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Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points
For the best security, performance, and reliability, we recommend these settings for Wi-Fi routers, base stations, or access points used with Apple products.

This information is primarily for network administrators and others who manage their own network. For information about how to join a Wi-Fi network, consult these articles instead:

Connect Mac to Wi-Fi

Connect iPhone or iPad to Wi-Fi

Connect Apple Vision Pro to Wi-Fi

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Create a bootable installer for macOS
You can use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install the Mac operating system. These steps are primarily for system administrators and other experienced users.

Do you need a bootable installer?
You don't need a bootable installer to upgrade macOS or reinstall macOS. However, a bootable installer can be useful when those or other macOS installation methods are unsuccessful, or when you want to install macOS on multiple computers without downloading the installer each time.

Creating a bootable installer is not the same as preparing an external storage device for use as a startup disk.

Download the full macOS installer
Get the full installer by downloading it via the App Store or your web browser using the download links and instructions in How to download and install macOS. Important:

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About lossless audio in Apple Music
Our commitment to your listening experience
Apple Music delivers an unparalleled listening experience that’s defined by the highest standards of audio quality. We've developed our own implementation of AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) that delivers audio that’s virtually indistinguishable from the original studio recording. We've also introduced Apple Digital Masters to deliver the highest-quality recordings. And now, we're offering Apple Music subscribers the additional option to access most of the Apple Music catalog encoded using lossless audio compression at no extra cost.

What is lossless audio compression?
Most audio compression techniques lose some amount of data contained in the original source file. Lossless compression is a form of compression that preserves all of the original data.

Apple has developed its own lossless audio compression technology called Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC). In addition to AAC, most of the Apple Music catalog is now also encoded using A

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How to download and install macOS
Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

To maintain your computer's security, stability, and compatibility, Apple recommends using the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac. macOS updates and upgrades also include the latest features and built-in apps such as Safari and Apple Music.

Use Software Update

Use macOS Recovery

Use the App Store

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Use Apple products on enterprise networks
Learn which hosts and ports are required to use your Apple products on enterprise networks.

This article is intended for enterprise and education network administrators.

Apple products require access to the internet hosts in this article for a variety of services. Here's how your devices connect to hosts and work with proxies:

Network connections to the hosts below are initiated by the device, not by hosts operated by Apple.

Apple services will fail any connection that uses HTTPS Interception (SSL Inspection). If the HTTPS traffic traverses a web proxy, disable HTTPS Interception for the hosts listed in this article.

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About Power Modes on your Mac
Power Modes allow you to tailor your Mac's performance to your workload.

Low Power Mode
Low Power Mode reduces energy use to increase battery life. In macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later, Low Power Mode also reduces fan noise for tasks requiring silent environments, and allows reduced power consumption if your Mac is always left on.

You can use Low Power Mode with reduced fan noise on the following models:

MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)

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About Apple threat notifications and protecting against mercenary spyware
Apple threat notifications are designed to inform and assist users who may have been individually targeted by mercenary spyware attacks.

Apple threat notifications are designed to inform and assist users who may have been individually targeted by mercenary spyware attacks, likely because of who they are or what they do. Such attacks are vastly more complex than regular cybercriminal activity and consumer malware, as mercenary spyware attackers apply exceptional resources to target a very small number of specific individuals and their devices. Mercenary spyware attacks cost millions of dollars and often have a short shelf life, making them much harder to detect and prevent. The vast majority of users will never be targeted by such attacks.

According to public reporting and research by civil society organizations, technology firms, and journalists, individually targeted attacks of such exceptional cost and complexity have historically b

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Download and install Windows support software on your Mac
After using Boot Camp Assistant to install or upgrade Microsoft Windows on your Mac, you might also need to install the latest Windows support software (drivers) from Apple.

When to install Windows support software
Normally when you install Microsoft Windows on your Mac, Boot Camp Assistant automatically opens the Boot Camp installer, which installs the latest Windows support software (drivers).

If that doesn't happen, or you experience any of the following issues while using Windows on your Mac, follow the steps in this article.

Your Apple mouse, trackpad, or keyboard isn't working in Windows. (Force Touch isn't designed to work in Windows.)

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iPhone Mirroring: Use your iPhone from your Mac
With iPhone Mirroring, you can wirelessly interact with your iPhone and its apps and notifications from your Mac. Your iPhone stays locked, so no one else can access it or use it to see what you’re doing.

MacBook Air mirroring a nearby iPhone.
Get ready

Start or stop iPhone Mirroring

Interact with iPhone using iPhone Mirroring

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If your iPhone or iPad is running slow
Try these tips if your iPhone or iPad freezes or has performance issues.

Check your network conditions
Apps often need an internet connection, and slow performance can occur due to network congestion or when a device reconnects to cell towers while moving. Even with a strong signal, you might need to wait, try a different location, or use Wi-Fi. Contact your carrier if cellular data issues persist across multiple locations.

Learn more about cellular data

Close an app that's not responding
To force close an app on your iPhone or iPad: