Sweet Sixteen
Happy birthday pussycat ❤️
It’s the journey that counts not the destination.
The sun is shining more brightly today :)
Twenty years today
, we were in Colva, Goa, about to start a wonderful journey sharing our lives together.
7305 days later my love for you is stronger than ever.
Happy ❤️ anniversary!
Currently playing in iTunes: I Skovens Dybe Stille Ro by Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.
How I upgrade iOS devices
Friends and family often call me out after an unsuccessful iPhone upgrade, to help them figure out why data is missing or to restore a missing feature. This happens when upgrading devices, or after an unexpected event such as a broken, lost or stolen iPhone.
I have taken the habit throughout the years, as our systems get more complex and more interlocked, to write up lists of things to do and check, before and after. Probably a sign of my growing age too…
What appears below is a Note I maintain and share regularly with regards to the iPhone upgrading process. It might not all apply to you, as you might use different apps, and not run all the same setting as me, but the process should apply to a majority of users.
I assume you have full access to your devices and know all your passwords.
Switching iPhones
This is a list of things to think about when upgrading your iOS device. Applies partly when setting up a new device from scratch (lost or stolen device).
Notes:
- I run with all iCloud settings on, so Safari, Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Photos etc… are automatically synced to my new device;
- I use 1Password for password management and Authy for second factor authentication.
Before
- Remove all unnecessary apps from old device;
- Update all apps and system on old device;
- Create a playlist of downloaded songs in Apple Music (see note below);
- Unpair Apple Watch (forces a complete backup);
- Perform an iCloud backup;
- Switch old device to airplane mode;
- Perform an iTunes encrypted backup;
- Remove SIM card from old device and insert into new device;
- Setup new device as new iPhone to update system;
- Reset all settings and data on new device.
- Restore iTunes backup to new device;
- Wait for all apps to download (e.g. do it over night);
Bootup new device and complete install
- Setup Touch ID;
- Add Credit cards to ApplePay;
- Install Email certificates;
- Pair Apple Watch;
- Audible download;
- Kindle download;
- Music download (use playlist);
- Unlock Authy backup (you will need to enter your backup password).
Check
- 1Password has synced;
- Authy has synced;
- iTunes list of devices and remove previous device authorisation;
- Google Photos is working correctly;
- Health is beeing fed the correct data;
- Check social networks passwords (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc…) in System Preferences > Internet Accounts.
A week later (or more)
- Remove playlist of downloaded songs from Apple Music;
- Delete previous iCloud backup;
- Wipe clean previous device;
- Hand down device.
Annoying things:
Apple Music doesn't remember what songs were downloaded to your device (neither does Books, Audible or Kindle for that matter). This might be for space reasons (e.g. in case you upgrade to a device with less space?) so it might be a good idea to create a playlist with your downloaded songs if that matters to you.
Flight From The City
I love this movie by Jóhann Jóhannsson.
“Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac” not showing up after turning Two Step Verification off
Among all the new features of macOS Sierra that launched , it's “Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac” I wanted to try first.
At first, it seemed really easy: just check the box labeled “Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac” in System Preferences → Security and Privacy → General on your Mac. It turns out there are a few more loops to jump through if you have “Two Step Verification” turned on on your Apple ID. Checking the box failed with a message saying that this feature couldn't be enabled while “Two Step Verification” (2SV) was on.
I never realised Apple had two different processes with similar usability and slightly different names to strengthen security.
So I headed off to turn “Two Step Verification” off for my Apple ID. Turning this feature off prompts you to choose a new set of security questions (eventhough you might have done that previously before enabling Two Step Verification). Once that completed, it fires off emails to all your verified accounts warning that the security has changed.
When I returned to System Preferences → Security and Privacy → General on your Mac to enable the new feature, I discovered that the checkbox was gone… as if my devices didn't recognise each other anymore.
That is when I discovered that there was a “Two Factor Authtenication” (2FA)process available, which I enabled on my Mac through the security section of my Apple ID account. But the checkbox still didn't appear.
Rebooting all devices (Mac, iPhone, Watch) didn't help either.
It turned out you need to go in your iCloud settings to revalidate your Apple ID on all your devices. This means entering your Apple ID password in the iCloud setting (and in the Watch app on the iPhone), confirm it with a 2FA code, and revalidate it with your device password. Once all this completed, the checkbox reappeared in my Security settings on my Mac and I could unlock my Mac just by sitting in front of it.
I'm still a little perplexed by the complexity of the task at hand. Was I an edge case having 2SV enabled? Was 2SV launched before 2FA? I guess the latter superseeds the former , but it feels very unApple to offer two distinct processes so similar.
More information on Apple Two-Factor Authentication vs. Two-Step Verification
