TripMode for MacBooks on the go – my pick for KW01

Tripmode

The app TripMode (manufacturer website: tripmode.ch) is not necessarily my constant companion for many years, but I have known it for many years and every few years I have phases in which I like to use it.

But what does TripMode actually do? To briefly summarize the function of the Mac app (also available for Windows), I'll just let the developers' website have their say. I quickly translated the text using DeepL and hope the translation is halfway right:

Dramatically optimize your Mac's data usage by automatically blocking unwanted background updates. Stay in control with the new live monitor and data usage reports. Now with a redesigned user interface that's easier than ever. Reveal the domains your apps send your data to.

Basically monitored Tripmode i.e. the data traffic and see which app uses how much data volume.

The TripMode icon in the menu bar turns red when an app is accessing the internet.

Use case: iPhone hotspot with limited data volume

The classic use case for TripMode is likely to be where you have connected your MacBook to the iPhone's personal hotspot so that you can use the Internet on your Mac.

If you have an unlimited LTE contract, everything is fine and nobody needs TripMode. But if you – like I currently have – only have 15 GB available per month, then you quickly reach the limit of the data volume, because the Mac thinks it can use Dropbox, Backblaze, iCloud or Apple Mail send huge amounts of data through the network.

With TripMode you can prevent this so that you only grant certain apps access to the network. For example, when I'm working on an article, all I need is my Firefox browser and maybe Mail, but nothing else. That's why I only allow these apps access via TripMode and, conversely, cut off internet access for all others.

With TripMode's live monitor, you can see directly when an app is out of control and using a lot of data volume.
With TripMode's live monitor, you can see directly when an app is out of control and using a lot of data volume.

Many more features available in TripMode

I actually want TripMode for here Pick of the week of calendar week 1 in 2022 and go into less detail about the many functions of the app. However, there are two things that I find very useful:

  1. You can activate an automatic recognition of the profile. Then TripMode activates all apps in the office WLAN, for example, and only activates a selection of apps when connecting via the iPhone hotspot. That way you can't forget to switch your profile. If you still prefer to work manually, you can switch back and forth between the different profiles manually.
  2. Since TripMode 3, there has been a live monitor that shows the apps that are currently consuming the most in a ranking list and also reveals the consumption of the individual apps. This is how you quickly find apps that quietly and secretly suck up the data volume without you otherwise noticing.

TripMode available via SetApp

I saved the best thing for the end, because if you think you have to shell out a lot of money for TripMode, you can sit back and relax. The reason? TripMode, like many other handy Mac helpers, is in that "SetApp" software subscription included.

I first wanted to buy the latest version of TripMode and then saw the reference to SetApp on the homepage. That encouraged me again to continue booking this app flat rate.

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In the Sir Apfelot Blog you will find advice, instructions and reviews on Apple products such as the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini and Mac Studio.