We examined various features of macOS Mojave, illustrating small and big news. Now it’s the turn of new, less visible options and features that not everyone has noticed.
macOS 10.14 Mojave is the new version of the Mac operating system that will be available for download from September 24th, let’s examine some new and less visible options and features, which perhaps not everyone has noticed.
- Verification codes with the SMS read automatically
- Recent apps in the Dock
- More stringent permissions
- A “secret” keyboard
- Create quick actions
- Ask the Siri passwords
- Siri supports HomeKit
- Metadata within reach of Finder
- The folders at the top of the desk
- New folder with …
- Get a list of 32-bit applications in the system
Verification codes with the SMS read automatically
If you have a Mac with the Messages application synchronized with iOS devices (just use the same Apple ID that we use for messages on the iPhone or other devices: it is usually the same Apple ID set for iCloud, iTunes Store, App Store and for the account created during the initial configuration of the Mac), Mojave is able to “understand” when a website or service sends a verification SMS for access (typically for two-factor authentication) allowing automatically enter the code received and simplifying access to various websites from the Mac (just paste the code proposed automatically by iMessage).
The recent apps in the Dock
A feature borrowed from the iPad: the icons of the last three applications used are shown on the right in the Dock, allowing you to reopen one of the last used software (eg a program that we had closed by mistake). If this feature is not to our liking, we can disable it by going to System Preferences, selecting “Dock” and removing the check mark in the “Show recent applications in the Dock”.
More stringent permits
In MacOS Mojave, Apple has provided new features for security and privacy. New levels of data protection require apps to obtain user authorization before using the camera and microphone of the Mac or accessing personal data such as Mail history and the message database. By selecting “Security and Privacy” in System Preferences, you can choose the “System Administration” option and check the apps that have administrative privileges; a different section allows you to check the apps that have access to the microphone, camera and automation procedures. Finally, the “Advertising” section allows you to specify options to limit the collection of advertising data by websites.
A “secret” keyboard
With a triple click on the Touch ID button or by pressing the CMD-Alt-F5 key combination, Accessibility Options can be recalled. As with previous systems, it is possible to enable the Accessible Keyboard (an on-screen keyboard that can be moved and resized). There are new options to customize the toolbar (hide or show, for example, suggestions), to insert, create custom panels (to optimize activities and frequent actions of different apps on the Mac).
Create quick actions
Automator, the application that automates the activities we do on the Mac, using integrated actions to create workflows, has been updated. You can take photos and scan documents from iPhones or iPads, enable support for third-party Actions, or even create Quick Actions workflows, actions that can be recalled from the Touch Bar or Mac Services menu.
Here is a practical example: Open Automator, select “Quick Action Workflow”, in the library section choose “Photos”, on the right choose “Applications Quartz Composition Filter”, drag this element in the flow section on the right (confirm with “Add”), we save by calling the “Apply filters” action. Selecting from the Finder an image with the right mouse button (or equivalent combination with the trackpads), it will be possible to call up the item “Quick Actions” on the fly and hence the filter we created.
To delete the created action, simply go to System Preferences, select “Extensions”, select (on the left column) Finder and (in the right column) click with the right mouse button/trackpad and choose “Show in Finder” “(Useful if we want, for example to apply changes) or “Move to trash”.
Ask the Siri passwords
Do not remember what a website’s password is. Can you ask Siri? For example, just say: “What is the password of Google”: will open the “Password” section of Safari, you will need to unlock the access indicating the password of the user-account and you can access the section with the list of password required. Passwords must obviously be stored in the System Keychain Access application.
Siri supports HomeKit
With the Home app, Mac users can also control HomeKit accessories and manage various functions such as turning the lights on and off or adjusting the thermostat settings directly from the computer. There are hundreds of home automation products that have adopted this standard, allowing the Home app to support thermostats, lighting systems, curtains, door closures, video cameras and much more.
Metadata within reach of Finder
Apple has integrated various innovations in the MacOS Mojave Finder. A feature that could have escaped the most careful are the metadata that can be obtained when selecting any element. Selecting, for example, a photo, in the mode as a list or icons, you can know parameters such as date of creation, size, resolution, color space, profile, device used for shooting, aperture value, flash speed, focal ratio, etc. . If you do not want to view these messages, just go to the metadata with the mouse and choose “Hide details”.
The folders at the top of the desk
Opening the Finder Preferences (Finder menu> Preferences) in the “Advanced” section allows you to choose whether to keep folders in the other windows in the windows when you sort by name, either on the desktop, which allows you to list the folders in alphabetical order first, then files in alphabetical order, when they are organized by name.
New folder with …
Small but welcome news in the MacOS Mojave Finder. You can select one or more elements and with the right mouse button (or equivalent combination of the trackpad) choose the item “New folder with [selection]”: a folder will be created with the selected elements. A small animation shows the elements physically enter the folder. You can cancel the action using the cmd-z keyboard combination
Get a list of 32-bit applications on the system
macOS Mojave will be the last Apple operating system to allow the execution of 32-bit “uncompromising” applications. When you start an old 32-bit application, from macOS 10.13.4 you will see the message “The developer has to update the app to improve compatibility”, suggesting that these software may not work in the future.
Even with current versions of macOS you can get a list of the 32 and 64 bit apps but in Mojave there is a dedicated function: select “About this Mac” from the “Apple” menu; in the window that appears click on “System report”, in the left column select “Software” and on the right the various applications still in 32 bit will appear.