Read Me First

Welcome to Take Control of High Sierra, version 1.1, published in September 2017 by alt concepts inc. This book was written by Scholle Sawyer McFarland and edited by Kelly Turner.

This book helps you with Apple’s macOS 10.13 High Sierra operating system. It focuses on the new things High Sierra makes possible, like taking Live Photos of a FaceTime conversation, typing instead of talking to Siri, and easily sharing a file through iCloud. It also covers the interesting changes in various Apple apps such as Safari and Mail while including a hand-picked selection of key tips for getting the most out of your Mac.

If you want to share this ebook with a friend, we ask that you do so as you would with a physical book: “lend” it for a quick look, but ask your friend to buy a copy for careful reading or reference.

Copyright © 2017, Sawyer McFarland Editing. All rights reserved.

Updates and More

You can access extras related to this ebook on the web (use the link in Ebook Extras, near the end; it’s available only to purchasers). On the ebook’s Take Control Extras page, you can:

• Download any available new version of the ebook for free, or buy any subsequent edition at a discount.
• Download various formats, including PDF, EPUB, and Mobipocket. (Learn about reading on mobile devices on our Device Advice page.)
• Read the ebook’s blog. You may find new tips or information, as well as a link to an author interview.

If you bought this ebook from the Take Control website, it has been added to your account, where you can download it in other formats and access any future updates. However, if you bought this ebook elsewhere, you can add it to your account manually; see Ebook Extras.

Finding System Preferences

As you settle into High Sierra, you’ll likely be tweaking the settings in Apple’s System Preferences app often. When I write about working in System Preferences, I don’t always spell out how to efficiently open the app. Here are common methods of accessing it:

• Choose Apple  > System Preferences.
• Click the System Preferences icon on the Dock (Figure 1).

  

• Have Siri open a particular System Preferences pane for you.

What’s New in Version 1.1

The first version of this book offered early access to tips and tricks available in High Sierra’s public beta software. Version 1.1, based on the shipping version of High Sierra, adds chapters about several topics:

• Storage Management: High Sierra’s new file system and space-saving improvements to apps like Mail help preserve precious storage space, but the macOS also includes built-in tools to wrangle your bytes. See Manage Your Storage.
• iCloud Family Sharing: Learn how to Use iCloud Family Sharing to simplify sharing media and more with family members. High Sierra streamlines sharing with a revamped Manage Family pane and lets you share an iCloud storage plan with your group.
• Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot Mac Problems helps you prepare for everyday difficulties. This chapter includes High Sierra-specific issues that affect Boot Camp, external drives, and Microsoft Office.

You’ll also find the following bits of new information:

• Mail includes a new Spotlight-powered feature that makes it easier to find relevant messages when you search, as explained in Peruse Mail’s Top Hits.
• Apple’s digital assistant offers new and improved voices. Learn how to use them in Change Siri’s Voice or Language. See an updated technique for activating Siri with your voice in “Hey, Start Siri!”
• An iTunes update right before High Sierra shipped changed how we find and download previously purchased iOS apps. I explain in Where’d My Old iOS Apps Go?
• I’ve added more detail about which Macs upgrade automatically to use the new file system introduced in High Sierra. We also found out that the initial release of High Sierra does not support APFS on Fusion drives; if you converted any during the beta period, you’ll need to revert them to the old file system. See One Big Caveat.
• The feature that once let you follow an RSS feed in the Safari sidebar is gone as of Safari 11. Learn how to cope in Bye-Bye, Safari Shared Links.
• How you go from your Mac to an iOS device using Handoff has changed slightly. See Move Between Devices with Handoff.