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How to connect an external keyboard to iPad

28/01/2022 by

For several years now, Apple has been positioning the iPad primarily as a device to increase personal efficiency in studies, hobbies or professional activities. At the same time, many owners of an apple tablet have to enter large amounts of text, which is not very convenient to do using a virtual keyboard.

If in the smartphone market the iPhone is desperately fighting with South Korean gadgets for the right to be called the best, then in the “tablet” segment, a rare specialist will question the superiority of the iPad over its competitors. At the same time, Apple’s latest hardware and software innovations turn the tablet, in fact, into a compact ultrabook that is not inferior, and sometimes even superior in its capabilities to another desktop. However, the iPad does not come standard with a physical QWERTY keyboard, which is so necessary for lengthy correspondence, note-taking, posting, and so on.

♥ BY TOPIC: Car charger for iPhone and Android gadgets: how to choose + 10 best options.

Which iPad supports external wireless keyboards?

Any. You can connect a compatible Bluetooth keyboard to all, without exception, iPad models, regardless of form factor, year of manufacture and version of the installed operating system. Only the dimensions of the tablet with the wrong choice of keyboard cover can become a hindrance to use – when ordering such an accessory in an online store, you should clarify the dimensions.

♥ BY TOPIC: How to take a photo with a plume effect (long exposure) on iPhone: 2 ways.

What keyboard can be connected to the iPad

Apple offers branded keyboard covers for all the latest tablet models, including the iPad Air, iPad, and iPad Pro.

Buy Apple Keyboard Case (All iPad Models)

In addition, as an alternative solution, “Makov” Magic Keyboards with and without a digital (num pad) panel can be used.

Buy Apple Magic Keyboard

Buy Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad

Naturally, third-party accessory manufacturers also produce keyboards for the iPad, which are sometimes not inferior in functionality to Apple’s own products, but are noticeably cheaper.

Buy a Quality Budget Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad

How to connect a wireless keyboard to iPad (iPhone)

External keyboards connect to Apple tablets via a Bluetooth connection and there are usually no problems with setting it up even for inexperienced users. Here are the detailed instructions:

1. Turn off the keyboard (if it was on);

2. Activate Bluetooth on iPad (iPhone);

3. Go to the menu “Settings → Bluetooth»;

4. Turn on the keyboard;

5. The keyboard should be defined in the section my devices, click on it;

6. After that, the connection will be established automatically;

Note: In some cases, the system may ask you to enter a code that you need to type on the connected keyboard and press Enter.

7. If the accessory is not in the list of available Bluetooth devices, turn the keyboard off and on again.

8. To disable (disconnect from your Apple device) or “forget” the keyboard, press the “i” icon and select the desired action.

See also:

External batteries (Power Bank) for iPhone and iPad: a review of the best options

09/08/2021 by ALOK DAS

If we compare a modern smartphone with an analogue of 14 years ago (for example, the first iPhone and the current flagship iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max), then it will be possible to easily determine the weakest component of the device in terms of evolution – the battery.

Indeed, almost all the main modules (processor, screen, RAM, sensors, etc.) of any smartphone and tablet are significantly updated almost every year, while the lithium-ion battery has practically stopped in development. Engineers cannot find an economically viable replacement for it, and the enormous computing power of new devices requires more and more energy.

Additional portable power sources, called Power Banks, help to partially correct the situation. They are mass-produced by various manufacturers, competition in this market is growing, and prices, accordingly, are constantly decreasing. In this collection, we have collected several inexpensive external batteries that are suitable for iPhone, iPad and other mobile gadgets (even laptops).

♥ BY THEME: How to choose the right external battery (power bank)…

External batteries (Power Bank) with a capacity of 10,000 mAh or less

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 10,000 mAh

One of the most popular power banks on AliExpress. Rugged 15mm aluminum body, 10K mAh capacity, LED charge indicator and support for fast charging. The device is available in black and silver.

The manufacturer claims that the battery capacity will last for 2-3 full charges of the iPhone (depending on the model).

Buy Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 10,000 mAh

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10,000 mAh with wireless charging

Another way to charge your smartphone from a power bank without using third-party accessories is wireless charging according to the Qi standard. The most popular variant is the 10,000 mAh Xiaomi model (nominal 5,600 mAh), which delivers a maximum of 17 watts of voltage via two USB ports, or 10 watts for the Qi wireless standard for Android and 7.5 watts for the iPhone.

The Xiaomi power bank comes in black and white cases with a beautiful LED-backlit wireless charging mode, there is also a digital charge level indicator. Dimensions of the gadget 100 × 74 × 23.5 mm, weight 240 grams, input interface – USB Type-C.

Buy Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10 000 mAh

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10,000 mAh Vertical Wireless Charging Dock

In addition, there is an improved version of the external wireless battery with a capacity of 10,000 mAh – with a vertical docking station.

Buy Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10,000 mAh Vertical Docking Station

♥ BY THEME: Inexpensive but good quality Apple Watch straps from AliExpress.

Essager 10,000 mAh

A very popular power bank for 10,000 mAh (the actual nominal value is about 6500 mAh), which has a simple and convenient design, is very popular due to its low cost. A fairly compact case is made of ABS plastic and polycarbonate, on its bottom edge there are 4 ports: one USB output 5 V / 2.1 A, the second USB output 5 V / 1 A and two inputs for charging the accessory itself, Micro USB and USB Type-C. The capacity of the device is enough for 2 full charges of the iPhone 11 Pro or 3.5 times of charging the iPhone 7.

The Essager power bank is sold in black and white body colors, on the front side of which there is a manufacturer’s logo and a 4-LED capacity indicator – each bar corresponds to 25% of the current charge level. The device weighs 225 grams, dimensions 139 × 70 × 16 mm.

Buy power bank Esaager

Rock Mini PD 10,000 mAh

It is difficult for products to stand out in this segment of external batteries with a capacity of 10,000 mAh, but Rock has successfully solved this problem. Its device turned out to be very stylish, which was not prevented even by the plastic case. The battery has three different ports: USB-A, USB-C, and microUSB. The former supports Quick Charge 3.0, Samsung AFC, Huawei FCP, and Pump Express 2.0. The following profiles are available for USB-A: 5V / 3A, 9V / 2A, 12V / 1.5A.

USB-C has support for USB Power Delivery, but the power of the device is much more modest compared to older counterparts and is only 18 watts. This is enough for fast charging of iPads, iPhones and Android smartphones, but laptops will no longer have enough power. With a laptop connected to this power bank with unproductive tasks running, the charge level will be able to remain in the same place. But when solving serious tasks, a laptop connected to a battery will slowly, but still discharge. A device connected to a power bank in off, sleep or standby mode will charge, but also slowly. USB-C can handle the following charging profiles per output: 5V / 3A, 9V / 2A, 12V / 1.5A and 5V / 3A, 9V / 2A per input.

The microUSB 2.0 port present in this gadget allows you to charge the battery itself according to the QC 2.0 standard. This is a very useful feature, since it is much easier to find a microUSB cable from friends than USB-C.

Buy power bank Rock mini PD

Floveme 10,000 mAh

The case with rounded edges has a textured surface to make it harder to drop out of hand, the battery level is indicated by four LEDs, and the output ports are marked in orange. This power bank has been tested by many users and has the highest possible customer rating.

Buy Power Bank Floveme

In many ways, similar models of external batteries for 10,000 mAh with almost the same functionality are also offered by other well-known brands:

Buy power bank KUULAA;
Buy powerbank RaxFly…

ORICO 5000 mAh

Not every user needs a large power bank, often it is enough to charge a smartphone, tablet or Bluetooth speaker once a day. In this case, it would be wise to get a miniature 5000 mAh external battery that can easily fit in your pocket.

The ORICO model weighs only 120 grams and measures 92.5 x 63.5 x 14 mm. At the same time, the power bank has two USB outputs and can charge several devices at once, there is also an LED indicator of the charge level on the case, you can choose black and white colors. The kit also includes a small 30 cm Micro-USB cable for connecting devices or a source of power for the power bank itself.

Buy poverbank ORICO

External batteries (Power Bank) with a capacity of 20,000 mAh and more

Baseus 20,000mAh and 30,000mAh

A functional portable battery from the reputable manufacturer Baseus with 20,000 mAh (12,000 mAh nominal capacity) and 30,000 mAh (18,000 mAh nominal capacity), which supports almost all popular fast charging standards.

The device is housed in a black aluminum case with an LED display with information about the charge level.

A very good ratio of price and capacity will allow you to repeatedly charge gadgets on long trips or outside the city, while the power bank is made in a minimalist design and does not differ in high cost.

Buy Power Bank Baseus 20,000 or 30,000 mAh

Xiaomi Mi Powerbank 3 20,000 mAh

The Xiaomi brand has long stood out from the number of Chinese no-names and has earned a good reputation. Powerbanks from this manufacturer are also popular, becoming truly “popular”. The Chinese company has again proved its ability to create a gadget of the highest quality, functional and inexpensive.

The user has access to the same pair of USB-A ports with support for fashionable technologies QC 3.0, AFC, FCP, as well as USB-C with support for Power Delivery 45 W input and output. This is a slight difference from the previous model. She knows how to give 40 W, instead of 45 W from a competitor from Xiaomi. USB-A ports support the following profiles: 5V / 2.4A, 9V / 2A, 12V / 1.5A. For USB-C, the list will be more impressive: 5V / 3A, 9V / 3A , 12 V / 3 A, 15 V / 3 A, 20 V / 2 A in both directions.

Buy external battery (powerbank) Xiaomi Mi Powerbank 3

Romoss 30,000mAh

An external battery with a capacity of 26,500 mAh according to the data sheet with an energy conversion rate of about 85%. Thus, the user can make more than 8 charge cycles of the iPhone 8 or 4.5 times to fully charge the Nintendo Switch. The device itself replenishes energy through the Mciro USB, Lightning or USB Type-C ports, the latter allowing you to dial the maximum capacity from scratch in 11 hours. There are two USB ports on the output, one of which supports popular fast charging standards.

Taking into account the characteristics, the external battery has quite solid dimensions – 171 × 82 × 33 mm with a weight of 640 grams, is dressed in a white polycarbonate case and has an LED display for indicating the charge level.

Buy power bank Romoss

Maxoak K2 – 50,000 mAh

A practically portable 50,000 mAh power station that will come in handy on a long trip or camping trip. A battery of such power can simultaneously charge a laptop (output 20 V / 5 A), a digital camera (output 12 V / 5 A) and 4 mobile devices (2 ports 2.1 A and 2 ports 1 A), the set comes with 14 connectors for the most popular laptop models.

There is a control system that prevents overheating and recharging of gadgets, a durable aluminum case protects against mechanical damage. The seller also grants the right to a free warranty service for two years.

Buy Power Bank Maxoak K2

We publish even more collections of useful products from AliExpress in our Telegram channel – Yablyk Shop and Twitter… Updated daily, we try to publish only what is useful.

See also:

Transcend ESD350C Review: Shock-Resistant External SSD with Impressive Speed

23/05/2021 by ALOK DAS

Until recently, USB sticks seemed to be indispensable helpers. With this tool, it was easy to transfer large amounts of information. However, this product, oddly enough, quickly became outdated.

Each of us has almost a dozen flash drives lying around at home. The volume of information is growing – films of tens of gigabytes are no longer surprising. Along with this, a high data transfer rate is also required – waiting for a slow media to fill is already tiresome. Such realities opened the way to the market for a new type of drives – external SSD-drives. They provide both the required volume and the speed of copying / reading. We will consider one of such devices, Transcend ESD350C.

Video review:

In the meantime, there is no need to know about it. ”

Transcend ESD350C

Transcend is considered the pioneer of the external SSD market, having started to release them even before such a product became mainstream. The ESD350C uses the best practices, from the choice of the internal storage format to the case. This allowed us to create a compact, productive device. The line offers three sizes: 240, 480 and 960 GB. This is the optimal set, because a smaller drive loses its meaning, and large volumes will lead to a sharp rise in the cost of the device. Transcend ESD350C is a balanced, reliable solution for storing and transporting heavy HD video and other high-volume content.

Design and dimensions Transcend ESD350C

Transcend traditionally prefers to choose a strict design for its drives, not being afraid to repeat elements of other models. ESD350C resembles an external StoreJet 25M3S drive, reduced several times and lacking a backup button.

The drive received a multilayer oblong rectangular case with a logo on the front side. The main aluminum part is designed to improve cooling of the disk itself and its bridge. A blue silicone case is stretched over it, which, in theory, can mitigate the consequences of a fall of the device. Such protection allows the device to sit more pleasantly in the hand without feeling its heating. And the appearance of ESD350C becomes more presentable than that of a simple iron box.

On the side of the device, there is a USB Type-C port and an LED for indicating operation.

Functionality Transcend ESD350C

Thanks to the USB Type-C port, Transcend ESD350C is perfect for most modern devices: computers, laptops, mobile devices (subject to OTG support) and even game consoles. The device can act as a tool for transferring large amounts of data, and as a high-speed storage for backups. Having a Transcend ESD350C on hand, it is no longer necessary to overpay for devices with a large amount of internal memory, because this external drive itself is quite fast.

Transcend ESD350C Baud Rate

Transcend ESD350C transmits data via a modern USB 3.1 gen2 interface, which makes it stand out from much slower SSD drives. It’s no secret that most of them still adhere to the USB 2.0 standard. The device we are considering has a new standard for SSD storage – NVMe. This allows you to fully load the USB 3.1 gen2 interface with work and achieve real read / write speeds of 900 MB / s. And competitors based on conventional SATA SSDs will hit their 600 MB / s interface ceiling. Selective readings on the Transcend ESD350C are ten times that of a conventional hard drive, making it an excellent choice for gaming. During testing, our drive really shows excellent results, almost the maximum for its NVMe-USB bundle. For example, it only takes 30 seconds to copy a 20 GB file!

Transcend ESD350C Package Contents

It is difficult to think of how to diversify the set of such a device. The box comes with two USB Type-C male-to-male data cables and a USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable. Both of them support the USB 3.1 gen2 standard. It is better to use these cables, as they will definitely provide the maximum speed of the Transcend ESD350C. There are also several product brochures available here.

Technical Specifications (Specifications) Transcend ESD350C

Dimensions: 96.5mm x 53.6mm x 12.5mm;
Weight: 87 g;
Color: Blue;
Interfaces: USB Type C – USB Type A / USB Type C – USB Type C;
Connection interface: USB 3.1 gen2;
Connection indicator: there is;
Default file system: exFAT;
Memory: type 3D;
Capacity: 240/480/960 GB;
Working temperature: 0 ° C ~ 60 ° C;
Working voltage: 5B;
Guarantee: 36 months;
Performance: Read speed (max.) 1050 MB / s / Write speed (max.) 950 MB / s;
System requirements: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Mac OS X 10.5 or later.

Software

Transcend has developed an entire software package called Transcend Elite specifically to work with its devices. You can install a branded application on different operating systems. It knows how to work with backups, set up data encryption, lock the drive itself, and set up backups to the cloud.

Download Transcend Elite for Windows and Mac

Download Transcend Elite for Android

See also:

J5create docking station JCD543: conveniently connect external displays to your laptop

29/12/2020 by ALOK DAS

Modern docking stations are a great way to expand or add new ports on your computer. It is difficult to stand out among more or less functionally similar models. But j5create successfully solved this problem.

j5create JCD543: laptop docking station for 3 displays

The j5create JCD543 device is not only a successful docking station with an impressive set of ports, including the ability to display images on three monitors at once, but also performs an additional function of a laptop stand. The docking station will fit perfectly under this laptop, helping it stay cool and by placing additional ports nearby.

♥ BY TOPIC: j5create JCD612: Ideal docking station for iPad Pro (11 or 12.9 inches).

J5create JCD543 docking station packaging

The docking station is located inside an elongated cardboard box with orange colored elements traditional for the manufacturer. On the front side of the box, you can see the docking station itself in a diagonally deployed position. The photo successfully demonstrates both the upper surface of the device, designed to contact the laptop, and the work surface, with ports. The number of ports is clearly indicated on the box, and four orange icons show the main features of the device. On the elongated orange sides of the box, the side faces of the docking station are shown.

The rear panel of the box is as informative as possible. There are several photos with detailed diagrams of connecting devices to the docking station, a photo of the location of the JCD543 under the laptop and the characteristics of the device in several languages.

In general, the box carries a certain meaning – it is not just a cardboard package, but also a mini-presentation of the product’s capabilities.

J5create JCD543 docking station kit

The docking station delivery package is rather laconic, but this is understandable given the lack of removable parts. In addition to the device itself, inside the box, the user will also find instructions for it.

ATTENTION! Before connecting j5create JCD543 to your Mac or Windows computer, download and install the latest driver (Windows link, Mac link)

♥ BY TOPIC: j5create JCD389 is a unique modular USB-C MacBook docking station for all occasions.

J5create JCD543 docking station design

The docking station itself is an elongated rectangular gray and black pencil case. The structure has physical dimensions of 82.5 x 22 x 350 mm and weighs 317 g.

The elongated shape allows, firstly, to arrange all 13 ports and, secondly, forms a stand for a laptop.

The top gray cover with the manufacturer’s logo can be opened, under which there will be a place for placing a USB-C cable.

The solution is very convenient and effective – the cable can be hidden if its use is not required, or it can be placed inside so as to adjust the length and ensure the exit of the connector from the required side.

For this, a pair of cable trays are provided under the cover. Depending on the needs of the owner, the cable for connecting the docking station can be either to the left or to the right of it. The cable itself is 45 cm long, which will obviously be enough to connect to a nearby computer.

The second, black part of the upper surface is created by the heat sink. This is where the laptop should lean and give off excess heat. There are ventilation holes on the underside. To prevent them from overlapping, there is a semicircular bulge next to them along the entire length of the dock. It also allows the dock to tilt easily when placed on a horizontal surface. Laptop owners will certainly appreciate this solution.

There are 13 connectors on the elongated gray face.

Even for a docking station, that’s a pretty impressive amount. They are optimally spaced from each other, which allows you to use them all at the same time. Here is a list of ports in order from left to right:

1 x USB-C Power Delivery (PD) 3.0 (charging only)
1 Gigabit Ethernet port
1 SD card slot
1 slot for microSD memory card
1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps)
3 USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) ports
2 HDMI ports (up to 4K @ 30 Hz)
1 DisplayPort (up to 4K @ 30 Hz)
1 VGA port (up to 1920 × 1080 @ 60Hz)
1 3.5mm audio / microphone port

How the j5create JCD543 docking station works

In the meantime, there is no need to know about it. ”

Today USB-C is becoming the new standard for communication with PCs and laptops with various accessories. Over time, it will replace most USB cables and connectors in use today. An increasing number of USB-C ports are found on laptops, smartphones and mobile devices. It provides both increased data transfer rates up to 5Gbps and provides more power. Not surprisingly, the choice of the USB-C interface for connecting the docking station. As a result, it will be compatible with most modern laptops. It is the USB connection that powers the device – no external source is required.

The docking station is truly a multifunctional device. It supports USB Type-C pass-through charging up to 100W, so you can recharge your laptop or smartphone through the device. It is recommended to use this opportunity.

Using the Ethernet port, you can connect to wired networks, which is very useful, because modern thin laptops are increasingly deprived of such an interface. Through the slots for SD / microSD cards, it will be possible to provide access to external memory.

The next port, USB-C 3.1, allows you to connect to smartphones or tablets and other devices. And as many as three high-speed USB-A ports will come in handy for connecting a variety of peripherals: from mice and keyboards to flash drives. At the same time, the first of the ports also supports fast charging, which is perfect for a smartphone or tablet.

An important feature of the docking station is the ability to work simultaneously with three displays, provided this is supported by a graphics card. Despite the fact that there are formally four video ports, only one can be used in a HDMI or DisplayPort pair. In this case, you will also need an available USB-C port with support for DisplayPort Alt Mode.

Conclusion

Docking stations like these help you connect numerous additional devices to your computer. An impressive number of ports, as many as 13, allow you to solve almost any task, including working simultaneously with three monitors (in expansion mode or in repeat mode). j5create JCD543 has proven to be an effective solution from one of the world’s largest computer accessories manufacturer. The docking station works with both Windows and Mac computers. In addition to its rich functionality, the JCD543 also copes well with the role of a cooling pad for a laptop. Attention to ergonomics has made the device stylish and comfortable.

Buy docking station j5create JCD543…

Transcend ESD250C Review – Fast External SSD Slightly Bigger than a USB Flash Drive

04/11/2020 by ALOK DAS

Not so long ago, ordinary USB sticks more than met the requirements of the average user when it came to temporary storage of relatively small amounts of data. However, modern problems require modern solutions; to work with information, higher speeds and volumes of storage are already required.

Buy Transcend ESD250C

Video

Transcend ESD250C

It is a fully portable and compact device with enough memory (960GB) for storing media, heavy backups, console games, etc. Such a drive can be a great solution for users who shoot 4K videos and need fast and reliable storage for their content.

Transcend ESD250C design

Like most other Transcend products, this portable storage model has a rather austere style. The aluminum case has an oblong rectangular shape, painted gray with beveled silver edges and the company logo on the front side. Due to this, the device retains its presentable appearance for a long time, is scratch-resistant and reliably protects the electronics placed inside the case.

It will be convenient to transport the Transcend ESD250C even in a jacket pocket, the gadget has dimensions of 120.2 × 33.6 × 7.5 mm and weighs 47 grams.

Functional

A very common use case for such drives is expanding the standard amount of laptop memory. Instead of a substantial overpayment for a MacBook (for example) in a top-end configuration with a capacious drive, you can purchase 960 GB of Transcend ESD250C memory, while saving money and getting portable memory.

In addition, Transcend ESD250C is convenient to use with OTG-compatible devices, game consoles, cameras.

Transcend ESD250C baud rate

The main advantage of Transcend ESD250C over most ordinary flash drives is the data transfer speed, which is provided by the highly efficient USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface and can reach peak values of 520 MB / s (read speed) and 460 MB / s (write speed).

At the same time, the declared figure is not a marketing product to the degree of a real indicator of speed, but is quite realistically achieved during simple testing, provided that a standard or other appropriate cable is used, and there are no software problems on the side of the counterparty device. When testing Transcend ESD250C in our edition, the values obtained are even higher than those stated by the manufacturer!

Transcend ESD250C Package Contents

Included with the Transcend ESD250C drive, the user receives two super-speed USB Type-C / USB Type-C and USB Type-A / USB Type-C cables for data transfer. Please note that it is the super-speed cables marked “SS” (Super Speed) that are capable of providing the maximum connection speed corresponding to the wired one.

Technical Specifications (Specifications) Transcend ESD250C

Dimensions: 120.16mm x 33.6mm x 7.5mm;
Weight: 47 g;
Colour: Silver;
Interfaces: USB Type C – USB Type A / USB Type C – USB Type C;
Connection interface: USB 3.1 Gen 2;
Connection indicator: there is;
Default file system: exFAT;
Memory: type 3D;
Capacity: 960 GB;
Working temperature: 0 ° C ~ 60 ° C;
Working voltage: 5V;
Warranty: 36 months;
Performance: Read speed (max.) 520 MB / s / Write speed (max.) 460 MB / s;
System requirements: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Mac OS X 10.0 or later.

Software

For comfortable and reliable work with information for Transcend products, it is recommended to use proprietary Transcend Elite software, which allows you to recover, reliably protect and encrypt data, back up and organize cloud storage.

Download Transcend Elite for Windows and Mac

Download Transcend Elite for Android

Buy Transcend ESD250C

See also:

All trackpad gestures on MacBook and external Magic Trackpad + Force Touch capabilities

23/10/2020 by ALOK DAS

Apple’s Magic Trackpad lets you use a variety of multi-touch gestures. This is facilitated by the considerable working surface of the device. Useful actions can be performed with one finger or several: by pressing, swiping, bringing together or spreading. And the trackpad on Macs with Force Touch also handles pressure clicks on its surface for tactile feedback.

♥ BY TOPIC: 6 Reasons Why Magic Trackpad Is Better Than Magic Mouse For Mac Users.

List of multitouch trackpad gestures in Apple laptops and external Magic Trackpad

For more information on these gestures, go to the menu Apple () → System settings and click on “Trackpad“.

In this section, you can not only find out which gestures are supported by your Mac, but also change them or disable them altogether. The gestures described are supported by the Magic Trackpad or the built-in multitouch trackpad in Macbook.

Click by clicking… One short press on the surface of the touchpad is enough to simulate a click of the left mouse button.

Right click. To recreate the secondary click, press the surface of the touchpad with two fingers.

Smart scaling. When viewing a webpage or PDF document, double-tapping the touchpad with two fingers will intelligently zoom in or out.

Scrolling… Swipe up or down with two fingers to scroll the screen. This gesture replaces the mouse scroll wheel operation. You can turn off trackpad scrolling. To do this, you need to follow the path Apple → System Preferences → Accessibility → Mouse and Trackpad → Trackpad Options and uncheck the box from the item “Scrolling“.

Image scaling… You can zoom in or out as needed by pinching or spreading two fingers.

Turn. To rotate a photo or other object, rotate two fingers on the touchpad relative to each other in the desired direction.

Swipe to navigate between pages… To display the previous or next page, simply swipe left or right on the touchpad with two fingers.

Opening the “Notification Center”. The action center can also be opened with a simple gesture. To do this, swipe left from the right edge of the trackpad with two fingers.

Dragging objects… Moving three fingers across the screen allows you to drag the object. To place it in the right place, you just need to click or tap on the touchpad. But in the settings “Accessibility»Can be customized and dragged with one finger. To do this, you need to follow the path Apple → System Preferences → Accessibility → Mouse and Trackpad → Trackpad Options… You must select the item “Enable drag and drop”, And then select one of the modes from the pop-up menu.

Search and data detectors… Pressing the touchpad with three fingers will allow you to go to search for a word or action with addresses, dates, phone numbers and other similar data.

Show Desktop… To display the desktop, spread your thumb and three other fingers.

Launchpad display… Just pinch your thumb and three fingers together to display Launchpad.

Display Mission Control… For this element to appear on the screen, just swipe up with four fingers. But in some versions of macOS, this gesture uses three fingers instead of four.

Exposé (show windows of all open programs)… You have to swipe down with four fingers to show all the windows of the program you are using.

Switch between full screen programs. Four-finger swiping left or right on the touchpad allows you to navigate between desktops or full-screen programs.

♥ BY TOPIC: How to View Multiple Photos in Quick Look on Mac.

Programs that add new gestures for a MacBook trackpad or external Magic Trackpad

The third-party BetterTouchTool and jitouch apps make it easy to create new trackpad gestures in your MacBook or external Magic Trackpad.

Download BetterTouchTool.
Download jitouch.

How to use a trackpad with Force Touch (force click)

An important feature of the Force Touch trackpad is its ability to force click. To do this, it is necessary not only to press on the surface, but also to apply some additional effort. This method will enable you to activate both additional features of some programs and system functions of a computer with macOS.

A short video of Force Click Actions can be viewed by following the path Apple → System Preferences → Trackpad → Select and Press, and then hovering over the checkbox “Search and data detectors“.

♥ BY TOPIC: Find My Friends and Find Mac on macOS: how to use it.

Examples of using the trackpad with Force Touch?

Here are some of the popular Force Touch use cases for Mac:

Search. You can force click on text on a web page or in an email message in Mail. This will allow you to get additional information about the text, taken from the “Dictionary”, Wikipedia, etc.
Addresses… By forcefully clicking on an address, you can see its location on a map.
Developments… Force clicking on dates and events will add them to your calendar.
Flight numbers… Pressing firmly on the flight number will allow you to get information about it.
Link preview. You can force-click a link in Safari or Mail and see a preview of the web page you want.
Shipping tracking numbers… If you force click on the tracking number in Safari or Mail, you will see delivery details in a pop-up window.
File icons. You can force-click on a file icon to Quick View its contents.
File names… Force-clicking a file name in the Finder or on the desktop will change the file name.
Dock… You can force-click an app in the Dock to open the App Exposé tool. This will show all open windows of the selected program.
Mail. Force-clicking on the attachment while composing a new message with an attached image or PDF activates the markup feature. It can be used to place signatures over the attachment.
Posts… You can force click on the conversation text displayed in the sidebar. This will allow you to view the details and attachments. If you then forcefully click on the buddy’s icon in the chat header, then you will see his contact card in a pop-up window.
Reminders… If you forcefully click on a reminder, you can learn more about it.
The calendar… Force clicking on an event will give details about it. If you forcefully click on a meeting participant’s icon, their contact card appears in a pop-up window.
Map marks… You can try to forcefully click on some place on the map, which will make it possible to mark it with a pin.
If an animated map or globe is included in the iMovie timeline, you can force click on it. This will open the style menu.

Force click can be used in several ways in this program:

– Force clicking on a region will rename it.

– Pressing with effort on a note in the keyboard editor or in the editor of the score will make it possible to delete it.

– If you press firmly on an empty area of the Software Instrument track, an empty region will be created MIDI…

– Pressing firmly on an empty area of the Drummer track will create a Drummer region.

– Force click on an empty area of the audio track to add an audio file.

– Press firmly on an empty part of the keyboard or score editor to add a note.

– You can force click on the region’s automation area to add automation points to the region’s boundaries.

– Pressing hard on the region while dragging will help zoom in on the timeline

– Press firmly below the title of the last track to display the track creation dialog.

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Other Force Touch trackpad features

QuickTime and iMovie. In these applications, you can press down to adjust the rewind speed by pressing the forward and backward buttons.

iMovie… When a video clip is stretched to its maximum length, the trackpad will vibrate to alert the user when the end of the clip is reached. As you add titles, you will get a tactile feedback when the titles are anchored to the beginning or end of the clip. And weak responses will follow the guides that appear in the viewport when you trim clips.

Map scaling… By increasing the pressure on the zoom button, you can speed up the zoom in or out of the selected map fragment.

Rotate the map. You may feel a slight jolt when you rotate the compass north in Maps.

Spotlight. The jolt will be felt when you move the Spotlight search bar to a standard horizontal or vertical position.

View. You will feel a nudge as you align forms, text, and other markup elements with each other.

Viewing photos. When scrolling through a photo of an album or moment in time, for a faster change of photos, you can apply additional pressure to the arrows.

Rotate photos. When you rotate a photo after cropping in Photos, you will feel a jolt when the rotation angle reaches zero degrees.

GarageBand. Do the following to get a feel for the Force Touch trackpad:

Move the track volume slider to the “0 dB” position.
Move the track pan knob to the center position.
Dragging tracks to a new position to change their order.
Move window borders to the point where windows disappear or appear.
Move the boundaries of the track title to the point where the title elements disappear or appear.
Moving the main program window to the point of disappearance or appearance of control buttons.

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How to change trackpad preferences in MacBook or external Magic Trackpad

You can adjust the required pressure on the trackpad by following these steps:

1. Go to the menu Apple → System Preferences…

2. Click on “Trackpad “…

3. Click on the “Select and press“.

4. Find the parameter “Pressing force»And move the slider to the desired location. Note that the click sound changes along with the pressure setting.

You can completely disable pressing with effort. To do this, uncheck the “Strong pressure and tactile feedback“. Doing so will disable all features described in the trackpad preferences panel.

Examples of actions performed by pressing with force will work only when the parameter “Strong one finger pressure“. This setting is located on the tab “Select and press” In chapter “Search and recognition of data“.

If a laptop with macOS was released earlier than 2016, then you can turn off the sound of pressing the trackpad using the parameter “Silent click“.

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Force Touch trackpad must be on to respond to taps

The Force Touch trackpad is unresponsive when turned off. This is due to the need to provide power to provide a tactile response similar to a click. This rule applies to both the Magic Trackpad 2 and the Force Touch trackpads built into Mac notebooks.

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How to transfer a photo (video) from an iPhone to a computer, USB flash drive or external hard drive

26/09/2020 by ALOK DAS

IPhone owners with little storage space sometimes marvel at how quickly their smartphone runs out of space. This problem is most often encountered by lovers of photos and videos, as well as fans of Live Photos.

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True, it can be easily solved – you just need to activate the function of saving backups to the cloud storage, for example, to the iCloud Photo Media Library (although the service is paid). Users who are interested exclusively in free unlimited services can use Google Photos or Yandex.Disk.

In addition, photos can be backed up to a desktop computer. However, a 128 GB Mac is clearly not enough for this purpose, so you often have to use external drives.

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How to transfer photos (videos) from iPhone or iPad to Windows computer or external storage using a cable

1. Connect an external storage drive (USB-stick). If you are going to transfer photos or videos simply to your computer, skip this step.

Make sure the connected external drive appears in Windows Explorer.

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2. Connect the iPhone or iPad from which you want to transfer photos to your Windows computer using a cable.

When connecting an iPhone or iPad to a computer, the device should be recognized as an external device.

3. Click the icon of the connected Apple device.

4. Follow the path Internal Storage → DCIM…

If instead of the DCIM folder, the inscription is displayed “This folder is empty”, unlock the connected iPhone or iPad and press Allow on the notification that appears.

After that, the DCIM folder will appear in Windows Explorer…

All photos and videos will be placed in system folders like “100APPLE”… Copy the entire contents of the DCIM folder or selected photos and videos to your computer.

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How to transfer photos and videos from iPhone (iPad) to Mac using AirDrop

The main condition for transferring files via AirDrop is that devices (iPhone or iPad and Mac) are on the same Wi-Fi network. Also, both devices must have Bluetooth enabled.

Starting with iOS 10 and macOS Sierra, AirDrop works almost flawlessly.

1… On your Mac, open Finder and go to AirDrop.

2… On iPhone or iPad, open the Photos app. Go to the required Album and press the button Choose in the upper right corner.

3… Select a photo or video to copy to your Mac (you can swipe to select photos and videos without lifting your finger).

4… Click on the icon Share this in the lower left corner.

In a few seconds, the available devices for AirDrop will appear in the middle left of the screen.

five… Tap the icon of the Mac that appears and the file transfer starts. The downloaded files will be available in the folder Downloads on Mac.

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How to transfer photos and videos from iPhone or iPad to Mac using the Image Capture application

Run the Mac program “Capturing images“. To open the program, enter its name in the Spotlight search (you can use the “hot” keys ⌘Cmd + Space).

Once launched, in the control panel on the left, find the iOS device and click on it. All photos and videos stored on the iPhone or iPad appear on the screen. Now you can manually select the pictures you want to save on the external hard drive, or select all at once by clicking on ⌘Cmd + A…

By default, images are saved to the “Images“. Call the drop-down menu and click on “Other“. Now select a folder on your external hard drive where you want to save the photo.

Optionally, you can delete photos and videos from your iOS device when you move them to your Mac. To do this, check the box next to Delete after import in the lower left corner.

Click on the “Import»And wait until the photos or videos are saved. If your hard drive supports USB 2.0, and there are a lot of photos, the whole process can take much more than a few minutes.

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Mac External Drive Mode: what it is and how to set it up

21/06/2020 by ALOK DAS

Cupertino developers have envisioned different scenarios for using apple computers. Especially for this, the system has a number of settings that allow you to use “poppies” in unusual modes. In this material in the format “for dummies” we talk about external drive modein which cases it is used, features of use, etc.

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What is External Disk Mode?

If you have two Mac computers, you can assign one of them to the head unit and transfer the other to External drive mode, in fact, turning into an analog of a removable drive. High-performance, with a phenomenal speed of data exchange, custodian of invaluable information – in order not to clog the memory of the main gadget, the files are stored on the hard drives of auxiliary devices. You can activate this mode on any Mac with FireWire or Thunderbolt ports.

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Switching Mac to External Drive Mode in System Preferences

To do this, we need to change the boot disk format by choosing an alternative system boot option. Everything about everything requires a few clicks of the mouse:

1. Connect both Mac devices with a FireWire or Thunderbolt cable.

2. Open menu System settingsby clicking on the corresponding icon in Dockusing the Spotlight search service or by going to Apple Menu → System Preferences.

3. Click on the icon Boot disk.

4. Click on the lock icon, enter the details Administrator and click on the button Remove protection.

5. The bottom right button is the desired button External drive mode – click it.

6. The system will ask you to confirm switching the boot format – accept and restart the computer using the appropriate button.

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How to Switch to External Drive Mode during Mac Boot

Suppose the computer is currently turned off – in this case, you can activate the desired mode quickly, without waiting for the desktop to fully load. Follow the brief instructions:

1. Press the power button and a moment after starting the device, hold down the key T.

2. Keep it pressed until a beep sounds.

3. Mac will automatically switch to External drive mode. After it has finished loading, the corresponding icon will appear on the screen of the main computer to which it is connected by cable.

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How to Exit External Drive Mode on Mac

After finishing work, it is advisable to return the Mac to its previous state by deactivating the current mode. The procedure begins by disconnecting the established connection on the computer that served as the main device:

1. Connected as a drive, for macOS our computer appears to be just another disk that needs to be correctly removed. In the standard way – by clicking on the “Eject»In the context menu.

2. Or alternative, by dragging the icon of the connected Mac into the trash, which will be interpreted as a command to terminate the session.

3. It remains just to turn off the computer, which was previously in External drive modeby pressing the power button.

4. Disconnect the cable, restart the Mac – it will automatically switch to the usual mode of operation.

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What can I do in External Disk Mode

Exactly the same as with any external drive familiar to you, whether it’s a flash drive or a removable hard drive. When we find the connected icon on the desktop of the host computer, click on it and get access to the permanent memory of the Mac. Now you can upload any files there or extract the necessary objects by simply dragging them between folders. As long as both devices remain turned on and connected by cable, a reliable, high-speed connection is formed between them. As a rule, it is better than via wireless Internet or a local network.

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Having a problem? Reasons and solutions

The presence of peripheral devices connected via FireWire and Thunderbolt ports confuses the system – it cannot recognize another Mac located in External drive mode. Therefore, before starting work, physically turn off all unnecessary by removing the cables from the connectors.

Key “T“Or the entire keyboard may be inoperative, which would be nice to check in advance. It’s better to give preference to accessories connected directly to the Mac, by no means through the Thunderbolt Display or the hub. And yes, make sure the power source in the wireless keyboard is not exhausted.

In addition to the standard macOS account password and authorization in the FileVault disk protection system, it is possible to block access to boot disk activation via FireWire with a secret key. This is used in cases where it is required to prohibit remote system boot, but for operation External drive mode we need exactly the opposite – this password protection needs to be removed.

Check for the latest OS version, as Mac OS X 10.3.9 and earlier versions do not have the ability to connect this mode for Mac with Intel chips on board.

FileVault home directory encryption system seriously interferes External drive mode. Simply put, you will have to forget about access to your files, or before you start, you need to go to the settings and temporarily disable encryption. Do not forget to return everything to its former state after the end of the communication session.

When using a laptop in External drive mode It must be connected to a power source. Firstly, we minimize the risk of disconnection due to battery drainage, and secondly, we don’t have to worry about the reaction of the energy-saving system of the portable device. It, according to the settings, can automatically turn off the computer’s drive to save energy and, usually, this happens at the most inopportune moment.

It happens that during long downtimes connected through External drive mode two Macs lose touch. The reason for this is the presence of bugs in the software for chips manufactured by Intel. The situation has long been taken under control, but a small risk still remains. The method of “healing” is standard – do not ignore the requests of proprietary software for installing updates.

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What gives the use of External Disk Mode

High speed data transfer – that the Thunderbolt interface, that FireWire were developed precisely for this purpose. Copying files at a speed of several hundred megabytes per second is clearly better than using a USB cable or Wi-Fi network. The best method for restoring order in gigantic media libraries and archives of personal information.

The ability to install the OS on a second Mac – in case it does not have a display or optical drive, and you need to reinstall macOS right now. There is neither time, nor desire to create a bootable USB-drive or download the installer from the App Store, but you can copy the necessary files from the host computer, starting the system installation directly in External drive mode.

Formatting a hard disk – since the connected computer is reflected in the system as just another partition, it is not difficult to use Disk Utility to correct it. Fast and painless formatting, partitioning, deleting information, etc.

Remote troubleshooting for plug-in Macs – if your computer refuses to boot up, it’s advisable to check the status of its files. Through the same extremely useful Disk Utility, pre-connecting External drive mode and thus gaining access to the system folders. A very useful option in case of a critical failure, when it is impossible to start even in safe mode.

Fast data migration – even though Apple has a policy of relocating users to the “clouds”, the need and desire to transfer information in the old way still exist. When you purchase a new Mac, change of ownership of a computer, reorganization of an office fleet of equipment and similar cases, connection External drive mode is one of the most effective ways to move solid amounts of data. Both with simple copying and using a tool called Migration Assistant.

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How to start a Mac with booting from USB, an external hard drive, or a CD / DVD

17/05/2020 by ALOK DAS

MacOS can be launched on Mac in various ways, which we have already written an informative article about. In the same article, we will dwell on Mac startup mode with booting from CD / DVD, USB, or from an external hard drive.

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Starting a Mac with booting from an external drive may be necessary if you need to run another version or copy of macOS, fix any problems, and so on.

To start, the following conditions must be met:

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How to start a Mac from a bootable CD / DVD?

1. Turn on your Mac by pressing the power button or restart your computer if it is already running.

2. Hold down the key WITH on the keyboard and hold until the boot menu appears. The Mac should boot from the CD / DVD installed in the optical drive. You can also click the left mouse button when starting the operating system in order to remove the drive.

You can burn the macOS image to a bootable CD / DVD using “Disk utility“.

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How to boot to Mac from an external USB storage device?

1. Connect a USB flash drive or external hard drive with macOS installed to your Mac (installation instructions).

2. Turn on your Mac by pressing the power button or restart your computer if it is already running.

3. Hold down the key ⌥Option (Alt) on the keyboard and hold until the boot menu appears.

4. Select the desired volume using the mouse, arrow, or trackpad.

Note: If the desired volume is not displayed, wait a few seconds until the Download Manager finishes scanning the mapped drives.

5. Press the key Return (Enter)to boot a Mac from the selected volume.

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How to start a Mac from another hard drive (USB) / choose a default boot disk from macOS system settings?

1. Open the menu  → System Settings …

2. Click on the “Boot volume“.

3. From the list of available volumes, select the disk you want to use as the boot disk.

After rebooting macOS or next start? Mac starts the operating system from the selected volume.

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macOS does not boot from an external hard drive, what should I do?

Answer:

1. Some older external USB drives require additional power. It is possible that it must be connected to an external power source or use a second USB in Mac.

2. Make sure that the external drive is turned on (again, the prerogative of old USB drives).

3. Restore access rights to the disk and correct errors on it.

4. Make sure the drive is formatted with the type of partition GUID selected.

5. Try connecting the external drive to a different USB port.

6. Make sure the external drive is bootable.

7. Connect the drive directly, without using a USB hub.

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How to delete files from a USB flash drive or external drive on a Mac

08/04/2020 by ALOK DAS

To optimally use an external drive (hard drive, SSD, USB), you need to clean it from time to time, deleting unnecessary files. Yes, and disconnecting an external drive in macOS requires user attention. It turns out that this is not always a simple and trivial task.

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Incorrect disconnection of the drive from the system can lead to the fact that the data structure on it will be damaged. As a result, you cannot use this storage in the previous mode, with some probability it will have to be formatted. In this article we will tell you how to better and more correctly delete files on an external drive connected to a Mac.

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Do not remove the USB flash drive or external drive from macOS before emptying the Recycle Bin

When you delete a file from an external drive, it moves to Shopping cart on a Mac. In turn, a shortcut and additional metadata appears on the external drive, which are placed in a hidden folder with the name .Trashes. As soon as you empty the trash on Mac, the contents of this folder on the external drive will be automatically deleted.

If you delete files from an external drive, and then immediately remove the drive from the system without cleaning Baskets, then the free space on the external drive may decrease. And the information in .Trashes may be damaged, which will lead to the inability to calculate its total size. Another consequence may be that you can no longer empty the basket itself. A delete error will occur.

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Browse the .Trashes folder in Finder

If you want to see the folder .Trashes and its contents in Finder, then you have to activate the ability to view hidden files. In this article, we have already talked about how this can be done on a Mac.

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How to delete files from a USB stick or external drive on macOS

To delete a file correctly, drag it to Shopping cart on a Mac or select files by deleting them using a combination Command ⌘ + Backspace. After you have done this, it is important to empty the Mac trash bin when the USB or external hard drive is still connected. This will not only delete the file on macOS immediately, but also clear the folder .Trashes on an external drive. That is why unnecessary data will not remain there.

If you deleted files without connecting an external drive, then connect it to your Mac computer and make sure that The basket there is at least one new file. Then clean Shopping cartso macOS also cleans up the folder .Trashes on an external hard drive.

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How to install Windows 10 on an external drive from macOS Catalina

08/04/2020 by ALOK DAS

Many owners of Apple computers sometimes have to run the Windows operating system for work, games or other tasks. The built-in macOS mechanism for quick and easy installation of a third-party OS is not always suitable for this.
If you try to install Windows via Boot Camp on computers with a 128 GB drive, the utility will politely ask you to free at least 42 GB! Following this logic, to install the second OS, you need to remove all applications and data from the first.

You can try installing the system on an external drive, but this is not possible in recent versions of macOS.
BootCamp on macOS Catalina will not even start if an external drive is connected to the Mac.

There is not the easiest, but working way to install Windows 10 on an external drive, for this we need another Windows (in a virtual machine).
📍 Thank you re: Store for the helpful information. 👌
All manipulations will require a minimum of 30 GB of free space. A little more than 20 GB will be required for temporary installation of the virtual machine, and another 5-6 GB will take a Windows image and related files.
Topic: how to install macOS on an external drive
The installation process is not the most intuitive and some steps that were not required before will have to be done. This is how the general installation algorithm looks:
1. Prepare your Mac to boot from an external drive.
2. Prepare a removable drive for installing Windows.
3. Download all the necessary data.
4. Install Windows 10 on an external drive.
All this will take no more than an hour.
How to prepare a Mac with a T2 chip

New Apple computer models are equipped with a special T2 chip, one of the features of which is to prevent the computer from loading from an external drive. These Mac models are equipped with a similar thing:
▪️ iMac Pro
▪️ Mac mini (2018)
▪️ MacBook Air (2018 and later)
▪️ MacBook Pro (2018 and later)
▪️ Mac Pro (2019)
There is a solution, it will just reboot in recovery mode and allow booting from external drives.
We already wrote about this in detail in this article.
How to prepare a removable drive

Any drive with a capacity of 16GB is suitable. Depending on the tasks, you can install Windows even on a USB flash drive. USB 3.0 speed will be enough to work in simple applications.
The disk on which the system will be installed must first be formatted in exFAT format. This is necessary so that both operating systems can interact with it before recording Windows.

Attention! All data on the removable disk will be deleted. Take care of backups if necessary.
▸ Launch the Disk Utility application
▸ In the side menu, select the drive
▸ Click the Erase button and specify the desired file system
After the procedure, the drive is ready to install Windows.
What you need to download before installation

As mentioned above, the installation will not occur in the most familiar way. Here’s what you need to download in advance:
▸ We take the installation image of Windows 10 from the Microsoft website
▸ Download the free trial version of Parallels Desktop
▸ Download the WinToUSB program from the developer’s site

▸ Do not forget to download drivers and additional files for the operation of all Mac components on Windows. You can do this using the standard Boot Camp Assistant utility. In the menu bar, select Action – Download Windows Support Software.
When all the data is loaded, we can proceed.
How to install Windows 10 on an external drive

1. On MacOS, install the Parallels Desktop application.
2. In the program, create a new virtual machine using the downloaded Windows 10 image.

3. We carry out the initial setup process and wait for the end of the Windows boot to the virtual machine.
4. When Windows starts, transfer the downloaded data to the virtual machine (WinToUSB application and files from Boot Camp Assistant).

5. In the Windows environment, install the WinToUSB program.
6. Connect the external drive to the computer and redirect it to Windows in the Parallels Desktop dialog box.

7. In the WinToUSB menu, specify the Windows 10 image (this is the same image from which we created the virtual machine, it can be copied to Parallels Desktop or opened through a shared folder).
8. As the target disk, indicate the connected drive.

9. We wait about 15-20 minutes before the installation of Windows to an external drive is completed.
10. After installation, copy the files from Boot Camp Assistant to the root folder of the external drive with Windows 10 installed.

11. End the Parallels Desktop application and restart the Mac.
12. While the computer is booting, hold down the Option (Alt) key to enter the drive selection menu.

13. Specify the external drive and start Windows 10.
14. During startup, perform the initial installation of the system. Depending on your Mac model, you may need a wired USB keyboard and mouse.
15. After the first start, we install the drivers and related software from the copied Boot Camp Assistant files.
Congratulations! You received the installed Windows 10 operating system on an external drive. The drive can easily be connected to another Mac and boot from it (do not forget to disable protection on models with a T2 chip).
MacOS now allows you to uninstall the virtual machine and Parallels Desktop application.
This is how you have to get out of the situation that developers from Cupertino are driving users into.

How to install macOS on an external SSD to speed up an old Mac (iMac, Mac mini, etc.)

20/01/2020 by ALOK DAS

Many users of obsolete iMac monoblock models (Mac mini, etc.) over time note a significant slowdown in the system, which is observed even when working with regular applications. The simplest and most cost-effective solution to the problem is transferring macOS from a standard hard drive to an external SSD drive.

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What is this for?

The most noticeable increase in processing time for even simple tasks is noted after users switch to new versions of the OS, while even launch macOS Mojave or macOS Catalina can take several minutes, and clearing your computer of digital junk only slightly improves the situation.

With a rough measurement of the speed of the native HDD on the 2013 iMac with macOS Mojave installed, we get:

But what speed did the same computer produce after installing macOS Catalina on an external SSD – 4 times faster:

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No, it’s inexpensive, you don’t need to take the computer apart and carry it to the service center

If we talk about the complete replacement of the built-in HDD with SSD, then many service centers (not certified) provide similar services, but at the same time, the cost of the work and the drive itself significantly reduces the efficiency of the method – it hardly makes sense to spend tens of thousands of rubles on resuscitating an old computer. We also do not recommend opening the device’s case and replacing it on our own for obvious reasons.

So, the most acceptable option from the economic and practical points of view remains:

adding an external SSD, which will work as a system drive, while a regular HDD will be turned into a file storage.

Thus, the task is conditionally divided into three simple stages:

1. Back up the old HDD (optional). You can do without this procedure by installing and setting up a clean system on the external SSD, and since access to the old HDD from a clean macOS installed on the SSD is preserved, data from the HDD can be easily copied to a new external drive.

2. Installing the latest version of macOS on an SSD connected via USB.

3. Data transfer from HDD to SSD (optional).

To do this, you only need the SSD-drive itself and a little free time. When choosing an SSD drive, it should be borne in mind that a USB connection will limit the speed of operation to about 400 MB / s, which means it does not make sense to purchase a disk with read / write speed characteristics, for example, 900 MB / s or more. Recall that the approximate read / write speed of the considered regular iMac HDD-drive of 2013 is about 100 MB / s.

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Where to buy a good external SSD?

Here are some popular options:

How to install macOS on an external SSD

1. Connect an external SDD to your Mac using a USB cable.

2. Reboot the Mac.

3. When you turn on your Mac (at the very beginning of the download), press and hold the key combination ⌘Cmd + R on keyboard.

4. Mac should boot into Recovery mode (loading takes longer than usual). If the computer boots in normal mode, repeat step 2 and step 3 again.

5. In the menu that appears, select Reinstall macOS.

6. Click Proceed.

7. Accept the license agreement by pressing the button To accept.

8. Press the button “Show all drives”.

9. Select a connected SSD drive. It is usually indicated by a yellow icon.

In case the connected SSD is inactive.

while the system indicates an error:

This drive does not use the GUID Partition Table (GPT) scheme.

In most cases, this happens with new SSDs that do not use the GUID partition table (GPT) scheme required to install macOS.

To prepare your external SSD for macOS (install the GUID partition table schema and APFS file system), read our detailed instructions.

10. After preparing the disc, repeat the above steps.

11. Press the button Install. The macOS installation process will begin.

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How to boot into macOS from an external SSD?

There are two ways to download macOS installed on an external SSD.

1. Choice at each boot.

While the Mac is loading (after turning on or rebooting), press and hold ⌥Option (Alt) on keyboard. On the boot screen that appears, select an external SSD (usually indicated by a yellow icon).

2. Automatic loading by default.

In order to automatically boot the system from an external SSD each time, open System settings and go to the section Boot disk.

Click on the lock icon in the lower left corner of the window and enter the administrator password to gain access to the settings, make the external SSD active for loading and click the button Reload.

After completing these steps, the system will always boot from an external SSD.

Conclusion

As a result, we have a 4-fold increase in the speed of the drive, which gives a significant boost in performance, accelerating the launch of the system and applications. At the same time, the advantages and disadvantages of this method can be highlighted:

Benefits

Speed mode. As mentioned above, using an SSD instead of an HDD (when connected to USB) will increase the read / write speed up to 4 times.

Profitability. The procedure for adding an external SSD will cost much less than a full replacement of the HDD inside the case, which does not go to landfill, but turns into a file storage;

Reversibility. At any time, you can return to the system on the HDD;

Simplicity. To connect an external SSD and install macOS on it, you do not need to be an advanced user and open a computer – the detailed instructions above will allow you to do all the operations even for an absolute beginner.

disadvantages

Accommodation The only drawback may be the need to safely place an external SSD on a table or computer case, for which you can use special protective covers.

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