There are plenty of tiny details hidden throughout Apple's various operating systems and gadgets that it's almost impossible to understand them all, yet one mysterious purple dot has left lots of Mac users confused as to what it actually means.
Apple's tech lineup is filled with hidden features that range from handy time savers to genuinely life saving tools, and you're bound to come across something every one in a while that leaves you feeling puzzled.
Only recently were iPhone users left mystified by a strange hole on the back of their devices, and another circular dot has once again left people confused, only thing time its within the Macbook operating system.
If you're an avid Mac user you might have noticed a colored dot appear infrequently next to the Control Center icon in the top right of the screen, and it isn't always clear exactly what this means.
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Things like this can often be harmless, but in a time when everyone is worried about cybersecurity and privacy on their gadgets then it's best to stay in the know as the purpose behind signs like this.
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This became a particular popular point of discussion within the Macbook community when u/Gody_ posted a question regarding the mysterious purple dot on the r/MacOS subreddit, and it left most commenters with the same feeling of confusion.
What does the purple dot mean?
Thankfully among the countless comments of speculation there was actually an answer, and it was shared by the original poster once they worked out the reason behind this mysterious dot.
"I turned on OBS and found out that there is a new pink dot that tells you if system sounds are being recorded. However, when you turn off the software that was used to record system sound, it stays there forever (until reboot), and it doesn't say why it is there."
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It's part of a trio of dots that are designed to help Apple users stay informed about their privacy, with an orange dot indicating that your microphone is being used, and a green one for the camera.
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Arguably the purple dot is both the least used of the three and the least threatening, although there are a number of potentially worrying consequences you might want to stay alert to in case this dot does appear.
For example, you'll want to avoid entering any sensitive or personal information – especially log in details – when this dot is active, and inputting or accessing your banking info is also something you must avoid.
Apple's security systems are thankfully top notch meaning that it would be difficult for a hacker to access your device unless you do something wrong – which can be surprisingly easy thanks to modern hacking techniques – but you'll always want to keep your eyes peeled for these dots as if they don't line up with what you're using your device to do it could potentially be an issue.