fixed : iPhone app is suddenly in language I don’t understand

Question :
I can use my iPhone as I always used to, but yesterday I found that I cannot use one of the app I need to use on a daily basis any longer because all language displayed by that app is now in Japanese or Chinese or some similar language that I don’t understand as I only use Roman script myself… Oddly, this is the only app that has this problem, all my other apps are still in English…

How can I swithc back to English in that particular app ?


Answer :
In iOS 18 (and maybe in iOS 17 or even in iOS 16) each app has the option to use either your preferred iOS language or any other language that the developer wishes to include in the app. Some developers use this option, others don’t. So some apps have the option to switch the app-language and others don’t.

To switch the language of any app, do this :
– open the Settings.app on your iPhone
– on the Settings page that opens, scroll down to the bottom and click on “Apps”
– on the Apps page that opens, find the app that you have language problems in (they’re listed in alphabetical order) and click on the app’s name
– in the App-specific page that opens, click on “Language”
– note : if you do not see the “Language” option, there is only one language available for this app (probably English or you preferred local language)
– in the Language page that opens, click on the language of your preference
– make sure there now is a check mark at the right of your preferred language
– then close the Settings.app
– now, open the app that you were having problems with and see that is is now working as expected

That’s it !

enjoy πŸ˜‰

fixed : iCloud syc error – Desktop files on Mac have ‘cloud exclamation mark’-icon

Question :
I was trying to access some files I have created on my Mac from my iPad, but the files that are in folder XYZ on my Mac’s Desktop are different from the ones that I can see in that same Folder XYZ when I access it from the Files.app on my iPad. Some files in Folder XYZ are the same and some are not… closing/quitting the Files.app on my iPad and reopening it doesn’t help… And when I look on my Mac, the files that are invisible on my iPad turn out to have a ‘cloud with an exclamationmark’-icon next to them on my Mac… I’ve also checked on my iPhone, and there I get to see the exact same content of Folder XYZ as on my iPad, but not the ones that are on my Mac…

This appears to be an ICloud syncing problem, but how do I fix it ?

Answer :
Yes, this is a syncing problem that iCloud sometimes runs into…
since there is no forced sync or manual sync option, this is how to fix it :
1- make sure that your Mac, your iPad and your iPhone all run the newest version of their OS (macOS, iPadOS, iOS)
2- make sure that your Mac, your iPad and your iPhone are all connected to a stable internet connection (either over Wifi or Ethernet)
3- make sure that you are logged in on iCloud with exactly the same account on all devices (Mac, iPad, iPhone)
4- if all the above is in place, restart your Mac without remembering open windows (to increase you chances on fixing this iCloud syncing problem, restart your iPad and iPhone as well)
5- wait for your Mac to restart/reboot entirely before doing anything else on it
6- wait for iCloud to sync back and forth amoung your Mac, iPad and iPhone (depending on the amount of files you have in your iCloud folders and your internet speed this may take up to 10 minutes or even longer)

That’s it !
…in 99% of the cases, this simple solution will fix your iCloud syncing problem
enjoy πŸ˜‰

fixed : no internet connection while WiFi and LAN are okay (after running Jaksta)

Question :
I was running an app (Jaksta Media Recorder) that crashed. Now I am no longer able to make any connection to the internet from macOS using my regular settings. Safari, Apple Mail.app and Whatsapp for macOS can no longer get propper connection to the internet.
I have tried resetting my internet modem, and my VPN now works, but the apps still cannot get a propper internet connection… so it appears to be a DNS problem, but changing DNS servers didn’t help…

What can I do to solve this ?


Answer :
As you might have expected, Jaksta Media Recorder has caused this problem when it crashed… to fix it, do this :
– restart your Mac
– do not startup any apps, startup the Jaksta Media Recorder app first
– when the Jaksta Media Recorder window opens (where you can see your previous downloads a.k.a. recordings) go to the bottom left corner and put the slider (that is turned ON automatically) in the OFF position
– then quit the Jaksta Media Recorder app

That’s it !

enjoy πŸ˜‰

Note : Jaksta Media Recorder for Mac is no longer being supported, as of 2023 Jaksta is a Windows-only app, so if you run into any problems with Jaksta for Mac you are pretty much left hanging… so, if you’re looking fro an alternative for Jaksta, see this post :
fixed : current version (or replacement) for Jaksta downloader app on macOS

fixed : can’t delete unnamed app without icon from iPad

Question :

I have an icon on my iPad that has a generic icon and no name. If I double click it, the name turns into “Waiting…” and nothing happens, even after a long wait. If I try to delete it, I get the small X-tag, and if I click on it, I get a window saying :

Delete ‘ Β ‘

Deleting ‘ Β ‘Β will also delete all of its data.

…and two options to click on : “Delete” and “Cancel”

…still no name of the app is given, and since the icon is generic (a.k.a. “empty” ; showing only a greyish-white icon with a dark grey grid, some circles and diagonals) I still don’t know how to delete it.

What can I do to fix this ?

 

Answer :

For some reason (unknown and probably irrelevant also) this app has stalled during an update or even during it’s initial install. To figure out the actual name of the app, do this :

  • in iOS, go to “Settings” –> “General” –> “Restrictions”, and make sure you have permission to delete apps and change accounts
  • then, go to “Settings” –> iTunes and App Store and log out
  • then,Β when in iOS8, go to “Settings” –> “General” –> “Usage” –> “iCloud” –> “Manage Storage” ;Β in the next window, click onΒ “Backups” ;Β in the next window, click on “Show all apps”
  • or when in iOS9, go to “Settings” –> “General” –> “Storage & iCloud Usage” –> “STORAGE” –> “Manage Storage”
  • now find the app that has a generic icon in the list of apps you see
  • write down the name of that app (the one with the generic icon)
  • then, when the Menu-button has a white square icon on it, restart your iPad (or iPhone) by simultaneously pressing the Menu-button (below the screen) and the ON/OFF-button (on the right top edge of your iPad’s/iPhone’s housing, hold this key-combo until your iPad/iPhone shows a whiteΒ Apple-logo on a black screen, then release
  • or, when the Menu-button has fingerscan, restart your iPad (or iPhone) in the way describedΒ in this post
  • when the reset is done, login to your iPad (or iPhone) if you have an access pincode on it
  • then, go to “Settings” –> iTunes and App Store and login
  • then,Β when in iOS8,Β go to “Settings” –> “General” –> “Usage” –> “iCloud” –> “Manage Storage” ;Β in the next window, click onΒ “Backups” ;Β in the next window, click on “Show all apps”
  • orΒ when in iOS9, go to “Settings” –> “General” –> “Storage & iCloud Usage” –> “STORAGE” –> “Manage Storage”
  • now find the app has still with the name that you wrote down (this app may or may not have a generic icon now) and click on it
  • in the next window click “Delete App”
  • then click the Menu-button to get back to the main screen
  • then go toΒ the “App Store”-app –> “Purchased” –> “Not on this iPad” (“Not on this iPhone”)
  • in the list, find the app with the name you wrote down and (re)download it from the App Store by clicking on the ‘cloud with blue downward arrow’-icon behind its name
  • when the app starts downloading, click on the Menu-button to return to the main screen
  • finally, turn restrictions back on if you had any initially (in “Settings” –> “General” –> “Restrictions”)

…that’s it – enjoy !

Donate Button (MacManusNL)

fixed : no audio on iPhone, just an annoying beeping noise

Question :

Today the output-sound of my new iPhone 6s turned into complete noise. No matter which app I use, be it YouTube, iTunes Music or online TV, all sound is reduced to an alternating beep-sound. I can turn the volume down (or up), but it doesn’t go away, no matter what I try…

What can I do ?

 

Answer :

Regardless of the exact cause of the error you run into… your best option when encountering weird behavior of your iOS-device (iPhone/iPad) is to do a reset.

For your audio-problem this is tested and proven to work also.

For the iPhone 6s the reset-procedure is a little different from the one used on previous iPhones (*) :

  • make sure you have the PIN-code of your SIM-card at hand
  • press and hold the POWER-button until the screen goes fuzzyΒ and the ‘slide to power off’-slider appears
  • then release the POWER-button and slide the slider to the right to turn the iPhone off
  • wait for the screen to go black
  • then press and hold the POWER-button until the Apple logo (re)appears
  • then release the POWER-button and wait for the screen to go back to normal
  • and when asked, enter the PIN-code to unlock your SIM-card

…that’s it

πŸ˜‰

 

On previous iPhones the reset-procedure is :

  • make sure you have the PIN-code of your SIM-card at hand
  • press and hold the MENU- and POWER-buttons of your iPhone/iPad simultaneously until the entire screen turns black and the Apple logo reappears
  • then release both buttons and wait for the screen to go back to normal
  • and when asked, enter the PIN-code to unlock your SIM-card

…that’s it

enjoy !

Donate Button (MacManusNL)

 

fixed : hashtags making text unreadable in Excel

Question :

Somebody sent me an Excel spreadsheet in which some of the data is unreadable since it has been replaced by text consisting of hashtag signs only…

I’ve seen this happening before, and the remedy used to be just to broaden the column, since all number that are too large to fit their cell width are automatically made unreadable…

However, in this case, if I broaden the column width, some of the hashtag textΒ will turned into readable numbers, but other hashtag text will remain, no matter how wide I make the column…

What is wrong ?

And how can I fix this ?

 

Answer :

This seems to be a problem with Excel for Windows files that are opened in Excel for Mac (possibly more specifically with data copied or converted from another application into Excel on a Windows-PC). So PC-users will not be warned on forehand that their Excel output is not suited for use on Macs…

Fixing it turns out to be rather simple (but annoying) :

β€’ open the file in Excel for Mac

β€’ select the cells that are effected (or preferably even the entire column), then go to “Format” in the top menu bar

β€’ from the dropdown-menu that appears, select “Cells…” and a window entitled “Format Cells” will open

β€’ make sure the “Number”-tab is selected and make sure that you select “Number” or “General” from the list (make sure that it is something else than what was previously selected ; anything seems to be okay, as long as it isΒ not “Accounting”)

β€’ no return to your spreadsheet to check if the hashtag texts have disappeared (if not : try again)

That’s it !

Enjoy !

πŸ˜‰

Donate Button (MacManusNL)

fixed : SMS (iMessage) not delivered from iOS 7 iPhone to iOS 6 iPhone

Question :

Lately, some of my friends have complained to me that they did not receive my recent SMS-es at all…

…I was completely sure I had send them, and when I look inside the Messages-app, they’re properly listed as a blue SMS (= an iMessage).

Any idea what could be wrong ? …and how to fix this ?

Answer :

There seems to be a problem/bug/incompatibility between iOS 7 and iOS 6 when sending iMessages from iOS 7 to people who have not yet upgraded to iOS 7 and are still on iOS 6.

FYI : in iOS 7 and iOS 6, the Messages-app auto-detects if you’re sending a text message to an iPhone or not :

– if your text message turns Blue, it has been sent as an FREE Apple iMessage

– if your text message turns Green, it has been sent as a ‘good-old’ (payed) SMS

Fixing this problem/bug/incompatibility is rather simple, even though it’s really annoying…

But the real problem for you-as-a-user is that it’s really hard to tell on forehand if your ‘SMS’ (iMessage) will be delivered or not…

The only thing you can do ‘as an iOS 7 user’ is this :

– in Messages-app, select the recipient and type a text message as you normally would

– when it turns Green, just send it out (it will be send as a regular SMS)

– when it turns Blue, and you’re not 100% sure the recipient is using iOS 7, hold your finger on the text until a few extra options appear, then choose “Send as text message”… now your text message will turn Green and be send (as a regular SMS)

– when it turns Blue, and you’re 100% sure the recipient is using iOS 7, just send it out (it will be send as a FREE Apple iMessage)

…and when you’re not sure if this did go okay after you’ve send the text message : see if there is a red circle with a white exclamation mark next to your (Blue) text message…

…if there is, click on it and choose the option “Send as text message”

…and if you get any complaints from people that they didn’t receive your SMS since you’ve upgraded to iOS 7, select the text message again, hold your finger on it a little longer and select “Send as text message” from the options that appear.

Good Luck !

Donate Button (MacManusNL)