While it showcases the power of different Apple devices working in unison, it serves little use when it comes to practicality. Let me share why and then show you how to stop seeing iOS app widgets on Mac’s Edit Widget screen.

But first, the basics.

How to add iPhone app widgets to Mac

1. Right-click on your Mac’s desktop and choose Edit Widgets.
2. You will automatically see your iPhone apps on the left. Select one to see their widgets.
3. Take the mouse pointer over a widget and click the green plus button to add it to your Mac’s desktop, or use drag and drop.

You can repeat the above steps to add as many widgets as you like on your computer desktop.

Additionally, you can click the date and time from the top right corner of your Mac’s screen to open the Notification Center. After that, click Edit Widgets from the bottom to add iPhone widgets to the Notification Center or the desktop.

Why iOS app widgets provide almost zero usefulness on Mac

Let me put my point with these four reasons.

1. No interaction

After you add your first iPhone app widget to your Mac’s desktop and click it, you will notice that the widgets cannot do anything. It will show “Open app on iPhone to continue.”

You cannot interact with the widget. The only thing a few iPhone app widgets on Mac do is they can possibly show some stagnant information there. (One such useful app is the Chrono World Clock app, whose iOS app widget on Mac shows the time in added cities.)

Secondly, most Apple widgets like Batteries, Reminders, Notes, Podcasts, etc., are already available natively on Mac, so there is no use in adding an iPhone version to your Mac. And even if you did, you won’t be able to interact with those widgets.

2. No widget editing

You can right-click on an added widget on Mac’s desktop and select Edit Widget to choose what shows up on it.

But the story is different for iPhone app widgets on Mac. Even though you will see the Edit Widget option, it leads to nothing practical.

For instance, if I add the iOS Countdown app widget to my Mac and then choose to edit it, it brings up my Mac’s Edit Widget screen, but no option to pick a countdown!

3. Disturbance

The widgets on the desktop untidy the screen and cause disturbance when you are working on the main Mac app like Chrome, Safari, Mail, Slack, Messages, Photoshop, etc.

Now, I know the widgets are dimmed when they are in the background, but you can still see their outline, and it’s disturbing. If you have difficulty focusing, desktop widgets will add to that while serving little to no function.

4. Bugs

Even after you delete the iOS app, its added widget continues to show on the Mac and offers no information or just the old, stagnant information.

If you do not have time to engage in active cleaning, this practice can lead to several useless widgets on the screen, creating more chaos and confusion.

How to stop seeing iPhone app widgets on your Mac

1. Open System Settings on Mac running the latest version of macOS Sonoma.
2. Go to Desktop & Dock.
3. Scroll down to the Widgets section and turn off the switch for Use iPhone widgets.

Now, when you go to add widgets to the desktop or Notification Center, it will only show native Mac app widgets that are useful and interactive. You won’t see widgets from iPhone apps here.

Can I add iPad app widgets to the Mac desktop?

As of now, you cannot do that even if your iPad is running iPadOS 17. You can only add iPhone app widgets to your Mac running macOS Sonoma.

The post 4 Reasons why adding iPhone app widgets to Mac is not useful appeared first on LawyersTech.

Problems you may be facing in Safari

• Safari feels very slow, and it is getting painful and frustrating to use it.
• Basic things like scrolling through a web page lags.
• You see the Force Quit popup saying, “Your system has run out of application memory.”
• Safari crashes and quits out of the blue.
• Websites take ages to load.
• Web pages do not stay open and automatically force reload when you revisit them after a while.
• You see a banner at the top of Safari tabs saying, “This webpage was reloaded because a problem occurred.”
• Entering a search query or URL in the Safari address bar feels slow or hangs.
• You often see the irritating macOS rainbow beach ball icon when you’re inside Safari.

I will help you address all this. But first, why does this happen?

What are the reasons why Safari uses more memory and feels slow?

• Lots of open tabs
• Demanding web pages using Flash, popups, and videos
• Too many installed extensions
• Browser cache and website data issues
• Several apps open simultaneously
• System glitches and bugs
• Your old Mac lacks enough RAM and processing power

How to reduce Safari memory usage and make it faster

In most cases, you won’t need to follow all the tips, and just a few top ones will solve your issue. Still, I’ve listed all possible solutions for the rare few situations where it may be needed.

1. Close unnecessary tabs and windows

The number one reason why Safari feels slow or uses excess memory is because you have opened one too many tabs. When you have too many open tabs, your Mac’s RAM and processor may not be able to handle all that load.

So, please close the Safari tabs and windows you don’t need. You can also go to your browser history and reopen them if needed.

Tip: See which Safari web pages are taking a lot of memory

1. Open Apple’s built-in Activity Monitor app on your Mac.
2. Go to the Memory tab.
3. Click Process Name to sort processes in order.
4. You will see all open Safari websites here. Next to them, you will see how much memory they are using. You can go to Safari and close the tabs that are taking significant memory. Alternatively, you can select it on the Activity Monitor window and hit the X button from the top, followed by Quit or Force Quit.

2. Unpin websites you don’t need

Have you pinned multiple sites in Safari? Consider removing the ones you don’t need.

3. Turn off video autoplay

Video autoplay on a web page consumes a significant amount of system resources. So, check which websites are allowed to autoplay videos and take away this privilege from them.

Note: We don’t encourage this, but you can also use apps/extensions to prevent auto-playing videos and block ads.

4. Close other unneeded apps to free up system resources

Your Mac has limited RAM and processing power that macOS has to allocate smartly to all open apps and ongoing background services.

If you’ve several demanding apps open, like multiple tabs in Chrome, iMovie, GarageBand, numerous huge spreadsheets in Excel, and such, not only Safari but all other apps will also suffer because of a lack of system resources.

In this situation, consider limiting yourself to just a few essential apps. Also, reduce the load inside individual apps. This includes closing other browser tabs and open documents.

5. Pause or cancel ongoing downloads

Sometimes, downloading a huge file in Safari may make your regular browsing feel slow. If you don’t need that file right away, consider pausing the download for the moment. You can resume it when you’re not actively using Safari.

6. Force Quit and reopen Safari

Make sure you save your ongoing work and let downloads complete (as some downloads can’t be resumed later). After that, click the Apple icon, choose Force Quit, select Safari, and hit the Force Quit button. Wait for about 5 seconds before reopening the browser.

7. Improve your internet connection

You need a stable Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Personal Hotspot connection on your Mac to use Safari. So perform a speed test and make sure things are fine on this end. If needed:

• Turn off VPN
• Switch to another Wi-Fi network
• Change the DNS
• Explore other troubleshooting tips to fix Mac’s internet and improve Wi-Fi speeds.

8. Restart your Mac

This is another golden solution that’s simple to follow but very effective. Just remember to save your unsaved docs before proceeding.

9. Make sure Mac isn’t too hot

Safari and all other apps appear super slow if my M2 Mac gets hot. This is also true for my other Apple silicon M1 MacBook Pro. Simply touch the metal surface of your Mac, and if it feels very hot, take these measures to cool it. This includes turning on the fan or AC, quitting extra apps, or restarting the computer.

10. Empty Safari Cache

All browsers (and apps) have a cache system that’s essential to their functioning. However, sometimes the cache gets corrupted or outdated, leading to multiple issues.

To clear Safari Cache:

1. Go to Safari Settings on your Mac and click Advanced.
2. Enable “Show features for web developers” or “Show Develop menu in menu bar.”
3. Next, from the top menu bar, click Develop > Empty Caches or Empty Caches for All Profiles.

11. Clear Safari history and website data

When was the last time you cleared your browser data? Over time, website data and history from sites you visit can pile up and take up a lot of space. This can also cause the browser — Safari, in our case, to feel slow.

Thus, open Safari, click History from the top menu bar, choose Clear History, and get rid of all website data.

Note: Doing so will log you out of all sites where you’re currently logged in.

12. Turn off Safari autofill

Not only on Mac, but I have faced Safari freezing even on iPhone and iPad because of contact, address, or credit card autofill. To fix this:

1. Open Safari and click Safari > Settings from the top menu bar.
2. Go to Autofill.
3. Uncheck everything except “User names and passwords.”
4. Quit and reopen Safari.

13. Remove unnecessary browser profiles

Safari on macOS Sonoma lets you create multiple profiles for personal, business, and other works. Excitedly, if you went overboard and created several profiles, please consider deleting the ones you can easily live without.

14. Turn off Safari search suggestions

When you enter a query in the address bar, Safari actively shows you suggestions. Turn it off to ensure your browser has one less thing to perform.

1. Open Safari Settings.
2. Click Search.
3. Turn off “Include search engine suggestions,” “Include Safari suggestions,” and “Preload Top Hit in the background.”

15. Update the Safari browser

Just like using outdated apps has its set of problems, using an outdated browser may feel slow and also have security implications. So, make sure you keep Safari and other browsers updated on your Mac.

To update Safari, you will have to update your Mac from System Settings > General > Software Update.

16. Remove the Safari photo background on the Start Page

If you’re using a photo background in Safari, click the settings icon on the Start Page and uncheck the box for Background Image.

17. Uninstall extensions you don’t need

Too many installed extensions can slow down your web browser. This is mainly because not all extensions are updated frequently or built in an optimized manner. Perform a quick check and disable or remove the Safari extensions you don’t need.

18. Get the latest version of macOS

If you’re on an older version of macOS, updating to the most recent one compatible with your computer may help improve the overall functioning and security. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update to update your Apple computer.

19. Move from macOS beta to the stable version

It’s expected that you will face several inconveniences and bugs while using the beta version of macOS. Consider moving to the stable version if the problems are too big to live with or ignore.

Note: If you’re using Safari’s beta version (Safari Technology Preview), switch back to regular Safari that’s preinstalled on your Mac.

20. Remove Safari plist files

In rare times, deleting Safari preferences files (.plist) may help restore its normal performance. Just remember that doing so may delete all browser customizations and change some other things.

Here’s how to delete Safari plist files:

1. Open Finder, and from the top menu bar, click Go > Go to Folder.
2. Enter ~/Library/Preferences and hit the enter key.
3. Locate Safari plist files and move them to another location (for backup) or delete them.
4. Restart your Mac.
5. Open Safari, and it should feel snappier.

21. Repair user disk

When it’s a bad day, the problem may be bigger and not just limited to your web browser. Consider repairing your Mac’s drive and see if it brings any luck in improving your browser’s performance.

22. Reinstall macOS (without losing data)

Performing a fresh install of macOS should help if Safari isn’t working properly because of system issues.

23. Upgrade to a new Mac

While the above tips are definitely helpful, they may not bring significant improvements if your Mac:

• Is very old, with just 2 or 4 GB RAM and a slow hard disk,
• Has an old Intel processor,
• It is full of apps,
• And has little to no free space.

In these situations, I would recommend getting a new or refurbished Apple silicon Mac.

Depending on when you’re reading this, you may be able to get some great offers on M1 or M2 MacBook Air. You can also learn about Mac mini, which is the cheapest Mac Apple makes (though you need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to use them).

And don’t forget to use the education discount on your Mac purchase if you’re buying for your kids or siblings who are still studying.

Some website or their certain elements will feel slow no matter what you do!

A few sites out there on the vast World Wide Web will stress out your browser because of the way they are built, the technologies they are built on, the elements and content they show, and several other factors.

For instance:

• Sites with several advertisements, consent banners, popups, embedded auto-playing videos, heavy use of graphics, and trackers may feel slow on all browsers.
• Old, outdated sites with Flash or built on antique tech may not work well in Safari.
• Relatively smaller sites using shared web hosting or poor hosting providers may take ages to load. Lack of CDN may also increase their load times.
• A site built without optimizations will also feel slow.

Other times, certain elements of a website may trouble you. For example, X (Twitter) works fine in Safari on my Mac. However, it often hangs when I compose a tweet or start watching a video post. I believe this has got to do with Twitter and not my browser.

You can’t do much in these cases.

Bonus: Use Safari alternatives

Finally, don’t limit yourself to just one browser. I simultaneously use four browsers on my Mac:

• Safari: For bank sites, payments, and sensitive sites.
• Chrome: For my everyday office work, like using WordPress, Twitter, etc.
• Firefox: For watching YouTube and other videos because its built-in Picture in Picture tool is the best.
• Brave: For those rare occasions when I have to visit sketchy Torrent sites and such.

I’m not asking you to do like me, but you should try a few as there are some excellent Safari alternatives out there, like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Brave Browser, Opera, and Microsoft Edge.

Read Next: How to change screen brightness on third-party Mac monitors

The post Top 23 tips to fix slow Safari using too much memory on Mac appeared first on LawyersTech.

If that’s the case, I will help you fix this annoyance on these unsupported displays.

Ways to change screen brightness on Mac

The built-in MacBook keyboard and Apple’s external Magic Keyboard have two brightness buttons in the top row. In addition to these two keys, you can also use the brightness slider in the Mac’s Control Center to increase or decrease the screen light.

This setup works perfectly for the built-in MacBook or iMac display. It also works flawlessly if you have bought Apple’s Studio Display or the Pro Display XDR monitor.

But if you did not drop a ton of money on Apple’s monitor and choose a third-party option, you will find that Mac’s brightness keys and macOS Control Center slider do not work.

So what do you do?

You rely on third-party apps!

MonitorControl

To change the brightness of the third-party monitor connected to your Mac using your keyboard brightness buttons, download the free Monitor Control app and set it up.

Once you do that, you can press the brightness keys on your Mac’s keyboard to increase or decrease the brightness on the connected monitor from a third-party manufacturer. You can also click this app’s icon in the menu bar and use the brightness slider there to adjust it accordingly.

To make your life easier, go to this app’s preferences by clicking its icon from the Mac’s top menu bar and allow it to start at login, so you don’t have to worry about opening it manually.

If MonitorControl does not work, check the box for “Combine hardware and software dimming” in its General settings.

In case you cannot use your Mac’s keyboard brightness keys to change the third-party monitor’s brightness, go to the Displays section of the MonitorControl app settings and check the boxes for “Enable keyboard control for display” and “Use hardware DDC control.”

Still no luck? Connect your monitor to your Mac using a USB-C cable instead of HDMI. More on it in the next heading below.

Download MonitorControl (free): From GitHub (A lite version of this app also seems to be available on the Mac App Store, but I don’t know if it’s the same app.)

DisplayBuddy

In the rare case that MonitorControl does not work for you to change the screen brightness on a third-party Mac monitor, you can try this second app called DisplayBuddy.

The app has simple settings and works fine. If it does not, right-click on the DisplayBuddy app icon in your Mac’s top menu bar and choose Settings > Preferences. Next, check the box for “Enable reading values of monitor controls (brightness/contrast)” under the General heading.

If you cannot change a third-party monitor’s brightness using the Mac keyboard’s brightness keys, go to the Keyboard Shortcuts section of the DisplayBuddy app and check the box for “Use keyboard brightness keys to control brightness for all displays.” But for this to work, you must allow this app some permission, which I’ve explained below.

Download DisplayBuddy ($18.99): From displaybuddy.app || From Setapp

Lunar

If neither of the above options works out for you, give Lunar a shot. It’s a handy little Mac app for controlling monitor brightness, even on third-party monitors, which otherwise may not be controllable with the built-in default macOS brightness keys and sliders.

Download Lunar (14-day free trial. You may be able to change brightness even after 14 days in the free version): From lunar.fyi

Turn on accessibility settings for these apps

Both MonitorControl and DisplayBuddy need to have accessibility permission on your Mac to change the brightness of the connected third-party display using the keyboard keys.

When you open these apps for the first time, you will be prompted to allow these permissions. If you denied them, go to Mac’s System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility and turn on the switch for these apps.

Next, quit and reopen MonitorControl or DisplayBuddy. Now, you can adjust the third-party monitor using the two brightness keys on your Mac’s keyboard.

Switch to USB-C or HDMI cable

Sometimes, you may not be able to change the brightness of the third-party monitor if it’s connected to your Mac using an HDMI cable. In that case, and if supported by your monitor, try using a USB-C Thunderbolt cable, and now everything should work.

In an inverse world, if it’s not working with a USB-C cable, try an HDMI cable.

Restart your Mac

If you try the above apps, but they do not work, don’t give up just yet. Retry after turning off your Mac and turning it back on.

What works for me?

Apple Studio Display was very expensive for me. So, I bought a 28-inch 4K monitor from a third-party manufacturer that’s one-sixth the price of a Studio Display.

I was troubled to find that I couldn’t change the screen brightness of the monitor using the keys on my Mac desktop’s keyboard. But using MonitorControl turned out to be a godsend for me. Later, I found that DisplayBuddy also works well for this job.

The apps above will also be helpful if you use multiple monitors, and you can manage their brightness with these little tools.

The post How to change screen brightness on third party Mac monitors appeared first on LawyersTech.

If this happens with your new expensive Apple mouse, you may think you have bought a faulty product and get worried. So, let me put your mind at ease!

It’s normal for the top touch part of your Magic Mouse to move a fraction of a millimeter when you push it horizontally with your finger. This is true for both Magic Mouse in black and white colors.

You don’t have to worry about it, and your mouse will function as expected. You can use its left and right buttons as well as the top touch surface.

However, if the mouse pad or table is coarse or your hands are sweaty and you can’t grip the mouse properly, you may feel this tiny movement to be irritating. At times, it can also make a small noise, which can be disturbing.

The top of my new Magic Mouse also moves slightly

I bought a black Magic Mouse for my Mac desktop last year. After taking it out from the sealed box, the first thing I noticed was that the top portion moved ever so slightly.

It was worrying as I had dropped a lot of money on this Apple mouse when compared to other options found on Amazon.

So, I immediately messaged a friend, and he confirmed that the top piece of his years-old Magic Mouse also moves very, very slightly. I was assured, as I had purchased it from a local online retailer, and it had no return option.

I’ve been using my mouse for a year now

The ever-so-slight movement of the top part of my Magic Mouse has not caused any trouble or failure of the button press or touch surface.

It works well with my Mac, MacBook Pro, and iPad.

Exchange your Magic Mouse if you’re worried

If you’re worried, I would recommend getting a replacement.

In most countries and regions like the USA and Europe, you can easily exchange or return the product if you have bought it from the Apple Online Store or Apple physical store.

Additionally, laws in these countries also allow you to return or exchange the product bought from any retailer if you’re unhappy with it. Just make sure you decide within 7 or 14 days, depending on where you live and what the conditions were when you were making the purchase.

The post Does the top of a new Magic Mouse move left and right? appeared first on LawyersTech.

Where Can I Send Balloons?

You can send balloons and other message effects only on iMessage and not regular text. Exploding balloons, fireworks, confetti, and other animations aren’t available when you send someone a text from your iPhone.

The easiest way to identify if you’re sending an iMessage or text is to see the typing box and notice what it says in light gray – iMessage or Text Message. Secondly, iMessage has blue chat bubbles, and regular SMS text messages have green chat bubbles.

If you want to send someone balloons, the user must be on iMessage. And he can be on iMessage only if he owns an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

How Do I Send Balloons on iPhone Text

Here’s how to send balloons on iPhone text:

1. Open your iPhone or iPad Messages app and go to the person’s chat to whom you want to send the balloon. You can also start a new chat by tapping the blue compose button and typing the person’s name.
2. If you type Happy Birthday and send it, balloons are attached and sent automatically. You don’t have to do anything else.iMessage balloon effect also works when you send Happy Birthday in some other languages like Alles Gute Zum Geburtstag (German), Feliz Cumpleanos (Spanish), Bon Anniversaire (French), С днем ​​рождения (Russian), Gratulerer med dagen (Norwegian), chúc mừng sinh nhật (Vietnamese), 生日快樂 (Chinese Traditional), 生日快乐 (Chinese Simplified), and more.
   
3. To send balloons in any message you want, type it and then press (not tap) the send button.
   
4. Tap Screen.
5. Swipe left until you reach the balloon effect screen. It should be in the third place.
6. Tap the blue send button to send your message with a full-screen balloon effect.
   

Like the iMessage balloon effect and iPhone Happy Birthday balloons, you can choose one of the other effects by following the same steps.

Note: When starting a new conversation (step 1), make sure their phone number or email turns blue, which signifies they are on iMessage and can receive the balloons you send. If their phone number or email appears green, that means they aren’t on iMessage, and you can’t send balloons. In that case, ask them if they are on iMessage and if they use iMessage with a different phone number or email address

How to Fix Balloon Effect Not Working in iMessage on iPhone

Here’s how to fix iMessage balloon effects on iPhone and iPad:

• Sometimes, without any fault of yours, the automatic balloon effect will fail to send when sending Happy Birthday. While you may not see the effect, the recipient sees the balloon fly on his screen.
• Open the Settings app, go to Accessibility > Motion, and turn on Auto-Play Message Effects.
• Make sure you’re sending an iMessage and not a regular SMS text message.
• Swipe up or double-press the Home button and drag the Messages tile all the way up to close the app. After 10 seconds, open the Messages app again, and the balloon effect should work.
• Restart your iPhone.
• Finally, if nothing helps, go to iPhone Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset and Reset All Settings.

How to Send Balloon in iMessage From Mac

If your Mac desktop or MacBook is running macOS Big Sur (released in 2020) or later, you can send balloons and other iMessage effects from the Messages app. Here’s how:

1. Open the macOS Messages app and go to the chat where you want to send balloons.
2. Type Happy Birthday in English or one of the languages mentioned above and press the enter key. It will automatically add the balloons effect.
3. To add the balloon effect to any other message, first type what you want to say.
4. After typing your desired message, click the App Store icon and choose Message Effects.
   
5. Click Balloons.
6. Click the blue send button. This message will have a full-screen balloon effect. The recipient will see it on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
   

Next: Why Snapchat Keeps Crashing on iPhone and How to Fix It

The post How to Send Balloons on iPhone and Mac appeared first on LawyersTech.

• What Is Microsoft AutoUpdate on Mac
• How to Permanently Delete Microsoft AutoUpdate From Mac
• How to Delete Residual Files of Microsoft Update Assistant on Mac

What Is Microsoft AutoUpdate on Mac

You see the Microsoft AutoUpdate window only because you someday installed a Microsoft app on your Mac, like Edge, OneNote, Office apps, etc. It’s used to update your Microsoft apps.

If you don’t need any Microsoft apps on your Mac and uninstall them, this Microsoft update assistant may remain and keep annoying you with popups.

When this Microsoft update assistant keeps popping up even after removing all Microsoft apps from your macOS computer, here’s how to stop this forever.

How to Permanently Delete Microsoft AutoUpdate From Mac

Follow these steps to remove Microsoft AutoUpdate Required Data Notice app permanently from your Mac:

1. From Finder, press Command + Shift + G. You can also click the word Go from the top menu bar and choose Go to Folder.
2. Copy and paste this address in the Go to Folder box and press the enter key. /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/
3. Go inside the folder called MAU or MAU2.0.
4. Right-click on Microsoft AutoUpdate and choose Move to Trash.
5. Empty the trash or open it and permanently delete just the Microsoft AutoUpdate application.

After this, you should no longer be annoyed by Microsoft AutoUpdate Required Data Notice on your Mac and its other user accounts.

To remove all its traces, make sure you follow the remaining solutions.

How to Delete Residual Files of Microsoft Update Assistant on Mac

Even after deleting the Microsoft AutoUpdate application, several of its helper and other files remain on your Mac. Here’s how to remove them:

1. From the Finder, press Command + Shift + G to open the Go to Folder window.
2. One by one, open all these locations and delete the Microsoft files you see in them.
3. Go to /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools and delete com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper
4. Go to /Library/LaunchDaemons/ and delete com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper.plist
5. Go to /Library/LaunchAgents and delete com.microsoft.update.agent.plist

You have successfully deleted the Microsoft AutoUpdate Required Data Notice application from your Mac. This macOS desktop or notebook is now free from this annoying popup window. If you someday reinstall Microsoft apps and remove them, you might start seeing this again. But now, you know how to take care of this!

The post How to Permanently Remove Microsoft AutoUpdate Required Data Notice From Mac appeared first on LawyersTech.

In easy terms, _MACOSX is a hidden system folder that your Mac makes when creating ZIP files. This folder has essentials that may be required for macOS (earlier OS X) operating system. On Windows PC and Android, it is of no use.

So, if you use a Mac to create ZIP files for Windows and Android users, you may want to know how to do that without this _MACOSX folder.

Many believe the _MACOSX folder has viruses as the files inside it look like original files but do not open. But worry not. It isn’t a computer virus but just a system folder of another operating system (macOS) that has no use on your operating system (Windows or Android).

In this quick guide, let me show you a proven and easy method to create ZIP files on Mac without the unnecessary and hidden _MACOSX folder inside it.

How to create ZIP file without _MACOSX folder on Mac

1. Open Google Drive in Chrome, Safari, or any browser on your Mac. Log in with your Google account.

2. Click New from the top right.

3. Choose Folder. Give it the desired name. Once it is created, open this folder.

4. Right-click and choose Upload files.

5. Navigate to the folder where you have the files that you want inside the ZIP file. Select them individually and upload them to Google Drive.

6. Once the upload completes, select the files inside Google Drive and right-click. Next, click Download.

7. Google Drive will make a ZIP file having all the selected files and save it to your Mac.

This ZIP file will not have the _MACOSX folder. It is because the ZIP file was created by Google Drive and not your MacBook’s macOS operating system. So, no need for the unnecessary macOS system folder.

How to remove _MACOSX folder in ZIP file

Since _MACOSX is a macOS system folder, on Mac, it does not show up and stays hidden after you unzip the ZIP file. However, if you transfer the same ZIP file to a Windows PC or Android and unzip it there, the _MACOSX folder will be visible.

The file names inside _MACOSX folder usually start with a dot (.). When you double-click or tap to open one of them, it fails as no app on your phone or PC is designed to open or view macOS system files.

So, if you have such a ZIP file, feel free to delete the _MACOSX folder. It will cause no harm to your PC. You still have all the original content of the ZIP file. You are just getting rid of the unnecessary folder, which is of a different platform.

To delete the _MACOSX folder, right-click on it and move it to the Recycle Bin.

If you are on Android, long-press the _MACOSX folder and tap Delete.

I hope this article helped. Many sites on the internet ask you to buy software or use complicated Terminal steps to create ZIP files without the unwanted _MACOSX folder. I would recommend you skip those methods and use the Google Drive one that I explained above. You may even create folders inside the Drive folders and download all the folders as a single ZIP file for better management.

Thanks for reading.

The post How to create ZIP file on Mac without _MACOSX folder appeared first on LawyersTech.