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7 reasons to use a VPN when streaming on your Mac

Saturday July 15, 2023 11:43 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

Streaming your favorite shows, movies, and music has never been easier, particularly if you’re a Mac user. However, you might sometimes run into geo-restrictions or want to prioritize your online security and privacy. In such cases, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be your savior. This comprehensive guide details the reasons to use a VPN when streaming on a Mac.

WHAT IS A VPN?

A VPN (virtual private network) is a tool used to protect your internet traffic and keep your identities private online. As you connect to a secure VPN server, your internet traffic goes through an encrypted tunnel that nobody can see into, including hackers, governments, and your internet service provider.

The VPN servers make it possible to stream your TV services and tap into local stations on your Mac when you’re traveling. Your device’s IP at home is used to let the streaming services know where you are and that you’re allowed to watch local channels.

When you travel out of your viewing area, the IP address changes to the one used by the WiFi network you connect to. Later when you attempt to watch your favorite movies on your Mac, the IP address tells where you are and will result in content being locked down. This is known as geo-locking.

Connecting to a VPN server in your home area gives you an IP address that you can then use to log into your streaming accounts and watch live TV or the latest dropped episodes on your Mac.

A streaming VPN keeps you in the know of the best shows you’re watching now, even if you are traveling for business or pleasure outside of your viewing area. By connecting to a VPN server in the location of your streaming service address, you won’t have to wait to know what happens or have it spoiled before you can watch it yourself. Here are 5 benefits of using VPNs while streaming movies and TV shows on your Mac.

Why use a VPN when streaming on Mac?

Here’s why you need a VPN to safely stream your favorite TV shows and movies from anywhere with your Mac:

1. Watch geo-restricted sites like BBC iPlayer

While some streaming services are available globally, there’s a huge amount that are geographically locked to just one country – such as BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and many more.

Some are free-to-watch while others are paid-for, but if you’re outside of the service’s covered region, the result will always be the same – access blocked. For those on trips abroad, this can be a real pain, especially when you’re paying for a service.

This simplest way to get around this is to virtually change your location by using a VPN.

Just connect to a server in the country where the streaming service is available, then head to the website (or open the app). The site should think that you’re in your country of choice, and you’ll be able to stream whatever you want, wherever you are.

2. Watch Netflix content from other countries

Netflix offers completely different libraries to users in different countries. The reason why Netflix catalogs differ from country to country is simple: copyright law. Movie studios have different contracts in different countries, so it’s possible that one series may be available in one country but not in another.

A Netflix VPN changes where the service thinks you are in the world by spoofing your IP address and encrypting your data. This lets you watch your favorite shows no matter where you are.

To use a Netflix VPN, just connect to a server in the country you want to watch exclusive content from. It’s the same process whether you’re globetrotting, or just trying to watch something from back home when you’re abroad.

In practice, this means if you’re in the US but want to access shows only available on Netflix’s UK or Canadian libraries – or just about anywhere else – you can hop on the appropriate server and gain access to a whole other catalog. The same works in reverse. In the UK and want to get American Netflix? A VPN can do that too!

3. Watch exclusive live events from around the world

While most sports fanatics are looking forward to their favorite games, broadcasters often black out local games. That’s because TV broadcasters buy the rights to stream local games, so you either have to purchase the TV package or go watch the match live.

Luckily, these issues are easy to bypass with a high-quality VPN.

. Depending on what you want to watch, the best streaming VPN should be able to access the streaming sites and services you need, such as MLB.tv, NFL Game Pass, and NBA League Pass.

4. Improve Buffering Issues

Since streaming services are so popular, it’s not unusual for the bandwidth to get overloaded and cause buffering issues. A VPN can help circumvent this, ensuring a smoother viewing experience.

5. Avoid network throttling

Streaming Netflix or using gaming in high definition on a Mac uses up a lot of bandwidth. To keep things moving, ISPs may throttle, or slow internet service in order to allow users to at least keep accessing the sites they need to, even if the experience is slower. In fact, a lot of ISPs have a monetary incentive to throttle specific types of content. And that means that an ISP needs to know what content you are looking at in order to throttle it.

A VPN encrypts all the information that goes between the server and the receiver, and hides it from your ISP. An ISP cannot legally slow all your traffic to all sites, and if it doesn’t know where your traffic is going, it can’t slow any of it.

When using a VPN, the ISP can’t distinguish between HD streaming and simple web browsing. That means you won’t experience throttling, and you can enjoy high-quality, smooth streaming experience on sites such as BitTorrent, YouTube, **Twitch **and Usenet.

6. Stream on restricted networks

Some networks – like schools, offices and Wi-Fi on public transport – limit usage to browsing only. If you want to watch some Netflix or even listen to music on Spotify on your Mac, you may well find any and all apps blocked.

By using a VPN, you can hide your activity from the ISP, and access anything you like, anywhere. We’re not necessarily advocating watching Netflix at work, but with a VPN you’ve certainly got the option…

7. Stay more private when streaming

When streaming online content, your Mac connects to a web server. In the process, it exchanges information that could be intercepted by cybercriminals, your Internet Service Provider (ISP), or even government agencies.

A VPN will provide an encrypted server and hide your IP address from corporations, government agencies and would-be hackers. A VPN will protect your identity even if you are using public or shared Wi-Fi, and your data will be kept private from any prying internet eyes. With a VPN, you get an enhanced level of privacy, letting you stream your favorite shows worry-free.

How to use a VPN for streaming on your Mac

The first thing you’ll need to do is sign up to a quality VPN.
Make sure you’re signed in to your streaming site of choice. Signing in when connected to a VPN has proven problematic in our testing, so make sure you’re ready to go before you connect. Once you’re signed in, close the tab.
Launch your VPN, and connect to your chosen server.
Open the streaming site in your browser.
Search for your chosen TV show or movie.
Enjoy!

What if it doesn’t work?

On rare occasions, even the most reliable VPNs can have issues with accessing streaming content – especially with Netflix. If you find this happening to you, there are a couple of things to try.

First of all, test out a couple of different servers in your chosen location. Some VPNs allow you to select certain cities, while others automatically connect you to the best server. In any case, this ‘turn it off and on again’ approach often remedies any issues.

If you’re still having problems, it’s time to contact your VPN provider. Most of the top VPNs have a live chat feature, so just open that up and get chatting to a member of the team. They should be able to point you in the right direction, and should have up-to-date info on the best servers for each particular streaming service.

If all else fails, most VPNs also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re within that period, you’re well within your rights to request a refund, and try a different VPN.

Final Thoughts On Using A VPN on Mac While Streaming

Being unable to watch the content you want on a streaming service you pay for just because it’s restricted to a certain country is frustrating. Therefore, it’s definitely important to consider using a VPN on your Mac while streaming.

With the right VPN, you can continue to surf the internet on your mac and stream content while remaining anonymous to your ISP without fearing someone may be able to access your private information.

You’ll also be able to make the most out of your streaming experience by gaining access to geo restricted content.

Tags: macOS, VPN

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How to Bypass Geo-blocking on Your Mac With a VPN in 2025

Tuesday January 14, 2025 2:29 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

While Mac computers are renowned for their security and privacy features, they’re not immune to geographical restrictions. In this article, I’ll explain how to bypass geographical restrictions on your Mac using a VPN.

Sometimes when you’re trying to watch a video on a streaming service on your Mac, you might find the video isn’t available in your country. This is called geo-blocking and while it can be annoying, there’s a way around it.

Streaming services aren’t the only places you might run into geo-blocked content. A few examples of geo-blocking include online stores restricting sales to certain regions and state governments blocking access to services like WhatsApp or Twitter.

Here’s how geo-blocking works and what you can do to get around these restrictions on your Mac.

What Is Geo-Blocking?

Geo-blocking, or geo-filtering, is the act of denying or limiting access to digital content or services based on their geographic location. Geo-blocking works on all types of content, including streaming services, news sites, online gaming, and retail websites, but it’s most notable for videos. Video-sharing platforms and streaming services, like YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu, use geo-restrictions. They make some of their content inaccessible to users from specific regions.

Companies can apply geo-filters to countries, cities, and even buildings and offices. The degree of filtration can vary from service to service. Some services allow you to browse their content but limit you from viewing it. Others will hide the content entirely in your region.

"Geoblocking restricts access to online content based on the user’s geographical location," said Peter Yu, the director of Texas A&M University’s Center for Law and Property.

You can think of geo-blocking in terms of school districts. If you live within a certain community you can send your child to particular schools and have access to that district’s resources. When online content is geo-blocked, you can access content specific to your "school district" but not others.

How does geo-blocking work?

Your public IP (internet protocol) address makes geo-blocking possible. An IP address is a unique numerical label attached to a device on the internet or a local network. This address makes it possible to send and receive information online — without it, you wouldn’t be able to read this article right now.

Your IP address also holds information about your geographic location because it’s determined by your router, not the device you’re using to browse the internet. For example, if you connect your Mac to your home network, you will have a different IP address than if you connect your Mac to your work network.

You get an IP address as soon as you register with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). With varying levels of accuracy, this IP address can identify your device’s geographic location. Online services use your IP address to decide whether to allow you to view their content. So, if you try to request content from an IP that falls outside the allowed list, they deny your request.

Geo-blocking can also occur even when you pay for a premium service. For example, if you live in the US and pay for a Netflix subscription, you can stream the content as long as you’re within US borders. If you go on vacation or travel to other countries for work, you won’t be able to access the same Netflix library.

How can I bypass geo-blocking on Mac?

The best and most reliable method of bypassing geoblocking on a Mac is by using a VPN. A VPN, like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or CyberGhost can allow you to disguise your IP address to make it look like it’s coming from another country or region.
A VPN redirects your traffic through a server in another region, and your IP address will reflect that server’s location. That also means that you have to choose a VPN server from another region in order to get around geo-blocking.

So if you want to watch a US Netflix show while traveling abroad, you can use a VPN to connect to a US server.

While you might be tempted to use a free VPN to bypass geo-blocks on your Mac, we strongly advise against that. Many free VPNs compromise on performance and usability and limit the amount of data you can use. Some free VPNs are even loaded with malware and sell your personal data.

When using a VPN, make sure it uses advanced security features and encryption protocols to keep your identity anonymous. Make sure it offers critical privacy features such as DNS leak protection, obfuscated servers and a kill switch.

Is Geo-Blocking Legal?

Regardless of how frustrating it can be, geo-blocking is still legal. It’s a way for media companies to enforce legal contracts based on geo-restrictions. It’s common among media companies because the broadcasting rights of TV shows and movies usually vary from country to country. While this is all good, other reasons tempt companies to restrict services based on location.

Is bypassing geo-blocking illegal?

Using a VPN to access geo-blocked content on your Mac isn’t illegal — unless using a VPN is illegal in your country — but it could lead to other ramifications.

Using a VPN to access geo-blocked content on your Mac could violate a streaming service’s user agreement, and your account could be terminated or suspended. You could also face legal trouble if you use a VPN to access content that is illegal in your region.

We advise reading through terms of service before using a VPN with any app, game or other service. Also, remember that illegal activity is still illegal, even if you’re masking your location with a VPN.

Geo-Blocking Is Frustrating, But Easy to Overcome

A VPN is an effective tool to remove geo-blocking on your Mac, offering the added benefits of enhanced privacy and security. So, if you’re looking to access some of your favorite TV shows and movies on your Mac, but can’t get past geographical restrictions, try using a VPN to open up a whole new world of entertainment.

Tags: macOS, VPN

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Will using a VPN protect my Mac from hackers?

Saturday July 15, 2023 11:17 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

While a virtual private network (VPN) is a great way to protect your privacy and security online, it’s not designed to defend you against hackers in all situations. We explain how and when a VPN can help to protect your Mac from hackers.

Connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, such as those found in coffee shops, airports, and other public areas, is incredibly risky.

All it takes is one hacker connected on the same network and they can easily spy on all your activity.

In this guide, we’ve put together everything you need to know to use a VPN to protect your Mac from hackers.

What Is A VPN?

VPN stands for ‘virtual private network—a tool that protects your internet connection and privacy online. It does this by creating an encrypted digital tunnel between your computer and the internet, protecting your online identity and hiding your IP address (which is a series of numbers that identifies a device or network).

Another way to understand a VPN is to picture it as an outer packet that ensures your data stays secure inside the packet. This keeps the data safe during transfer.

A VPN also allows you to use public Wifi hotspots safely. It’s a buffer against the nasties of the internet, and you’ll certainly be better off with a VPN on your Mac than without. But will it protect your Mac from hackers?

We explain below the ways a VPN can – and can’t – have your back against hackers, and the different kinds of cyberattacks you can experience when being hacked.

What hackers can a VPN protect your Mac against?

A VPN can quite literally block your IP address from everyone. Governments, hackers, or anyone else spying on you as you navigate the web.

A VPN works by changing your IP address and encrypting your online activity. There are certain forms of hacking, then, that the best VPNs are reliable in protecting you against where hackers require your IP address. These include:

Remote hacking: Attempting to gain access to your system through all devices connected to your Wi-Fi, this is done through your IP address. However, when connected to a VPN, your IP address is concealed with all your browsing data instead tied up in another server, leaving you untraceable.
Man-in-the-Middle attack: Targeting you at the point before connection, here a hacker goes through the network you’re connected to, circumvents the weak encryption in place, and intercepts your data.
DDoS attack: Commonly mentioned when it comes to gaming, a hacker will flood your network in order to slow down and even get you kicked off your network. Once again, the hacker needs your real IP address to do this.

It’s worth noting if for whatever reason a hacker already knows your IP address, a VPN can’t protect you against these kinds of attacks, and you should instead speak to your Internet Service Provider.

What hacking attacks are VPNs less well equipped for?

It’s fair to say hackers can be scarily sophisticated these days – whether targeting Macs or any other internet-connected devices – and a lot of internet safety can come down to common sense and being extra vigilant. This much is true when it comes to malware and phishing, where the fundamentals of a VPN’s IP spoofing abilities don’t offer the same realm of protection. That’s because this comes down to the websites you choose to visit, and avoiding clicking on certain links in dodgy emails, or downloading dangerous files.

That said, a lot of VPN providers go the extra mile to equip users with features that can tackle these safety concerns.

Can a VPN on my Mac protect me against hackers?

Essentially, yes. It does this by creating an encrypted digital tunnel between your Mac and the internet, protecting your online identity and hiding your IP address.

Please Note: while a VPN offer a stronger connection that makes you less susceptible to particular hacking approaches, it’s not a foolproof way to protect your Mac from external dangers infiltrating your device.

The best thing to do to protect yourself is to remain vigilant and avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments from unknown users.

For more complete protection, you should equip your Mac with antivirus and firewalls for more comprehensive protection against online threats.

Make sure you shop around, and be a little wary of free VPNs as they may not be as secure.

Which VPNs Are the Most Secure?

When trying to track down a VPN service to use on your Mac, start by thinking about why you need one in the first place.

For example, if you’re using free Wifi in the cafe a lot, then maybe it’s a good idea. Alternatively, if you work from home and don’t want your browsing history to be trackable, particularly if you work in a sensitive industry, such as banking, accounting or media, then it may be worthwhile.

A VPN also means you don’t have to worry about content restrictions if you’re using your mac to conduct research online, for example.

Also consider whether the VPN is free, or is offered via a subscription service. You should also check if you can contact the provider with any questions. You can read online reviews of VPN online.

Conclusion

So, to wrap things up, does a vpn protect your Mac from hackers? Essentially, yes. A VPN is a great way to keep anyone unwanted from accessing your data.

VPNs offer top-tier encryption protection, making your online activity practically impossible for hackers to observe. It will also keep your real IP address hidden, making it harder to target you in a cyber attack.

Like most elements of the big wide web, VPNs aren’t all built the same, and they are still capable of being hacked.

VPNs protect your privacy online so you cannot be targeted or discriminated against based on location. It is important to note that you can also still be susceptible to phishing scams and being infected by malware whilst having a VPN, so it is vital that your Mac is current with all software updates and that you have a reputable antivirus/anti-malware software installed.

Tags: macOS, Security, VPN

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10 AirTags tips and tricks to Get The Most Out of Your Item Trackers

Tuesday July 11, 2023 6:38 pm EAT by Moses Johnson

Here are our top AirTags tips and tricks to help you get the most out of Apple’s item trackers.

If you’re an iPhone user, Apple’s AirTag is a tailor-made option to help track your items. Whether it’s keys, a bag, or something else, the item tracker takes the best of Apple software and hardware design to provide a great solution. We want to help you get the most out of the item tracker by highlighting the best AirTags tips and tricks.

Here are our top tips and tricks to ensure you master your Apple AirTags in no time.

Top 10 AirTags Tips and Tricks

1. How to set up an AirTag

If you’ve just got hold of a new AirTag, you’ll want to get it set up and ready for use. Thankfully, setting up an AirTag is super easy. Here’s how:

Make sure your ‌iPhone‌ is unlocked and showing the Home Screen.
Remove the battery tab from the AirTag if you haven’t already done so, then hold it near your ‌iPhone‌.
Tap Connect on the card that appears on the screen.
Choose a name from the list, or tap Custom Name to type a name and select an emoji, then tap Continue.
Tap Continue to register the item to your Apple ID, then tap Finish.

2. How to View the Location of an AirTag Item

After setting up a new AirTag, you’ll want to know how to track it so that you can locate the attached item, should you misplace it. If your iPhone or iPad is running iOS 14.5/iPadOS 14.5 or later, you can use the ‌Find My‌ app to locate a missing AirTag that’s linked to your Apple ID. Here’s how.

In the Find My app, tap Items, then tap the item that you want to locate.
If the item can be located, it will appear on the map. You’ll see the updated location and timestamp under the item’s name.
If the item can’t be found, you’ll see where and when it was last located. To receive a notification once it’s located again, turn on Notify When Found under "Notifications."

3. How to Make an AirTag Play a Sound to Find it

If an AirTag is nearby, you can get it to play a sound so that you can locate it easier.

Open the Find My app and tap Items.
Select the AirTag that you want to play a sound.!
Tap Play Sound.

To stop playing the sound before it automatically ends, tap Stop Sound. You can also pick up the AirTag and give it a squeeze to make it stop.

Pro tip: If you ask Siri to find my [item] or play a sound on my [item], ‌Siri‌ will ping the AirTag and cause it to make a noise so that you can locate it.

4. How to Check Your AirTags Firmware Version

Apple routinely issues over-the-air firmware updates for AirTags with updates that fix bugs, add features, and attempt to quench safety concerns.

Apple’s AirTag usually update automatically, but you can check the current firmware version of your item tracker on a connected iPhone. Here’s how:

Open up the Find My App.
Tap on the "Items" tab.
Tap on the AirTag that you want to check in the list.
In this view, tap on the name of the AirTag to see the current firmware version.

5. How to Check an AirTag’s Battery Life

AirTags come equipped with a CR2032 battery that Apple says is designed to last for at least a year, so you shouldn’t need to worry about the battery in your AirTag often.

If you’re curious about how it’s holding up or if you’re worried it could get low at a time that would be inconvenient, it’s easy to check the battery level of an AirTag in the Find My

Open the ‌Find My‌ app and tap on the Items tab.
Tap on the name of the AirTag that you want to check.
Battery life is listed right under the AirTag’s name and location, so you can see it at a glance.

The battery icon does not provide a specific percent, but it’s similar to an iPhone battery and will drain down over time.

You don’t need to keep a close eye on the battery because your ‌iPhone‌ will let you know when it’s starting to get low so you can swap it out.

6. How to Change an AirTag’s Battery

AirTags use standard coin-shaped CR2032 batteries, which are designed to last at least a year before needing to be replaced. Most early AirTag adopters have probably already had to swap in a new battery, but if you’ve never done it before and find yourself in need of a battery replacement, it’s easy to put in a new one.

CR2032 batteries are common batteries that can be purchased on Amazon for about a dollar per battery, and you can also get them at many retail stores.
Once you have a new battery, follow these steps to put it in:

Press down on the stainless steel backing of the AirTag.
As you press down, rotate counterclockwise until the cover stops rotating.
Pull apart the two halves of the AirTag.
Take out the old battery and replace it with the new battery in the same orientation, which is positive side up. You’ll hear a chiming sound when the battery is seated correctly.
Replace the stainless steel bottom of the AirTag, and make sure the three tabs on the cover align with the slots on the AirTag.
Rotate the cover clockwise back in place until it stops.

7. How to rename an AirTag

If you chose the wrong name during setup, or simply want to change it, you can rename your AirTag in just a few steps.

Open the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac
Choose Items
Find your AirTag in the list and tap to select it
Swipe to bring up the full information panel about that AirTag
Tap on Rename Item. This takes you into the same naming selection you had during initial setup. So you can again pick from one of Apple’s suggestions.
You can also choose Custom Name
By default, you can now tap on an emoji to use that as the name.
Or you can instead tap above the emoji, where the old name is
This dismisses the emoji and brings up a regular keyboard for you to type what you want
Tap Done.

8. How to get notified when you leave an AirTag behind

With this AirTag trick, you’ll be alerted when you’re leaving the AirTag behind, or if the AirTag is being moved away from you in a theft. This reduces the time it takes for you to be aware that something’s wrong, and therefore to act.

Open Find My.
Tap Items.
Tap the AirTag or the name you’ve given to the AirTag.
Scroll down and select Notify When Left Behind.
Tap the toggle next to Notify When Left Behind to turn it green.

9. How to Put an AirTag in Lost Mode

‌AirTags‌ can be tracked using the Items tab in ‌Find My‌, and just like your Apple devices, if one should become lost, you can put it in Lost Mode to locate it. If an AirTag is nearby, it will connect to an Apple device over Bluetooth to relay its location, and there’s even a Precision Finding feature on iPhone 11 and newer that uses the U1 chip for finding items that are misplaced close by.

An AirTag that’s out of range can still be tracked using the ‌Find My‌ app, but it won’t rely on the Bluetooth signals from your own device. Instead, the ‌‌‌Find My‌‌‌ Network takes advantage of nearly a billion Apple devices out in the world to help you locate your AirTag.

However, if an AirTag isn’t nearby and there are no Apple devices in the area in which it’s located, ‌‌Find My‌‌ will only be able to tell you where it was last seen on the map. In such cases, you can place the AirTag in Lost Mode. That way, if someone with an ‌iPhone‌ or Android device that has NFC comes across the item, they can help return it to you. Here’s how it works.

Launch the Find My app on your ‌iPhone‌.
Tap Items.
Tap the AirTag you want to mark as lost.
Swipe down on the card and under "Lost Mode," tap Enable.
Tap Continue.
Enter your phone number in the input field, then tap Next.
Toggle the switch next to Notify When Found, and optionally customize the lost message that is shown when someone finds the item. Note that you can only customize the message and activate Notify When Found if the AirTag is out of range of your device.
Tap Activate.

Now that the AirTag is marked as lost, anyone who finds it can bring it close to an NFC-enabled ‌iPhone‌ or Android phone and they will see a notification linking them to a website URL that contains your lost message and phone number.

10. How to Factory Reset an AirTag So Someone Else Can Use It

When you set up an AirTag, it’s automatically associated with your Apple ID, which means it’s linked to your ‌Apple ID‌ and can’t be used by someone else unless you reset it.

Resetting is as simple as removing an AirTag from your ‌Apple ID‌, by following these steps:

Open the Find My app.
Tap on the AirTag that you want to remove by choosing its name from the list.
Swipe upwards to bring up the full AirTag settings.
Tap on "Remove Item."
Tap on "Remove" and then tap again on the "Remove" popup.

Once you’ve gone through this process, the AirTag’s ownership is cleared and you can give it to someone else to set up and use with their own account.

Tag: AirTags

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One AirPod Pro Louder Than The Other? Here’s How to Fix the Problem

Thursday July 6, 2023 11:32 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

If one of your AirPods Pro is louder than the other, don’t panic — there’s a simple fix. The same steps should apply to the original AirPods, the AirPods 2, the AirPods 3, the first-generation AirPods Pro and the new AirPods Pro 2.

If one of your AirPods Pro is louder than the other, let’s face it — this can be rather annoying.

Fact: AirPods Pro aren’t cheap. AirPods Pro (2nd generation)can set you back a cool $240. So if you spring for the technology, obviously you want it work, and for the sound to be crystal clear.

And yet, some users are reporting that one side of their AirPods Pro is louder than the other. Sigh. What to do?

Well, the kinda good news is that if you experience this pesky problem, you aren’t alone. It seems practically since the tech was released in 2016, the issue of one AirPod being louder than tthe other has existed, too. And users have come up with a wide range of tips on how to rectify the imbalance. Read on for details.

why is one AirPod Pro louder than the other?

An audio balance, connectivity glitch, or broken AirPod could be causing the problem. However, this problem is most commonly caused by an excessive amount of debris in one of your AirPods. Since your AirPods Pro reside in your ear, they may become clogged up with earwax. OK, they definitely will.

Yup — your ear excretions could be to blame for why your AirPods Pro are not emitting equal sound.

You’ll want to try cleaning the product to restore it to equilibrium, but there is a specific way to do this so as to avoid damaging your pricey Pods.

How to fix your AirPods Pro when one is louder than the other

Clean your AirPods Pro

Here’s how to clean your AirPods Pro and hopefully restore equal sound to both sides.

Step 1: Use a cloth

Apple recommends using a "soft, dry, lint-free cloth" to clean your AirPods Pro, but one thing you must never do is run them under a tap or immerse them completely in water. They won’t like that at all.

Step 2: Add some moisture

Your AirPods Pro are water-resistant but not fully waterproof, so if you’ve spilled something on them you can dampen a cloth with some H2O and give them a wipe down, but be careful to make sure no liquid gets into any of the holes.

Step 3: Remove the eartips

To remove the tips of an AirPod Pro, pull firmly from the base of the tip, where it’s connected to the earbud.

Step 4: Use a cotton bud

If any earwax or other detritus has built up in the speaker grilles, use a clean cotton bud or soft-bristled brush to get rid of it. Be careful not to scrub or press too hard.

Step 5: Give the tips a rinse

The eartips are made of silicone so you can safely run them under the tap to get rid of any filth, but don’t be tempted to use soap or any other household cleaner. Give them a tap to remove any excess water.

Step 6: Let everything dry

Use another cloth to wipe off any moisture and leave your AirPods and separate ear tips out of the case until they’re completely dry. Don’t reattach the eartips, put the buds away, or attempt to use them before that.

Step 7: Reattach the eartips

To reattach them, align the tips with the oval-shaped connectors on the earbud’s speakers and firmly push them in. Once you’ve aligned the connectors, they should attach easily with a click.

Clean your charging case, too.

It’s important to clean the case your AirPods Pro call home, too.

First, use a soft, dry and lint-free cloth to wipe away any dirt. You can slightly dampen the cloth with water or alcohol, but avoid getting any liquid inside the charging ports.

To clean the inside of the case, use a soft bristle brush or a soft toothbrush — the bristles will help dig dirt out of the nooks and crannies inside of the case.

Check The Audio Balance On Your iPhone

If the balance is set to the left or the right, one side of your headphones will sound louder than the other. A lot of people use earbuds these days, and it can get rather irritating if the audio coming from them is at different levels.

Go to Settings.
Tap Accessibility.
Select Audio/Visual.
Adjust the Balance slider. Set the audio volume balance to the center.

Ensure your iPhone’s Software is up to date

Making sure your iPhone’s software is up to date can also mitigate any potential AirPods issues. Software updates usually include security fixes and sometimes add new features to your AirPods, so it’s a good idea regardless.

Launch Settings.
Tap General.
Select Software Update.
If an update is available, tap Download & Install.

Reset Your AirPods

It may seem simple, but resetting your AirPods Pro may fix minor software glitch causing this problem. Follow the steps below:

Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap the name of your AirPods, just below your Apple ID banner. Alternatively, tap Bluetooth, and then tap the ‘i’ icon next to your AirPods in the list.
Scroll down to the bottom of the menu and tap Forget this Device.
Ensure that both AirPods are in their charging case and that the case has charge.
Locate the small button on the back of the case, near the bottom. It’s flush with the case and the same color as it, so you might need to feel about for it.
Open the charging case lid.
Press and hold the button on the back of the case for at least 15 seconds. The case’s internal light between the AirPods will flash white and then amber, indicating the AirPods have reset. You can find this light on the front of the case.
Now, close the lid of your AirPods case and then open it up again.
Hold the AirPods case with open lid next to your iPhone or iPad. Your iOS device should recognize the AirPods and you’ll see a popup to connect them.

Repair Your AirPods Pro With Apple

Resetting your AirPods usually fixes this problem. But if you’re still experiencing issues with one or both AirPods being louder than the other, you need to reach out to Apple Support for help. Check out this article to learn how to make an appointment at the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store.

Bringing Balance To Your AirPods Pro

You’ve successfully fixed the problem with your AirPods Pro and now their audio levels are the same.

If you find this guide helpful, be sure to share it with your family and friends to teach them what to do when one of their AirPods Pro is louder than the other.

If you have any other questions about your AirPods Pro, drop a comment and let us know!

Tag: airpods pro

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Trackpad Not Working On MacBook Pro? 8 Ways to Fix it

Thursday July 6, 2023 6:15 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

The Trackpad is an essential input device on your MacBook Pro. It offers precision, multi-touch gestures, and a seamless experience. However, what happens when the MacBook Pro Trackpad stops working? Not only does it disrupt your workflow, but it can be quite frustrating. In this article, we will explore what to do if your Trackpad is not working on a MacBook Pro.

The solutions in this article will work in everything from the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro to the new M2 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Why Is My Trackpad Not Working On My MacBook Pro?

The Trackpad on your MacBook Pro may become unresponsive for various reasons. It could be due to outdated software, incorrect system settings, peripheral interference, dust accumulation, or hardware failure.

How Do I Fix an Unresponsive Touchpad on MacBook Pro?

Before diving into technical fixes, ensure that you are using only one finger on the Trackpad, as using more fingers might cause the pointer not to move due to certain Trackpad settings. Also, ensure your MacBook Pro is not showing a low battery alert which you can’t see. Connect your MacBook Pro to an electrical outlet or connect an external keyboard to see the alert.

1. Clean Your Trackpad

Dust and debris can hinder the Trackpad’s performance. So, if you find the MacBook pro trackpad not working, turn off your computer and clean the Trackpad with a slightly damp, lint-free cloth.

2. Disconnect external devices

External devices like a mouse or other peripherals connected via USB or Bluetooth can sometimes interfere with the trackpad causing the Touchpad not working on MacBook Pro issue. Disconnect all peripherals and restart your MacBook to see if the trackpad starts working again.

To restart your Mac, choose Apple menu > Shut Down.

3. Update macOS

You need to check if your MacBook Pro’s software is up to date. Running an outdated OS can cause compatibility issues with hardware, and result in situations such as Trackpad not clicking on MacBook Pro.

Go to the  Apple menu in the top left corner on the Mac
Choose “System Settings”
Select “General” from the list of settings
Select “Software Update”
If there’s an update available, download and install it.

4. Disable Force Click

Some people prefer light taps, while others like the tactile feedback of a click. If you have been using tap-to-click, make sure the Force Click option is disabled as it requires a firmer press. Here’s how to do it:

Go to the  Apple menu in the top left corner on the Mac
Choose “System Settings”
Go to Trackpad and toggle off Force Click and haptic feedback.

5. Reset Trackpad to Factory Settings

There is a good chance custom configurations in Trackpad settings could cause unresponsiveness. To revert back to the default settings, do the following:

Go to the  Apple menu in the top left corner on the Mac
Choose “System Settings”
Go to Trackpad and toggle Tap to click.
Under Scroll & Zoom, ensure Natural scrolling is selected. These two settings should reset your Trackpad to its factory settings.

6. Reset NVRAM, PRAM and SMC

Resetting NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory) or PRAM (Parameter RAM) can resolve a plethora of issues such as Trackpad not working on MacBook Pro. Note that NVRAM/PRAM reset is only possible on Intel-based Macs, as on Apple Silicon Macs, NVRAM is reset automatically.

7. Run Apple Diagnostics

Apple Diagnostics can help identify hardware issues, including problems with the Trackpad.

First, identify if your Mac has Apple silicon or an Intel processor by going to Apple menu > About This Mac, and then follow the corresponding steps:

For Macs with Apple Silicon:

Press and hold down the power button on your Mac (on laptops with Touch ID, this means pressing and holding the Touch ID button).
Keep holding the power button until your Mac turns on and displays startup options. Once you see the Optionslabel, release the power button.
Now, press and hold** Command D** on your keyboard.

For Macs with Intel Processor:

Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold down the D key on your keyboard as your Mac boots up.
Release the key when you see a progress bar or when prompted to select a language.
If holding the D key doesn’t initiate the diagnostics, try pressing and holding Option D instead. If neither method initiates the diagnostics, refer to Apple’s guidelines for using key combinations at startup.

Note: During the diagnostic process, you may need to choose a language, and it’s essential to have an active internet connection. You can connect to a Wi-Fi network using the Wi-Fi menu in the upper-right corner of the screen.

8. Contact Apple Support

If you’ve tried all these steps and your MacBook Pro trackpad still isn’t functioning, it might be a hardware issue. Contact Apple Support or make an appointment at the Genius Bar at your nearest Apple Store. They can help diagnose the problem and guide you on the next steps. Make sure not to attempt any hardware repairs on your own as this could void the warranty and potentially cause further damage to your MacBook Pro.

Tags: macOS, Trackpad

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The 3 Best MacBooks for Home Use in 2025

Tuesday January 14, 2025 2:30 pm EAT by Kevin Hollington

Here are the best MacBooks for home use according to our testing.

As more people embrace the flexibility of working and studying from home, selecting a MacBook that meets your requirements becomes essential. Only one question remains, then: which is the best MacBook for home use? That’s not as simple as it would seem on the surface, as Apple’s MacBook lineup has grown increasingly complex in recent years. Take one look at the choice you have on Apple’s website and it’s easy to get stuck in a tangled web of models, sizes and configuration options.

For example, should you buy a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro? What size display do you need for your work? Which chip is the best one to go for? And how much storage do you need? These are just a few of the questions you’re likely to confront when trying to pick a MacBook for home use.

Fortunately, our guide is here to help. We’ve gone through all the options so you don’t have to, picking out the best MacBooks for home use. There’s no need to agonize over the decision anymore – just give our guide a read and you’ll know what to opt for. So, without any further ado, let’s dive in!

Which is the best Mac to buy for home use?

Our first pick, which we’ll come to later, is the M2 MacBook Air. It’s the best MacBook you can buy for home use, and is packed full of all the features most people will need, like a zippy processor, impressive graphics performance, and a gorgeous display. It does all that while wrapped up in a durable chassis, and it won’t burn a hole in your finances. That makes it an excellent choice if you want an Apple laptop for home use.

If your budget is a bit more constrained, the M1 MacBook Air is an excellent choice. You still get the classic Apple experience — solid build quality, speedy components, best-in-class software — but can save you a bit of money while doing so. It’s not only the best budget MacBook, but one of the best laptops under $1,000.

Finally, if you just want power and don’t care what it costs, try the 14-inch MacBook Pro from 2023. It can be equipped with the M2 Max, Apple’s most performant laptop chip, which can take on even the most heavy-duty tasks and still come up smiling. Pair it with one of the best displays in the industry and a set of superb speakers, and you’ve got an incredible laptop that is built for ultimate productivity.

What to look for

Whether you want a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, it’s important to know what your needs are. Do you just need something for web browsing and content creation? Or do you plan to edit videos and make music on your laptop? The MacBook Air will be best for the former, while the MacBook Pro is ideal for the latter.

The chip inside the machine will make a big difference. Right now, almost every MacBook comes with a chip from the M2 generation. The 13-inch MacBook Pro and every MacBook Air model come with the base-level M2, while the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro can be configured to use the M2 Pro or M2 Max chip. Apple also sells a 13-inch MacBook Air with an older M1 chip.

Aside from those key specs, look out for the price. Right now, the MacBook Air starts at $999 (£999 / AU$1,499) for the M1 model. The 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip costs $1,099 (£1,149 / AU$1,799), while the 15-inch version starts at $1,299 (£1,399 / AU$2,199).

The price of the 13-inch MacBook Pro begins at $1,299 (£1,349 / AU$1,999), and for the 14-inch and 16-inch models it’s $1,999 (£2,149 / AU$3,199) and $2,499 (£2,699 / AU$3,999) respectively. Note that you can also get refurbished versions from Apple’s website. These laptops have any faulty parts replaced, so that they’re essentially like new.

What specs do you need?

There are plenty of specs to consider when buying a MacBook for home use, and we’ll start with one of the most obvious ones: the display. Every MacBook falls within the 13-inch to 16-inch range. The MacBook Pro comes in 13-inch, 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, and the latter is the largest MacBook you can buy. The MacBook Air, meanwhile, has 13-inch and 15-inch options. The 15-inch MacBook Air is a new addition, and means you no longer have to splash out on a MacBook Pro if you want a larger screen.

Note also that aside from the sizes, the MacBook Pro offers a brighter screen with a higher dynamic refresh rate and greater pixel density.

On the inside, the chip is a key consideration. The ‘weakest’ chip is the M1 found in the 13-inch MacBook Air, but it’s still good for day-to-day tasks and even light gaming. The M2, meanwhile, is the successor to the M1 and comes in both the Air and the Pro.

If you need a powerful MacBook for home use, you’ll want to look at the MacBook Pro, as it’s the only Apple laptop that offers the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. These are much better suited to intensive tasks like photo editing and 3D rendering, and are more adept playing games too. If you think you’ll be doing anything like that at home, the M2 Pro or M2 Max could be what you need.

The interesting thing about Apple’s M-series chips is that the memory is part of the chip itself. That helps it work much more quickly and efficiently than regular PC setups, where the processor and memory are separate.

Every model of the MacBook Air starts with 8GB of unified memory, while the M2 models top out at 24GB and the M1 version can go up to 16GB. As for the MacBook Pro, the M2 13-inch model gets between 8GB and 24GB of memory, while the M2 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro can have between 16GB and 32GB. M2 Max models (in both sizes) get from 32GB to 96GB of memory.

Apple’s MacBooks use super-fast SSDs for storage, and you can equip up to 8TB in the MacBook Pro and up to 2TB in the MacBook Air. Note that every MacBook equipped with the minimum amount of storage (256GB) has slower SSD speeds than the larger-capacity models, but you probably won’t notice it in day-to-day tasks (although you might in demanding workloads).

There are also a few extras you might want to think about. You can include peripherals and software, from a Magic Trackpad to Final Cut Pro, with your purchase; whether you do or not depends on what you need.

There’s also the issue of AppleCare . This grants you unlimited incidents of accidental damage protection, battery replacements, and priority access to Apple support and service. The price varies, but for the M1 MacBook Pro (the cheapest AppleCare option) it starts at $64.99 (£64.99) for one year or $179 (£179) for three years. If you don’t have existing insurance, it might be worth a look.

The Best MacBooks For Home Use

1. MacBook Air (M2, 2022)

Best all-round MacBook for home use

Specifications

CPU: Apple M2 chip with 8-core CPU

Graphics: Integrated 9-core — 10-core GPU

RAM: 8GB — 24GB unified memory

Screen: 13.6-inch (diagonal) 2560-by-1664 LED-backlit display with IPS technology

Storage: up to 2TB

Reasons to buy

Great balance of price and performance

Beautiful design

Reasons to avoid

–

Price increase

–

Struggles with intense workloads

What Makes It Perfect for Home Use?

MacBook Air with M2 chip combines all the elements that make Apple’s laptops so spectacularly good, from a high-quality, durable chassis and beautiful design to speedy performance and a fantastic typing experience, all for a fair price. If you’re looking for a new MacBook for home use, this is the best choice for most people.

The M2 chip on the inside is plenty powerful for most tasks bar the most heavy-duty workloads, and it’ll be a dream for day-to-day work like word processing, photo editing and light gaming. But it’s not just the performance you’ll notice — it’s the battery life, too. Apple’s M-series chips are incredibly efficient, and you get over 18 hours of Battery life. That combination of power and battery life is extremely hard to beat.

The M2 MacBook Air is incredibly designed and extremely sturdy despite its lightweight frame, and it’ll give you years of quality service. And because it can keep cool without needing a fan, it’s totally silent no matter what you put it through. You’ll really feel that difference compared to noisy rivals that ramp up their fans at the first sign of trouble.

2. MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

The best budget MacBook for home use

Specifications

CPU: Apple M1 chip with 8‑core CPU

Graphics: Integrated 7-core — 8-core GPU

RAM: 8GB — 16GB unified memory

Screen: 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 Retina display

Storage: 256GB — 2TB SSD

Reasons to buy

Most affordable MacBook

M1 chip still performs well

Reasons to avoid

–

Outdone by M2 MacBook Air

–

Old design

What Makes It Perfect for Home Use?

The MacBook Air with M1 chip is the best budget MacBook for home use. Now that Apple is selling laptops with M2 chips, it’s easy to forget that the M1 revolutionized the computing industry when it launched in 2020 by showing it was possible to marry incredible performance with incredible efficiency. That’s still true today.

Alongside the M1, you get all the usual great additions from Apple, including a rock-solid design, fantastic software, and comfortable keyboard. And just like the M2 MacBook Air, the M1 model is totally fanless and thus completely silent in use. If you’re looking for a MacBook for home use under the $1,000 mark that still performs admirably, this is the model to start with.

3. Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023)

Best premium MacBook for home use

Specifications

CPU: Apple M2 Pro (10-core) – Apple M2 Max (12-core)

Graphics: Integrated 16-core GPU – 38‑core GPU

RAM: 16GB — 96GB unified memory

Storage: 512GB — 8TB SSD

Dimensions (W x D x H): 0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71 inches (1.55 x 31.26 x 22.12 cm)

Reasons to buy

Tons of power

Incredible display

Reasons to avoid

–

Expensive

–

Price rise for UK and Australia

What Makes It Perfect for Home Use?

The 14-inch MacBook Pro grants you access to Apple’s best laptop chips, while still coming in a sturdy, portable package that’s light enough to pop into a backpack.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro can be configured to have an M2 Pro or M2 Max chip. If you opt for the latter, you’ll get a 12-core CPU, 38-core GPU, and up to 96GB of memory, making it the most powerful chip you can get in an Apple laptop. It will absolutely tear through almost anything you throw at it.

It’s not just the chip that will blow you away. The 14-inch MacBook Pro’s display is one of the best in the business, with a mini-LED panel, a 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness for HDR content. There’s a superb keyboard with Touch ID, plenty of ports (including MagSafe, HDMI and USB-C), and even the speakers are incredible. Apple also sells a 16-inch MacBook Pro, but it comes with a much higher price tag, meaning the 14-inch version holds its own as the best premium MacBook.

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Downloads Folder Disappeared from Finder Sidebar? How to Restore

Thursday July 6, 2023 1:59 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Several Mac users have reported that although their Downloads folder was set to appear in the Finder sidebar, it suddenly disappeared. In this article, I’ll explain how to restore your Downloads folder if it is missing from the Finder sidebar on Mac.

The Downloads folder is one of the most used folders on Mac as it provides convenient access to your downloaded items. The Downloads folder is the default location for most downloads on a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Items in the Finder sidebar fall into four categories: Favorites, iCloud, Locations, or Tags. The Downloads folder is located under Favorites. One troubling aspect of this problem can be that the Finder settings are already configured for the Downloads folder to appear in the Sidebar, but the setting is not working for some reason.

Do not worry; bringing the Downloads icon back into the Sidebar on a Mac is pretty easy. It’s worth noting that there are a number of ways to access the Downloads folder on Mac. You can see your Downloads via the Dock, the Finder menu, the Finder Sidebar, or using the Option–Command–L shortcut. This means that if you can’t see Downloads in the Mac’s Sidebar, you can use other methods to access your downloaded files.

How to Restore the Downloads Folder to the sidebar in macOS

If your Downloads folder has disappeared from the Finder Sidebar on Mac, follow the steps below to get it back.

Open a Finder window on your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.
Click on the “Finder” menu in the top left corner of your screen, and select “Settings”.
Click on the “Sidebar” tab.
From the list, find Downloads. Is Downloads selected or not?
If the Downloads icon has gone missing for no apparent reason without any input or setting change from you, you may see that Downloads is already selected, but still, the icon is not appearing in the Finder Sidebar. What you should do is first uncheck the Downloads box, wait a few seconds and then recheck the box. Then open a Finder window and check if Downloads is located in the sidebar. If it still isn’t, uncheck the Downloads box, restart your Mac and then recheck the Downloads box.
Obviously, if the Downloads box is not already selected, check the box. This will fix the problem.

Why May Downloads Folder have disappeared from Mac Sidebar?

Depending on your preferences, you can select what you want to see in the Finder sidebar. For example, a lot of users want to see Downloads there. If you cannot see it there, there could be several reasons.

Some glitches may occur during an update process. Thankfully, resetting the settings will fix the problem. Sometimes, we know if you have not restarted your Mac for a long time, you may experience these types of issues. Therefore, you should restart your Mac from time to time. Of course, it’s there’s a good chance that you inadvertently turned off this setting.

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Is Your MacBook Pro Stuck Installing macOS Update? Here Are 6 Fixes

Wednesday July 5, 2023 10:06 pm EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Sometimes a MacBook Pro update can take a long time. And they can get stuck at a variety of different stages. One of them is the Installing Update stage. If your MacBook Pro is stuck installing the update, you may see the update window, which says Installing Update near the top and above the progress bar, you may see something like Downloading and Installing Update. Also, the progress bar may not seem to move, sometimes for hours.

In this article, we’ll give you tips for dealing with this issue so you can get your MacBook Pro updated and get back to using your computer.

Why MacBook Pro is Stuck Installing Update

There might be several underlying factors causing your MacBook Pro to get stuck while installing update. The most common culprits typically include:

A slow or faulty internet connection
Problems with Apple’s servers
Running out of internal storage on your MacBook Pro
Running low on battery on your MacBook Pro

Best Fixes to Try if Your MacBook Pro Gets Stuck Installing Update

1. Make Sure the MacBook Pro is Actually Stuck Installing Update

Some macOS updates can take several minutes or more to install, so you want to make sure the updates are truly stuck before moving on. Trying to fix a problem that doesn’t really exist might just create a problem.

It’s worth mentioning that the most likely cause of your MacBook Pro being stuck installing the latest macOS update:

It is just taking a long time.

Yep, these things can take hours, especially for the big updates known as upgrades. Upgrades happen when you update to a new version of macOS, such as macOS 14 Sonoma, macOS 13 Ventura, macOS 12 Monterey, macOS 11 Big Sur, etc. Regular updates would look like updating from macOS Ventura 13.4 to Ventura 13.5, for example.

So, you might ask: How long should I wait? Well, how long it takes to update your MacBook Pro depends on:

The size of the update.
The hardware in your computer.
Your internet speed.
How many other people are trying to download the same update.

The whole process can take anywhere from minutes to hours. If it hasn’t been several hours yet, waiting might be the best course of action. Try leaving your Mac overnight to see if the macOS update is complete in the morning.

The time remaining on the update progress bar is sometimes inaccurate and will adjust after the computer recalibrates. You can try pressing Command–L to get more detailed information about the installation. Meanwhile, other issues, like slow internet, could simply be due to weather or temporary ISP problems that will also resolve themselves over time.

We understand that leaving your MacBook overnight for the updates to be installed might not be possible for everyone and if it does not suit you as well, go ahead with the methods below.

2. Don’t Restart Your Mac

It really isn’t advisable to reboot your MacBook Pro in the middle of an installation. It may make things worse – or possibly, much worse. This can depend on where you are in the installation process, but once it has started installing, I wouldn’t risk rebooting. It may leave you needing to use a recovery mode (Intel MacBook Pro) or to revive/restore (Apple silicon), which could certainly take at least as long. Worst case, you could lose data.

3. Check Your Internet and Network Settings

Since you’re downloading your update over the internet, you should probably check to see if you’ve encountered any network problems.

The first thing you should do if you suspect an internet problem is to restart your router. If you use an Ethernet cable, you might also want to make sure it’s properly plugged in. And if you use private Wi-Fi, consider increasing your bandwidth by disconnecting idle devices on the network.

If you can connect using an Ethernet cable, then you should pick that over Wi-Fi. This is because Ethernet is faster than Wi-Fi and guarantees fewer downloading problems.

You can also boost your internet speed by using a public DNS server. Follow these steps to add a new DNS server:

Click the Apple icon  and choose System Settings.
Select Wi-Fi on the left sidebar.
Click Details next to the connected Wi-Fi network.
Select DNS from the left side.
Click the plus button ( ).
Type the IP address or domain name of the DNS server you want to use. For example, you can use Google’s public DNS server, which is 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4. As an alternative, you can also use OpenDNS’s public servers (208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) or Cloudflare’s server (1.1.1.1).
Finally, click OK.

Lastly, you might want to check if an antivirus or VPN program is restricting your internet connection. Apps like those tend to have security features that may block downloads and updates. Temporarily disable it and retry the update to see if it improves.

4. Connect Your Charger and Free Up Space

There are certain requirements your MacBook Pro must meet for an update to complete. Sudden loss of power can cause data corruption. Therefore, your Mac might freeze an update until your computer is plugged in if the battery gets too low.

Updates can also be big, taking up considerable space on your drive. You might have run out of space on your Mac, causing it to stop updating. Free up space on your Mac by clearing out old files and media, using a cleaning app, or using more iCloud storage.

On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click General in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
Click Storage on the right.
View the recommendations and decide how to optimize storage on your Mac.

5. Check if Apple’s Servers Are down

If the update problem isn’t caused by your internet connection or computer, then it’s most likely an issue with Apple’s servers. Your Mac needs to communicate with Apple’s servers for your macOS update to download. However, various factors may cause the Apple servers to be unavailable

One of the most common factors is traffic. Servers can get clogged, just like real-life highways, with too many people trying to access them at once. When Apple releases new software, there may be hundreds of thousands of people trying to download it at the same time as you. In other rare cases, the servers may simply be down.

You can check Apple’s system status website to see if the macOS Software Update systems are available. If there’s a green circle, it’s fine–but if not, then it’s unavailable right now.

6. Contact Apple Support

Let’s say you waited an entire day, and the macOS update is still stuck. At this point, you can contact Apple Support to get help. The support specialists can walk you through some troubleshooting steps and then recommend a course of action.

Tips before you update again

Before the next update, there are some steps you can take to prepare your MacBook Pro for the next big update. Some tips before the next update:

The most important thing you can do before updating, especially before a major update, is back up your MacBook Pro. You can use Time Machine, iCloud or other backup software. Backing up to a physical drive is usually the most thorough and the easiest for recovering all of your data and settings. Although it is rare to have a serious problem while updating, if you do, it could be devastating.
You might also avoid trying to download a major update as soon as it is released. There have been times when Apple’s servers have been really bogged down with so many people trying to download the updates that the download itself could take several hours or even fail.
If your internet speeds are a problem, you might try connecting your MacBook Pro with an ethernet cable or at least moving your MacBook Pro closer to your router before you update.
Check that your MacBook Pro has enough free space to download and install the update. For example, for an upgrade to macOS Ventura, it was recommended that you have around 30 GB of free space on your MacBook Pro.

macOS Updates Can Take a While

When you do get the macOS update installed, remember to be patient. Updates can take a while—even with fast internet. They need to get installed and booted up before you can use them, so don’t be in too much of a hurry, or you might slow down the process even more.

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7 Ways to Save Money When Buying an iPhone

Wednesday July 5, 2023 6:14 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Looking to get an iPhone for cheap? Here are some useful tips for saving the most money when you buy an Apple iPhone.

Apple’s iPhones are some of the best phones you can buy. But they’re also pretty expensive. A few tips and tricks can help the smart shopper figure out how to get an iPhone for cheap.

Here are seven ways you can save, as recommended by our experts.

1. Specify Needed Features and Set a Budget

Once you start looking for deals, it’s easy to get "deal blindness." That’s when you end up spending a few hundred dollars more for more storage space, or getting a Pro model instead of a standard models just because you found a good deal on the Pro. Remember, the best deal available isn’t necessarily the perfect choice for you.

Before you start looking around, ask yourself which iPhone you should get. You should also figure out what specifications you need. Write down the reasons you want those particular specifications or features. For example, "I want an iPhone Pro model because of additional camera features."

Similarly, before you start, figure out a budget. Write down why you have chosen that budget, and how flexible you can be with it.

These two reminders are crucial because the moment you see deals, you’ll be tempted to spend a little extra or buy more than what you need. But the smart shopper knows that the phone itself isn’t the only part of the iPhone experience. Instead, you could spend that money on other items like the AppleCare Plus.

2. Buy Preloved And Still Usable iPhones

The next tip is for those content with getting a pre-loved gadget: buy a second-hand iPhone. You might be pleasantly surprised by the quality and range of pre-owned iPhones available, from brand-new to lightly used. Apple iPhones are made of premium materials. It’s well-known that iPhones hold their resale value because of this, so it’s safer to buy a refurbished or used iPhone compared to other smartphones. Generally, your options come down to one of three choices.

Buy from Apple’s official refurbished store: Apple takes faulty iPhones returned by owners, fixes them up, and sells them as refurbished units. Since they’re not brand-new phones, they come with a discount that puts them at 10-20 percent lower than the retail price. These refurbished units are tested extensively and Apple guarantees they will work as efficiently as a new model. They’re also backed by a one-year warranty.

Buy used and tested iPhones from resellers:Some stores purchase used iPhones from owners, fix them up and run extensive tests, then resell them. These stores offer their own warranty, not Apple’s. These are significantly cheaper than official refurbished iPhones from Apple.

Buy used iPhones directly from owners: This is the riskiest option, and we recommend avoiding it. There is no warranty offered, and you’re on your own if you get scammed. iPhones are expensive products, so it probably isn’t worth the risk. The upside is that you’ll probably get the cheapest deals this way.

When buying second-hand or refurbished iPhones, testing the device thoroughly before striking a deal is essential. Here are some important questions to ask when checking a pre-owned iPhone for sale:

Does it turn on immediately?;
Does it still have a passcode enabled?;
Is the previous owner’s private information wiped out?;
Do the speakers and microphone work fine?;
Are there any dead pixels on the display?;
What’s the maximum battery capacity?;
Is there visible physical damage that may hinder performance?; and others.

These questions are important to ask while checking a pre-owned phone for sale. Securing a low-cost iPhone is your goal but ensure its performance and quality match the price.

3. Put Up Your Current Phone For Sale or Trade

If you already have an iPhone, you can either get a trade-in deal when buying a new iPhone or sell it online yourself. While it might be hard to part ways with your reliable sidekick, selling or trading in your current phone could dramatically reduce how much you’re going to pay for your next iPhone’s.

Trading in your old device directly with Apple or through mobile carriers could knock off hundreds from your new phone’s price tag. Private sales on platforms online are viable options where you might fetch a higher price too.

Remember to follow the checklist above when selling or trading your phone. Your potential customer may also be looking for a great deal and won’t want to pay so much for a half-decent device.

4. The Best Deals Aren’t Always at the Apple Store

You can purchase an iPhone from an Apple Store retail outlet or Apple’s online store, but expect to pay the sticker price. However, if you buy from an authorized Apple reseller like Amazon, you’ll often find discounts. For example, you can get an Apple iPhone for less than the retail price.

A different approach is to visit your mobile carrier, especially if you’re worried about encountering stolen or blacklisted iPhone units.

Mobile carriers compete for your attention and loyalty. They’re frequently releasing sweet deals and enticing promos, which could make your iPhone purchase less of a financial sting.

Such deals may include contract sign-ups, trade-in offers, or even free devices with specific plans. Research thoroughly, compare offers, and don’t hesitate to negotiate. You might land a deal that makes your iPhone dreams more affordable.

5. Subscribe To Payment Plans

Once you’ve found a promo from your carrier, subscribe to a payment plan. It’s a savvy choice for those reluctant to pay a lump sum upfront. Apple and some carriers offer monthly plans that spread the payment cost of your new iPhone over several months or even years. These plans include benefits like warranties and free annual upgrades.

Remember, though, to read the fine print carefully. Although the monthly instalments might seem manageable, consider the long-term cost, which could be higher than buying outright.

6. Get An Older Or Smaller Model

To keep costs down, consider an older or smaller model. With each iPhone iteration, older models tend to drop in price, but they still pack a solid tech punch. An older model could be your best bet if you don’t need the latest camera or the fastest chip.

Similarly, smaller models like the iPhone SE or the Mini versions offer the full iPhone experience at a smaller price. They come with impressive features, snappy performance, and a compact design.

7. Buy at the Right Time

If you buy a new phone, you certainly won’t want to see a new model released a week after your purchase. Thankfully, Apple is generally quite predictable when it comes to new iPhone releases, so it’s easy to predict when the new model will hit shelves.

The MacRumors Buyer’s Guide has always-up-to-date information that provides a snapshot of:

Number of days since the current model was released
Average number of days between models
Number of days between all recent releases of that product line
Rumors about the new product and what features it will have
Ratings: Buy Now, Neutral, Caution, Don’t Buy

Once you know when the new model will release, make a decision on whether you want to wait or not. Typically, the current models in a product line drop in price after the new models come out. So you can stick to your original budget and buy the new product, which saves money on upgrading later. Or you can buy the previous-gen model and save a few hundred dollars.

If you’re after the features, consider the models that are only a few years old. In fact, there are older models that can run the latest iOS version – allowing you to enjoy the newest Apple features with a slightly cheaper device.

Get A New iPhone For Less

Owning an iPhone doesn’t necessarily mean emptying your wallet. You have multiple ways to save money on your next iPhone purchase; these tips are some of the most effective. The crucial factor is understanding what works best for you and your budget.

The next time you’re eyeing the latest iPhone, remember: a savvy purchase could save you a pretty penny without compromising your tech cravings. Now, isn’t that a fantastic deal?

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