Dec 31, 2017 When I go into 'Choose default apps by file extension' I find that files with a '.url' extension are associated with 'Internet Browser' instead of with Firefox (version 57). When I click on ' Internet Browser ' the only 2 selections are ' Internet Browser ' and 'look for an app in the store'. MORE: How to Force Quit an App in Mac OS X One of the nice things about the Mac is that when you double click on a file, it automatically opens in a default application. For example, double. Open (launch or activate) another app. Open a document or URL. Identify the preferred app to use to open a document or URL. Register the type of documents or URLs an app is capable of working with. Keep track of information needed for displaying a file or URL, including its icon, name, and kind (examples: JPEG, PDF, Folder, Volume).
Launch Services is a core service of the Mac OS that enables an actively running application to open other apps, documents, or URLs (Uniform Resource Locators). Launch Services is also used to prioritize which app is used to open a document or URL.
Launch Services replaced a number of earlier system managers the Mac used to use, such as the Desktop Manager, Internet Config, and File Manager, replacing them with the single Launch Services system, and the database Launch Services maintains to keep track of all things related to how documents and apps relate to each other.
Launch Services allows an app or document to:
- Open (launch or activate) another app.
- Open a document or URL.
- Identify the preferred app to use to open a document or URL.
- Register the type of documents or URLs an app is capable of working with.
- Keep track of information needed for displaying a file or URL, including its icon, name, and kind (examples: JPEG, PDF, Folder, Volume).
(Launch Services keeps track of which apps can work with a selected document.)
In past versions of the Mac OS, this type of information was maintained by the Finder, as well as by some specific system managers. By consolidating this information to the Launch Services, it allows for greater reliability, easier (actually, automatic) registration of file and document associations, and less need to repair file association information. If you remember having to rebuild the Desktop frequently on older Macs, then you know the file associations tended to get out of whack often.
Launch Services maintains a database aptly known as the Launch Services Database, which is used to record all the needed information about apps, documents, and URLs to determine which items an app is capable of working with.
Application Registration
Launch Services automatically registers an app with the database the first time the app becomes known to the system. This can occur when:
- The Finder reports an app has been added to the Applications folder.
- An app installer is run.
- When a document is opened that has no preferred app, the user is asked to select an app to use, and that app is registered with Launch Services.
- When the built-in Launch Services tool is run whenever you boot your Mac or login as a user. This tool scans the Applications folder looking for any new apps that have been placed there.
(Dragging an app to the Applications folder is one of the ways an app is registered with Launch Services.)
Opening Documents
When you open a document or URL, Launch Services is used to determine which app to use to open the item. Launch Services uses the following specific order to check for which app to use:
User-Specified Binding: If the user has set a specific binding by manually setting a file association, then use that app to open the document or URL. Do not check further. Note: You can manually set file associations using one of the tips in: Quick Tip: Managing macOS File Associations or macOS 101: Six “Forgotten” Tips for New (and Old) Mac Users.
If the document has a file name extension, Launch Services will find all apps that list the extension as compatible.
If the document has a four-character file type, Launch Services finds all apps that accept the file type.
If more than one app is found, the following is used to determine a preference:
If the document has a four-character creator type that matches an app:
Give preference to apps on the boot volume.
Give preferences to apps residing on local volumes vs. ones on remote volumes.
If two or more files and an app still meet the criteria, give preference to the newest version.
What Could Go Wrong?
For the most part, Launch Services and its database provide a robust and reliable service for managing app and document associations. But as we all know, sometimes things can go wrong. Some of the most common problems encountered include:
- Wrong document icon: The most common form this problem takes is a document file having a generic icon when it should have an icon associated with the app that was used to create it. Other possible icon issues include a document having an icon from another app, and not the one you used to create it.
- Recent Items menu or Recent Items Dock stacks being incorrect: The Recent Items listing isn’t showing the correct app or doc, or isn’t being updated when you open an app or doc.
- Open With menu: If the Finder’s File, Open With menu or the contextual (right-click a file icon) Open With menu is displaying duplicate entries, or one or more apps are being listed that should not be used to open the document type.
- Wrong app associated with a document: This is similar to the Open With problem listed above, but in this case, the problem occurs because an app you used to use has been removed from your Mac, and the Launch Services database, for an unknown reason, wasn’t correctly updated.
(If the Open With menu is showing duplicate apps, incorrect apps for the file type, or apps no longer installed on your Mac, it may be time to rebuild the Launch Services database.)
Rebuilding Launch Services Database
Any of the above issues can usually be fixed by rebuilding the Launch Services database. You’ll find instructions for two different methods of rebuilding the database in the Rocket Yard guide: Quick Tip: Managing macOS File Associations.
If you’re running into an issue where an app continues to show up as either the default or a recommended app in the Open With menu, but the app isn’t one that should be used to open the document type, or is one you don’t wish to ever use, you can manually remove that app’s association with the document and prevent it from ever appearing in the Open With list again.
Remove a Single App from the Open With Menu
The technique to remove a single app from the Open With list requires you to edit the app’s Info.plist file and rebuild the Launch Services Database. Essentially, you’re removing a file extension type that the app in question knows how to work with. By eliminating the extension type from the app’s Info.plist, you make the app blind to the removed file type.
One common reason for doing this is to prevent an app from opening to edit or view a specific file type. For instance, you may normally use Photoshop to work with most graphics file types, but you prefer a different app for viewing PDF files.
Normally, you would use the option to create a User-Specified binding, as outlined above, to make sure those PDF image files are opened in your preferred app. But creating a User-Specified binding won’t keep the original app from being included in the Open With menu. If an app showing up in the Open With menu is really an issue for you, you can remove it using the following technique.
(An app’s Info.plist file can be edited to remove extension types you don’t wish to have the app work with.)
Before you attempt this method, make sure you have a current backup. You’re going to be making changes to an app, changes that can affect how the app in question works. If something should go wrong, you’ll want to be able to restore the app from a backup.
Using the Finder, browse to the app you wish to keep out of the Open With menu.
Right-click the app, and select Show Package Contents.
Open the Contents folder.
Right-click the Info.plist file, and select Duplicate from the popup menu.
This will create a file named Info copy.plist. This copy contains the data from the original Info.plist file. You can use this file to restore the Info.plist file to its original state should you ever need to. This step is just a precaution.
Right-click the Info.plist file, and select Open With from the popup menu. Apple mac must have software.
You can open the Info.plist file with just about any text editor, including TextEdit, but I recommend using a text editor such as BBEdit, which knows how to format property list files for easier readability.
Using the text editor’s search function, locate the CFBundleTypeExtensions key.
There can be multiple CFBundleTypeExtensions keys in the Info.plist file; look for the one that incudes the following entry, just after the CFBundleTypeExtension key: <string>pdf</string>.
Once you locate the extension suffix you wish to remove, use the text editor to delete the entire line that says: <string>pdf</string> (in this example).
Save the edited Info.plist file.
Use the linked instructions, above, to rebuild the Launch Services database.
Rebuilding Launch Services on Older Versions of the Mac OS
Launch Services has undergone a few changes over the years since it was first made available. If you’re using an older version of OS X, you may have seen error messages when you tried to rebuild the Launch Services database. Here are the instructions to perform a rebuild for earlier versions of OS X:
(The Terminal app can be used to rebuild the Launch Services database in most versions of the Mac OS.)
OS X Jaguar (10.2)
Quit all apps.
Delete the com.apple.LaunchServices.plist file located at ~/Library/Preferences.
Jun 04, 2019 List of apps that have asked for camera access in macOS Mojave. Apps with access to the camera will have a check mark in the above list. You can revoke access by unchecking the app you want to revoke access to. There's a separate list for apps which have requested microphone access. MacOS will only prompt you once for each app. Control access to your microphone on Mac. On your Mac, choose Apple menu System Preferences, click Security & Privacy, then click Privacy. Open the Privacy pane for me. Select Microphone. Select the checkbox next to an app to allow it to access the microphone. Deselect the checkbox to turn off. Add pages to apps access microphone mac mojave download.
Delete the com.apple.LaunchServices.UserCache.csstore file located at ~/Library/Caches.
Restart your Mac.
Mac Associate Url With App Iphone
OS X Panther (10.3)
Follow the instructions for OS X Jaguar and include the following item in the list of files to be deleted:
com.apple.LaunchServices.6B.csstore located at /Library/Cache.
OS X Tiger (10.4)
Follow the instructions for OS X Jaguar, and include the following items in the list of files to be deleted:
com.apple.LaunchServices-0140.csstore
com.apple.LaunchServices-014xxx.csstore. The xxx is a stand in for a UID (User ID) number that is unique to you.
Mac Associate Url With App Store
The above files are located at /Library/Cache.
OS X Leopard (10.5) and Snow Leopard (10.6)
Use the following Terminal command in place of the one mentioned in the linked article under the Rebuilding Launch Services Database section, above:
find /System/Library/Frameworks -type f -name “lsregister” -exec {} -kill -seed -r ;
OS X Lion (10.7) and later
Use the Terminal command as directed in the linked article.
If you run into any problems we haven’t covered, or discover a new tip, please share the info in the comments section, below.
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Did you just pick up a shiny new 13-inch MacBook Pro? Or even a 16-inch MacBook Pro, maybe a MacBook Air, perhaps an iMac? No matter your Mac of choice, there are some Mac apps out there that are just so good that they should be one of the first apps that you download and install on your new machine right away! Here are our favorites.
Dropbox
Dropbox is a cloud storage service that lets you easily backup important documents, files, photos, video, and other things. While your stuff is stored in Dropbox, you can access it across any other device, as long as you're logged in to the same account. Any changes to your files get saved automatically, though you can also check older versions on the web interface if needed. Everything you upload into Dropbox is encrypted, and there are also collaborative features that make it easy to share files with others. One thing I absolutely love about Dropbox is how it integrates with pretty much any other app I need, so my stuff is accessible from anywhere and in anything.
A free account gives you 2GB for free (and the chance to get more space with referrals), but they have plans that start at around $11.99 for 2TB.
Dropbox
Online backup for all of your files, with integrations in almost every app.
Source: iMore
I'm on Twitter pretty much all day, every day. My app of choice is Tweetbot from Tapbots. The reason I use Tweetbot over every other Twitter app is because I love the interface, as it's easy to use, and it provides plenty of powerful features. You can quickly search for topics that interest you, filter and mute hashtags and people that are annoying you temporarily (or permanently, it's up to you), create lists, and there is support for a multi-column view. I've been using Tweetbot on my iOS and Mac devices for years — there's no other app that I would rather use. Plus, you don't see promoted ad tweets.
Tweetbot
Tweetbot has plenty of powerful features that make it the best Twitter app on Mac.
Source: iMore
While I use Safari as my default browser on my Mac, it's always good to have an alternative, especially since some things don't always work properly in Safari. For my alternative, I use Google Chrome. It syncs with your Google account, has numerous plugins and extensions to enhance the browser experience, and it works better with certain Google apps than Safari, like Meet.
Google Chrome
Chrome is a great alternative browser that syncs with your Google account and has a ton of plugins and extensions.
Source: iMore
I have a lot going on daily, so my schedule gets really hectic at times. That's why I need a calendar, and I continue to use Fantastical on my Mac. Fantastical has a beautiful interface that is easy to use, and you have several different views on how to look at your calendar. It integrates with your iCloud, Google, Exchange, or even local calendar, so any changes are saved and sync automatically. The agenda list view is a great way to see what's coming up in your schedule, and it's easy to create events with the natural language input support. Fantastical also integrates with Reminders, so you have your calendar and tasks in one place.
Fantastical
Fantastical provides a beautiful interface for your schedule, and natural language input makes it easy to schedule events and reminders.
Source: iMore
One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself online is to have secure passwords. For this, you're going to want a good password manager, which can track your passwords and other sensitive data, while also helping you generate randomized passwords to use. With 1Password, you can create different vaults for personal and work accounts (or whatever else you need), sync your data across multiple devices (it's available on everything), and even store things like bank info, credit card numbers, and other things that need extra security. 1Password encrypts everything so that it's safe, and you can't even get in without a master password. I've been using 1Password for years, and it's one app that I cannot live without.
1Password
Generate safe and secure randomized passwords, track all of your passwords and other sensitive data, and sync everything on all of your devices.
Source: iMore
Need to do a bit of hard drive cleanup? DaisyDisk is a must have. This app lets you easily see what is cluttering up your hard drive thanks to bright and colorful blocks, so you can see what's taking up the most space. You can delete stuff directly from DaisyDisk to free up space, and it's all done in an intuitive interface that's a joy to use. Decluttering has never been prettier.
DaisyDisk
Mac Associate Url With App Free
DaisyDisk lets you easily visualize what's on your hard drive, and you can delete useless files directly through DaisyDisk's intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
Source: iMore
Once you start installing a lot of apps, you may find your Menubar cluttered with a bunch of icons. Bartender is an app that helps you tidy up that Menubar by tucking away unwanted icons into a kind of sub-Menubar. With Bartender, you can choose to rearrange your icons into an order that makes more sense to you, as well as choosing what is shown in the main Menubar, and what to hide in a secondary Menubar. Or, you can hide some items completely, because they're unnecessary — it's up to you.
Bartender
Tidy up your Menubar by rearranging and hiding app's Menubar icons as you see fit.
Source: iMore
The Spotlight Search in macOS is alright, but you can do so much more with Alfred. Alfred is essentially Spotlight on steroids. You can do your basic search functionality, but you can also create workflows to make your life easier, access your clipboard history at anytime, view contact info, have app integrations, text expansion, search the web, and more.
Alfred 4
Boost your productivity like never before with Alfred and it's many magical wonders with the keyboard.
Source: Pixelmator Team
Whether you're an amateur or professional, you may end up having to do some photo editing at some point. Pixelmator Pro is one of our favorite apps to get the job done. It's a powerful photo editor that will have all of the tools you need, but it's intuitive and easy to use, unlike Photoshop, which some may find intimidating. With Pixelmator Pro, you have many professional and non-destructive editing tools, allowing you to bring the best out of your photographs. And the image editing is enhanced by Pixelmator's machine learning, so you get the absolute best looking photos with ease. Plus, the price is reasonable and affordable.
Pixelmator Pro
Pixelmator Pro brings professional-grade tools in a simple and easy-to-use interface for everyone.
Source: Bare Bones Software, Inc.
If you're looking for a professional text, code, and markup editor, then you should download BBEdit. It's used often by web application developers, writers, and software developers who need powerful tools for editing, searching, and manipulation of text, code, and HTML/XML markup. Some features of BBEdit include grep pattern matching, search and replace across multiple files, project definition tools, function navigation and syntax coloring for a wide variety of source code languages, code folding, and more.
Unsure if BBEdit is what you're looking for? The app has a 30-day trial for you to put the app through its paces, and then you can decide whether or not to purchase the full package, which has even more advanced features. But you can continue to use the free version of BBEdit too.
BBEdit
BBEdit is one of the best go-to apps out there for text, code, and markup editing.
What are your favorite apps?
These are just a few of our favorite must-have apps for a new Mac. Do you have any recommendations of your own? Let us know in the comments!
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