Skip to content
Thoughtful, detailed coverage of everything Apple for 36 years
and the TidBITS Content Network for Apple professionals

Category: Problem Solving

Adam Engst 32 comments

TipBITS: How to Ensure Mac Apps Open on the Correct Screen

If your Mac apps keep opening on the wrong screen after quitting and relaunching, the culprit is likely the “Close windows when quitting an application” setting in System Settings > Desktop & Dock. Disable it to allow macOS to restore window positions.

Adam Engst 27 comments

Compromised Apple Gift Card Saga Ends Well, but Risks Remain

Paris Buttfield-Addison has regained access to his Apple Account after a tainted gift card locked him out. But his saga highlights serious risks associated with Apple Gift Cards that should make everyone think twice before giving or redeeming them.

Adam Engst 23 comments

1Password App Zeroed Out by Failed Update

A failed update left 1Password’s app package empty on multiple Macs, rendering it non-functional. The good news: reinstalling 1Password resolved the issue with no data loss.

Adam Engst 27 comments

Compromised Apple Gift Card Leads to Apple Account Lockout

After trying to redeem an Apple Gift Card, Apple developer and author Paris Buttfield-Addison was locked out of his Apple Account with no explanation. Despite extensive media coverage and contact from Apple’s Executive Relations, his account remains locked days later, raising concerning questions about what happens to users without high-profile connections—and whether Apple Gift Cards are safe.

Adam Engst 22 comments

How the Music App’s “Skip When Shuffling” Option Can Help (or Hinder) Holiday Playlists

After 30 frustrating minutes trying to fix a broken holiday playlist, Adam Engst finally found the culprit: a “Skip when shuffling” option he had enabled last year and forgotten about. Is there a better way to silence seasonal music when the holidays end?

Adam Engst 13 comments

ChatGPT Atlas Digitized Book Tables That Stymied Other OCR Tools

What started as a simple need—digitizing training pace tables for a workout app—became a test of OCR tools. ChatGPT Atlas won where others failed, autonomously processing five photos into perfect CSV data despite page curl and dense columns.

Adam Engst 57 comments

How to Turn Liquid Glass into a Solid Interface

Apple’s new Liquid Glass interface design can be hard to read in certain situations. If you encounter any issues, here’s how to adjust the transparency and other visual effects across macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS to suit your needs.

Adam Engst 15 comments

macOS 26 Tahoe Won’t Install on the M3 Ultra Mac Studio

The title says it all—if you have a Mac Studio powered by an M3 Ultra chip, you cannot upgrade to macOS 26 Tahoe at this time. macOS 15.7 Sequoia will install, or you can wait until Apple resolves the issue.

Adam Engst 7 comments

AppleCare One Stumbles Over Multiple macOS User Accounts

Longtime Apple observer John Siracusa reports that Apple’s new AppleCare One plan has significant issues with multiple macOS user accounts, forcing him to pay more for individual device coverage.

Adam Engst 56 comments

Apple Unveils AppleCare One for Multiple-Device Protection

Apple has introduced AppleCare One, a new protection plan that allows you to bundle multiple devices under a single monthly subscription that starts at $19.99 per month. While the simplified coverage may appeal to many Apple users, the financial benefits aren’t as straightforward as they might appear.

Adam Engst 9 comments

How to Keep the User Library Folder Visible in macOS

Apple hides the user’s Library folder by default, but an obscure method to show it permanently lets you avoid pressing Option to access it in the Finder’s Go menu.

Adam Engst 21 comments

Anker Recalls 1.1 Million PowerCore 10000 Power Banks

Anker is recalling over 1.1 million PowerCore 10000 power banks due to fire and burn hazards following 19 reports of fires and explosions. If you own one, you can receive a free replacement or a $30 gift card, but proper disposal is necessary.

Adam Engst 23 comments

Backblaze Update Shrinks Bloated Logs

A recent Backblaze update dramatically reduces the backup service’s storage footprint by shrinking log files made excessively large by eliminating errors associated with unreadable cloud-based files.

Adam Engst 4 comments

Guilherme Rambo Explains the Dave & Buster’s Messages Anomaly

A peculiar iOS mystery has been cracked: why audio messages mentioning “Dave & Buster’s” disappear into the digital ether. Guilherme Rambo’s investigation reveals the ironic twist that Apple’s transcription system works so well that it breaks itself.

Adam Engst 1 comment

Apple Extends Self-Service Repair to iPads

Apple has now added recent iPad models to its Self Service Repair program, giving people access to repair manuals, Apple parts, and rental toolkits. But how many are actually taking advantage of the program?