An important Bitcoin document has been hidden in nearly every new MacBook for years
Published on Feb 10, 2026 at 5:02 PM (UTC-5)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Feb 10, 2026 at 5:02 PM (UTC-5)
Edited by
Kate Bain
There’s a very important Bitcoin document that’s potentially been hidden in your Apple MacBook for years.
It’s a PDF copy of the original nine-page document that started the Bitcoin saga and, for a while, it was included in every new MacBook.
So if you have a MacBook that was either made or updated after 2018, you may have access to it.
And there’s a question everyone is asking.
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Here’s how you can check if this file is stored in your MacBook
The PDF file in question is the original nine-page document published by Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator(s) of Bitcoin.
In crypto jargon, that is known as a ‘white paper’ (sometimes written as one word, whitepaper) – basically just some sort of declaration of intent to explain what Bitcoin is for.
The PDF file is very long and very technical, but if you want to read it, here’s how you can do it.
First of all, you have to check whether your MacBook runs on a version of macOS developed and updated between 2018 and 2023.
That’s because Apple removed this Easter Egg in 2023.
If the answer’s yes, hit command + spacebar, type ‘terminal’, hit Enter, and then type the following: ‘open/System/Library/Image\Capture/Devices/VirtualScanner.app/Contents/Resources/simpledoc.pdf’.
If the file is present, it’ll open as a normal PDF file.
Related
The one question everyone’s asking
The question everyone asked for years was why, but the truth is no one knows why this PDF was included, or why it’s been removed.
The Easter Egg was discovered by tech blogger Andy Baio in 2023 by pure accident, and it was removed shortly after.
Most people don’t use MacBooks like that.
The average user has probably never used the ‘terminal’ feature, so that probably explains why it took years to find it.
Having said that, even though no one knows why this happened, there’s a theory.
It is widely believed that an Apple employee who was also a Bitcoin enthusiast added the file (simply called ‘simplefile.pdf’) as a secret Easter Egg.
Then, when the whole thing went viral, Apple decided to remove it because, while harmless, this file was something they didn’t want or need in their devices.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
