Last week, Apple released minor updates for its current round of operating systems, along with security updates for macOS 10.15 Catalina and macOS 11 Big Sur. After nearly a decade, Josh Centers revisits the AssistiveTouch feature of iOS and iPadOS to show how—beyond its accessibility uses—you can employ it as a handy palette of custom shortcuts. Finally, Josh points out a bug in Photos that could cause you to share an album with people other than those who you intend. Notable Mac app releases this week include Audio Hijack 4.0.4, macOS Big Sur 11.6.8 and Security Update 2022-005 Catalina, Safari 15.6, Ulysses 27.2, DEVONthink 3.8.5, iFinance 5.0.4, and 1Password 8.8.
Even though its next-generation operating systems are around the corner, Apple has issued minor updates for its current releases to fix bugs, plug security holes, and add a few tiny features to the TV app.
A longstanding bug in Photos for the Mac could lead you to inadvertently share albums with the wrong people. Here’s how to avoid the bug and work around it.
Don’t be fooled by its location in Settings > Accessibility. AssistiveTouch is more than just another accessibility feature. Instead, it’s an always-available shortcut to numerous actions on your iPhone and iPad.
Watchlist
Improves audio capture reliability and fixes issues with FaceTime. ($64 new, free update, 32.1 MB, macOS 10.14.4+)
Security patches for Big Sur and Catalina. (Free, various sizes, macOS 11 and 10.15)
Patches security vulnerabilities for Big Sur and Catalina. (Free, various sizes, macOS 10.15+)
Maintenance update with bug fixes and improvements for the writing app. ($5.99/$49.99 monthly/yearly subscription, free update, 33.3 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Brings improvements and fixes to the document and information manager. ($99 new, free update, 136 MB, macOS 10.14+)
Major upgrade brings a completely redesigned user interface, improved iCloud sync, and more. ($39.99 new, free update, 40.7 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Improves importing of passwords from CSV and 1Password Unencrypted Export (1PUX) files. ($35.88 annual subscription, free update, 2.9 MB, macOS 10.15+)