How to set up sierra universal clipboard. Overview of the macOS Sierra operating system

How to set up sierra universal clipboard.  Overview of the macOS Sierra operating system
How to set up sierra universal clipboard. Overview of the macOS Sierra operating system

On September 20, a new operating system, macOS Sierra, became available for Mac computer owners. In addition to changing the name and introducing new functionality, Apple has tightened system requirements for update software computers. While OS X El Capitan was compatible with 2007–2008 models, Sierra now only works on Macs no older than late 2009 or early 2010. However, to get full functionality, your computer must be even newer.

macOS Sierra minimum system requirements

Computers that can install macOS Sierra with significant limitations on new features.

MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
MacBook Pro(mid 2010 or newer)
MacBook Air(late 2010 or newer)
Mac mini(mid 2010 or newer)
iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)

Computers that can install macOS Sierra and benefit from features like Handoff, Instant Hotspot, and Universal Clipboard.

MacBook (early 2015 or newer)
MacBook Pro (2012 or newer)
MacBook Air (2012 or newer)
Mac mini (2012 or later)
iMac (2012 or newer)
Mac Pro (Late 2013)

As for the maximum functionality of macOS Sierra, it will only be available to Mac owners with Economy. Bluetooth module LE, which is installed in the 2013 and newer models. In this case, for example, you can automatically unlock your computer using your Apple Watch.

Siri


The first and one of the main changes that macOS will notify you about immediately after the update is Siri. Everything else will have to be researched at random. The virtual assistant is now available on computers, and its functionality is generally similar to mobile version. For example, Siri can search for something on the Internet for you (and search results can be pinned to the Notification Center), control music playback in iTunes, read mail, and so on. By analogy with iOS 10, a woman’s voice can now be changed to a man’s, so that it is far from high technology your girlfriend didn’t start sharpening the ax for your late-night conversations with an incomprehensible lady.

Single desktop


Thanks to the new option in iCloud Drive You can now scale the chaos on your desktop and Documents folder to all devices connected to the same Apple ID. But seriously, Apple will offer access to important files from any device, without thinking about the need to manually add them to cloud storage. This is very convenient and reduces the risk of forgetting some necessary document at home. By the way, limited space in iCloud will be a great incentive to keep your desktop and document folder organized, so that after upgrading to macOS you won’t have to upgrade to a more expensive iCloud plan. You can enable or disable this option in the system settings in the iCloud Drive section.

Single clipboard


Second new technology iCloud now supports clipboard synchronization between devices running macOS and OS 10. If you copy something on your computer, you can paste it on your smartphone or tablet. Previously, such a trick could only be pulled off by sending texts, links and quotes to yourself in the messenger, by e-mail or saving them to text editor with iCloud synchronization.

Tabs for most system applications


Now working with system applications will become even more convenient thanks to the appearance of tabs. For example, you can quickly switch between two routes in Maps, keep two text notes open at once, and so on. Apple promises that third-party developers will also have access to this system feature and will be able to use tabs in their products.

iTunes, Notes, Messages, Photos


Minor changes have been made system applications in macOS Sierra. For example, in iTunes the design of the section has changed Apple Music, in Notes there is an opportunity collaboration. The Message application has not received all the changes similar to iOS 10, but the ability to quickly respond with Tapback when you click on a message has appeared. right click mouse, and photo and video previews have been added to iMessage. The Photos app now features automatically created albums with various events, just like in iOS 10.

Unlock Mac with Apple Watch


The process of automatically entering a password when an Apple Watch user unlocks a Mac is as simple as possible and does not require any action from you - lift the laptop lid or wake up the computer from sleep mode, and you are already authorized. However, starting to use this function is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. In the system settings you will not find any mention of the ability to unlock when Apple help Watch until you turn on two-factor authentication for your Apple ID. Only after this will you be able to even just see the presence of a new option in macOS Sierra. By the way, I would venture to suggest that instructions for enabling Mac unlocking using the Apple Watch will be very popular search query on Google.

Optimized Storage


Another hard-to-find option is Optimized Storage, which should make it easier to clear your computer of unnecessary files and improve the experience Mac use with small SSD drives. Most likely, you are used to looking for such functions in System Settings or in Disk Utility at worst. However, Apple has found another place for Optimized Storage options. You need to click on the Apple logo in the menu bar, then select About This Mac, go to the Storage tab and click the Manage button. There is also a slightly simpler, but less obvious way - the “System Information” application in the Utilities folder.

Picture in Picture for Video


Videos in Safari or iTunes can be opened in Picture-in-Picture mode. In this case, an additional window with video appears outside the main program window. You can move it around the screen, change its size and place it on top of other applications.

Apple Pay


Possibility of use Apple Pay V Safari browser for now it represents a foundation for the future. Apple announced that the launch payment system in Russia will take place in the fall of 2016, so it’s worth keeping in mind the availability Apple support Pay on Macs running macOS Sierra.

Do I need to update to macOS Sierra?

A new version operating system macOS Sierra works quite stable, it received a large number of new features that improve usability, as well as expanded integration into the device ecosystem Apple. If your computer supports new version operating system, we see no reason to refuse the update.

One of the coolest innovations in the new macOS Sierra is the universal clipboard for different devices. Which is very convenient, and I would like to see it on Android out of the box in the near future.

How it works

The new feature is not entirely obvious, especially for beginners, so it's worth digging into to understand how it works. The universal clipboard doesn't have any settings or interface, it just works, that's all.

If you are already logged in to one on all your devices, you can copy something on one and paste it on another. To do this, macOS Sierra must be installed on the Mac, and iOS 10 on the iPhone and iPad. Another condition is support Bluetooth devices LE (low energy mode). In theory, for Continuty to work, devices must be in the same wireless network, but with the universal clipboard this is not necessary. When Bluetooth and cellular connections are turned on, the function works even if Wi-Fi is turned off.

Remember that the cross-platform contents of your clipboard are deleted after two minutes and overwritten if you copy something on another device. The copy history is not saved anywhere (unless of course Apple hides anything ;), so for any clipboard managers new feature not a competitor yet.

How to use the new clipboard

You can copy and paste both text and images, but their interaction mechanism is still different. With text, everything is simple: you can copy the link to the iPhone, then press Cmd + V on the Mac in any application. The result will be as expected: the link will be inserted instantly.

But the pictures behave somewhat differently. The copied image can only be pasted into graphics applications, such as Preview or Keynote. If you open Finder and press Cmd + V, nothing happens.

To insert a picture into the current image opened in a supported program, simply press Cmd + V. If you need to copy the image in its original form, use the “File” → “New from Clipboard” menu. On iOS, pictures from the buffer can be inserted into “Notes” or Keynote, but directly into “Photos”.

As you understand, the universal clipboard is a convenient thing, but at least at this stage It is unlikely to be able to replace specialized programs with similar functionality.

Nevertheless, a universal buffer will be a welcome addition for anyone with an extensive fleet of Apple devices, and will definitely make them daily life a little easier.

Got a lot useful functions. MacDigger offers seven of the most interesting features of Apple's new platforms that may prove most useful in practice.

1. Shared clipboard on iPhone, iPad and Mac

Continuity on Mac gets improvements with the release of macOS Sierra. A technology called Universal Clipboard allows you to use the clipboard on all Apple devices via iCloud. The user can easily copy and paste text, images, photos and videos from one Mac, iPhone or iPad to another.

2. Siri in third-party apps

In iOS 10, Siri can add new core features and expand its capabilities even further with support for third party applications. For the first time, developers can harness the assistant's intelligence and let users control apps using voice commands. Using SiriKit, developers can easily create Siri-enabled apps for messaging, calling, photo search, travel booking, personal payments and workouts. In addition, using Siri, you can control CarPlay, adjust the air conditioning or radio through applications from automakers.

3. Desktop synchronization via iCloud Drive

With macOS Sierra, all files from your desktop and Documents folder are accessible from any Mac. iOS devices or even PC. Just save the files on your desktop or in the Documents folder - and they will be everywhere you need them. Files are available on iPhone and iPad through the iCloud Drive app and on iCloud.com or the iCloud app for Windows. And if you log in using your account on another Mac, the files appear on the desktop and in the Documents folder in the same form.

4. Convert voice messages to text

The Phone app in iOS 10 adds a message conversion feature voicemail into the text. This technology very convenient for its flexibility. When the iPhone rings for voicemail, most of us prefer to listen to it later. After all, connecting to a drawer and searching for a grain of pearl in a general pile of garbage can seem like a real nightmare - especially when you're on the go. But the longer you put off this unpleasant moment, the more unpleasant it becomes. The mailbox is filled with messages, any of which may contain the key to important contact or a good deal. In iOS 10 voice assistant Siri has learned such messages. After enabling this option, the decrypted data will be sent to the smartphone in the form of text notes - this will save time on listening to voicemail.

5. Siri for Mac

Siri's familiar features are now available on Mac. The assistant can be launched from the dock, from the menu bar, or using the keyboard and used voice commands For search various information or files, as well as sending messages. For example, you can ask Siri to find a file you worked on last night, add a meeting to your calendar, or make a FaceTime call. Additionally, Siri on Mac lets you drag and drop Siri search results into documents or emails, and also pin them to the Notification Center. You can even change system settings, set reminders, and search for photos in your library.

6. Apple Pay in the browser

Many people shop online from their computer - with macOS and iOS 10, shopping in Safari becomes even more convenient. With Apple Pay you can make safe shopping on sites that support this feature. You no longer have to enter your credit card number on the merchant's website, and card numbers are no longer stored on your devices or Apple servers. Simply press the Apple Pay button when placing an order in the online store and complete your order using Touch ID on your iPhone or Apple Watch.

7. New Photos app

The new Memories feature in Photos automatically creates curated collections in your Photos library for special occasions, such as birthdays, weddings, or family vacations. In addition, Photos uses technologies to recognize faces, objects and places, as well as geolocation data, and can group photos into albums depending on the people, objects and places depicted in them. The People feature automatically groups photos into albums based on who's in them, and the Places feature places photos on a world map. And the new Brilliance tool lets you tone down highlights and increase contrast to bring out details in your image.

iPhone and iPad owners who have Mac computer, they should and for at least one reason - a shared clipboard between devices. How does it work, and what pitfalls can there be when setting it up? Let's figure it out now.

In fact, there is no need to specially configure anything: the new function starts working on its own if all the necessary recommendations are taken into account. First, you need to sign in on your Mac and iOS device with the same Apple ID. On iPhone and iPad this can be done in the iCloud section, on Mac - in system settings, the section is the same.




After that, check all your devices for Bluetooth support LE (Bluetooth 4.0). To check on a Mac, go to Apple menu - About This Mac - System Report - Bluetooth.


Below is a list of iOS devices with Bluetooth LE.

iPhone
iPhone 4s
iPhone 5
iPhone 5c
iPhone 5s
iPhone 6
iPhone 6 Plus
iPhone 6s
iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone 7

iPad
iPad 3
iPad 4
iPad mini
iPad mini 2
iPad mini 3
iPad mini 4
iPad Air
iPad Air 2
iPad Pro 9,7
iPad Pro 12.9

If everything is in order, we connect the Mac and iOS device via Bluetooth and use a common clipboard; you don’t even need to connect to the same Wi-Fi network.

Next, we simply copy, for example, the text from “Notes” on the iPhone and paste it into Pages on the Mac using Cmd + V.




If you copy an image from an iPhone or iPad to a computer, it can only be pasted into applications that support images - Preview, Pages, Sketch, and so on. You can't just copy it to your desktop.


It’s strange that if you copy a picture on a Mac, you can’t paste it into “Photos” on iOS, but you can paste it into “Notes” or Pages. I would like to believe that Apple will still work on this point.

It's worth noting that the contents of the shared clipboard are automatically deleted after two minutes, and if you copied anything else before, the file will be overwritten with a new one.

In general, in fact, for me the universal clipboard works every now and then: sometimes everything is copied as it should, then the function simply “falls off”. Perhaps in new iOS versions and macOS Sierra feature will be improved.

The universal clipboard is a logical continuation of the Continuity paradigm, the foundations of which Apple laid in OS X Yosemite and iOS 8. The seamless integration of desktop and mobile OS has added the ability to work with the contents of the clipboard on any of your devices.

How it works

The new function is not entirely obvious, so it’s worth understanding the intricacies of its operation. The universal clipboard does not have any settings or interface as such. Yes, it just works.

If you're signed in to the same Apple ID on all your devices, you can copy something on one and paste it on another. To do this, macOS Sierra must be installed on the Mac, and iOS 10 on the iPhone and iPad. Another condition is that the devices support Bluetooth LE. In theory, devices must be on the same wireless network for Continuty to work, but with Universal Clipboard this is not necessary. When Bluetooth and cellular connections are turned on, the function works even if Wi-Fi is turned off.

Cross-platform clipboard content is deleted after two minutes and overwritten if you copy something on another device. The copy history is not saved, so the new function is not yet a competitor for any clipboard managers.

How to use

You can copy and paste both text and images, but the interaction mechanism is slightly different. With text, everything is simple: you can copy the link to the iPhone, then press Cmd + V on the Mac in any application. The result will be as expected: the link will be inserted instantly.

But the pictures behave somewhat differently. The copied image can only be pasted into graphics applications, such as Preview or Keynote. If you open Finder and press Cmd + V, nothing happens.

To insert a picture into the current image opened in a supported program, simply press Cmd + V. If you need to copy the image in its original form, use the “File” → “New from Clipboard” menu. On iOS, pictures from the buffer can be inserted into “Notes” or Keynote, but directly into “Photos”.

As you can see, a universal clipboard is a convenient thing, but at least at this stage it is unlikely to replace specialized programs with similar functionality. AirDrop, when it comes to pictures, the new function will not replace it yet due to its limitations.

However, a universal buffer will be a welcome addition for anyone with an extensive fleet of Apple devices, and will definitely make their daily life a little easier.