Numbers

6to4 service, 713

64-bit mode, 626

802.1X protocol, configuring, 730–732

802.11 specification, 692

Symbols

* (asterisk) wildcard, using, 110

(backslash), using before space characters, 107

% CPU, examining statistics, 647

.. (double periods), using with parent folder, 107, 124

% GPU, examining statistics, 647

. (period)

preceding items with, 108

using with hidden items, 421

? (question mark) wildcard, using, 110

>> (redirect) operator, using, 109–114

/ (slash), using in paths, 439

[] (square brackets) wildcard, using, 110

~ (tilde), using with user home folder, 107

A

About This Mac window, 21, 93–95, 370–371

absolute paths, 124

accent, configuring, 61–62

Access Control pane, 301

Accessibility features

configuring, 66–70

keyboard, 69

screen, 47–48

Security & Privacy settings, 271

Voice Control, 8–10

account name settings, editing for user accounts, 193

account passwords. See also user accounts

resetting, 326–329

resetting in macOS Recovery, 323–325

ACEs (access control entries)

file-system permissions, 397

removing, 408

ACLs (access control lists), file-system permissions, 397

Actions extensions, configuring, 636

Activation Lock, protecting Mac with, 287–289

activities, viewing and searching, 660

Activity Monitor

force quitting apps, 669–672

using with processes, 646–651

adaptive devices, using, 69

administrator accounts, 183–186, 189

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), 382

AFP (Apple Filing Protocol), 789, 794–795

AirDrop, 837–840. See also file-sharing services

AirPrint, 883. See also printers and scanners

alias settings, editing for user accounts, 193

aliases

creating, 430

creating with Finder, 428

repairing, 431

Allowed Boot Media

configuring, 144–145

and Secure Boot, 142

settings, 133

Analytics & Improvements, Security & Privacy settings, 272

analytics data, viewing reports about, 659

APFS (Apple File System), 339, 350–352

adding volumes, 350–352

and Boot Camp, 352

compatibility, 352

and file sharing, 352

Fusion Drive, 352

overview, 339, 342–350

SSV (signed system volume), 343–344

volume formats, 341–342

volumes, 347, 350–352

APM (Apple Partition Map), file systems, 341

app and hardware compatibility, checking, 30–33

app compatibility, verifying, 21–22

app extensions, managing, 633–640

app resources, troubleshooting, 666–667

App Store

Apple ID, 532–533

browsing, 523–526

bundles with new Macs, 531–532

downloading Installer from, 35

examining, 550–551

Family Sharing, 533

getting Apple ID, 530–531

installing apps, 533

keyboard shortcuts, 526

managing Apple ID, 532

preferences for automatic updates, 172

privacy information, 7

purchased apps, 533–534

searching, 526–529

Update behavior, 169–170

updating apps, 534

appearance, configuring, 61–62

Apple Advertising, Security & Privacy settings, 271–272

Apple Business Manager, 46

Apple Configurator 2, using to restore Macs, 133–134

Apple Diagnostics, 944–947

Apple ID

getting for App Store, 530–531

managing for App Store, 532–533

resetting password, 52, 314–317

signing in with, 49–51

two-factor authentication, 50, 263–264

unlocking FileVault volume, 385

Apple School Manager, 46

Apple silicon

Activate Mac window, 286

configuring Security Policy, 140

and macOS Recovery, 130, 133

selecting alternate system, 942–943

and Startup Security Utility, 137–138

and T2 chip, 922–925

Apple Support articles

AirDrop, 837

APFS volumes, 922

App Store, 534

Apple Diagnostics, 947

Apple IDs, 51, 263

automated device enrollment, 46

FileVault recovery key, 84

Hey Siri, 471

hiding user accounts, 184

iCloud Drive service, 597

iCloud Keychain, 262, 323

iCloud system requirements, 263

iWork documents, 580

“Mac computers with Apple silicon,” 4

macOS Big Sur compatibility, 18

macOS version, 13

MDM (mobile device management) settings, 46

migrating content, 238–239

NVRAM or PRAM, 750, 950

packages, 426

password management, 318

Siri, 471

system extensions, 290

Thunderbolt 3, 869

Time Machine, 494

Voice Control, 273

Windows 10 and Boot Camp Assistant, 143

wireless devices, 870

zsh shell, 101

Apple Support website, 20

Apple T2 Security chip. See also security

and FileVault, 86

and macOS Recovery, 133

and Startup Security Utility, 137, 139

Apple Tech Specs website, 33

Apple Watch, unlocking Mac with, 266

AppleDouble file format, file-system metadata, 468–469

Applications, accessing, 89, 306, 444

apps, 550–551

“Allow apps downloaded from,” 540–541

allowing to access data, 305–310

approving, 307–310

bundles with new Macs, 531–532

bypassing installation settings, 541–542

code signing, 536

copying to /Applications, 558

defaults for file types, 611–613

diagnostic reports, 654–656

diskimageshelper, 301–302

downloading, 608–609

driver implementation, 879

file quarantine, 537–539

force quitting, 652–654, 667–672

Gatekeeper security settings, 558–561

and hardware compatibility, 30–33

Install macOS Big Sur, 154–155

installation packages, 544–545

installing, 305–306, 542–545

installing from App Store, 546–551

installing with drag-and-drop, 543–544, 555–562

installing with installer package, 552–555

“Kind,” 627–628

malware detection, 539

managing file locking with, 587–588

monitoring, 645–646

notarization, 536

obtaining, 555–558

for opening files, 609–610

process security, 535

and processes, 625–633

protecting data of, 122

registering, 568

reinstalling from App Store, 564

removing, 562–564

restricting installation of, 186

sandboxing, 535

security, 535

selecting for purchase, 548–550

signature and notarization, 561–562

testing, 550

troubleshooting, 651–652

types, 627–630

Universal kind, 627–628

updating installed software, 545

using alternates, 608–613

verifying compatibility, 21–22

apps and processes

64-bit mode, 626

memory management, 626

overview, 625–626

Architecture, examining statistics, 647

ARP (Address Resolution Protocol), 687

AssetCacheLocatorUtil command, 678–680, 824

assistive technologies, 47

asterisk (*) wildcard, using, 110

audio devices as peripherals, 887–888

audio files, trimming, 577

Authenticated Ethernet protocol, 714

authenticating

to Wi-Fi networks, 692–696

to WPA Enterprise networks, 696–698

authentication as Local Administrator, 851. See two-factor authentication

Auto Mode, 61

Auto Save. See also saving documents

disabling, 589

experimenting with, 614–615

Automated Device Enrollment, 46

automatic resume, managing, 588–589

Automatic Software Updates

App Store preferences, 172

App Store update behavior, 169–170

behavior, 162–167

checking, 177–178

downloading Installer with, 36

overview, 161–162

performing, 175–177

preferences, 174–175

preferences behavior, 168–169

preferences for automatic updates, 170–172

Automation, Security & Privacy settings, 271

Automator, using to create Quick Actions, 640–642

auto-saves, 582

B

backing up files and folders, 22–23, 34

backslash (), using before space characters, 107

backup volume, selecting with Time Machine, 513–516

backups, with Time Machine, 494–495

BBEdit, 556, 561–562

Bluetooth devices

managing, 870–876

pairing, 873–874

PAN (personal area network), 711

Security & Privacy settings, 271

support for, 711, 869–870

Bluetooth Sharing, 817

Bonjour printer, configuring, 909–913

Bonjour protocol, 773–774

bookmarks and marks, using, 109

Boot Camp and APFS, 352

Boot Camp Assistant, 143

bootable installer, creating, 146–147. See also Installer

booter and system initialization, 922, 925–928

booter issues, troubleshooting, 952

border color, choosing, 578

browsers, troubleshooting, 803–805

C

caching. See Content Caching service

caffeinate command, 814

CalDAV collaborative calendaring, 782, 784

Calendar and Reminders, configuring, 781–783

Calendars, Security & Privacy settings, 271

Camera, Security & Privacy settings, 271

cameras as peripherals, 877

cat command, using, 109–114

Catalyst. See Mac Catalyst improvements

cd command, using, 106, 117–118

CD or DVD Sharing, 816

cellular internet connections, 711–712

clear command, using, 114

CLI (command-line interface)

accessing, 98–101

advantages, 97

command string, 104

creating and editing text files, 125–126

creating files, 120–121

creating folders, 121–123

creating folders and copying files, 123

example, 104–105

file-examination commands, 109–110

invisible items, 108

man (manual) pages, 105

managing macOS from, 112–113

marks and bookmarks, 109

modifying files and folders, 111–112

moving files, 121–123

navigating to volumes, 109

navigating with commands, 106

navigation, 115–119

overview, 97–98

privacy preferences, 126–127

recursive commands, 111

removing folders, 124

renaming files, 123–124

special characters, 107

Tab key completion, 107–108

tips and tricks, 113–114

wildcard characters, 110–111

working in, 101–103

Command key. See keyboard shortcuts

commands

AssetCacheLocatorUtil, 678–680, 824

caffeinate, 814

canceling, 114

cat, 109–114

cd, 106, 117–118

clear, 114

cp, 111

createinstallmedia, 146–147

exit, 112–113

file, 110

ipconfig, 753–754

ladmin, 851

learning about, 105

less, 110

loginwindow, 931, 939–940

ls, 106, 108, 116–117

managing files and folders with, 119–127

mdfind, 110

mkdir, 111

mv, 112

nc (netcat), 801–802

netstat, 755–756

ping, 756–757, 764–766

Print, 900

as processes, 625–626

pwd, 106, 116–118

q, 122–123

reading about in man pages, 118–119

resetpassword, 136, 141, 317

rm, 112

rmdir, 112, 124

shutdown, 934

sleep, 934

startup, 934

su, 112

sudo, 113

systemextensionsctl, 292–293

touch, 111

traceroute, 760–761

wake, 934

computer account, creating, 51–53

Computer command, accessing, 305

computer name, setting, 81–83

configuration profiles. See also profiles

changing Dock settings with, 90–91

installing, 70–73, 89–92

removing, 92

configuring

fast user switching, 205–210

login, 203–205

system preferences, 77–78

user accounts, 190–194

configuring macOS. See also macOS Big Sur 11

Accessibility, 47–48

Analytics or iCloud Analytics, 54

choosing looks, 56

computer account, 51–53

Country or Region, 47

Express Setup, 53

FileVault Disk Encryption, 55–56

Find My screen, 53

Location Services, 54

Network Settings, 48

overview, 45–47

Remote Management, 48

Screen Time, 54

with Setup Assistant, 74–77

sign in with Apple ID, 49–51

Siri, 54

terms and conditions, 51

Touch ID, 56

True Tone display, 56

connectivity standards, 4

Console

accessing Installer log with, 29

viewing logs, 679–680

viewing reports with, 656–661

Contacts, configuring, 271, 783–785

Containers and Group Containers folders, 445

Content Caching service, running, 678–679, 817, 819–825

Continuity Camera, 18

Control Center, 6, 64–65

Control key. See keyboard shortcuts

cookies, blocking in Safari, 274

copies of documents, saving, 582

copying

files to network shares, 809–810

items, 111

and moving files, 121–123

corrupted app resources, troubleshooting, 666–667

corrupted preferences, managing, 676–677

country or region, selecting, 47

cp command, using, 111

CPU Time, examining statistics, 647

Crash Reports, viewing, 658

createinstallmedia command, 146–147

cropping items, 579

cross-site tracking, preventing in Safari, 274

CUPS printing system

features, 884

logs, 919–920

D

Dark Mode, 61

data

backing up, 34

recovering from nonstarting system, 368–369

deleted user accounts, restoring, 243–252. See also user accounts

restoring, 243–252

deleting

ACEs (access control entries), 408

apps, 562–564

apps in Finder, 564

configuration profiles, 92

folders, 112, 124

installed software, 546

items from iCloud Drive, 597–598

keychains, 320

user accounts, 237–238

Desktop, storing in iCloud Drive, 595–597

devices, viewing reports about, 657. See also peripheral devices

DFS (Distributed File Service) architecture, 789

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), 48, 689–691, 752

DHCP-supplied settings, confirming, 724–725, 736–739

diagnostic commands, Terminal, 753–761

diagnostic information, sending, 54

Diagnostic Reports, viewing, 654–656, 658–659

diagnostics, using, 944–947

dialogs, dismissing, 218

Dictation privacy, 273

dig command, 757–760

directories. See also working directory

examining and changing, 116–118

removing, 124

directory service settings, checking, 846

Directory Utility and administrator users, 189

disk images, mounting and creating, 434–437

Disk Utility

erasing and reformatting devices, 375–377

examining, 149–150

examining storage, 357–359

First Aid feature, 365

and macOS Recovery, 135

remounting volumes, 354

viewing disk information, 371–374

diskimageshelper app, 301–302

disks. See also external disks; unreadable disks

ejecting, 353–354

erasing, 361–363

viewing information about, 369–374

DNS (Domain Name System). See also mDNS

overview, 688–689

protocol, 714

troubleshooting, 753, 757–760

verifying, 758

Dock

changing settings, 90–91

force quitting apps, 667–668

Dock & Menu Bar, 6, 63–64

dock settings, changing, 90–91

document storage. See iCloud Drive service

document versions, exploring, 584–585

documents. See also files

locking, 585–588, 617–618

locking and unlocking, 617–618

previewing, 570–577

previewing in Finder Preview pane, 570–573

previewing with Quick Look, 573–575

saving, 579–588

standards, 4

storing in iCloud Drive, 595–597

Documents command, 488

double periods (..), using with parent folder, 107, 124

downloading

Installer from App Store, 35

Installer using Software Update, 36

macOS Big Sur, 322–322

student materials, 86–88

drag and drop

from Finder to Terminal, 107

to install apps, 555–562

Drop Box folder, 236

dscacheutil command, 757–760

Duplicate command, 582–583

DVD or CD Sharing, 816

Dynamic Desktop, configuring, 62–63

E

ejecting disks or volumes, 353–354

encrypting external disks, 363–364. See also FileVault Disk Encryption

Erase This Mac, confirming, 284–285

erasing

disks or volumes, 361–363

Mac and installing macOS Big Sur, 39–43

startup disk, 16

storage device, 40–41

storage devices, 40–41, 375–377

Ethernet. See also PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet)

configuring manually, 734–735

connectivity issues, 749

hardware options, 714

network connectivity, 705

protocols, 714

support for, 711

exit command, using, 112–113

Express Setup screen, 53

extensions, displaying for files, 445, 565–566, 578

external disks, encrypting, 363–364. See also disks

external storage devices. See also storage devices

permissions for, 409

reformatting, 155–157

F

FaceTime, configuring, 787–788

fast user switching, configuring, 205–210

FAT32 volume, 469

file archives, using, 432–437

file command, using, 110

file resources

app group containers, 448–449

hierarchy, 446–447

Library, 444

sandbox containers, 447–448

file sharing

with AirDrop, 837–840

and APFS, 352

using, 816, 818–819

file systems

aliases, 430–431

APM (Apple Partition Map), 341

GUID Partition Map, 340

managing, 360–364

MBR (Master Boot Record), 341

navigating, 106

partitions, 340–341

shortcuts, 427–430

storage, 340

troubleshooting, 364–369

volumes and volume formats, 341–342

file types, previewing with Quick Look, 568

filenames

displaying extensions, 565–566

using spaces with, 107

files. See also documents

backing up, 22–23

copying to folders, 123

copying to network shares, 809–810

creating, 120–121

erasing in Terminal, 363

locking, 585

managing with commands, 119–124

manipulating in CLI, 109–114

marking up, 578–579

modifying, 111–112

opening, 565–567

renaming, 123–124

restoring, 506–511

restoring with Finder, 510

restoring with Time Machine, 506–510

rotating, 577

unhiding, 108

viewing with Quick Look, 609

Files and Folders, Security & Privacy settings, 271

file-sharing services. See also AirDrop

authentication, 791–794

browsing, 790–791

connecting to, 788–789

connecting to manually, 794–796

file shares, 798–799

mounted shares, 796–797

overview, 788–789

troubleshooting, 806

using, 807–812

file-system components, inspecting, 356–360

file-system metadata

AppleDouble file format, 468–469

examining, 487–492

extended attributes, 463–464

file flags, 463–464

tags, 464–468

tags and comments, 488–491

file-system permissions. See also permissions

ACEs (access control entries), 397

ACLs (access control lists), 397

hierarchical context, 397–400

inspecting, 393–394

ownership, 394–395

Read & Write, 398–399

standard structure, 396

UNIX privilege combinations, 396

file-system standards, 4

FileVault Disk Encryption. See also encrypting external disks

enabling users, 386

and guest accounts, 187

IRK (institutional recovery key), 388

overview, 381–383

recovering lost recovery key, 87

recovery key, 84–85, 390–392

Security & Privacy settings, 267

Setup Assistant, 55–56

and system initialization, 926

turning on, 84–86, 384–388

FileVault recovery

configuring, 385–386

key, 314–317, 390–392

FileVault-protected Mac, restarting, 388–389

fill color, choosing, 578

Find command, 491

Find My

confirming Erase This Mac, 284–287

confirming Mark As Lost, 283–284

screen, 53

using, 278–283

Finder

adjusting preferences, 79–80

aliases, 428

drag-and-drop, 107

managing permissions, 405–408

opening, 116

performing tasks from, 577–578

removing apps in, 564

restoring files, 510

revealing hidden items, 422–425

special characters, 107

Finder extensions, configuring, 636–637

Finder Info window, opening, 393

Finder preferences, adjusting, 79–80

Finder Preview pane, previewing documents in, 570–573

Finder Quick Actions extensions, configuring, 639

Finder Sync extensions, configuring, 636–637

firewall settings, accessing, 267. See also personal firewall

FireWire, support for, 870

firm links, file system, 430

firmware and system initialization, 922, 925–927

firmware issues, troubleshooting, 950–952

firmware password, turning on, 140–142

First Aid feature, Disk Utility, 365

folder permissions, propagating, 408

folders. See also packages; parent folder; root folders

accessing, 439

backing up, 22–23

copying files to, 123

creating, 121–123

deleting, 112

modifying, 111–112

removing, 124

unhiding, 108

fonts

confirming availability, 456–459

disabling, 459–460

installing, 452–455

validating, 460–461

Fonts folder, 445

force quitting apps, 652–654, 667–672

formatting unreadable disks, 360–361

Framework plug-ins, 879

Frameworks folder, 445

FTP (File Transfer Protocol), 789, 795–796

Full Disk Access, Security & Privacy settings, 271

full name settings, editing for user accounts, 193

Fusion Drive, 352

G

Gatekeeper security settings, testing, 558–561

Get Info command, 393

GPU Time, examining statistics, 647

group settings, editing for user accounts, 193

guest accounts, 186–188

GUID Partition Map, 156–157, 340

H

Handoff, 18

hard links, file system, 429

hardware and app compatibility, checking, 30–33

hardware issues

checking for, 944–947

troubleshooting, 951

Help feature, using, 11–13

Hey Siri, searching with, 471

hidden items

examining, 421–425, 437–440

navigating, 437–440

revealing in Finder, 422–425

viewing, 108

hidden system folders, examining, 439–440

hidden Wi-Fi networks, joining, 699

HIDs (human input devices), 877

highlight color, configuring, 61

Home command, 437–438

home directory settings, editing for user accounts, 193. See also user home folders

Home folder

permissions, 401–403

viewing, 115–116

HomeKit, Security & Privacy settings, 271

host command, 757–760, 766

hostname, displaying, 82

host-sharing services

configuring network identification, 815–816

content caching, 819–825

file sharing, 818–819

Screen Sharing, 847–849

shared services, 816–817

turning on, 813–815

using, 847–854

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

and Safari, 775

and WebDAV, 789

I

iCloud analytics, sending information about, 54

iCloud Drive service. See also storage devices

configuring, 619–620

features, 50–51

local storage, 598–599

opening documents from, 621–623

optimized storage, 599–600

removing items from, 597–598

requirement of, 46

saving to, 620–621

storing Desktop and Documents folders, 595–597

storing documents in, 619–624

turn off features, 600–604

turning on, 590–592

using, 592–594

using Contacts from, 624

verifying changes, 624

iCloud Keychain, 262–264. See also keychains

iCloud Security Code, resetting iCloud keychain, 322–323

Idle Wake Ups, examining statistics, 647

IEEE 802.3, 711

images, rotating, 577

input devices, 877. See also wireless devices

Input Monitoring, Security & Privacy settings, 271

inspector, opening, 114

install disk

creating, 153–158

testing, 158–159

Install macOS Big Sur app, getting copy of, 154–155

installation

history, 173

process of, 16

verifying, 43–44

installation issues, troubleshooting, 27–29

installation of macOS, verifying, 43–44

installation requirements, verifying, 17–22

installed software, removing, 546

installed updates, checking, 177–178

Installer. See also bootable installer

downloading from App Store, 35

downloading using Software Update, 36

Installer log

using for troubleshooting, 28–29

viewing, 43–44

installer package

resources, 427

using with apps, 552–555

installing

apps, 305–306, 542–545

apps from App Store, 546–551

configuration profiles, 70–73, 89–92

fonts, 452–455

macOS, 25–27

macOS Big Sur, 39–43

macOS Big Sur 11, 41–43

Rosetta, 630–633

Instant Hotspot, 18

Intel-based Macs. See also Macs

alternate system, 943–944

kernel issues, 953

single-user mode, 949–950

startup shortcuts, 926, 950

using Internet recoveryOS with, 134

verbose mode, 949–950

internet access, testing, 741–742

Internet Accounts preferences, 776–777

Internet recoveryOS, using with Intel-based Macs, 134

Internet Sharing, 817

invisible items, viewing, 108

IP (Internet Protocol) addresses, 684–685. See also network host addressing

IP proxies, 714

ipconfig command, 753–754

IRK (institutional recovery key), FileVault Disk Encryption, 388

J

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format, 565

K

kernel and system initialization, 922, 928–929

kernel issues, troubleshooting for Intel-based Macs, 953

kext (kernel extension)

driver implementation, 878

explained, 289

system initialization, 927–928

keyboard shortcuts

Accessibility Shortcuts panel, 66

aliases, 430

App Store, 526

Applications, 89, 306

canceling actions, 218

for CLI, 113–114

Computer, 305

Documents, 488

Duplicate, 582

Find, 491

Finder, 116

Finder Info window, 393

Finder preferences, 422

Finder Preferences window, 80

Go to Folder, 439

Home, 437–438

inspector, 114

Lock Screen, 293

Network view, 851

Save, 581

Save As, 488, 583

text size, 13

View Options, 423, 490

VoiceOver, 46–47

Keychain Access, using, 254

keychains. See also iCloud Keychain; login keychains; user keychains

deleting, 320

local files, 255–256

locking automatically, 295–298

locking login sessions, 298–299

managing secrets in, 256–262

managing with Safari, 258–262

moving passwords to, 303–305

overview, 254

resetting, 321–322

retrieving passwords from, 300–302

Screenshot utility, 22–23

storing passwords, 299–300

Utilities folder, 300

Keychains folder, 445

L

ladmin command, 851

LAN traffic, 686–687

Launch Services, managing, 569–570

launchd

and system initialization, 922, 929–931

troubleshooting, 953–954

user sessions, 932

LaunchDaemons and LaunchAgents folders, 445

Launchpad, removing apps from, 563

legacy system extensions, approving, 289–290

less command, using, 110

Library folder

examining, 437–439

resources, 444–445

system resource domains, 446

Light Mode, 61

link aggregate service, 713

links. See hard links; symbolic links

Local Administrator

account, 185

authenticating as, 91

authentication as, 851

password, 153

Local domain, 446

local group accounts, 189–190

local storage, optimizing, 604–608. See also storage

local user accounts. See also user accounts

restricting access with Screen Time, 194–202

verifying, 846

types, 182–183

Location Services

enabling, 54

Security & Privacy settings, 270

Lock Screen, 293–295

locking

documents, 617–618

files, 585–588

Mac after losing, 283–284

screen, 293–295

and unlocking documents, 617–618

log data, generating, 678–679

log files, using for troubleshooting, 28–29

Log Reports, viewing, 658

logged-in identity, verifying, 112

login, configuring, 203–205

login keychains, observing effects of, 329–336. See also keychains

login passwords, resetting, 314–317

login shell settings, editing for user accounts, 193

loginwindow process, 931, 939–940

logout

process of, 939–941

resuming after, 588–589

troubleshooting, 955

logs

examining, 677–680

searching, 660–661

viewing in Console, 656–661

viewing with Console, 679–680

Logs folder, 445

Look Up, searching with, 474–475

lost Macs, locating, 278–287

lost passwords, resetting, 313–319. See also passwords

ls command

and seeing hidden items, 108

using, 116–117

using for navigation, 106

M

MAC (media access control) addresses, 684

Mac Analytics Data, viewing reports about, 659

Mac Catalyst improvements, 10

“Mac computers with Apple silicon,” Apple Support article, 4

Mac model, identifying, 19–20

Mac notebooks, plugging into power, 23

macOS

Help, 11–13

history, 13–14

installation methods, 15–16

Installer, 151

upgrade and reinstallation, 17–25

upgrading or installing, 25–27

verifying versions of, 13–14

version numbers, 15–16

macOS Big Sur

installing, 41–43

upgrading to, 34–38

macOS Big Sur 11. See also configuring macOS

accessibility features, 8–10

App Store privacy information, 7

configuring with Setup Assistant, 74–77

Control Center, 6–7

design, 5–6

downloading, 23–25

installation methods, 15–16, 25–27, 41–43

integration through standards, 3–4

Mac Catalyst, 10

managing from CLI, 112–113

maps, 7

messages, 7

new features, 4–5

Notification Center, 7

Photos, 10

reinstalling, 135

reviewing history, 13–14

Safari update, 7

Time Machine, 7

upgrading, 25–27

upgrading to, 37–38

verifying installation of, 43–44

Voice Control, 8–10

web page, 5

macOS Recovery. See also restoring; Startup Security Utility

apps, 149–152

resetting account passwords in, 323–325

resetting passwords, 317–318

start up from, 39–40, 130–134, 147–149

startup disk and restart, 152–153

using, 135–136

Macs. See also Intel-based Macs

erasing and installing macOS Big Sur, 39–43

finding after losing, 278–287

keeping awake, 814

locking after losing, 283–284

preparing for upgrade, 29–34

unlocking with Apple Watch, 266

Magic wireless devices, 870

Mail

configuring, 778–780

troubleshooting, 806

man (manual) pages

reading about, 113

reading details about commands in, 118–119

using, 105, 118–119

maps, redesign of, 7

marks and bookmarks, using, 109

MBR (Master Boot Record), 155, 341

mdfind command, using, 110

MDM (mobile device management) solution

automating, 46

installing macOS updates, 173

and profiles, 73

restrictions for Macs, 186

turning on Screen Sharing, 836–837

mDNS, 3. See also DNS (Domain Name System)

Media & Apple Music, Security & Privacy settings, 271

Media Sharing, 816

memory management, 31, 626

menu bar, configuring, 63–64

Messages

configuring, 785–787

controlling Macs remotely, 833–836

update, 7

Messages Screen Sharing, 832–836

metadata. See file-system metadata

Microphone, Security & Privacy settings, 271

Migration Assistant, using with home folders, 238–242

mkdir command, using, 111

mobile user accounts, 182

Model Identifier, recording, 31

mounted shares, 796–797

mounting

disk images, 434

network shares, 810–811

mouse and trackpad preferences, adjusting, 83–84

movies, rotating and trimming, 577

MTU (maximum transmission unit) support, 789

music, Security & Privacy settings, 271

mv command, using, 112

N

name settings, editing for user accounts, 193

nano text editor, 112, 125

nc (netcat) command, 801–802

NetBIOS name, 774

netstat command, 755–756

network apps, troubleshooting, 803–806

network connectivity, troubleshooting, 761–767

network host addressing, 774–775. See also IP (Internet Protocol) addresses

network identification, configuring, 815

network issues

DHCP service, 752

diagnostic tools, 748

Ethernet connectivity, 749

isolating, 748

troubleshooting, 747–753

troubleshooting with Terminal, 753–761

verifying preferences status, 749

Wi-Fi connectivity, 750–752

network list. See Preferred Networks list

network locations. See also static network location

configuring, 708–709, 736–742

selecting, 709–710

network printers, configuring, 887–888

network proxies, configuring, 733–734

network service access, troubleshooting, 846

network service apps

Calendar and Reminders, 781–783

configuring accounts, 777–778

Contacts, 783–785

FaceTime, 787–788

Internet Accounts preferences, 776–777

Mail, 778–780

Messages, 785–787

Notes, 780

Safari, 775

network service communication, troubleshooting, 845–846

network services

Calendar and Reminders, 781–783

configuring accounts, 777–778

Contacts configuration, 783–785

dynamic service discovery, 772–774

FaceTime configuration, 787–788

host addressing, 774

identification, 772, 775

list, 716

Mail configuration, 778–780

managing interfaces, 715–718

Messages configuration, 785–787

Notes configuration, 780

protocols, 789

Safari configuration, 775

scanning for, 802

software, 771–772

troubleshooting, 799–806

network settings

802.1X, 730–732

configuring, 690

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), 691, 724–725

documenting, 22–23, 33–34

Ethernet, 734–735

proxy servers, 733–734

Setup Assistant, 48

TCP/IP, 725–727

verifying, 699–702

Wi-Fi, 727–730

WINS (Windows Internet Naming Service), 732–733

network shares

copying files to, 809–810

mounting automatically, 810–811

network standards, 4

network user accounts, 181–182

Network view, opening, 851

networks

adding to Preferred list, 745–746

configuring settings, 690

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), 689–691

DNS (Domain Name System), 688–689, 753

elements, 683–684

interfaces and protocols, 710–714

IP addresses, 684–685

LAN traffic, 686–687

lookup process, 758

MAC addresses, 684

monitoring connectivity, 704–706

overview, 683–684

protocols, 714

router addresses, 685

subnet masks, 685

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), 686

verifying connections, 702–703

WAN traffic, 687–688

NFS (Network File System), 789, 795–796

Notes, configuring, 780

Notification Center

managing widgets, 643–645

update, 7

nslookup command, 757–760

NVRAM or PRAM, Apple Support article, 750, 950

O

opening files, 565

Option key. See keyboard shortcuts

P

packages, examining, 425–427. See also folders

Panel Editor, using with accessibility features, 69

PANs (personal area networks), 711–712

parent folder, indicating, 107, 124. See also folders

partition table, repairing, 378–379

passcode, providing for remote lock, 284

Password Assistant, using, 313

password security, 253–256

passwords, 323. See also lost passwords; resetpassword command

changing, 311–313

moving to keychains, 303–305

moving to system keychains, 303–305

resetting, 136

resetting for Apple ID, 52

resetting in macOS Recovery, 317–318, 323–325

retrieving from keychains, 300–302

storing in keychains, 299–300

paths

/ (slash) in, 439

absolute and relative, 124

using spaces with, 107

PCL (Printer Command Language), 884

PDFs

creating, 578, 903–904

printing to, 918–919

period (.)

preceding items with, 108

using with hidden items, 421

peripheral devices, 877–879. See also devices

peripheral issues, troubleshooting, 879

peripheral technologies

Bluetooth, 869–870

connectivity, 863–864

examining using system information, 880–882

FireWire, 870

Thunderbolt, 867–869

troubleshooting, 877–879

USB, 864–867

permissions. See also file-system permissions

creating defaults, 410–416

examining as other user, 411–416

for external storage devices, 409

managing, 405–408

testing changes, 416–419

permissions for sharing

home folder, 401–403

securing new items, 404

Shared folder, 403–404

personal firewall. See also firewall settings

configuring, 854–860

managing, 840–844

Photos

improvements, 10

Security & Privacy settings, 271

Photos Editing extensions, configuring, 637–638

PID (Process Identification), examining statistics, 647

PIN, providing for remote lock, 284, 286

ping command

and nc (netcat), 801–802

using, 756–757, 764–766

POST (power-on-self-test), 925

Power Nap mode, 936–939

PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet), 713. See also Ethernet

PRAM or NVRAM, Apple Support article, 750, 950

PreferencePanes folder, 445

preferences. See also System Preferences

disabling and restoring, 674–676

troubleshooting, 661–666, 672–677

Preferences folder, 445

Preferred Networks list

adding networks to, 745–746

clearing, 744–745

Preview Pane extensions, configuring, 639

Preview preferences, creating and locating, 672–674

Print command, 900

print issues, troubleshooting, 906–908

print jobs, managing, 900–906

print settings and presets, configuring, 901–903

printer drivers, 884–885

printer queues, managing, 904–906, 916–918

Printer Sharing, 816

printers and scanners. See also AirPrint

configuring, 885–898

as peripherals, 877

sharing, 898–899

printing

configuring, 908–913

managing, 913–919

resetting, 920

troubleshooting, 919–920

printing in macOS

AirPrint, 883

CUPS, 884

printer drivers, 884–885

privacy preferences, editing and re-securing, 126–127. See also user privacy

Process Name, examining statistics, 647

processes

apps as, 625–626

discovering for volumes, 355

monitoring, 646–651

monitoring with Activity Monitor, 646–651

types, 625–626

processes and use, viewing, 672

Profile Manager, 185

profiles. See also configuration profiles

accessing, 90

sharing, 73

types of, 70

property list files, editing, 665–666

proxy servers, configuring, 733–734

Public folder, 236

pwd command, using, 106, 116–118

Q

q command, using, 122–123

question mark (?) wildcard, using, 110

Quick Actions

creating with Automator, 640–642

marking up files, 578

Quick Actions feature, 577–578, 640–642

Quick Look

configuring extensions, 638

marking up files, 578

plug-ins, 575

previewing documents, 573–575

previewing file types, 568

viewing files with, 609

window, 575–577

quit, resuming after, 588–589

R

Read & Write, file-system permissions, 398–399

recovering data from nonstarting system, 368–369

recovery. See macOS Recovery

Recovery Assistant

resetting passwords, 318

using, 145–146

Recovery mode, repairing volumes in, 378–379

recursive commands, using, 111. See also CLI (command-line interface)

redirect (>>) operator, using, 109–114

region or country, selecting, 47

reinstallation, process of, 16

reinstalling macOS Big Sur, 135

relative paths, 124

Reminders

and Calendar, 781–783

Security & Privacy settings, 271

Remote Apple Events, 817

remote computers. See Screen Sharing

Messages Screen Sharing, 832–836

Screen Sharing, 825–832

Remote Login, 816

Remote Management, 817

remote management, Setup Assistant, 48

removing

ACEs (access control entries), 408

apps, 562–564

apps in Finder, 564

configuration profiles, 92

folders, 112, 124

installed software, 546

items from iCloud Drive, 597–598

keychains, 320

user accounts, 237–238

renaming files, 123–124

reports, viewing with Console, 656–661

resetpassword command, 136, 141, 317. See also passwords

restart and shutdown, 941

restoring. See also macOS Recovery

files using Time Machine, 506–511, 516–520

Macs, 133–134

preferences, 674–676

Resume, managing, 588–589

rm command, using, 112

rmdir command, using, 112, 124

root folders, 444. See also folders

root user accounts, 113, 188–189

Rosetta, installing, 630–633

rotating items, 577–578

router addresses, 685

S

Safari

configuring, 775

managing keychain items with, 258–262

privacy, 274–277

update, 7

safe boot. See safe mode

safe mode

login, 955

using, 935, 947–949, 956–957

Save As command, 488, 583

Save command, 581

saving documents, 579–588.See also Auto Save

scanners and printers. See also AirPrint

configuring, 885–899

as peripherals, 877

sharing, 898–899

Screen Recording, Security & Privacy settings, 271

Screen Sharing. See also remote computers

automation and MDM solution, 836–837

connecting to virtual display, 851–854

connecting with, 827–831

controlling Macs with, 831–832, 849–851

Messages app, 832–836

remote control of Macs, 849–851

services, 825–826

turning on, 826–827, 836–837, 847–849

Screen Time

creating accounts, 219–220

logging in to user accounts, 220–221

managing user accounts, 219–228

restricting user access with, 194–202

setting up and testing, 222–228

screens

enlarging with Zoom pane, 67

locking, 293–295

Screenshot utility, using to document settings, 22–23

Search field, entering terms in, 11–12

search results, about, 476–477

search security, 479

searching

with Hey Siri, 471

logs and activities, 660–661

with Look Up, 474–475

with Siri, 470–471

with Spotlight, 471–474, 479–483, 491–492

secrets

managing in iCloud Keychain, 262–264

managing in keychains, 256–262

Secure Boot

and Allowed Boot Media settings, 142

configuring, 143–144

security, 264–267. See also Apple T2 Security Chip; Startup Security Utility

Security & Privacy settings

approving System Extensions, 291

Gatekeeper, 558–561

preferences, 265

Privacy pane, 268–272

Security Policy

Apple silicon and T2 chip, 922–925

configuring with Apple silicon, 140

serial number, locating, 20, 31

Service button, 20

Setup Assistant

for additional users, 191–192

administrator account, 185

analytics or iCloud Analytics, 54

Apple ID, 49–51

choosing looks, 56

configuring macOS, 74–77

configuring macOS with, 74–77

Create a computer Account, 51–53

Enable Location Services, 54

Express Setup screen, 54

FileVault Disk Encryption, 55–56

iCloud Drive service, 50–51

network settings, 48

remote management, 48

Screen Time, 54

Siri, 54

terms and conditions, 51

Touch ID, 56

True Tone display, 56

using, 45

SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol), 816

shapes, working with, 578

Share Disk and macOS Recovery, 136

Share Menu extensions, configuring, 639

Shared folder, 403–404

shared services

checking access settings, 846

troubleshooting, 845–846

using, 816–817

sharing-only accounts, 188

shutdown

commands, 934

and restart, 941

troubleshooting, 955

signature, creating, 578

single-user mode, Intel-based Macs, 949–950

SIP (System Integrity Protection), 113, 184, 450–452

Siri

preferences, 483–485

searching with, 470–471

setting up, 55

slash (/), using in paths, 439

sleep commands, 934

sleep modes, 814, 933–936

S.M.A.R.T. (self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technology), 357

SMB (Server Message Block) protocol, 774, 789, 794–795, 818

SMB share, connecting to, 807–809, 811–812

SMC (System Management Controller), 950

Software Update, downloading Installer, 36

Software Updates. See also updates

App Store preferences, 172

App Store update behavior, 169–170

behavior, 162–167

checking, 177–178

downloading Installer with, 36

overview, 161–162

performing, 175–177

preferences, 168–169, 174–175

preferences for automatic updates, 170–172

spaces, using with filenames and paths, 107

special characters, using, 107

Specifications link, 20

Speech Recognition, Security & Privacy settings, 271

spin reports, viewing, 658

Spoken Content pane, 68

Spotlight

advanced search, 479–483

indexing, 477–478

plug-ins, 478

preferences, 486–487

searching with, 471–474, 491–492

using from command line, 110

square brackets ([]) wildcard, using, 110

SSH (Secure Shell) remote login, 100–101, 188, 816

SSID (service set identifier), using with Wi-Fi, 692

SSV (signed system volume)

APFS, 343–344

and SIP, 450

Time Machine, 494

standard user accounts

creating, 210–218

using, 185–186

standards supported by macOS, 4

standby mode, 936

starting up

from macOS Recovery, 39–40

in safe mode, 956–957

using macOS Recovery, 147–148

startup

commands, 934

methods of, 39–40

modifying, 942–950

startup disk

erasing, 16

and macOS Recovery, 135

selecting and restarting, 152–153

Startup Security Utility. See macOS Recovery; security

Allowed Boot Media, 144–145

examining, 151–152

Firmware Password, 140–142

Recovery Assistant, 145–146

Secure Boot, 143–144

security policies with Apple silicon, 140

using, 137–139

volume, 31

static network location, creating, 738–741. See also network locations

stealth mode

enabling for personal firewall, 844

testing, 858–860

Sticky Keys and Slow Keys, turning on, 68

storage. See also local storage

examining with Disk Utility, 357–359

examining with system information, 359–360

Storage category, selecting, 31

storage devices. See also external storage devices; iCloud Drive service

erasing, 40–41, 375–377

as peripherals, 877

storage space, verifying, 20

student materials, downloading, 86–89

su command, using, 112

subnet masks, 685

sudo command, using, 113

Support button, 20

Switch Control pane, using adaptive devices with, 69

symbolic links, file system, 428–429

System Administrator account, 113, 188–189

system domain, 446

System Extensions

approving, 291–293

driver implementation, 878

System Information

examining peripherals, 880–882

examining storage with, 359–360

using to monitor apps, 645–646

verifying, 18–21, 93–95

system initialization

booter, 927–928

booter process, 927–928

components, 922

firmware, 925–927

kernel, 928–929

launchd, 929–931

and secure boot, 921–922

security chip, 922–925

troubleshooting, 950–954

and user sessions, 921

system login window options, managing, 203–205

System Preferences. See also preferences

accent, 61–62

accessibility, 66–70

appearance, 61–62

configuration profiles, 70–73

Control Center, 64–65

Dock & Menu Bar, 63–64

Dynamic Desktop, 62–63

highlight color, 61–62

opening and using, 56–60

using, 57–60

system preferences

computer name, 81–83

configuring, 77–78

FileVault, 84–86

Finder, 79–80

trackpad and mouse, 83–84

system resources, troubleshooting, 449

System root folder, 444

system settings, managing, 56

system sounds, 6

system volume issues, troubleshooting, 951–952

systemextensionsctl command, 292–293

system.log reports, viewing, 659

T

T2 chip. See also security

and FileVault, 86

and macOS Recovery, 133

and Startup Security Utility, 137, 139

Tab key completion, using, 107

target disk mode, using, 366–368

tasks, performing from Finder, 577–578

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), 686

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

configuring manually, 725–727

explained, 714

Terminal

and administrator users, 189

and CLI (command-line interface), 98–103

diagnostic commands, 753–761

erasing files in, 363

ifconfig, 753–754

lookup, 757–760

and macOS Recovery, 136

netstat, 755–756

opening, 115

ping and nc (netcat), 756–757, 801–802

special characters, 107

standard output, 678

traceroute, 760–761

troubleshooting network issues, 753

terms and conditions, Setup Assistant, 51

tethered caching, turning on, 820

text

entering, 578

highlighting, 578

resizing, 13

text files

creating and editing, 125–126

viewing, 110

text style, choosing, 578

TextEdit menu bar, using, 120

Threads, examining statistics, 647

Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt Bridge, support for, 711, 867–869

tilde (~), using with user home folder, 107

Time Machine

backups, 494–495

configuring, 511–516

configuring exclusions for, 512–513

configuring preferences, 504–505

improvements, 7

inheriting backups, 503–504

local snapshots, 495

managing options, 505–506

overview, 493–494

restoring files, 506–511, 516–520

restoring from, 135

selecting backup volume, 513–516

setting up from alert, 496–498

setting up manually, 498–503

volumes, 504

TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption, 837

Touch Bar extensions, configuring, 640

touch command, using, 111

Touch ID, Setup Assistant, 56

traceroute command, 760–761

trackpad and mouse preferences, adjusting, 83–84

trimming files, 577

troubleshooting

app resources, 666–667

apps, 651–652

booter issues, 952

DNS (Domain Name System), 757–760

file systems, 364–369

file-sharing services, 806

firmware issues, 950–952

hardware issues, 944–947, 951

installation issues, 27–29

kernel issues, 953

launchd issues, 953–954

logout, 955

Mail, 806

network apps, 803–806

network connectivity, 761–767

network issues, 747–753

network services, 799–806, 845–846

peripheral issues, 879

peripheral technologies, 877–879

preferences, 661–666, 672–677

print issues, 906–908

printing, 919–920

shared services, 845–846

shutdown, 955

system initialization, 950–954

system resources, 449

system volume issues, 951–952

user sessions, 954–955

web browsers, 803–805

True Tone display, Setup Assistant, 56

two-factor authentication, use with Apple ID, 50, 263–264

U

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), 924

Universal apps, 627–628

Universal Clipboard, 18

UNIX privilege combinations, file-system permissions, 396

unreadable disks, formatting, 360–361. See also disks

updates. See also Software Updates

installing with MDM, 173

receiving automatically, 171

releasing to macOS Big Sur, 15

updating, process of, 16

upgrades

preparing Macs for, 29–34

releasing, 15

upgrading

macOS, 25–27

to macOS Big Sur, 34–38

process of, 16

usage information, sending, 54

USB devices

examining, 882

support for, 711–712, 864–867

User, examining statistics, 647

user access, restricting with Screen Time, 194–202

user accounts. See also account passwords; deleted user accounts; local user accounts

administrator accounts, 183–185

attributes, 192–194

configuring, 190–194

creating and editing, 190–191, 210–218

deleting, 237–238

guest accounts, 186–188

hiding, 184

local group accounts, 189–190

managing using Screen Time, 219–228

root user accounts, 188–189

Setup Assistant for users, 191–192

sharing-only accounts, 188

standard accounts, 185–186

switching between, 205–210

types, 182–183

Users & Groups preferences, 190

User domain, 446

User Guides, using, 12–13

user home folders. See also home directory settings

migrating and restoring, 238–242

overview, 229–237

preserving after deleting user accounts, 237–238

restoring manually, 242

using tilde (~) with, 107

User ID settings, 192

user keychains, 319–323. See also keychains

user login items, managing, 203

user privacy, managing, 267–277. See also privacy preferences

user sessions

environment, 932–933

launchd, 932

login window, 931

pausing and ending, 933–934

and system initialization, 921

troubleshooting, 954–955

users, logging out, 939–941

Users & Groups preferences, 190

Users root folder, 444

Utilities folder, accessing, 300

UUID (Universally Unique Identifier)

assignment of, 251

editing for user accounts, 193

V

verbose mode, Intel-based Macs, 949–950

version numbers, 15–16

versions

identifying, 19–20

working with, 615–617

Versions browser, using with documents, 584

video devices as peripherals, 877

View Options command, 423

virtual display, connecting to, 851–854

virtual network services, 712–713

VLAN (virtual local area network), 713

voice, customizing, 68

Voice Control, 8–10

VoiceOver, enabling and disabling, 46–47

volumes

APFS (Apple File System), 347, 350–352

discovering process for, 355

ejecting, 353–354

ejecting in use, 355

erasing, 361–363

navigating to, 109

remounting, 354

repairing in Recovery mode, 378–379

viewing information about, 369–374

and volume formats, 341–342

VPN settings

configuration profiles, 719

configuring, 719–724

configuring manually, 720–722

VPNs (virtual private networks), connecting to, 713, 722–724

W

wake commands, 934

WAN traffic, 687–688

web browsers, troubleshooting, 803–805

WebDAV (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning), 781, 789, 795–796

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) authentication standard, 694

Wi-Fi connectivity, troubleshooting, 750–752

Wi-Fi networks

configuring, 742–746

configuring manually, 727–730

connecting to, 699–703

selecting and authenticating to, 692–696

support for, 711

Wi-Fi PAN, support for, 712

Wi-Fi-only location, creating, 742–744

wildcard characters, using, 110–111

WINS (Windows Internet Naming Service), 714, 732–733

wireless devices, 870. See also input devices

Wireless Ethernet protocol, 714

wireless networking, 692–696

working directory. See also directories

examining and changing, 116–118

explained, 101

WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) authentication standards, 694–698

X

Xcode, using with property list files, 665

XML format, analyzing, 665

Z

Zero Configuration Networking (Zeroconf), 773

ZIP archives, creating and expanding, 432–433

Zoom pane, enlarging screen with, 67

zsh, using as default shell, 101