Tips & Help with Apple Devices

 Almost every Columbus Academy classroom (as well as any room that has a presentation device, e.g. a projector or a HDTV) has an Apple TV located within. So to project your MacBook or iPad screen onto the external display is as simple as activating AirPlay or Screen Mirroring on your device, and pointing it to the Apple TV registered in the room number where you are currently working in.

• Instructions on setting up Screen Mirroring or AirPlay on macOS;

• Instructions on setting up AirPlay or Screen Mirroring on iPadOS/iOS.

(NOTE: At this time Apple does not offer a native method to screen-cast from Windows or Android devices to Apple TV devices)

There are some performance limitations that we have observed when it comes to projecting high-res video with AirPlay, so if you plan to stream a 4K video with audio, we do recommend using a direct wired video connection. Almost every external display in the Academy offers a HDMI cable connection via A/V wall-plate, and if the room does not have a HDMI cable available, please reach out to the Tech Office team via email (techhelp@columbusacademy.org) and we can bring a cable over to help you set up the external display. 

For additional information about the Dining Hall AV system which supports AirPlay and wired connections, please visit this web page.

Apple computers and iPads have a AirDrop feature for wireless file/data sharing. When not in use, the Tech Office recommends you disable this feature for your own device's security.  When you are ready to share files/data between your devices, please follow these Apple guides:

• Instructions on how to AirDrop from your iPhone or iPad;

• Instructions on how to AirDrop from your MacBook.

Apple also provides detailed information about how AirDrop works and the security of its transfers over Bluetooth & Wi-Fi.

As Google Workspace for Education serves as the backbone for communications in Columbus Academy, we use Gmail as our primary email service provider. All faculty, staff and students use Google apps for their daily teaching and learning needs. Google's apps are all accessible via any modern web browsers, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Apple Safari:

• Gmail: https://mail.google.com

• Classroom: https://classroom.google.com

• Gcal: https://calendar.google.com (where you can also create new Tasks, or record more detailed notes in Google Keep) 

• Drive: https://drive.google.com (which also grants you access to your Google Docs/Sheets/Slides/Forms)

We also offer Google apps on all Academy iPads, and although they mostly work fine, some users do encounter issues at times with their apps e.g. Google Classroom. So if you are having trouble with Google Classroom crashing during the app's startup, or crashing during use, try these troubleshooting steps:

1. Remove the Google Classroom app, by pressing on the app icon for 5 seconds until it starts to shake, and tapping the "minus" (-) button overlay on the Classroom app icon.

2. OPTIONAL: Restart the iPad by first shutting it down - simply hold down the power button and slide your finger across the power bar when it appears. Then once the screen goes dark, press the power button to power it back up. 

3. Reinstall the Google Classroom app from the Tech Office's Self-Service app catalog.

We were also notified by your fellow students that the Google Classroom has changed how grades are being shown in the new version's interface, and you actually need to open your student profile in Google Classroom to be able to view your class assignment grades. If the class/assignment grades are not showing up for you, try to:

1. reinstall Google Classroom without removing it, then

2. restart your iPad. 

3. Once the iPad is back up and running, restart Google Classroom and check your profile view to see if the grades appear correctly. 

All Columbus Academy iPads have Apple iCloud data backup configured for students who are signed into their devices with their school Apple ID - primarily Middle and Upper School students, as well as 5th grade students in Lower School who have been assigned an iPad.  This iCloud data sync and backup covers your photos, documents, as well as apps that rely on iCloud sync, such as Notability.

Sometimes you may encounter prompts for Apple ID verification or Data Sync, and you should address that ASAP. Please refer to this guide for more information and screenshots on what to do next.

Notability is a versatile app that lets you create and annotate anything, from study guides to storyboards, with ink, audio, and text. You can also present, share, and sync your notes with others, and access add-ons like handwriting recognition and math conversion. This iPad app is commonly used in Middle and Upper School by students for note taking, and is available for install in our Self-Service catalog.

The CA Tech Office also highly recommends all students review their Notability data backup settings to make sure they do not suffer any data loss. Please follow our online guide on how to set up your iCloud sync and Google Drive backup for Notability.

MacBooks checked out of the Columbus Academy libraries are already pre-configured for printing to a select pool of printers associated with their school division. The paper supplies are managed by librarians and teachers, while the Tech Office help with toner supply. All print jobs sent to our printers are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. If you plan to print more than 20 pages, please talk to a librarian or staff member first.

Upper School students bringing in their personally-owned laptops (BYOD) to campus will need to connect their devices to the CA secured wireless network and request information from the librarians to access printers in the Upper School Library. We primarily use HP laser printers and Canon monochrome copiers, and when adding them to Mac or Windows computers they should have drivers automatically offered by each respective operating system. If you are requested for drivers, you can try to locate them here:

• HP printers - https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/printers

• Konica copiers - https://onyxweb.mykonicaminolta.com/OneStopProductSupport?appMode=public&productId=2336&categoryId=1&subCategoryId=ft0  

Please remember that your print output is also subject to the school's Responsible Use Policy, and should only be used for school work.

Most of our Apple devices are able to maintain a relatively long period of operation before needing charged again. However, there are always ways to try and eke out a little more battery life on any device - computer or tablet. Here are some recommendations:

• Reduce the brightness of your Mac or iPad screen, to a comfortable level.

• Use Dark Mode as much as you can, either switching in macOS or iPadOS, or thru your individual apps' settings.

• Check your Mac/iPad's battery usage by app and close unused apps (especially on Mac computers - check the dock to make sure apps are completely closed - running apps are indicated with the little dot adjacent to the app's icon).

• Keep devices away from sources of heat - e.g. avoid using your device for extended periods while in direct sunshine.

• Avoid letting your devices' battery get completely drained, as that will reduce the overall battery life. Newer versions of macOS have a battery health preservation feature by monitoring your computer usage and switching your MacBook's charging profile to "Desktop Mode" so it does not charge the battery above 80%.

• In a pinch, you can also manually activate "Low Power Mode" on your Mac or iPad to greatly reduce the number of background processes running, so as to preserve battery life and keep your device active until you get to a charging port.

Storage usage on Columbus Academy devices are not heavy, as we host most of our school data on Google Drive across all the various Google apps we use for class work. However, there are situations where students work on unique projects or coursework with apps that require the use of local device storage space, such as manipulating high-quality photos or videos, or creating renders and 3D models. 

• When you do encounter issues with running out of free space, especially on shared devices such as the library loaner MacBooks, you can try to check the current space usage on the Mac or iPad first. 

• See if you can move large files out of the Mac or iPad's local storage by either: (1) uploading it onto Google Drive (Mac/iPad) or (2) copying it into a USB flash drive, then deleting the copied files (and remember to empty the Trash on Macs to reclaim the space back). 

• Identify any unwanted apps you can remove on the Mac or iPad - please check with the Tech Office if you are unsure!

Sometimes the heaviest space usage is not on your own account, and there is little you can do about that (you cannot remove another user's data) so you may want to try requesting for a different loaner MacBook. The Tech Office does wipe and rebuild all CA student MacBooks during each summer break so when the next school year starts the MacBooks' hard disks are all cleared out. 

All Columbus Academy MacBooks and iPads have unique identifiers that allow the Tech Office staff to locate them while they are being used on campus. If you accidentally misplaced your device, you can stop by the Tech Office at Morris Hall, room B101. If the devices are still running and connected to our wireless networks, we should be able to roughly locate it. 

Unfortunately, the extent of our ability to track the devices often do not go beyond campus grounds, so if you misplaced the device off-campus, we may not be able to reach them & locate them for you. We can try to lock them down by putting them in "Lost Mode", but again - this assumes that they have network connectivity and sufficient battery life.  Please take good care of your CA devices!

How to take a screenshot on your Mac 

1. To take a screenshot, press and hold these three keys together: Shift, Command, and 3. 

2. If you see a thumbnail in the corner of your screen, click it to edit the screenshot. Or wait for the screenshot to save to your desktop.

How to capture a portion of the screen on your Mac

1. Press and hold these three keys together: Shift, Command, and 4.

2. Drag the crosshair  to select the area of the screen to capture. To move the selection, press and hold Space bar while dragging. To cancel taking the screenshot, press the Esc (Escape) key.

3. To take the screenshot, release your mouse or trackpad button. 

4. If you see a thumbnail in the corner of your screen, click it to edit the screenshot. Or wait for the screenshot to save to your desktop.

How to capture a window or menu on your Mac

1. Open the window or menu that you want to capture.

2. Press and hold these keys together: Shift, Command, 4, and Space bar. The pointer changes to a camera icon . To cancel taking the screenshot, press the Esc (Escape) key.

3. Click the window or menu to capture it. To exclude the window's shadow from the screenshot, press and hold the Option key while you click.

4. If you see a thumbnail in the corner of your screen, click it to edit the screenshot. Or wait for the screenshot to save to your desktop.

Where to find screenshots on Macs

• By default, screenshots save to your desktop with the name ”Screen Shot [date] at [time].png.”

• In macOS Mojave or later, you can change the default location of saved screenshots from the Options menu in the Screenshot app. You can also drag the thumbnail to a folder or document.

• NOTE: Some apps, such as the Apple TV app, might not let you take screenshots of their windows.

• To copy a screenshot to the Clipboard, press and hold the Control key while you take the screenshot. You can then paste the screenshot somewhere else. Or use Universal Clipboard to paste it on another Apple device.

How to take a screenshot on your iPad

1. Do one of the following:

   • On an iPad with a Home button: Simultaneously press and then release the top button and the Home button.

   • On other iPad models: Simultaneously press and then release the top button (on the top-right edge of iPad) and either volume button.

2. Tap the screenshot in the lower-left corner, then tap Done.

3. Choose Save to Photos, Save to Files, or Delete Screenshot.
   If you choose Save to Photos, you can view it in the Screenshots album in the Photos app, or in the All Photos album if you’re using iCloud Photos.

How to save a full-page screenshot on your iPad as a PDF

You can take a full-page, scrolling screenshot of a webpage, document, or email that exceeds the length of your iPad screen, then save it as a PDF.

1. Do one of the following:

   • On an iPad with a Home button: Simultaneously press and then release the top button and the Home button.

   • On other iPad models: Simultaneously press and then release the top button and either volume button.

2. Tap the screenshot in the lower-left corner, then tap Full Page.

3. Do any of the following:

   • Save the screenshot: Tap Done, choose Save PDF to Files, choose a location, then tap Save.

   • Share the screenshot: Tap , choose a sharing option (for example AirDrop, Messages, or Mail), enter any other requested information, then send the PDF.

How to create a screen recording

You can create a screen recording and capture sound on your iPad.

1. Go to Settings  > Control Center, then tap next to Screen Recording.

2. Open Control Center, tap , then wait for the three-second countdown.

3. To stop recording, open Control Center, tap or the red status bar at the top of the screen, then tap Stop.

4. Go to Photos , then select your screen recording.