Tag: Mac

The Files app is a kind of central repository that allows you to work with the files stored on your iPad, network servers, and cloud storage services.

The SMB (Server Message Block) network protocol integration in iPadOS was a game-changer because of its benefits. It lets you access large files, which helps you save space on the device. You can view documents, play audio or video, markup PDFs, move and copy files, and much more.

We’ll show you how to access files from your Mac or Windows 10 computer directly through the Files app on your iPad.

Setting Up and Requirements

SMB is a network file sharing protocol that allows an application (or the user of an app) to access files or resources at a remote server. You can read, create, and even update files on the server. There are few essential steps you must carry out before setting up the SMB network share in the Files app.

Server Address

Every network-connected device has an IP address and a unique MAC address that identifies it on your network. To find a device’s IP address on your local network, follow these steps:

On Windows: Open Command Prompt and type in ipconfig. Then, note down the IPv4 address.

On macOS: If you use Wi-Fi, press the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon on the menu bar. Or, head to System Preferences > Network and select your network connection to find your IP address.

Access to Shared Folders

We’ll use the built-in functions to enable file sharing on both Mac and Windows. On a Mac, head to System Preferences > Sharing, then check File Sharing. Click Options, then check Share files and folders using SMB.

On Windows, you need to make sure to turn on Network Discovery and check Turn on file and printer sharing. If you’re doing it for the first time, then check out our complete guide on how to enable file sharing on Mac and PC.

Permission Settings

Any access privilege you give to network file service has the same ownership and permission architecture used by the local file system. On macOS, the standard file-system permission is based on the UNIX-style permissions.

In this, you can define privilege rules separately at each ownership tier. The owner, group, and everyone else has specific access to each file or folder. For any shared folder, we recommend you give “read-only” access to everyone.

On a PC, each file and folder on an NTFS-formatted volume has an ACL (Access Control List). An ACL comprises of access control entry for each user. With NTFS, you can control access and allow a different type of access for each user or group of users.

Connect to a File Server

Open the Files app, then tap the ellipsis (...) icon in the upper-right corner of the Browse pane and tap Connect to Server.

In the Server field, enter the network address of the SMB using the format smb://IP Address. For example, smb://192.168.1.12.

In the next screen, type in the username and password for the server. If the details are correct, you’ll get connected to the network device. The new share will appear under the Shared area of the Browse menu. Tap on your server, and you’ll have access to all your files and folders.

Useful Functions of the Files App

The Files app has different view modes—Icons, List, and Columns. For a particular network share, if you have files nested in multiple folders, then Column View lets you preview the file (PDF, audio file, or video) without opening it, giving you access to markup tools and more.

You can sort your files by name, date, size, or tags. And perform all the regular file management operations (like move, copy, share, or delete) from your server to the iPad or cloud storage service of your choice.

Troubleshooting the Network Share

There are many different devices and NAS setups. Eventually, some of them will have problems connecting or show errors. There are different versions of the SMB protocol—SMB 1.0, SMB 2.0, and SMB 3.0.

On thorough testing, Files in iOS and iPadOS is only compatible with SMB version 2.0 or later. If your Windows PC uses SMB 1.0, you’ll get periodic connection failures, slow transfers, and access denied related errors.

We don’t recommend you enable SMB 1.0 because of security issues.

To check the SMB server configuration, press the Windows + X keys to launch PowerShell (Admin). Then type in

Get-SmbServerConfiguration | Select EnableSMB2Protocol

If the statement is true, then your device supports SMB 2.o. The SMB 2.0 version is tied to “EnableSMB2Protocol” as they share the same stack. If your company uses iPads and periodically shares files with Windows PCs, we recommend enabling SMB encryption for the entire file server. Type in

Set-SmbServerConfiguration –EncryptData $true

Visit the Microsoft website for more details on SMB security enhancements.

That way, your SMB data is end-to-end encrypted and gives you protection against man-in-the-middle attacks. To maintain SMB compatibility, you should update your iPad whenever it’s available.

Best File Manager Apps iPad

Files is a useful app to carry out day-to-day file management operations. With the built-in network share capability, you can view, manage, and transfer files easily.

If you’re searching for any third-party file manager apps, there are still plenty of alternatives available for iPadOS and iOS.

Your Apple ID is the center of your identity when it comes to managing Apple devices and services. Although this ID looks simple, its integration with the Apple ecosystem goes much deeper.

Apple uses "iCloud account" on its support site, but an iCloud account is just a subset of an Apple ID account. You might hear both the iCloud and Apple ID terms interchangeably, but there is nothing wrong in mentioning either of them. What happens when you forget your Apple ID password?

Thankfully, there's no need to panic. We'll show you how to reset the Apple ID password associated with your Apple ID.

If You Have Two-Factor Authentication Enabled

With 2FA, you can only access your account through devices you trust and the web. A trusted device could be an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 9 or later or a Mac with OS X El Capitan or later.

When you sign in to a new device for the first time, you'll need a password and the six-digit verification code shown on your device or sent to your phone number. By entering the code, you confirm that you trust the new device.

You won't need a verification code again unless you sign out, erase the device, or if you change your password. If you have 2FA enabled, you can reset your Apple ID or iCloud password from any trusted device.

1. Reset Your Apple ID Password on an iPhone or iPad

Before proceeding, ensure that your device has iOS 10 or later. Then open the Settings app. Tap [Your Name] > Password & Security, then Change password.

Next, type in the passcode you use to unlock your device.

On the Change Password screen that appears, enter a new password in both fields, and tap Change. Now you can enter this new Apple ID password on all your other devices.

2. Reset Your Apple ID Password on a Mac

In macOS Catalina or later, go to Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Apple ID.

In earlier versions of macOS, go to System Preferences > iCloud, click Account Details, and click Security.

Click Password & Security, then click Change Password.

You may be prompted to enter a password for an administrative account and click OK.

From the dialog that appears, enter your new password and type it again in the Verify field. Then, click Change. Your other devices will ask you to enter the new password when you next use them.

3. Reset Your Apple ID Password on the iForgot Website

Go to Apple's iForgot website. Enter your Apple ID and click Continue.

Apple displays phone numbers associated with the Apple ID (the numbers are hidden, only the last two digits are shown). Enter the phone number that you use with your Apple ID and click Continue.

As with a 2FA login, a dialog appears on your trusted devices, a list of which Apple appears on the website. Click or tap Allow in the Reset Password message.

Enter your device passcode or macOS admin password and click Continue.

Enter a new password, re-enter it in the Verify field, and tap Next or click Change. Your password is now changed. You may need to re-enter it in a number of locations.

4. Reset Your Apple ID Password Using the Apple Support App

If you can't access any of your devices, you can reset your Apple ID password on a friend or family member's iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using the Apple Support app or Find My iPhone app.

Ask the device owner to download the Apple Support app. Under Topic, tap Passwords & Security. Tap Reset Apple ID password. Tap Get Started, then tap A different Apple ID.

Enter the Apple ID that you need to reset the password for, then tap Next and follow the steps on your screen until you receive the confirmation.

If the device uses iOS 9 to iOS 12 and they can't download the Apple Support app, use the Find My iPhone app instead.

If You Use Two-Step Verification

Before 2FA, Apple offered two-step verification. With this, Apple sends a short numeric code using the Find My iPhone system in iOS and via a text message to other devices. Macs couldn't receive these codes.

The old system also relies on a 14-character long recovery code. If your account became locked, and you lost the recovery code, you might never regain access to your account.

Two-step verification is available if your device is running software older than iOS 9 or OS X El Capitan.

When devices update to later software, their security settings automatically update to 2FA.

5. Reset Your Apple ID Password With Two-Step Verification Enabled

To reset an Apple ID protected with two-step verification, you need to have the recovery key and a trusted device or phone number. Follow these steps:

1. Go to Apple's iForgot website.
2. Enter your Apple ID and click Continue.
3. Select the option to reset your password and hit Continue again.
4. Type in your recovery code and choose Continue.
5. Select a trusted device.
6. Enter the confirmation code.
7. Select a new password, then click Reset Password.

As shown in Apple's support document on resetting a two-step password, you at least need two of these three items to sign in successfully. One is your Apple ID password, the second is a trusted device, and the third is your recovery key.

If you've lost any two of these items, you might never get access to your account again. You're unfortunately out of options, and thus have to create a new Apple ID.

How to Reset a Password-Only Apple ID Account

Forgot your Apple ID password and don't use two-step or 2FA on your account? You can still reset your password using Apple's iForgot website.

6. Reset Your Apple ID Using the iForgot Website

Visit the iForgot website and enter your Apple ID username. Then follow the simple prompts to reset your password. Because you don't have any of these additional security measures, you can reset your password via email or with security questions, if you still have those setup.

Once you reset your Apple ID password, you should seriously consider enabling additional security protection. There's no reason to use only password protection when 2FA provides vastly superior security. Follow our guide on securing your Apple account with 2FA.

You might also want to consider enabling 2FA for other online services. And once you do, use one of these Mac apps to generate 2FA codes easily. (You don't need an authenticator app to generate codes for your Apple account. The code will appear on one of your trusted Apple devices.)

Add More Self-Recovery Information for the Future

If you lose a device or password, instead of having to convince someone at Apple that you're the legitimate owner, you can quickly recover your account by ensuring it has extra recovery information. Sign in to the Apple ID website and consider:

• Including one or more "reachable at" addresses. Apple uses them in assisted account recovery.
• Adding a backup trusted phone number. For example, you can add your partner or a parent's phone number.
• If you use two-step verification, printing the recovery code and keeping it in a secured place.
• Never using a work address or other email addresses you might lose access to in the future. That includes addresses you share with another person.

Don't Forget: Use a Password Manager

Apple gives you a lot of methods to reset your Apple ID or iCloud password. Which method you use depends on how your account is set up. We highly recommend you to use 2FA for your Apple ID.

Once you change your password, use a password manager for storing your authentication details. There are lots of excellent password managers available to use with Apple products.