Mac Geek Gab — Apple Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

Waiting for Snow Tahoe

Dec 22, 2025

Discover the surprising truths about macOS Clipboard History and why upgrades might slow down your machine. Learn clever tricks for optimizing your setup, like repurposing old devices as info displays. Dive into real-world troubleshooting with WiFi quirks and DHCP reservations, plus the risks of trusting AI for tech support. Get practical advice on migrating settings, managing photos without duplicates, and keeping your menu bar organized despite the notch. It's packed with insights to keep your tech experience smooth and efficient!

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INSIGHT

Built-In Clipboard History

macOS 26 includes a built-in Clipboard History surfaced in Spotlight that defaults to eight hours of storage.
It currently does not expose that history on iOS, so clipboard recall is mac-only.

INSIGHT

Why macOS 26 Feels Slower

Many users report macOS 26 feeling slower due to continuous indexing for Apple Intelligence and Spotlight.
The indexing appears ongoing and may degrade responsiveness even on Apple Silicon machines.

ADVICE

Throttle Background Apps To Improve Speed

Use App Tamer to throttle and limit background app resource use if macOS 26 impacts responsiveness.
Test disabling unneeded indexing or accessibility features to regain snappiness before nuking your Mac.

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Waiting for Snow Tahoe — Mac Geek Gab 1121 episode image

You dig into the little things macOS quietly does for you, starting with the surprising truth about Clipboard History and why macOS 26 might feel slower than you’d expect. You explore ways to rein things in, from taming runaway apps to making better use of iPhone Mirroring and clever video capture tricks. Along the way, you’re reminded that old hardware still has value if you give it purpose, and that blind trust in AI troubleshooting can lead you astray faster than it helps. This is where staying curious beats staying complacent, and where “Don’t Get Caught” is more than a catchphrase.

Then you move into the real-world problem solving that defines Mac Geek Gab: networking quirks that break expectations, WiFi settings that ignore reservations, and router updates that change the rules midstream. You also get clear, practical guidance on buying the right Mac, migrating only what you actually need, hunting down duplicate files, and reclaiming menu bar space from the notch. Even photo libraries get a reality check, helping you decide what truly needs to live inside Photos. It’s a fast-moving episode packed with answers you can use immediately, designed to keep your setup efficient, intentional, and frustration-free.

00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1121 for Monday, December 22nd, 2025
- December 22nd: International Day of Mathematics
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Quick Tips
- 00:00:02 QT-Turns out macOS keeps your Clipboard History?
- 00:04:59 macOS 26 is slowing down Dave’s Macs
  - App Tamer helps a little bit
- 00:15:00 Adam-QT-Use your iPhone Mirroring on your Mac
- 00:17:59 Dale-QT-Video capture your devices’ “I’m Charged” states
- 00:19:27 Kent-QT-CSF, or One Thing To Do With an Old iPad
  - DAKboard.com
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Don’t Get Caught
- 00:24:57 Beware of Troubleshooting with ChatGPT and Gell-mann Amnesia
- 00:27:59 Pilot Pete-DGC-Private WiFi Address doesn’t honor DHCP Reservation
- 00:32:36 Craig-DGC-Updated my Orbi and it won’t let me set DHCP Reservations within the Dynamic DHCP Pool IP Range
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Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared!
- 00:48:18 Elbert-How much Mac shall I buy?
  - Refurb.me
- 00:58:40 Jose-Can I migrate just my user settings to a new Mac without migrating an entire account?
- 01:05:13 Gary-How can I easily find duplicate files on my Mac?
  - MacPaw’s Gemini 2 (it’s in Setapp!)
  - Find Any File Scripts for Duplicate Finding
- 01:08:04 David-How do I keep Fantastical (or any app) from being hidden by my menu bar notch!
  - Command-Drag that menu bar icon!
  - Set a keyboard shortcut for it
- 01:13:27 Donald-Do I have to import all my photos into a library?
01:16:58 MGG 1121 Outtro
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