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MacOS High Sierra 17B1003 Fixes File Sharing Bug from Security Update 2017-001

written by applenws

A second small supplemental software update has been released for MacOS High Sierra users who installed the prior release of Security Update 2017-001 for High Sierra, which fixed the root login bug but then caused a problem with file sharing.

The new small software update, which apparently resolves the file sharing issue along with the root login bug, changes the build of macOS High Sierra to 17B1003. The new update should download and arrive automatically to impacted Macs running macOS High Sierra 10.13.1.


If the update doesn’t install manually, then you get the update yourself as well by using the command line softwareupdate utility, or by visiting the Mac App Store “Updates” tab where you might see another version of “Security Update 2017-001” available to download.

You can also check the build number of Mac OS by using the “About This Mac” screen and clicking on the “Version” text, or by turning to the command line and issuing the following syntax:

sw_vers -buildVersion

If the build reported is “17B1002” then you have not yet installed the new updated version of the Security Update, which should fix the file sharing bug.

If the build reported is “17B1003” then the new fixed version has been installed already.

Assuming the version you see is 17B1002, then you can manually initiate the software update through the command line, either by choosing it specifically, or by installing all available software updates for that Mac.

You can then blanket install all available software updates with the -ia flag, or you can specify the specific Security Update update only.

softwarewareupdate -ia

softwareupdate -i "Security Update 2017-001"

A special thanks to @gregneagle on Twitter for pointing this out and confirming that 17B1003 patches the file sharing issue with macOS High Sierra.

Direct Download Links for macOS High Sierra Supplemental Security Update 2017-001

Though not necessary for most people, MacOS High Sierra users can also choose to download the patches directly from Apple and install them from DMG files, for either 10.13 or 10.13.1:

MacOS 10.13.1 supplemental update

As always, it’s a good idea to backup a Mac before installing any software update.

Source: OSX Daily

November 30, 2017 0 comment
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How Fix File Sharing in macOS High Sierra After Installing the Root Bug Security Update

written by applenws

Some Mac users have discovered that file sharing capabilities, connections, and file sharing authentications are no longer working after installing the root bug Security Update for macOS High Sierra.

While the Security Update 2017-001 patch is a critical update to install to prevent unauthorized access to any Mac running macOS High Sierra, breaking file sharing on Macs is not particularly desirable either.

The good news is that Apple has provided a workaround to fix the broken file sharing problem that might occur after patching the root bug problem, so you can still install the critically important security patch without giving up file sharing capabilities on the impacted MacOS High Sierra computer.


Note this workaround only applies to macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 because that is the only version of macOS High Sierra which received the root bug patch.

How to Fix File Sharing in macOS High Sierra After Installing Security Update 2017-001

  1. Open the Terminal application, it is located within the /Applications/Utilities/ folder on the Mac
  2. Enter the following command syntax exactly:

    3. sudo /usr/libexec/configureLocalKDC

  3. Hit the Return key, then enter your administrator password to authenticate with sudo
  4. Quit out of the Terminal application

Go ahead and try an AFP or SMB file sharing connection after issuing the Terminal command on the impacted machine

These instructions come directly from Apple and are aimed to address the file sharing issue.

Presumably a future version of macOS High Sierra will fix both the root bug and the file sharing bug together, perhaps even macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 final (though the current beta version of macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 does not).

Source: OSX Daily

November 29, 2017 0 comment
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Critical Security Update for macOS High Sierra Released to Fix Root Bug, Download & Install Now

written by applenws

Apple has issued a critical security update for macOS High Sierra to address the root login bug which allows anyone to login to macOS High Sierra without a password.

All macOS High Sierra users should install the security update as soon as possible to protect their Mac, even if they have already used the root login fix detailed here. This is perhaps the most urgent Security Update for macOS High Sierra system software released yet, as it will patch the security hole completely.


The software update is labeled as “Security Update 2017-001” and is exclusive to macOS High Sierra. The brief notes attached to the App Store download say “Install this update as soon as possible. Security Update 2017-001 is recommended for all users and improves the security of macOS.”

How to Install macOS High Sierra Security Update 2017-001

  1. Go to the  Apple menu and choose “App Store”
  2. Click the “Updates” tab
  3. When you see “Security Update – Install this update as soon as possible. Security Update 2017-001” available, click on the “Update” button

Security Update for macOS High Sierra fixes root password login bug

The security update, which seems to apply to the “Directory Utility” application in macOS, does not require the Mac to reboot for changes to take effect.

macOS High Sierra Security Update 2017-001 Release Notes

The download notes are brief (“Install this update as soon as possible. Security Update 2017-001 is recommended for all users and improves the security of macOS.”), but Apple details the bug and release notes for the security patch a big more here on a support page:

Security Update 2017-001

Released November 29, 2017

Directory Utility

Available for: macOS High Sierra 10.13.1

Not impacted: macOS Sierra 10.12.6 and earlier 

Impact: An attacker may be able to bypass administrator authentication without supplying the administrator’s password

Description: A logic error existed in the validation of credentials. This was addressed with improved credential validation.

CVE-2017-13872

When you install Security Update 2017-001 on your Mac, the build number of macOS will be 17B1002. Learn how to find the macOS version and build number on your Mac.

If you require the root user account on your Mac, you can enable the root user and change the root user’s password.

Confirming the Security Update Applied to a Mac

Note that while you can download the software update yourself, Apple is reportedly going to start automatically pushing the download to macOS High Sierra machines later.

The simplest way to confirm that Security Update 2017-001 has been applied to a particular Macintosh running macOS High Sierra is to check the Mac OS build number on the computer.

  1. Pull down the  APPLE menu and choose “About This Mac”
  2. Click on the text that says “Version” directly under the “macOS High Sierra” banner
  3. The build number will appear next to the version, if it says “(17B1002)” then the security update has successfully installed

Check to get build number of macOS High Sierra

In the example screenshot, the build version of macOS High Sierra is older than 17B1002, and thus the security patch has not yet been installed.

You can also check the build number of a Mac OS release by using Terminal and the following command syntax:

sw_vers

According to tweets posted by TechCrunch reporter Mathew Panzarino, Apple has released the following statement about the security flaw and the macOS High Sierra security update:

“Security is a top priority for every Apple product, and regrettably we stumbled with this release of macOS”

“When our security engineers became aware of the issue Tuesday afternoon, we immediately began working on an update that closes the security hole. This morning, as of 8 a.m., the update is available for download, and starting later today it will be automatically installed on all systems running the latest version (10.13.1) of macOS High Sierra.
We greatly regret this error and we apologize to all Mac users, both for releasing with this vulnerability and for the concern it has caused. Our customers deserve better. We are auditing our development processes to help prevent this from happening again.”

Note Apple specifically says the update is available to download now, and “starting later today it will be automatically installed on all systems running the latest version (10.13.1) of macOS High Sierra).” This seems to imply that Apple will use the automated security update mechanism available through the Mac App Store to try and push the critical security update onto customers.

It is strongly recommended to install the security software update onto any Macintosh running macOS High Sierra as soon as possible.

A direct download link for macOs High Sierra Security Update 2017-001 is not yet available, but should appear here once it shows up.

Source: OSX Daily

November 29, 2017 0 comment
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MacOS High Sierra Security Bug Allows Root Login Without a Password, Here’s a Fix

written by applenws

A significant security vulnerability has been discovered with macOS High Sierra, potentially allowing any person to log into a Mac with full root administrative capabilities without a password.

This is an urgent security problem, and while a software update should arrive to resolve the problem soon, this article will detail how to protect your Mac from this security hole.

What is the root login bug, and why does it matter?

For some quick background, the security hole allows a person to enter ‘root’ as a username and then immediately login as root to the Mac, without a password. The password-less root login can occur directly with a physical machine at the general user login screen seen on boot, from the System Preferences panels which typically require authentication, or even over VNC and Remote Login if those latter two remote access features are enabled. Any of these scenarios then allow full access to the MacOS High Sierra machine without ever using a password.

A root user account provides the highest level of system access possible on a MacOS or any unix based operating system, root grants all capabilities of administrative user accounts on the machine in addition to unrestricted access to any system level components or files.

Mac users impacted by the security bug include anyone running macOS High Sierra 10.13, 10.13.1, or 10.13.2 betas who have not previously enabled the root account or changed a root user account password on the Mac before, which is the vast majority of Mac users running High Sierra.

Sounds bad, right? It is, but there’s a fairly easy workaround that will prevent this security bug from being a problem. All you have to do is set a root password on the impacted Mac.

How to Prevent Root Login Without a Password in MacOS High Sierra

There are two approaches to preventing root login without a password on a MacOS High Sierra machine, you can use Directory Utility or the command line. We’ll cover both. Directory Utility is perhaps easier for most users since it is accomplished entirely from the graphical interface on the Mac, whereas the command line approach is text based and generally considered more complex.

Using Directory Utility to Lock Down Root

  1. Open Spotlight on the Mac by hitting Command+Spacebar (or clicking the Spotlight icon in the upper right corner of the menubar) and type in “Directory Utility” and hit return to launch the app

    2. prevent root password less login bug

  2. Click the little lock icon in the corner and authenticate with an admin account login

    3. prevent root password less login bug

  3. Now pull down the “Edit” menu and choose “Change Root Password…” ***

    4. prevent root password less login bug

  4. Enter a password for the root user account and confirm, then click “OK”

    5. prevent root password less login bug

  5. Close out of Directory Utility

*** If the root user account is not yet enabled, choose “Enable Root User” and then set a password instead.

Essentially all you are doing is assigning a password to the root account, meaning that logging in with root will then require a password as it should. If you do not assign a password to root this way, amazingly, a macOS High Sierra machine accepts a root login without a password at all.

Using the Command Line to Assign a Root Password

Users who would prefer to use the command line in macOS can also set or assign a root password with sudo and the regular old passwd command.

  1. Open the Terminal application, found in /Applications/Utilities/
  2. Type the following syntax exactly into the terminal, then hit the return key:

    3. sudo passwd root

  3. Enter your admin password to authenticate and hit return
  4. At “New password”, enter a password you won’t forget, hit return, and confirm it

    5. Stop no password root login but in macOS High Sierra from command line

Be sure to set the root password to something you will remember, or perhaps even matching your admin password.

How do I know if my Mac is impacted by the password-free root login bug?

It appears only macOS High Sierra machines are impacted by this security bug. The easiest way to check to see if your Mac is vulnerable to the root login bug is to try and login as root, without a password.

You can do this from the general boot login screen, or via any admin authentication panel (clicking the lock icon) available in System Preferences like FileVault or Users & Groups.

Simply put ‘root’ as the user, do not enter a password, and click “Unlock” twice – if the bug impacts you, then you will be logged in as root or granted root privileges. You must hit “unlock” twice, the first time you click the “unlock” button it creates the root account with a blank password, and the second time you click “unlock” it logs in, allowing for full root access.

The macOS root login bug allows root login without a password

The bug, which is basically a 0day root exploit, was first reported to the public on Twitter by @lemiorhan and has quickly gained steam and media attention due to the potential severity of impact. Apple is apparently aware of the issue and is working on a software update to resolve the problem.

Does the root login bug impact macOS Sierra, Mac OS X El Capitan, or before?

The password-less root login bug appears to only impact macOS High Sierra 10.13.x and does not appear to impact earlier versions of macOS and Mac OS X system software.

Additionally, if you had previously enabled root via the command line or by Directory Utility, or changed the root password at some other time, the bug would not work on such a macOS High Sierra machine.

Remember, Apple is aware of this problem and will issue a security update in the near future to address the bug. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and set or change the root password on Macs running macOS High Sierra to protect them from unauthorized full access to the machine and all its data and contents.

Source: OSX Daily

November 28, 2017 0 comment
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How to Use Apple Diagnostics on Mac to Identify & Troubleshoot Hardware Problems

written by applenws

If your Mac is experiencing unusual problems that you suspect may be a result of a hardware issue, using Apple Diagnostics may help to identify and even troubleshoot a problem.

Apple Diagnostics will run a suite of tests on the Mac to check for hardware issues – meaning, not a problem with system software, but instead it searches for trouble with some sort of hardware component on the Macintosh. For example, if a port is no longer working, a battery has failed, an issue with the graphics card or display, things of that nature that are not related to system software or software related trouble.


Apple Diagnostics is basically the modern incarnation of Apple Hardware Test. Newer Macs will run Apple Diagnostics, whereas older Macs from 2013 and before will run the Apple Hardware Test suite instead. AHT typically displays a bit more information to the end user, while AD is a bit more restrained. Nonetheless, both are initiated the same way, and both are excellent for troubleshooting potential hardware issues on a Mac, regardless of whether it’s an old or new model.

Entering into Apple Diagnostics on a Mac is fairly simple, requiring a keypress on system boot. Here’s what you should do to accurately run the test on a Mac:

How to Run Apple Diagnostics on Mac to Test for Hardware Issues

  1. Disconnect all devices and cables connected to the Mac that are not required for it to function (i.e.; keyboard, mouse, external display, power cable)
  2. Shut down the Mac by going to the  Apple menu and choosing “Shut Down”
  3. Turn on the Mac by pressing the Power button, then immediately press and hold the “D” key on the keyboard
  4. Continue holding the “D” key until you see a screen asking you to select your language, then click on your language choice to proceed

    5. Apple Diagnostics on Mac

  5. Apple Diagnostics will run a series of hardware tests on the Mac, displaying a progress bar on the screen with an estimated time remaining and a “Checking your Mac…” message, this usually takes a few minutes to complete

    6. Apple Diagnostics on Mac

  6. When finished, the Mac will report any issues that are found and show a reference code* if applicable

    7. Run Apple Diagnostics on Mac

  7. You can run the Apple Diagnostic test again by clicking “Run the test again” if desired, otherwise you can choose the “Get Started” support option, “Restart” option, or “Shut Down” option

There are many potential error messages that may show up in Apple Diagnostics, and if you’re not sure what to make of them you can check them with the Apple diagnostic code list discussed further below, or contact Apple directly for support options.

Keep in mind that not every single hardware issue is going to show up or be flagged by Apple Diagnostics. Some more unusual hardware problems may not be discovered by the Apple Diagnostic tool included on Mac, and would need to have additional troubleshooting and discovery tests run by an authorized Apple technician. This can include unusual behavior like a computer that won’t start randomly, or a Mac that randomly shuts down, or some problems with ports or the internal display. Also, any physical damage to the Mac will not show up in Apple Diagnostics, so if your Mac has a big dent in the size or a cracked screen, that will not show up in the hardware test. Neither will something like drying a Mac after the Mac has sustained water or liquid contact, unless the water contact actually damaged something that is then detectable in the diagnostic test. For this reason, the Apple Diagnostic test is not perfect, but it’s a great starting point for end consumers to begin troubleshooting some particularly annoying hardware problems on a Mac, iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, or other modern Macintosh computer.

Running Apple Diagnostics on a Mac via the Internet

You can also run Apple Diagnostics test over the internet by holding down Option + D during system start. This takes a little longer to load, but the hardware diagnostic test otherwise works the same.

How do I interpret Apple Diagnostics references codes from a Mac?

If Apple Diagnostics reports a potential issue, it will provide a reference diagnostic code and a brief explanation of what the issue pertains to. You can then get further information by making note of the Apple Diagnostics reference code number and checking the Apple Reference Codes page here for additional information. This is a helpful resource and should assist you in troubleshooting a hardware problem.

Going Further with Apple Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Mac Hardware

Remember, the Apple Diagnostics tool is helpful, but it is not definitive. If you are experiencing problems on a Mac that seem to be clearly related to a hardware problem, you will probably want to do the following:

The good news is that hardware problems are rare, and most hardware problems are fixable. In fact, many hardware issues will be covered by the Apple warranty or Applecare Extended Warranty, meaning a repair would be free of charge, as long as the problem is not not from damage or user-caused behavior.

Source: OSX Daily

November 28, 2017 0 comment
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How to Reset Face ID on iPhone X

written by applenws

If you discover that Face ID is not reliably unlocking iPhone X, you may want to try resetting Face ID and then setting it up again. Additionally, you can disable Face ID completely by resetting Face ID on a device and then not setting it up again. Resetting Face ID is pretty simple and it causes iPhone X to ditch the facial recognition data on the device, which you can then configure again if desired. Some users may find they need to do this if they dramatically change their personal appearance, but it can also be a helpful troubleshooting step if you’re trying to get Face ID to work better.

Face ID is the primary device unlocking mechanism on iPhone X, and while you can unlock iPhone X without using Face ID and rely on a passcode instead, if you are using the Face ID feature you probably want it to work properly and as intended. Of course if you decide you don’t want to use Face ID after setting it up, you can clear the facial recognition data from the device by resetting Face ID too. Whatever the reason, whether for troubleshooting or for deciding against using the feature, here’s how you can reset the face data stored on the device.

How to Reset Face ID on iPhone X

Obviously you’ll need iPhone X or some other Face ID device for this setting to exist:

  1. Open the “Settings” app on iPhone X and go to “Face ID & Passcode”
  2. Scroll down to find the “Reset Face ID” button in red text, and tap on it to confirm you want to reset Face ID

    3. Reset Face ID on iPhone X

That’s all you need to do to reset Face ID and the facial recognition data on iPhone X will be removed.

If you’re resetting Face ID as a troubleshooting method, don’t forget to set it up again and to re-scan your face. Face ID can only be setup on a single face at a time, so unlike Touch ID which can hold multiple fingerprints (and where adding the same fingerprint multiple times can dramatically improve Touch ID reliability), Face ID currently can only scan a single face once. Perhaps that will change down the road and Face ID will allow for scanning multiple faces or scanning the same face a few different times with different appearances.

Oh and by the way, if you choose to “Reset Face ID” and then you do not set it up again, then Face ID will be disabled completely until it is configured again. But if you only want to temporarily disable Face ID, you can do that too.

Source: OSX Daily

November 27, 2017 0 comment
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Watch a Helpful iPhone X Tutorial Video

written by applenws

Whether you have already bought or plan to buy an iPhone X, you’ll undoubtedly noticed that using the iPhone is quite different from prior models, not only because it lacks a Home button and requires learning a series of new gestures to perform familiar tasks, but also because there are a handful of new features introduced on iPhone X that don’t yet exist on any other Apple device.

Apple has apparently anticipated that the changes with iPhone X may require some adjustment and learning, and they have helpfully created a four and a half minute long tutorial video that walks through various tentpole features on iPhone X, including using Face ID, Animoji, Portrait Lighting mode on the new camera, and also learning and using the various new gestures required for the device.


The complete video is embedded below for easy viewing. Whether you already have an iPhone X, have ordered one and are awaiting its arrival, or are simply thinking about getting one down the road, the video is worth watching as it goes over a variety of features and changes, and how these new capabilities and changes work on the new device.

We’ve covered many iPhone X tips including taking screenshots on iPhone X, force restarting iPhone X, quitting apps on iPhone X, using Reachability on iPhone X, what happens if you use iPhone X without Face ID, amongst other iPhone X specific topics, and we’ll continue to do so moving forward.

Even if you don’t have an immediate interest in iPhone X, it’s worth pointing out that iPhone X is likely an indicator of where other future iPhone and iPad devices are going, and the iPhone X seems to suggest that other upcoming devices will lose their Home button and instead rely on gesture movements and Face ID as well. With that in mind, these kind of tutorial videos from Apple can be helpful for getting a hint at where other devices are going.

Perhaps capabilities like Face ID and some of the nicer relevant gestures will even arrive on the Mac down the road too, time will tell.

Anyway enjoy the video, you’ll likely find it helpful if you’re a new iPhone X owner!

Source: OSX Daily

November 26, 2017 0 comment
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How to Convert a Photo to PDF from iPhone and iPad

written by applenws

You can convert any photo on your iPhone or iPad into a PDF file if need be. Typically this would be necessary for compatibility purposes only, since the default file type of a photo in iOS is a JPEG and already widely compatible. Nonetheless if you need to convert a photo into a PDF in iOS, this tutorial will show you exactly how to do it.

We’ll demonstrate how to convert a photo into a PDF file on an iPhone or iPad.

This method will convert a photo into a PDF file for sharing over email, messages, or uploading to iCloud, this uses a variation of the hidden Save As PDF trick in iOS.

How to Convert a Photo to PDF to Share from iPhone or iPad

You can convert a photo to a PDF to share it from iOS, or save it to iCloud Drive. This uses the trick for saving as a PDF using a secret iOS gesture or you can use the 3D Touch method instead, either way you will convert a photo to a PDF file:

  1. Open the Photos app and choose the picture you want to convert to a PDF
  2. Tap on the Sharing button and then choose “Print” from the sharing option action menu

    3. Converting a photo to PDF on iOS

  3. At the Printer Options screen, use a spreading gesture on the photo preview to access the secret Save PDF option

    4. Converting a photo to PDF on iOS

  4. Choose to share the converted photo as PDF via Message, Mail, placing it into Notes or another app, or choose “Add To iCloud Drive” to save the converted photo as PDF to iCloud

    5. Converting a photo to PDF on iOS

This will save a photo or picture as a PDF file, which can then be saved locally, shared, uploaded to iCloud Drive, or used for whatever other purposes.

Remember that the default file type of iOS photos is a JPEG which is widely compatible with virtually any scenario, so if you’re just looking to exchange and share pictures there’s no reason to convert a photo to PDF first. However, sometimes some web forms, printers, digitization handlers, or documentation requests require a PDF file, and there are obviously myriad circumstances where a PDF is necessary as well.

So, now you know how to convert photos to PDF directly on the iPhone or iPad. Easy, right? Happy Converting!

Source: OSX Daily

November 25, 2017 0 comment
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How to Use Touch ID to Authenticate sudo on Mac OS

written by applenws

If you have a Touch Bar equipped MacBook Pro and you’re a frequent command line user, you may appreciate a trick that allows you to use Touch ID to authenticate sudo and su, rather than typing out your password in the Terminal like some kind of digital neanderthal.


One notable problem (or trade-off) is that if you use SSH to connect the Mac with this enabled, you won’t be able to use sudo since Touch ID will not transmit. There are mixed reports that may be changed in beta versions of High Sierra however.

Anyway, if you’re an advanced Mac user with a Touch Bar and Touch ID equipped Mac, here’s how you can enable Touch ID support for sudo authentication. This is really not going to be applicable to novice users or those who don’t spend a significant amount of time at the command line authenticating with sudo, and because this involves editing a system file it’s a good idea to backup your Mac before beginning this process.

How to Use Touch ID for sudo Authentication in Mac OS

Back up your Mac before beginning. From the Terminal (of course), you’ll want to edit /etc/pam.d/sudo by adding a new line to it. For our purposes here we’ll use nano but you’re free to use vim or emacs, or even a GUI app if you’re so inclined.

  1. Open Terminal app if you haven’t done so already, then enter the following command:

    2. sudo nano /etc/pam.d/sudo

  2. Hit Return and then add the following line to the top:

    3. auth sufficient pam_tid.so

  3. Save the edit with Control+O and then exit nano with Control+X

    4. Allow Touch ID for sudo authentication on Mac

Now you’re ready to go, Touch ID will now authenticate sudo rather than having to enter a password at the command line. And yes of course you can still use your password too. Note that some users report needing to reboot or refresh their shell to get this to work.

Now the next time you run sudo or su to use root user or run commands as root, you’re able to authenticate by placing a finger onto Touch ID.

sudo with Touch ID on a Mac

This is undeniably useful for Mac users with Touch ID machines, enough so that it should probably be a dedicated settings option somewhere rather than a command line modification. Another helpful trick is to change the sudo timeout for entering a password, which in this case would mean extending the timeout before having to authenticate with Touch ID again.

This tip comes to us from @cabel on Twitter where it has gained some popularity and was the first I’d heard of it, but it’s worth mentioning that using sudo with Touch ID had been discussed before by HamzaSood on Github and elsewhere on the web through various methods. For those Mac users with Touch ID equipped machines and who spend a lot of time in the Terminal, this may appeal to you, so try it out!

Oh and if you want to reverse this change, simply remove the “auth sufficient pam_tid.so” line from /etc/pam.d/sudo again.

Source: OSX Daily

November 22, 2017 0 comment
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How to Stop Autoplay Video in Chrome

written by applenws

Have you ever wondered how to stop autoplay video in Chrome? You’re not alone, since most users consider autoplaying video and autoplaying audio on the web to be annoying. The good news is that with a little secret settings adjustment you can easily disable autoplay video and autoplay audio on Chrome for Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS, and Android.

The walkthrough below will show you exactly how to disable autoplay video and audio in the Google Chrome web browser. This goes beyond muting a tab or browser window in Chrome that is playing audio or video, as it actively prevents any Chrome browser tab or window from starting the media playing in the first place. Once activated, you must manually start playing audio or video in Google Chrome, all autoplay events will end.

How to Stop All Autoplay Video & Audio in Chrome

This works the same to end autoplay video and audio with Google Chrome for every operating system the browser works on, and perhaps the best thing about it is you won’t need to install a plugin or extension because the capability is native in Chrome. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

  1. Open Chrome or Chrome Canary if you have not done so already
  2. Go to “chrome://flags” in the URL bar and hit Return/Enter
  3. In the search box at the top, type in “autoplay”
  4. Look for “Autoplay policy” and pull down the submenu, then choose “Document user activation is required”

    5. Stopping autoplay video and audio in Chrome

  5. Relaunch Chrome for the setting to take effect

    6. How to stop Autoplay video and audio in Chrome

You can immediately test it out by going to any webpage that autoplays video or audio, like a Bloomberg video article or Youtube.

All video or audio now requires you to click on it before it will play (hence, user activation being required), nothing will autoplay without you allowing it to play in the first place.

Speaking of YouTube, you can also simply disable autoplay on Youtube videos if you’d prefer to do that exclusively, rather than turning off all autoplay in the entire web browser.

How do I re-enable Chrome Autoplay Video and Audio?

If you decide you miss those autoplaying sounds and videos, and now want autoplay video and autoplay audio back again in Chrome, that’s just as simple:

  • Back in the Chrome browser, go to chrome://flags/#autoplay-policy
  • Choose “Default” as the option from the submenu pulldown
  • Relaunch Chrome

Once the app relaunches, autoplay will be back again for web video and web audio.

This obviously applies to only the Chrome web browser, though not just on the Mac or Windows PC, but on all Chrome platforms. It’s worth remembering that you can also stop autoplay video in Safari on the Mac if you’re a Safari user as well.

Autoplay video and audio is often maligned and rarely appreciated, we have covered this topic many times for many different apps, including how to stop autoplaying music over car Bluetooth from an iPhone, stop autoplay in the App Store, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Another approach for iOS Safari users is to use a content ad blocker on iPhone and iPad which will stop autoplaying media as well as advertisements if you use an extra aggressive blocker, but if you go that route then please remember to whitelist sites that you like and want to support, like ours.

One perk of blocking autoplay video on Chrome is that you’ll find the web browser may use less system resources, and you won’t have to hunt down tabs making noise and mute background tabs or windows that are making sounds from a video or sound embed.

Source: OSX Daily

November 20, 2017 0 comment
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