Apple's Confusing Modifier Key Icons

Problem: You would like to use a keyboard shortcut that appears in a Mac app's menu, but you don't recognize the modifier keys by their icon.

Solution: From Apple's website, here's a list of the modifier key icons...

 (Command key) - On some older Apple keyboards, this key also has an Apple logo
 (Control key)
 (Option key) - "Alt" may also appear on this key
 (Shift key)
 (Caps Lock) - Toggles Caps Lock on or off
 Fn (Function key)

How to Take a Screenshot on your iPhone

Issue: You want to take a screenshot of what's currently displayed on your iPhone (e.g., a webpage, a picture on the Instagram app).

Solution: Hold the On/Off button and quickly press and release the Home button. The screenshot will be stored in your photo library.

Disabling Apple TV Remote on a Mac Running Mac OS X Lion (10.7.x) or Mountain Lion (10.8.x)

Problem: When you use your Apple TV's remote, your Mac responds to the command (e.g., iTunes launches and plays a song).

Solution: Follow these steps

1) Go to System Preferences / Security & Privacy / Privacy
2) Click on the Lock icon
3) Type password
4) Click on Advanced...
5) Check the "Disable remote control infrared receiver" option
6) Click on the Lock icon
7) Close the System Preference window

Resetting Your iPhone Voicemail Password

Problem: Your iPhone keeps asking you to enter your voicemail password, but you don't remember it.

Solution: Reset your password using AT&T's automated system with the instructions below.

From AT&T's website...

Reset voicemail password with AT&T's automated system

Call 611 from your iPhone,
Press 1 to confirm your phone number,
Press 5 to go to voice mail help,
Press 1 to reset your password,
Enter the billing zip code for the account.

AT&T will send you a text message with a temporary password
Remember or copy the temporary password
Go to Settings > Phone > Change Voicemail Password
Change your password

Preventing Safari from Opening with Previously Opened Pages

Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) has a new feature that automatically loads web pages that were open when you last quit Safari. This can be useful in some situations, but it can also be very annoying at times.

To prevent Safari from starting up with the previously opened web pages, type the following in a window of the Terminal app...

defaults write com.apple.Safari ApplePersistenceIgnoreState YES

To turn the feature back on, type


defaults write com.apple.Safari ApplePersistenceIgnoreState NO