Knowledge base

If your Mac is lost or stolen

Posted in Apple Mac OS

Use Find My Mac to locate your computer

If you set up Find My Mac before your Mac was lost or stolen, you can use it to locate your Mac on a map, or play a sound to help you find it. You can also use it to remotely lock or erase your Mac. To use Find My Mac, sign in to icloud.com/find on another computer or download the free Find My iPhone app for iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.


Locate your Mac on a map
Open Find My iPhone, and select your Mac from the Devices menu to view its location on a map.

 


Lock your Mac
You can use Find My Mac to remotely lock your Mac with a passcode. You can also display a custom message on its screen. If you lock your Mac, you won’t be able to track it.
 

 


Play a sound
If your Mac is nearby, you can have it play a sound to help you or someone nearby find it.


 


Erase your Mac
You can use Find My Mac to remotely erase and delete all your personal information from your Mac. If you erase your Mac, you won’t be able to track it.
 

 

What if my Mac is shut down or offline?

If your Mac is turned off or offline, you can still use Find My Mac to request a notification when it’s located, or lock or erase your Mac remotely. The next time your Mac is online, the actions take effect. If you remove your Mac from Find My Mac when it's offline, your requests are cancelled.

How do I unlock my Mac?

Once you locate your Mac, you can unlock it by entering your passcode. You can also unlock it from iCloud.com or from the Find My iPhone app.

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If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen

Posted in Apple Mac OS

If Find My iPhone isn't enabled on your missing device

If you didn't turn on Find My iPhone before your device was lost or stolen, you can't use it to locate your device. However, you can use these steps to help protect your data:

  1. Change your Apple ID password. By changing your Apple ID password you can prevent anyone from accessing your iCloud data or using other services (such as iMessage or iTunes) from your missing device.
  2. Change the passwords for other internet accounts on your device. This could include email accounts, Facebook, or Twitter.
  3. Report your lost or stolen device to local law enforcement. Law enforcement might request the serial number of your device. Find your serial number:
    • On the original box or receipt
    • On My Support Profile (supportprofile.apple.com) if you registered your device with your Apple ID
  4. Report your lost or stolen device to your wireless carrier. Your carrier can disable the account, preventing phone calls, texts, and data use.


Find My iPhone is the only way that you can track or locate a lost or missing device. If Find My iPhone isn't enabled on your device before it goes missing, there is no other Apple service that can find, track, or otherwise flag your device for you.

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If you need help with your Wi-Fi password

Posted in Apple Mac OS

What if I don’t know my Wi-Fi password?

If your cable or Internet provider set up your Wi-Fi router:

  • Look for a label on the side or bottom of the router—it might list the default password.


Network Name (SSID): XXXXX

Network Key (Password): XXXXXXXXXX

 

  • If your provider gave you a setup sheet, look it over for your network information and password.
  • Contact your cable or Internet provider for help recovering or resetting your Wi-Fi password.


If you own your Wi-Fi router:

  • If someone else set up your network, ask that person for help.
  • If you never created a personal password, check the brand of your Wi-Fi router and go to their website to find the default password.
  • To reset the password, either call the router manufacturer or check their website or user guide.


If you’re using a public Wi-Fi network at a library, hotel, business, or other shared space:

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See your iTunes credit balance

Posted in Apple Mac OS

About credit balances

After you redeem iTunes Gift Cards or iTunes Gifts, your updated balance appears in your iTunes Store account. Each time you purchase content, iTunes deducts funds from the credit until it's depleted.

The entire amount of a gift is credited to your iTunes Store account when you redeem it, so you don't need to enter your gift card number or gift code each time you want to buy something.

You can check your balance on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or on your computer through iTunes, the Mac App Store, or the iBooks Store.

View your balance on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

  1. Tap iTunes Store, App Store, or iBooks.
  2. In iBooks, tap Featured at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of page.
  4. If you're not already signed in, tap Sign In and enter your Apple ID and password.
  5. If you have a credit balance, you'll see it below your Apple ID.
    iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Credit Balance

View your balance in on your computer

In iTunes

  1. Open iTunes.
  2. Click iTunes Store.
    If you're not already signed in, click Sign In and enter your Apple ID and password.
  3. Click your name.
  4. If you have a credit balance, you'll see it under your Apple ID in the pop-up menu.

In the Mac App Store

  1. Open the Mac App Store.
    If you're not already signed in, click Account under Quick Links and enter your Apple ID and password. Then click Featured at the top of the app.
  2. If you have a credit balance, you'll see it next to Account under Quick Links.

In iBooks for Mac

  1. Open iBooks.
  2. Click iBooks Store.
    If you're not already signed in, click Sign In above Quick Links and enter your Apple ID and password.
  3. If you have a credit balance, you'll see it next to your Apple ID above Quick Links.

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Print from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Posted in Apple Mac OS

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Risks are inherent in the use of the Internet. Contact the vendor for additional information.

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Reduce screen motion on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Posted in Apple Mac OS

iOS 7 and later uses a parallax effect to create the perception of depth on your Home screen and other areas of your device. When parallax effect is on, you might notice:

  • Screen zooms when you open folders or apps.
  • Wallpaper icons and alerts shift slightly when you move your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
  • Photos or images you use as a wallpaper are slightly zoomed in or can't scale to fit the screen. 

You might also see motion in apps like Weather and Messages. To reduce these types of movement, go to Settings > General > Accessibility, and turn on Reduce Motion. 

You can also adjust wallpaper zooming and scaling by turning off Perspective Zoom. Go to Settings > Wallpaper, select the wallpaper you want to use and tap Perspective Zoom at the bottom of the screen. Then tap Set. 

Some image formats like letterboxed or square might not be able to be rescaled.

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Use FileVault to encrypt the startup disk on your Mac

Posted in Apple Mac OS

If you forget your password

When you turn on your Mac, you're prompted to select your user account and then enter your password. This unlocks your startup disk and automatically brings you to your desktop.

If you forget your password, follow the onscreen prompts that appear at the login screen to reset your password using your Apple ID or iCloud account. In OS X Yosemite, your password is automatically stored in iCloud if you turned on FileVault when you first set up your Mac.

If you set a Recovery Key, you can also enter it as your login password if you don't know the right password to log in. 

In OS X Yosemite, you can also reset the login password you use with FileVault by using the Reset Password Assistant:

  1. Start up your Mac.
  2. Leave your Mac at the login screen for 60 seconds until you see the forgotten password prompt appear.
  3. Press and hold the power button to turn off your Mac. 
  4. Press the power button again to turn your Mac back on.
  5. When the Reset Password window appears, follow the onscreen prompts to unlock your startup disk using your iCloud account or your FileVault Recovery Key. 
  6. When you're finished, move your pointer to the top of the screen to make the menu bar appear. Then, choose Restart from the Apple menu to restart your Mac normally.

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About SMS phone number verification for AppleCare in Canada and the U.S.

Posted in Apple Mac OS

Opting out of receiving SMS verification codes

To not receive the SMS verification code, simply decline the offer of performing SMS verification when prompted by AppleCare.

United States

If you did not register your phone number with your Apple ID or provide your phone number to an AppleCare employee, you can text STOP to 48369 to prevent further messages from being sent to you. Texting HELP to 48369 will give you additional information.

Canada

If you did not register your phone number with your Apple ID or provide your phone number to an AppleCare employee, you can text STOP to 58369 to prevent further messages from being sent to you. Texting HELP to 58369 will give you additional information.

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Adjust the intensity of haptic alerts on your Apple Watch

Posted in Apple Mac OS

Decrease or increase the intensity of taps:

  1. Put on your Apple Watch and unlock it. For the best haptic results, the back of your Apple Watch needs skin contact. Use a snug but comfortable fit
  2. From the Home screen on your Apple Watch, tap Settings. 
  3. Scroll down and tap Sounds & Haptics.
  4. Under Ringer and Alert Haptics, tap   to decrease haptic intensity, or   to increase it.

You can also adjust haptic alerts using your paired iPhone. Open the Apple Watch app and tap My Watch > Sounds & Haptics. Under Haptic Strength, drag the slider to adjust the intensity of haptic notifications. 

If you're wearing your Apple Watch and you don't feel a tap as you adjust the slider, contact Apple Support.  

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