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Apple has issued a clear warning to users still relying on older encrypted storage: starting with macOS 28 (expected in 2027), the company will drop support for encrypted volumes formatted with Mac OS Extended, also known as HFS+.

In a new support document published this week, Apple states that in macOS 28 and later, the Mac OS Extended file system format will be supported only for unencrypted volumes. Encrypted HFS+ drives — common on older external hard drives and backups created with FileVault-style encryption via CoreStorage — will no longer be readable without prior action.

Apple has been gradually shifting away from the aging Mac OS Extended format since introducing the more modern and efficient APFS (Apple File System) in 2017. APFS offers native encryption, better performance, snapshot capabilities, and improved data integrity. While unencrypted HFS+ volumes will continue to work in macOS 28 and beyond, encrypted legacy volumes are now being retired to simplify the codebase and encourage migration to modern standards.

Users may begin seeing warnings as early as macOS 26, which can alert them to incompatible encrypted Mac OS Extended drives.

1. Open Disk Utility (in Applications > Utilities).
2. From the View menu, choose Show Only Volumes.
3. Select the volume in the sidebar.
4. Look at the details on the right. If it shows both “Mac OS Extended” and “Encrypted” (e.g., “CoreStorage Logical Volume • Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted)”), the drive will not be compatible with macOS 28.

This change does not affect APFS-formatted drives (encrypted or not) or unencrypted HFS+ volumes.What You Should Do NowApple strongly recommends backing up your data first. Then choose one of these options before upgrading to macOS 28:

• (preserves data without erasure): Connect the drive, unlock it with the password, Control-click the drive icon, and select Decrypt. This process can take a long time for large drives. After decryption, you can optionally convert it to APFS.

• (recommended for long-term use): Erase and reformat using APFS or APFS (Encrypted). This will delete all existing data, so ensure you have a complete backup.

For detailed step-by-step instructions, refer to Apple’s official support document: About support for encrypted Mac OS Extended disks in macOS 28 or later.
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This move aligns with Apple’s long-term strategy to retire legacy technologies. Users with older encrypted external drives or Time Machine backups should act soon to avoid data access issues next year. If you’re unsure about your storage setup, checking with Disk Utility now is a quick and safe first step.

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Source link: https://macdailynews.com/2026/07/09/apples-macos-28-will-no-longer-support-encrypted-mac-os-extended-hfs-drives/

Find out how to remove the audio wave or microphone dictation button from the text field in the iOS 27 Messages app so you don’t accidentally start a voice message recording or pause the music with a stray tap.

In December 2025, Justin Bieber shared a photo of his iPhone Messages app, highlighting the dictation microphone icon, with the caption:

“If I hit this dictation button after sending a text and it beeps and stops my music one more time, I’m gonna find everyone at Apple and put them in a rear naked choke hold. Even if I turn off Dictation, I somehow hit the voice note thing. The send button should not have multiple functions in the same spot”

The post also went viral on X (Twitter), and finally, with the new iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 update, Apple listened and has addressed the issue for good.

You now have the choice to show either the audio recording wave icon or the dictation microphone button in the message field, or remove both altogether.

And even if you choose to remove them, you can still send audio messages and use dictation, as mentioned later below.

Customize what shows up in your message typing box on iPhone or iPad

1) Update your iPhone or iPad to iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 (currently both are in beta).

2) Open the Settings app, tap Apps at the bottom, and select Messages from the list of applications.

3) Tap the new Show in Text Field option, and select one of the following:

• None: Select this to keep the text field clean with no icons.
• Record Audio: Select this to show the audio waveform icon. Touching and holding this icon lets you start recording an audio message.
• Start Dictation: Select this to show the built-in dictation button so you can speak what you want your message to say, and your iPhone or iPad will transcribe it into words. Hitting it accidentally also pauses the ongoing music playback, albeit very briefly (this is what Justin was talking about in his post).

How to send an audio message and use dictation after selecting ‘None’

Even if you choose not to show the audio or dictation buttons in the text field, you can still send audio messages by tapping the plus icon (+) and selecting Audio.

And to dictate your message, just tap the big microphone button at the bottom of the iOS keyboard. If you don’t see it, head to Settings > General > Keyboard and Enable Dictation.

Also, new in iOS 27:

• How to use the new Drawing tool in iOS 27 Messages app
• How to see all your ID card photos in one place on iPhone
• How to give 1 to 5 stars to your photos on iPhone, iPad, Mac

Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2026/07/09/show-in-text-field-option-messages/