Security

Do you have some information that you want to keep for your eyes only? You can add secure notes into your keychain and you can decrypt on an 'as needed' basis. Ideas include offshore Cayman Island bank accounts & other clandestine activities ;-). Seriously, you can keep info like this, or maybe the recipe for your secret chili sauce.

Here is how to do it:

Open 'Keychain Access'

Finder -> Go -> Utilities -> Keychain Access READ MORE »

Mac OS X offers the option to require a password when you wake your Mac up from a screen-saver or Sleep. This is nice, but you have to use both - the screen-saver and sleep mode. If you choose this option, and don't want to keep entering your password every-time the screen-saver starts, you are out of luck.

Here is how to setup your Mac so that you will only be prompted for your password when you wake your Mac from sleep. It's a bit of a work around, but it does work.

1. Open 'System Preferences'

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If you have multiple users on your Mac, eventually someone will forget their password. This is no problem for the Administrator... it's easy to reset a users password. Note: You need to be using an Administrator account to do this tip.

Here is how to do it:
Open 'System Preferences'
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Are you a bit paranoid or security conscious? Perhaps you want to be able to track down when someone is trying to break into your Mac. OS X has a decent firewall, but tracking down what it's blocking can be a bit of a chore. Logging isn't on by default, so you have to do this manually.
Here is how to do it:

Open 'System Preferences'

next, choose 'Sharing'
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The default OS X login for multiple users is the GUI (graphical user interface) login. You see a picture and click on it, and if necessary, you are prompted for a password.

If you want to temporarily change from the GUI to the text based login screen, you can do it with a simple keystroke.
Here is how to do it:

From the GUI login screen, hold down OPTION + SHIFT + DOWN ARROW and then press RETURN.
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To moderate what your children are exposed to, Apple has setup some new Parental Control features in OS X. While they aren't the most robust, they do the job, if configured properly. Here is how to setup parental controls for email.
Note: Your child must have their own account in OS X, or you can't set these up.

Open 'System Preferences'. 'Apple menu -> System Preferences'.
Choose 'Accounts'

Now, if the 'padlock' is locked, click on it and 'authenticate'. This will allow you to make changes.
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Spotlight can index your deepest darkest secrets on your Mac. That's great, if you want to find them quickly. What if you don't want them to be found during a spotlight search?

Here is how to do it:
Open System Preferences (Apple menu -> System Preferences)

Next, choose 'Spotlight'

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