Tag Archives: iCloud

fixed : iOS Mail.app “Fetch New Data” settings page completely greyed out

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Question :

I have troubles with my eMail on my iPhone, so I started to look for solutions in the iOS Settings.app ; I don’t know if this is relevant for the solution to my mail-problem, but I found that when I try to adjust the settings for Fetch New Data (in the Settings.app > Mail > Accounts > scroll down to bottom) is turned OFF, and when I click on it the entire Fetch New Data settings page is greyed out, so I can’t switch it back ON and have my mail checked automatically…

What is wrong ? How can I fix this ?

Answer :

Relax, there’s nothing wrong… it’s just strange that iOS isn’t telling you why the entire page is greyed out and how you can fix this…
The thing is : your iPhone is in Low Power Mode (a.k.a. Battery Saving Mode)… (if you look closely, you will see that the battery indicator top right is yellow in stead of white or green)
To fix this, do this :

  • swipe down from the battery indicator top right
  • in the window that opens, scroll down to the white tile with the battery (in yellow) and click on it
  • now the tile wil turn dark and the battery will turn white
  • if there is no battery-tile, then go to Settings.app > Battery and switch the slider at Low Power Mode to ON
  • to check, go to Settings.app > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data and you will see that you can now set everything as you like

    That’s it !
    enjoy šŸ˜‰
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fixed : how to retrieve Safari Strong Password from iCloud

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Question :

I am setting up an app (ToDoist.app in this case) to work across my devices. I have set up the app (ToDoist.app) on my iPhone about a week ago, and now I am trying to set up the app on my Mac. The problem is I need to login to my ToDoist-account on my Mac, but since I have used the password that was automatically suggested I have no recollection of the password I have set…

Is there any way to retrieve the password from iCloud ?

 

Answer :

Yes, there is šŸ˜‰

To make the actual password visible, do this :

  • make sure that both your iPhone and your Mac are logged in with the same iCloud-account
    • on your iPhone, goto Settings.app > [your name] (listed on top) > iCloud
    • on your Mac, goto System Preferences > Apple ID (grey tile with the white Apple logo, top right)
  • then, make sure that iCloud’s password backup is switched on
    • on your iPhone, in Settings.app > [your name] (listed on top) > iCloud > “Apps using iCloud” > Keychain should be ON
    • on your Mac, in System Preferences > Apple ID > “Apps on this Mac using iCloud” there should be a check-mark at “Keychain”
  • if it wasn’t, restart the app on your iPhone
  • then, on your Mac, goto Safari > Preferences > Passwords
  • then, login on the window that opens ( using your Mac’s screen unlock password )
  • in the next window, scroll down the list and select the appropriate website
  • then, left-click on the dotted-out password ( so the actual password will be shown )
  • then, right-click on the password and select “Copy Password” from the pop-up list
  • now, paste the password into the app’s login-window

…this will unlock the app šŸ˜‰

enjoy !

fixed : get very old iPhoto Library to open in macOS Mojave Photos.app

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Question :

On my old PowerPC G4 (or G5) Mac I found some old photos in iPhoto.

Is it possible to copy the database and open it in the Photos.app on my new Mac that runs macOS 10.14 Mojave ?

Or do I have to import theĀ photos as just photos and lose all additional info and edit that was done in iPhoto long ago ?

 

Answer :

Of course, the easiest and quickest way to get the original photos into your new Photos.app would be to just import all the old photos into Photo.app. But… as you already mentioned, you will loose all additional info and edits that you added in iPhoto back in the days.

The best way to get as much info and edits into Photos.app as possible is to do the following :

  • connect an external HD, external SSD or USB-stick with plenty of GBs to your old PowerPC G4 or G5 Mac
  • go to Users –> [your account name] –> Pictures –> iPhoto Library
  • copy the iPhoto Library (or even the entire Pictures folder) onto your external HD/SSD or USB-stick
  • when done, eject the external HD/SSD or USB-stick (by dragging it’s icon to the trash or clicking the eject-icon besides it’s name in the Finder) and disconnect it from your old Mac
  • then connect the external HD/SSD or USB-stick to your new Mac
  • download the iPhoto Library Upgrader software from Apple :

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202358

  • install the iPhoto Library Upgrader Tool
  • go to Applications –> Utilities –> iPhoto Library Upgrader Tool
  • run the iPhoto Library Upgrader Tool
  • in the window that opens, click on the Choose Library button
  • then select the iPhoto Library that is now on your external HD/SSD or USB-stick
  • then click Continue
  • when done, exit the iPhoto Library Upgrader Tool
  • then go to Apple-menu (Apple-icon top-left in the Finder) –> System Preferences –> iCloud
  • make sure you are Signed In into iCloud
  • then, in the list on the right at “Photos” click on the Options button
  • then make sure that there is a check mark at “iCloud Photos”
  • then exit System Preferences
  • now, double-click the Photos.app while holding down the [ALT]-key on your keyboard
  • now, while starting up Photos.app will ask you which Photos/ iPhoto Library to open
  • then choose the iPhoto Library that’s on your external HD/SSD or USB-stick
  • now, Photos.app will start converting the iPhoto Library to an up-to-date Photos Library
  • when done, Photos.app will display your old iPhoto photos
  • then, in Photos.app, goto Preferences, then General-tab and at Library Location click the ‘Use as System Photo Library’-button, to (temporarily) make the old iPhoto/Photos Library the one that syncs with iCloud
  • then Photo.app will start uploading the old photos to iCloud
  • now, in iCloud, these photos will be merged with the ones that were already in iCloud and they will be sent out to your iCloud (or rather iCloud Photos) connected devices
  • when the uploading is complete, you can quit Photos.app
  • now, double-click the Photos.app while holding down the [ALT]-key on your keyboard
  • now, while starting up Photos.app will ask you which Photos/ iPhoto Library to open
  • then choose the iPhoto Library that used to be your main Photos Library previously (usually the one that is in your current user’s Pictures folder)
  • then, in Photos.app, goto Preferences, then General-tab and at Library Location click the ‘Use as System Photo Library’-button, to make make your main Photos Library the one that syncs with iCloud again and be the one that opens when you startup Photos.app
  • then wait for the ‘new’ (additional old) photos to sync from iCloud and you will have an integrated Photos Library of old and new Photos and iPhoto’s databases

that’s it !

enjoy šŸ˜‰

fixed : account info greyed out in iOS 12

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Question :

I have just upgraded my child’s iPhone from iOS 11 to iOS 12, but I can’t access his/her iCloud settings, since his/her account name is greyed out in Settings.app and nothing happens when I click on it…

How can I solve this ?

 

Answer :

The problem is that you have had Restrictions-setting active on iOS 11, and it is still active on iOS 12…

However : the Restrictions-setting is no longer in the “General”-chapter of Settings.app, starting in iOS 12, the Restrictions-setting is in the “Screen Time”-chapter (the purple hourglass icon just above the grey sprocket/gear-wheel icon of the “General”-chapter) and the setting is now called “Content & Privacy Restrictions”

So, do this :

  • open the Settings.app
  • in the window that opens, click on “Screen Time” (the chapter just above “General”)
  • in the next window, click on “Content & Privacy Restrictions”
  • when asked, type the Restrictions-password-code (4 digits) you previously used on iOS 11
  • then scroll down to “ALLOW CHANGES:” and “Account Changes” and adjust the setting to allow changes
  • now, the account-info in Settings will no longer be greyed out and you can also login on additional iCloud services like Messages (a.k.a. iMessage)

that’s it !

enjoy šŸ˜‰

fixed : make old iPhone ready for clean install

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Question :

I have just upgraded to a new iPhone, so now I want to pass on my previous iPhone to my child. What is the best way to do get this olde iPhone ready to transfer his/her data onto it ?

 

Answer :

Over time, little things inside iOS get buggy or corrupted… especially each time you transfer your data and settings directly to a new iPhone and/or iOS version. If you upgrade your iPhone’s version of iOS onto a new one without doing a clean install, which requires you to erase all data from your device, buggy dataĀ and settings get copied over also…

So… every once in a while you should do a clean install, especially if you run into weird and inexplainable buggy behavior of your iPhone.

FYI :

  • If you do a regular iOS upgrade or update, all system info is copiedĀ over, so that won’t getĀ rid of most of the problems
  • If you backup to iCloud, only personal data, settings and game progress are preserved, so bugs and corruptionsĀ get some chance of being solved, especially if you take the time to do a complete reinstall of iOS from the online AppStore (i.e. a Clean Install)
  • If you restore iOS from a personal backup (like an iPhone backup in your personal iTunes-backup registry), you also run the risk of reinstalling the bugs & errors that had been in your iPhone’s iOS when you last backed-up

so… use the following procedure to make sure you get the least possibility of reintroducingĀ old bugs :

  • turn on your receiver iPhone (the newer one that is going to be used in the future) and open the Settings app
  • click on the owner’s name (with the text “Apple ID, iCoud, iTunes & App Store” below it)
  • click on iCloud
  • click on iCloud Backup
  • click on Back Up Now and a fresh backup of your personal data, your app settings and your Game Center game progress will be synced with iCloud
  • now wait for the iCloud syncing process to complete
  • now do theĀ same on the donor iPhone (the older one that is going to be abandoned)
  • open the Settings app
  • click on the owner’s name (with the text “Apple ID, iCoud, iTunes & App Store” below it)
  • click on iCloud
  • click on iCloud Backup
  • click on BackĀ Up Now and wait for the iCloud syncing process to complete
  • then go back to the receiver iPhone (the newer one that is going to be used in the future)
  • connect the receiver iPhone to a Mac (or Windows-PC) using an USB-cable
  • open iTunes
  • make sure you see your iPhone listed in the sidebar
  • then click on the small iPhone-icon (in the lower top bar ; left of the buttons for Library, For You, Browse, Radio & Store ; and just right of the Music/Films/… -button)
  • now aĀ dedicated iTunes -page opens for the iPhone
  • make sure that “Summary” is selected in the left menu bar
  • then click on the “restore iPhone…”-button
  • then wait for the reinstallation to finish
  • the iPhone is now being erased and reinstalled
  • this reinstall takes extraĀ time, compared to a traditional iOS-upgrade
  • when finished, you have performed what is usually called a ‘Clean Install’
  • now follow the on-screen instructions
  • when you can, enter your iCloud usernameĀ & password to enable downloading your data & settings from your iCloud-backup
  • needless to say, apps will be restored from the official apps located in iCloud, or rather : the Online iTunes App Store, so the apps will all be restored perfectly, without bugs or buggy behavior

That’s it !

enjoy šŸ˜‰