it’s a peer-to-peer connection— 4. Name the network and choose a
just make sure nobody is in range who high-numbered channel (36 or above), as
could sniff your unencrypted wireless data. that allows higher throughput, and then
Your maximum throughput will be click Create.
relatively low. I measured below 100Mbps, 5. When warned about creating an
even lower on average than with a Mac- unsecure network, click Create again.
created Wi-Fi hotspot. 6. The icon in the Wi-Fi menu changes
to show a tiny display within a Wi-Fi fan
shape. Click the icon, and you see the
network listed under Device.
7. From the other computer, click the
Wi-Fi menu and click Other Networks.
The sharing Mac’s network appears
under Device. Select it. (This may work
with some non-Mac computers and
To create the mobile devices, too.)
network, you 8. The connected Mac’s Wi-Fi icon will
name and pick a
also change to the display-within-a-fan.
channel (left, as
in step 4), and To disconnect, click the Wi-Fi symbol to
then confirm the the left of the network’s name on the Mac
creation (step 5). that’s sharing. Turn off the network on the
Mac that’s sharing by clicking that Wi-Fi
symbol under Device. ■

76 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

 ION OF STA
IAT TE
OC
SS

FO
NATIONAL A

RE
STERS

FO 0
U N D E D 192
 WHEN IT COMES TO
MAKING PLANS
YOU’RE THE BEST
MAKE A PLAN
TO PROTECT YOU AND
YOUR LOVED ONES FROM
A NATURAL DISASTER

Sign up
for local weather and
emergency alerts

Prepare
an emergency kit

Make
a family
communications plan

Get started at ready.gov/plan

PLAYLIST Everything you need to know about Apple Music,
Apple TV, and Mac or iOS-based entertainment

Change the AirPlay password on

Apple TV and other devices
Apple lets you protect access to AirPlay destinations in case you’re in an area
with other people who might accidentally select your hardware.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

A
irPlay lets you stream audio
and video over a local network
connection between an
iPhone, an iPad, or a Mac to an
Apple TV, a HomePod, and lots of third-
party devices equipped with built-in
AirPlay or AirPlay 2 support.
When you first connect to an AirPlay
destination, you may be prompted to enter
a security code. This security code is not

IMAGE: APPLE AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 79

 PLAYLIST C HA N G E T H E A I R P L AY PASSWOR D ON A PPL E T V
designed to protect you from hacking
attempts. Rather, it serves as a buffer in
situations where multiple users with their
own devices are in close proximity (like in
a dorm or apartment building) and could
see and inadvertently select your AirPlay
destination. (Someone might also try to
play a prank by accessing your device and
sending unwanted content to it.)
You can see that it’s not an anti-
hacking method because when you select
an AirPlay device that has passcode
protection, the display for that device will
show the code. You can then enter it at the
prompt on whatever Apple equipment
you’re using.
After entering the security code for the
first time on a device, you shouldn’t be
asked for it again unless the code
changes.
Every streaming box, app, or smart TV
that supports AirPlay has a different
interface to set and change the code.
You can
opt to
add a
password,
or to
change
one that’s
already
been set.
80 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
Here’s how to make the change on an
Apple TV:
1. Go to Settings → AirPlay and
HomeKit.
2. Choose Allow Access.
3. From the Allow Access options,
select Require Password, whether it’s set
to Off or On.
4. If the password is set, you can
change it; otherwise, enter a new one. It’s
best to pick a short one that’s all numbers
for ease of entry.
5. Choose Done.
You can also find instructions on some
popular devices made by other companies
using these links:
Amazon Fire TVs (fave.co/3NsWvQz)
LG smart TVs (fave.co/46q3LoJ)
Roku streaming boxes (fave.co/
3JAqEw6)
Samsung smart TVs (fave.co/3PABVjI)
Sony smart TVs (fave.co/3PwazLy)
Vizio smart TVs (fave.co/436KtBT) ■
How to prep a HomePod for sale
It’s not critical, but it’s always a good idea to break all connections it has with you.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN
T
he HomePod and HomePod mini
are unique creatures in Apple’s
lineup: Unlike nearly all other
hardware Apple sells, these
assistants and speakers are not
permanently locked to your iCloud
account nor are they paired to a iPhone or
IMAGE: APPLE
iPad. An iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Watch has
Activation Lock enabled if you turn on Find
My. Most Beats and Apple audio devices,
as well as all Find My devices (AirTags and
third-party), use what Apple now calls Find
My Lock, which connects a device without
a visible interface to your Apple ID and
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 81
 PLAYLIST H OW TO P RE P A H O ME P OD F OR SA L E
can only be disabled via an iPhone or iPad
in the Find My app. (Audio devices can be
used with other hardware, but they remain
trackable by the original owner, as
reporter Casey Johnston looked into when
she lost hers; fave.co/3CQ4diQ.)
A HomePod or HomePod mini has no
such lock. This means if they’re stolen,
someone can perform a reset and put
them right back into use.
If you intentionally hand yours off as a
sale, gift, or donation, you should still go
through the steps to remove it from your
account and perform a hard reset. First,
you can avoid any potential of someone
else having access to playlists, songs, and
other potentially private data associated
with your account. Second, it’s always
better to wipe any device that’s associated
with you from your other hardware before
it leaves your ownership. Apple makes this
fairly simple.
First, open the
Home app in iOS,
iPadOS, or
macOS:
1. Find your
HomePod or
HomePod mini.
2. Click or tap
it to reveal
settings.
3. Click or tap
the gear icon.
82 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
4. Click or tap Reset HomePod and
follow the prompts.
After you have completed those steps,
do the following:
1. Unplug the HomePod for 10 seconds.
2. Plug it back in. After a brief moment,
place your finger on the top of the
HomePod and keep it there. (Apple says
to wait 10 seconds first, but I’m not sure it
matters based on my testing.)
3. Eventually the HomePod will show a
spinning white pattern. This will change to
a solid red when the reset is triggered.
Keep holding down.
4. The device will say that it’s about to
reset. You’ll hear three beeps. After you
hear the last of those beeps, you can
remove your finger.
Your HomePod or HomePod is now
fully removed from your account and
ready for its next life. ■
Click to remove a
HomePod and you receive
a warning about precisely
what happens next.
AirPods noise cancellation is about
to become a lot smarter
New adaptive audio features will automatically allow important sounds to pass
through and mute the unimportant ones.
BY DAVID PRICE

A
t WWDC 2023 in early June
(fave.co/3XrG9fq), Apple
announced a surprising raft of
new features coming to
AirPods and AirPods Pro (fave.co/
3CLOm4K). These revolve around the
ability to have your headphones adapt
automatically to the sounds around you
and adjust noise cancellation or
transparency features to suit the situation.
The 2nd-gen AirPods Pro get the bulk
of the upgrades with three new features:

IMAGE: APPLE AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 83

 PLAYLIST AIRPODS NOISE CANCELLATION

so you can carry on a conversation. When

The 2nd-gen AirPods Pro’s new features
include Adaptive Audio, Personalized
Volume, and Conversation Awareness.
the conversation ends, noise cancellation
kicks back in. And Personalized Volume
uses machine learning to understand
environmental conditions and listening
preferences over time to automatically
fine-tune the media experience.
Additionally, Apple is making using
AirPods easier with updates to Automatic
Switching. Apple says the connection time
between a user’s Apple devices is
significantly faster and more reliable.
Finally, AirPods Pro, AirPods (3rd gen), and
AirPods Max will get enhanced with a new
Mute or Unmute feature for calls. Users
can press the stem or Digital Crown to
quickly mute or unmute themselves. ■

Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, and

Conversation Awareness. Adaptive Audio
is a new mode that sits midway between
Transparency and noise cancellation. It
reacts to different types of noise, knowing
to mute some—such as leaf blowers and
marching bands, based on the demo—and
allow others through, such as the noise of
incoming vehicles. In theory, at least this is
a smart way to blend safety and
convenience without requiring as much
interaction with your headphones.
Apple’s latest
Conversation Awareness detects and
AirPods have
recognizes the sounds of human speech, a new Mute or
and knows to dial back noise cancellation Unmute feature.

84 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2:
A rapper’s delight
Gamers might also appreciate this headphone’s ability to rattle your brain with
its over-the-top bass response, but it won’t impress critical listeners.
BY MICHAEL BROWN

T
he Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2
(fave.co/3CMCsHK) is aptly
named. It will almost literally
crush your ears with its thumping
bass response, but its active noise
cancellation is pretty weak sauce.
Skullcandy says it’s targeting “tech-
savvy audiophiles” with this headphone,
but most audiophiles eschew active noise
cancellation, and I don’t know of any who
would seek out an audio product that so
zealously overemphasizes a given

IMAGE: SKULLCANDY AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 85

 PLAYLIST REVIEW: SKULLCANDY CRUSHER ANC 2
frequency range the way the Crusher ANC
2 does the low end.
But for those looking for a headphone
with massive amounts of thump, this is the
one to buy. Note: Walmart sells these
headphones in a box labeled Crusher
ANC XT 2, but the same product is inside.
HOW DOES THE SKULLYCANDY
CRUSHER ANC 2 SOUND?
The Skullcandy Crusher ANC is equipped
with 40mm drivers with a frequency range
of 20Hz to 20kHz (no tolerance given). So,
as you might expect, it delivers more than
adequate bass response even without
enabling the Crusher effect.
The headphone is less impressive at
producing higher frequencies; in fact, the
jangly guitar and Hayley Williams’ vocals
Skullcandy’s branding is surprisingly
understated given the over-the-top nature of
its Crusher haptic bass feature.
86 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
sounded rather flat while listening to
Paramore’s “Big Man, Little Dignity” from
the band’s album This is Why, streamed
from Tidal.
Turning to tracks with more bass
emphasis, I listened to Gorillaz’
“Tarantula” from its Cracker Island album.
With Crusher mode engaged at 20
percent, the bass guitar and kick drum
stomped all over the synthesizer
arpeggios and the drummer’s hi-hat. I had
a similar experience listening to Pharrell
Williams’ vocals on Daft Punk’s “Lose
Yourself to Dance,” from Random Access
Memories (10th Anniversary Edition),
streamed from Qobuz.
According to Skullcandy, the Crusher
drivers operate at frequencies from 10- to
150Hz, with a peak around 40Hz. I found
the Crusher effect downright unpleasant at
anything higher than 20 percent. At 50
percent and above, the pressure from
those haptic drivers—the source of that
thump—began to feel as though someone
was rhythmically slamming their cupped
hands over my ears.
DOES THE SKULLCANDY
CRUSHER ANC 2 HAVE
EFFECTIVE NOISE
CANCELLATION?
The Crusher ANC 2 is outfitted with four
microphones that monitor environmental
noise, so the headphone can cancel it out.
 This uses the
headphone’s mics to
pipe outside sound
into the headphone,
so you can hear
traffic noises if
you’re walking, and
for those times when
you want to listen
for announcements
of a PA system or
speak to someone
without doffing
your headphones.
The large thumbwheel on the Crusher ANC 2’s left-hand earcup
If ANC is an
adjusts the level of Crusher haptic bass effect. Depressing the
thumbwheel turns the effect off. Should the headphone’s battery die, important
you can plug in a 3.5mm audio cable and use it passively. headphone feature,
you’ll want to stick
I didn’t detect a major difference in audio with the higher-end offerings from Sony
performance toggling the feature on and or Bose.
off (using a slider on the right-hand
earcup), which means the headphone DOES THE CRUSHER ANC 2
wasn’t negatively affecting the music I was SUPPORT VOICE COMMANDS?
listening to. Skullcandy has a bigger-than-average
But Skullcandy’s ANC wasn’t highly bag of tricks when it comes to voice
effective at masking undesired sounds. It commands. It not only has Alexa
removed at least some of the low-end onboard, but you can also speak
rumble from the simulated aircraft cabin commands for play and pause, volume
noise that I played on external speakers, up and down, and to skip forward and
but it was almost entirely ineffectual at back on your playlist. You can give the
masking the high-end shoosh. headphone device-specific instructions,
The same slider can enable a Stay such as “Hey Skullcandy, ANC on,” “Hey
Aware mode for those times when you do Skullcandy, Stay-Aware off,” or “Hey
want to hear what’s going on around you. Skullcandy, more [or less] Crusher” to

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 87

 PLAYLIST REVIEW: SKULLCANDY CRUSHER ANC 2
adjust the level of the headphone’s
bass-boosting Crusher effect.
You can also initiate Spotify and iHeart
radio music streaming by saying to the
headphone “Hey Skullcandy, Spotify” or
“Hey iHeart, play…” There’s even a setting
that lets you use voice commands to take
a photo with your phone’s camera. None
of these features—apart from Alexa—
requires a broadband connection.
IS THE SKULLCANDY CRUSHER Crusher’s orange power button, its
ANC 2 COMFORTABLE TO
WEAR?
Even with its headband and yoke being
fabricated mostly from plastic (the upper
headband is stainless steel), the Crusher
ANC 2’s 11.8-ounce weight puts it on the
heavier end of the spectrum. The Sony
The Crusher ANC 2 is comfortable to wear, with generous memory
foam padding in the earcups and at the top of the headband.
88 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
WH-1000XM5, by comparison, weighs just
8.8 ounces.
I nonetheless found the Crusher
comfortable to wear for long listening
sessions, thanks to the 10-position,
indexed headband; the generous amounts
of memory foam underneath the patent-
leather cushions on its earpads; the
padded twill fabric on the underside of its
headband; and optimal clamping pressure.
You’ll need to remember that the
thumbwheel for dialing in the amount of
Crusher effect, its USB-C charging port,
and its 3.5mm aux input are located on the
left-hand earcup, because the black-on-
black markers identifying the left and right
elements of these cans are nearly
impossible to see. That memory will be
useful when you store
the headphone in its
case as well.
Three buttons on the
right-hand earcup
handle play/pause and
answer/end phone calls
(middle button); volume
up (top button); and
volume down (bottom
button). A slider beneath
that third button toggles
ANC on and off and
enables Stay Aware
mode, which pipes some
 passively if you connect it to a source
using the provided 3.5mm audio cable.

HOW DO PHONE CALLS

SOUND ON THE CRUSHER
ANC 2?
The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 is outfitted
with a Bluetooth 5.2 radio and exhibited
excellent range both when connected to
my Dell laptop and to my iPhone 12.
Support for multi-point connections meant
I could listen to music on the laptop and
either make or take phone calls without
Shaped surfaces on the Crusher ANC 2’s
buttons make them easy to differentiate first needing to disconnect.
while you’re wearing the headphone. The headphone is outfitted with
dedicated mics for phone calls and voice
ambient sound into the headphone to commands; in other words, it doesn’t use
increase your situational awareness. the same mics for ANC purposes. During
Skullcandy says buyers can expect up phone calls, people at the other end of the
to 60 hours of battery life with noise call sounded clear, and they said the same
cancellation disabled, and up
to 50 hours with ANC turned
on. A 10-minute “rapid
charge” delivers up to four
hours of battery life. The
headphone has no “sleep”
mode, however, which means
its practical battery life will be
much shorter if you don’t
remember to turn the
headphone off when you’re
not using it.
On the bright side, the The right-hand/left-hand indicators are too small to see, and
headphone will operate the monochromatic color scheme doesn’t help.

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 89

 PLAYLIST REVIEW: SKULLCANDY CRUSHER ANC 2

of my voice. But they also said they could Crusher ANC 2’s feature set.
hear some of the noises in my One of the app’s most interesting
environment—including my chihuahua features is Personal Sound Processing, in
barking as the letter carrier came to my which you wear the headphones while
front porch to deliver mail. taking a hearing test developed by Mimi
There’s support for the AAC and SBC Hearing Technologies (fave.co/44ffp3S).
codecs, but Android users will miss being Based on the results of this test, the app
able to use any of the aptX codecs. suggests a custom EQ setting for you,
Sony’s high-resolution LDAC isn’t which you can tweak using three presets
supported, either. (“softer” or “richer”), plus an “intensity”
slider. I didn’t find the personalization to be
DOES SKULLCANDY HAVE particularly effective, so I just turned it off.
AN APP? A separate Equalizer mode has EQ
Skullcandy IQ, available for Android and presets for music, podcasts, and movies,
iOS, is a full-featured app that lets you or you can create your own EQ mode by
make precise customizations to the adjusting five sliders (for low, low-mid, mid,
high-mid, and high
frequencies). You
can save this custom
EQ and recall it later
by touching the
Custom button, but
you can store only
one of these custom
modes.
The app also lets
you remap the
Crusher ANC 2’s
buttons and its
thumbwheel. The
volume-up, volume-
down, and middle
Noise cancellation isn’t much of a reason to buy the Crusher ANC 2
headphone, but the rest of Skullcandy’s app offers a lot of customi- buttons can be
zation features. programmed to

90 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

 articulated earcups fold in to make the unit
smaller. The L and R markings inside the
case will help you orient the headphones
correctly when storing them—if only the
earcups were so well marked.

VERDICT
With a $230 asking price, the Skullcandy
Crusher ANC 2 is not an inexpensive pair
Skulllcandy provides a much better than of headphones, but it’s much cheaper than
average hard-shell case for storing its the top names in over-ear noise-cancelling
Crusher ANC 2 headphone, which folds up to headphones; namely, the $400 Sony
form a more compact size.
WH-1000XM5 (fave.co/
perform actions with single, double, and 3k4Ia1E), the $400 Bowers & Wilkins Px7
triple presses as well as 1-second holds. S2 (fave.co/3GT4iVx), and the $329 Bose
The thumbwheel is limited to custom Quiet Comfort 45 (fave.co/436qPr2).
actions based on a double press; a single Each of those headphones delivers
press rotates between setting the Crusher better noise cancellation and—perhaps
level to 20, 50, and 80 percent; a long more importantly—more faithful audio
press toggles Crusher mode reproduction than the Crusher
on and off. ANC 2. But Skullcandy’s
mmmh
headphone is very well built for
Skullcandy Crusher
DOES THE CRUSHER ANC 2
the price, and it has a strong
ANC 2 COME WITH A PROS feature set and a great app that
CASE? • Insane amounts of bass
response.
offers a raft of customizations.
Skullcandy provides a • Robust construction. The Crusher ANC 2’s real
zippered, twill fabric–covered • Rich feature set. claim to fame, however, is its
CONS
hard-shell case with its Crusher polarizing Crusher haptic bass
• Insane amounts of bass
ANC 2 headphone, with a response. feature. There really is
space to store the included • Weak active noise nothing like it, and listeners—
cancellation.
USB-A to USB-C charging PRICE and gamers—who value
cable and 3.5mm audio cable. $320 thump over all will completely
COMPANY
The case is lined with a soft dig it. I know my 16-year-old
Skullcandy
fabric, and the headphone’s grandson does. ■

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 91

PLAYLIST

Beats Studio Buds +: Better than

AirPods (but not AirPods Pro)
The newest Beats earbuds have a better design than the AirPods Pro, but Apple’s high-
end buds are still the best choice for most Apple users.
BY JASON CROSS

I
n our review of the original Beats Studio
Buds (fave.co/2UkzdEB), we found they
outclassed AirPods Pro in several ways
but lacked some Apple-specific
features. That, along with mediocre noise
canceling, made them less desirable for
Apple enthusiasts.
The revamped version, Beats Studio
Buds + (fave.co/3PQ2WQz), improves on
the original in many important ways. But
Apple also has a new model—the second-
generation AirPods Pro (fave.co/
3XITLCC)—that seriously raise the stakes.
Again, I enjoyed the design and usability

92 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023 IMAGE: BEATS

of these Beats earbuds but find the latest
AirPods Pro easier to recommend.
These are earbuds made for both
Apple and Android users, and they lack
Apple’s homegrown H1 or H2 chip, which
enables certain features within the Apple
ecosystem. I’d take them over the AirPods
any day, but they don’t quite match the
AirPods Pro.
PLAYFUL DESIGN
You can get AirPods in any color you want,
as long as it’s white. Boring! Apple’s Beats
brand has always been unconstrained with
its colorways, and the Studio Buds + is no
exception with its retro frosted transparent
plastic for both the buds and case. If that’s
not your thing, they’re available in black
and ivory, too.
The charging case is a bit larger than that
of the AirPods or AirPods Pro but still easy to
pocket. You’ll find a USB-C charge port on
the bottom, but there’s no
wireless charging capability.
The buds themselves
are of average size and fit…
well…like most in-ear buds
do. With the right eartips
(four sizes are included), it’s
easy to get a good seal,
and they stay in even
through a fair bit of jostling
around. While they don’t fall The tiny buds come in a fun frosted transparent enclosure,
out, I lost the seal a couple but ivory and black are also available.
of times on almost any trip to the gym,
while I didn’t have that issue with the Beats
Fit Pro (fave.co/3CMMFny), thanks to the
little wingtips.
Still, they stay in my ears at least as
well as the AirPods Pro, and the actual
physical buttons on the side of each
earbud are far more usable than Apple’s
foolish “squeeze the stem” control scheme
for AirPods.
IMPROVED AUDIO ALL
AROUND
The sound quality is improved over that of
the original Beats Studio Buds, thanks to
almost completely reworked internal
components. There are new microphones,
redesigned ventilation, new transducers,
and bigger batteries. You will notice the
difference immediately.
While the sound quality is better, I do
notice slightly more detail when I listen
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 93
 PLAYLIST REVIEW: BEATS STUDIO BUDS +

will recharge the buds three

times. In my experience, that
estimate seems about right.
Anyone would be pleased
with the sound performance of
these sub-$200 earbuds.
They sound better than
3rd-gen AirPods, but the
2nd-gen AirPods Pro deliver
an overall superior audio
experience all around.

NOT QUITE AIRPODS

Some Beats products use
The improved sound quality, ANC, and transparency Apple’s own headphone
handily beat the AirPods but not the AirPods Pro. chips, but the Beats Studio
Buds + do not. That means
to music with the second-generation you get some Apple ecosystem features,
AirPods Pro. but not everything the AirPods give you.
Beats claims 1.6 times better noise Hands-free “Hey Siri” is there, as is instant
canceling and 2 times better
transparency than before, and I
immediately noticed a big improvement
over the prior version. But neither
feature quite holds a candle to the
fantastic AirPods Pro in that regard. The
transparency feature isn’t adaptive,
either; it can’t suddenly ramp up to dull
an extra-loud sound like the AirPods Pro
can. Still, these are priced closer to the
3rd-gen AirPods, which don’t have ANC
or transparency at all.
Battery life is rated at 6 hours with I prefer tapping the button on this little bulb to
ANC enabled or 9 with it off, and the case trying to squeeze an AirPods stem.

94 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

pairing with your iPhone and
support for the Find My app.
But you don’t get instant
switching between Apple
devices, support for spatial
audio with video (any
headphones can use Spatial
Audio in Apple Music),
personalized spatial audio,
Conversation Boost, or the
in-ear detection that
automatically pauses playback
when you take an earbud out. These are a great choice if you need earbuds to use with
On the other hand, both Apple and non-Apple devices.
stepping away from the
Apple-designed H1 or H2 chips means them with just an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or
these earbuds can support a bunch of Apple Watch, you’re better off with the
useful Android features. They support latest AirPods Pro despite the slightly
Google Fast Pair, Audio Switch, and Find superior design of these ’buds.
My Device, and there’s a Beats At about the same price as
App for Android (fave.co/ for the third-gen AirPods, you’ll
46qGpiN) that lets you do
mmmm get overall superior sound
Beats Studio Buds +
things like name your device, quality and the addition of
PROS
see battery levels, or toggle • Fun transparent design active noise cancellation with
noise canceling and (other colors are available). Beats Studio Buds +. These are
• Improved ANC and sound
transparency settings. You quality. easy to recommend over
definitely won’t get any of that • Good battery life. regular AirPods.
CONS
with the AirPods. However, if you want the
• Don’t sound as good as
AirPods Pro. best in-ear buds to use within
VERDICT • Missing a few Apple
ecosystem features.
the Apple ecosystem, you’ll
If you need earbuds to use with PRICE find the second-gen AirPods
both Apple and non-Apple $169 Pro offer more features and
COMPANY
devices, these are a great better sound for just a bit
Beats
choice. If you’re going to use more cash. ■

AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 95

Help a lost
pet get home
Posting a lost pet notice
can reunite a family for
a lifetime.

PetsAndPeopleTogether.org
HELPDESK Answering Your Questions and Sharing Your
Tips About Getting the Most From Your Mac

Mac 911
Solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

HOW TO STOP SAFARI’S But what has he done for us lately?

SMOOTH SCROLLING USING
THE ARROW KEYS
Jeff Johnson is the hero behind
StopTheMadness (fave.co/3JvipBy), Link
Unshortener (fave.co/3XqRZGJ), and other
must-have browser and social-media
utilities that let you override and defeat
websites’ attempts to hijack control of your
cursors, mouse, and Control-click. (I gave
StopTheMadness 5 out of 5 stars in a Mac
Gems review last year, fave.co/44mO2Ff.)
He’s figured out how to disable smooth
scrolling, a surprise feature added by
Apple in Safari 16.4 for macOS. If you didn’t
notice, with this version of Safari, pressing
and releasing the down or up arrow on a
Safari page scrolls the page continuously
until you tap a key or use a mouse to
regain control. The change is baffling. Who
asked for this? Why introduce it in
midstream? And the biggest question of
all: Why is there no checkbox to disable it?

IMAGE: NEW AFRICA/SHUTTERSTOCK AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 97

 HELPDESK MAC 9 11
Johnson has documented a multi-step
operation to fix this problem. You can read his
quick post (fave.co/444Q3X4), or this more
detailed step-by-step if you’re unfamiliar with
Safari’s Debug mode and the Terminal.
1. System Settings or Preferences
macOS Ventura: Open Apple menu →
System Settings → Privacy & Security; go to
the Privacy section.
macOS Monterey and older: Open
Apple menu → System Preferences →
1.
2.
98 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
Security & Privacy and click on the Privacy
section to open it.
2. Full Disk Access
macOS Ventura: Click Full Disk Access.
macOS Monterey and older: Select
Full Disk Access in the left column. Click the
lock icon at the bottom left of the settings
window and authenticate your identity with
Touch ID, your password, or a Watch.
3. Activate Terminal
macOS Ventura: Look for Terminal in the
main window and flip its switch on. You
will have to enter an administrator
username and password after flipping
the switch.
macOS Monterey and older: In the
main section of the window, you will see
a list of apps. Click the plus-sign (+)
button and navigate to Applications →
Utilities. You should find the Terminal app
there; select the Terminal icon and then
3.
4.
5.
click the Open button. Close System
Settings or Preferences.
4. Activate the Safari Debug menu
In both macOS Ventura and Monterey:
1. Quit Safari if it is open.
2. Launch the Terminal app (it is
located in Applications → Utilities).
3. Copy the precise text below as a
single line, paste it into the Terminal at the
prompt, and press Return:
defaults write com.apple.Safari
IncludeInternalDebugMenu -bool true
5. Safari Debug setting
In both macOS Ventura and Monterey:
1. Quit the Terminal and launch Safari.
2. From the new Debug menu that
appears, choose Debug →
WebKit Internal Features →
EventHandler driven smooth
keyboard scrolling. It should be
shown with a checkmark, so
choosing it will remove the
checkmark and deactivate the
option.
When you activate the Safari
Debug menu, it stays on even
after you adjust the smooth keyboard
scrolling setting. If you want to remove the
Debug menu, repeat step 4, but copy and
paste this command into the Terminal
instead and press Return:
defaults write com.apple.Safari
IncludeInternalDebugMenu -bool false
Thanks to Johnson for uncovering a
buried secret that should be a Safari
checkbox!.
HOW TO SET UP AN APPLE ID
WITH A TRUSTED PHONE
NUMBER ALREADY IN USE
To use Apple’s two-factor authentication
(2FA) with your Apple ID account—
something that the company has
effectively mandated for the last few
AUGUST 2023 MACWORLD 99
 HELPDESK MAC 9 11
years—you must have at least one
“trusted phone number” associated with
your account. A trusted phone number
can receive a code via SMS or an
automated voice call speaking the code
to validate a login on a new device. This
contrasts with a trusted device, which is
any iPhone, iPad, or Mac logged into that
Apple ID account.
You can add more than one trusted
phone number, which is useful for backup
in case a phone is lost or a phone
number is hijacked. But you must have at
least one.
Some readers find that they can’t set
up their Apple ID for 2FA with a number
already associated with another Apple
ID account, or they can’t add such a
number as a second or subsequent
trusted phone number. They receive an
Some readers find Apple won’t let them reuse a number
across Apple ID accounts.
100 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
alert that the number is already in use by
another Apple ID account. This is
particularly irritating for many people
who rely on verifying their Apple ID login
using a trusted device and never rely on
the trusted phone number at all.
Apple hasn’t documented this
limitation. To me, it seemed like a
change, but I can find people posting
about receiving an alert like this dating
back a few years. I just tested adding to
my list of trusted phone numbers a
family member’s cell (with their
permission) that’s already assigned to
their Apple ID. I had no alert or difficulty.
One reader found this particularly
vexing: They had an old Apple ID account
they no longer use, but because their
current and only phone number was
associated with that account, they couldn’t
finish setting up a new account.
They were looking into deleting
the old account by calling
Apple Support; I wouldn’t just
try to delete it, as there’s no
knowing whether deleting
the account will truly free up
the old number.
Other posters on the
internet have found they
were told the number was
already in use with an Apple
ID—but not by them. They
had new phone numbers that
the previous owner had clearly connected
to an Apple ID account and never
disconnected or deleted.
Beyond going to fave.co/3NOpfEI to
set up a tech support call with Apple to try
to resolve the situation, you could just
acquire another phone number. Google
still lets you set up a Google Voice
account at no cost (fave.co/3XvrTCh) and
assigns it a legitimate phone number. You
can then add that number as a trusted
one. You can configure your Google Voice
number to forward text messages to email,
or access the account directly via a web
browser or an iOS app.
HOW TO FIND YOUR MEDIA
ACCESS CONTROL ADDRESS
FOR CONFIGURING ROUTER
SETTINGS
A MAC address may be the address of
your Mac, but they’re not interchangeable.
MAC stands for Media (or Medium) Access
Control, a geeky term for a part of network
communications between the actual
hardware, like a Wi-Fi radio or ethernet
chip and jack, and the data that flows over
it. Every network adapter has a unique
MAC address set by the manufacturer
during production.
Why should you need to know a
device’s MAC address? It can come in
handy when you want to configure
features on your router. You’re probably
familiar with an IP (Internet Protocol)
address, one that uniquely identifies your
computer, phone, or other hardware’s
connection on the internet. A MAC
address applies only to the local area
network—the collection of devices
connected physically together or via Wi-Fi.
Because you almost always rely on a
network router to assign IP addresses to
your devices, the router can’t use an IP
address to identify your hardware first.
That’s where the MAC address comes in.
Router features that interact
with a MAC
You might use a MAC address on a router
to do any of the following:
> Assign a fixed IP address to a
device by MAC. This can be useful if
you’re trying to establish access from
outside your network to a service run on
a computer or other device located on
your network.
> Create a list of only permitted
devices for security’s sake. Even if
someone gets the network password, they
still wouldn’t be able to join the network.
> Block specific devices from joining
the network. I recently encountered an
odd iCloud syncing problem that I might
have to solve ultimately by connecting to
my network via ethernet. A colleague
suggested leaving Wi-Fi on for Continuity
features but blocking internet access over
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> Restrict a child’s access to

TP-Link routers let you opt to allow or deny devices by
their MAC address. You can pick from a list.
Wi-Fi using the Wi-Fi adapter’s MAC
address. (Some Continuity features, like
Handoff, use a Personal Area Network
[PAN], where devices connect directly.)
the internet during certain
times of day.
> Throttle the amount of data
a particular device can retrieve
from the internet.
Every router has different
features, so consult your
manual to see what yours
offers. Our household is
blanketed with TP-Link devices,
and an AX3000 model acts as
our primary router. After
connecting to the router’s
administrative interface, I can,
for instance, enable its Access
Control feature (Advanced >
Security > Access Control), add
devices by MAC address or
browse a list of connected hardware
(showing both their IP and MAC
addresses), and allow or deny them
access to the network.

Where to find the

MAC address on our
Mac, iPhone, or iPad
In macOS, look in these
places:
> In Ventura, go to
Apple menu → System
Settings → Network and
You can assign an IP address permanently to a device by its MAC select the interface. For
address in most routers (TP-Link shown here). ethernet, click Details

102 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023


A Mac’s MAC address can be found in different places
depending on the network adapter type.
and then click Hardware to view the MAC
address. For Wi-Fi, click Advanced and
the Wi-Fi MAC Address appears in the
dialog box.
> In Monterey and earlier, go to Apple
menu → System Preferences → Network
and select your ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter
in the left list, click Advanced, and click
Hardware. The MAC address appears in
that view.
You can also Option-click the Wi-Fi
system menu, and the MAC address for
the Wi-Fi adapter appears, but it can’t be
as easily copied with one hand pressing
the mouse button or trackpad.
In iOS and iPadOS, go to Settings →
Wi-Fi and tap the i (info) icon. The MAC
address is listed as the Wi-Fi Address. For
recent versions of iOS and
iPadOS, you will also see an
option for a Private Wi-Fi Address,
which adds complexity—that
address overrides the built-in one
for the Wi-Fi adapter and only
persists for a few weeks at a time.
You can disable Private Wi-Fi
Address on known and trusted
networks you need to use a static
MAC address with.
HOW TO COPY YOUR
PHOTOS LIBRARY FROM
ONE MAC TO ANOTHER
If you only want to move a few
photos over from one Mac to another, we
recommend AirDrop (fave.co/3Nq99jc),
but if it’s you want to move the whole
Photos library, with all your Albums and
associated data in place, we cover a few
options below.
You can find your Photos library in your
Home folder (which probably has your
name) → Pictures → Photos Library.
photoslibrary. You’ll notice that you can’t
just click on that to access folders for all
your photos. This is because the Photos
library in macOS acts like a file when it’s
actually a package, a special macOS
container for holding many objects
together. This prevents us from accidentally
moving items out of it, renaming files that
need to have fixed names, or modifying
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documents that shouldn’t be touched. It
also makes the Photos library and similar
libraries and app-associated file packages
easier to move. If you do want to see the
contents of this folder, you can do so: Press
Control at the same time as you click on the
folder and choose Show Package Contents.
If you’re migrating from one Mac to
another (fave.co/3AwIr1H)—or you just
want to move your Photos library from one
Mac to a new one—Apple offers several
ways to transfer files from one machine to
another. We will cover the various options
for copying a Photos library to a new Mac
below, including methods like iCloud, Time
Machine, and Migration Assistant.
If you already have a Photos library on
the destination Mac, you can either
combine the two or have two separate
folders. So we’ll also look at what to do if
you want to have two separate Photos
libraries or one combined Photo library.
Using two Photos libraries
Once you have both Photos libraries on
the destination Mac, you can choose
which Photo library you want to access by
clicking on Option at the same time as you
open Photos. This should mean you are
presented with both libraries and you can
choose the library you wish to access.
We also cover this in “How to manage
a Photos Library for two Macs” (fave.
co/3NOwr3I).
104 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
Combining two Photos libraries
If once you have transferred your second
Photos library, you want to combine two
Photos libraries, you need to import the
new Photos library into the old one. To do
so, follow these steps:
1. Open Photos on your Mac. If it
doesn’t automatically open the library you
wish to combine the second one into, click
on Option at the same time as you open
Photos and you should see both libraries.
Select the one you want.
2. Click on File → Import.
3. You now need to locate the Photos
library you want to merge in. Once you
have found it, click on it.
4. Click on Review for Import.
5. Click on Import All New Items.
Of course, to be able to choose
whether to combine two libraries or not,
you need the second library on your Mac.
Here are a few options to accomplish that.
How to transfer a Photos library
using Time Machine
Making a Time Machine backup is one
way to move to a new Mac and transfer
everything over, the result being a Mac
that is practically identical to the one you
were using. We cover how to make a Time
Machine backup (fave.co/3ZHi8Rt)
separately.
But if you just want to copy a Photos
library from a Time Machine backup of one
 want to combine
both libraries or
keep them separate.
You can find more
information here:
“Merging an old
photo backup with
your current Photos
library” (fave.
Copying a Photos library from a Time Machine backup is one option. co/3NxZvei).

Mac to another, you can do that: How to transfer a Photos library

1. Attach the drive with the backup on it using Migration Assistant
to the Mac to which you want to transfer Another option is to use Migration Assistant.
the Photos library. The two Macs need to be connected
2. Open the drive. using a USB-C cable.
3. Click on a recent backup folder. Make sure you save everything you are
4. Locate the Photos library (Home → doing, as using Migration Assistant will
Pictures → Photos Library.photoslibrary). close all of the applications that are open
5. Control-click the Photos
library file and choose
Restore “Photos Library,” and
then—this is critical!—select a
destination other than where
the current Photos Library is on
your destination Mac (or you
will overwrite it). Click Restore.
6. Alternatively, if there is
no Restore option, drag and
drop to the new Mac.
This will be a duplicate
Photos Library folder, so
follow the steps above To use Migration Assistant, you’ll need to ensure that both
depending on whether you Macs are connected with a USB-C cable.

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on your Mac.
1. Open Migration
Assistant on the older
Mac. You’ll find it in
Utilities, or press
Command and Space
and start to type
Migration.
2. Migration
Assistant will open.
Choose the option
“To another Mac.”
3. On the new
Mac, open Migration For Screen Sharing to work, you’ll need to ensure that your Macs are
Assistant and choose both on the same Wi-Fi network.
“From a Mac, Time
Machine backup or Startup disk.” 1. Click on System Settings or System
4. Next, on the old Mac, click on Preferences on your Mac (the name
Continue. depends on the macOS version).
5. On the new Mac, you should see an 2. Click on General (if you are on
option to select the older Mac. You may macOS Ventura or later).
need to enter a security code. 3. Click on Sharing.
6. On the “select the information to 4. Turn on Screen Sharing.
transfer” screen, click the arrow beside 5. Click on the i for information and
your Home folder (you may need to take note of the name that other
rename this folder if your second Mac has computers can locate your Mac at.
the same name). 6. Go to the other Mac.
7. Locate your Photos library on your 7. Open the Finder.
old Mac and copy it to the new Mac. 8. Go to Network.
9. Locate the second Mac and click on
How to transfer a Photos library the folder.
using Screen Sharing 10. In the top right corner of the Finder
For this process to work, both Macs need to window, find Share Screen and click on
be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. that. You are now screen sharing.

106 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023

 11. Go back to the original Mac. In the
Finder, locate the Photos folder. It is found
in the Home folder → Pictures. (Your Home
folder may have your name). This will
reveal your Photos Library.photoslibrary.
12. On the other Mac, you can drag
and drop this from the Shared Screen to
your new Mac.
How to transfer a Photos library
using an external drive
You could also copy your Photos library to
an external drive (fave.co/3Xw6n0c) and
then drag and drop that folder to the
second Mac. This is also a solution to the
problem of needing more space for your
ever-growing image library.
It does require an external drive with a
fair amount of space, though. Click the link
above to jump to the
article where we
discuss how to do this.
to $9.99/£6.99 per month for 2TB.
iCloud Photos lets you sync images
and videos between your Mac and iCloud
and from iCloud among your other
devices. While iCloud always keeps the
original resolution version of any media on
its cloud servers, you can opt on each of
your devices whether to store optimized
media or full-resolution versions (the
former being the best option to choose if
you have limited space on your device).
With the optimized option, iOS, iPadOS,
and macOS store thumbnail previews. If
you try to access the image or video to
view it at full size or resolution, your device
downloads the corresponding media from
iCloud. Photos retains the cached full-
resolution version indefinitely, deleting it
only when it needs to free up space as

How to transfer a
Photos library using
iCloud Photos
This is our preferred
method, the only
downside being the
need to pay for iCloud
(fave.co/3CWDil7)
storage, which starts at
$0.99/£0.79 per month Photos lets you select whether to download the original images
for 50GB and goes up and video at full resolution to your Mac or just as thumbnails.

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 HELPDESK MAC 9 11
storage gets tight. Those deletions
happen automatically, leaving the
thumbnail in place.
When you want to copy or move your
Photos library from one Mac to another
with iCloud Photos enabled, that presents
you with two choices:
> If you have optimized media enabled
on your current Mac, you can simply use
the same iCloud account on your new Mac
and set Photos up for either optimized or
full-resolution mode. Photos automatically
performs all the downloads necessary.
This can take a while and consumes a lot
of internet bandwidth.
> If you set Photos to keep full-
resolution downloads of all images on your
current Mac, you can also enable Photos
for iCloud syncing as in the previous point.
But you can choose instead to copy your
Photos library as if you weren’t using
iCloud Photos at all.
That second option plus copying works
because you have a full copy of all images
present in your iCloud storage. It can be a
better choice if you have a Photos library
with tens of gigabytes of images or more
paired with low-speed broadband (in the
tens of megabits per second) or a monthly
usage cap beyond which you pay overage
fees or have your service throttled to a
lower speed.
If you copy the Photos library in that
scenario and then enable iCloud Photos
108 MACWORLD AUGUST 2023
on the new Mac, Photos will still appear to
perform a synchronization operation.
However, my analysis while testing is that
only a comparison is performed instead of
a full download or upload of images. Since
the images will be identical in iCloud and
in the Photos library, they should all match
instead of requiring massive throughput
consumption and bandwidth use.
One complicating factor for both kinds
of copying has to do with referenced
media: These are included in Photos as
links to images or videos stored elsewhere
on the Mac using Photos. These are not
synced via iCloud Photos and won’t be
copied with a non-synced Photos library,
either. Read this article (fave.co/3ugIoVZ)
on working with referenced media. ■
Ask Mac 911
We’ve compiled a list of the most commonly
asked questions we get, and the answers
to them: fave.co/3KGVL8K to see if you’re
covered. If not, we’re always looking for
new problems to solve! Email us at
mac911@macworld.com including screen
captures as appropriate.
Mac 911 can’t provide direct email responses
or answers for every question and we don’t
provide direct troubleshooting advice. For that,
turn to AppleCare, an Apple Store Genius Bar,
or the Apple Support Communities.