Bitcoin Whitepaper Inside macOS:
Yes, it is true that the Bitcoin whitepaper by Satoshi Nakamoto is hidden in every version of macOS since 2018. The Bitcoin whitepaper pdf document is located inside a folder with assets used for internal testing by Apple engineers. It is not known why Apple chose this document as a sample file for testing purposes. Some people think it was left by a developer for fun, while others speculate about Apple’s interest in Bitcoin. However, there is no official explanation from Apple about this.
Only in macOS (not iOS, not ipadOS)
The Bitcoin whitepaper is hidden in the system folder of macOS, which is the operating system that runs on Mac computers. It is not present in iOS or iPadOS, which are the operating systems that run on iPhones and iPads.
The Bitcoin whitepaper document was first added to macOS Mojave, which was released in 2018, and it is still there in the latest version of macOS Ventura, which was released in 2023. The Bitcoin whitepaper document pdf is used as a sample file for testing the Image Capture app, which is used to scan images and documents from external devices. However, most users will never see the document unless they use Terminal or Finder to access the hidden folder where it is located.
The Exact Location of the Bitcoin whitepaper in the Apple macOS:
The exact location of the file is /System/Library/Image Capture/Devices/VirtualScanner.app/Contents/Resources/simpledoc.pdf.
To get to it, you have two options:
How to Find the Bitcoin Whitepaper in macOS
Option 1: Use Terminal. Terminal is an app that lets you interact with your Mac using text commands. You can find it in the Utilities folder inside the Applications folder. To open the file with Terminal, type the following command and press enter: open /System/Library/Image\\ Capture/Devices/VirtualScanner.app/Contents/Resources/simpledoc.pdf
Option 2: Use Finder. Finder is an app that lets you browse and manage your files and folders. You can find it in the Dock or by clicking on the desktop. To open the file with Finder, you need to enable the option to show hidden files and folders. To do that, press Command + Shift + . (dot) on your keyboard. Then, navigate to Macintosh HD -> System -> Library -> Image Capture -> Devices, then open the Contents -> Resources folder. The file named “simpledoc.pdf” should be there.
What’s the Bitcoin Whitepaper all about?
The Bitcoin whitepaper is a document that describes the concept and design of Bitcoin, a decentralized digital currency that uses cryptography and peer-to-peer networks to enable transactions without intermediaries. The whitepaper was published online in 2008 by an anonymous person or group using the name Satoshi Nakamoto. The whitepaper is considered to be the founding document of Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency industry.
Apple Removing Bitcoin Whitepaper in New macOS
Apple is removing the Bitcoin whitepaper from the latest macOS beta version. The Bitcoin whitepaper is not in macOS Ventura 13.4 beta 3 along with the entire internal tool called “VirtualScanner.app”. It is not known why Apple decided to remove the file now, but some speculate that it was due to the attention that the discovery received or that Apple has no interest in being associated with Bitcoin.
