Have a Mac? Make the Most of it With These Tips
Ahhhh, the Mac. Known for its sleek design, high price tag, and aurora borealis screensavers, it’s a great computer to have. But for many, taking advantage of its many features can be a challenge. If you’re used to the user interface of Microsoft products, navigating your Mac might leave you scratching your head. If you tend to stay away from technology as much as possible, the times you do need it can sometimes feel daunting. While there’s an almost frustrating amount of features available, this article will give you a head start on the basics.
Update to the latest OS
The OS (operation system) that runs on your Mac is an essential part of how it works. That’s why it’s important to keep your OS up to date. Most Macs have automatic updates enabled, so you don’t even have to think about it. However, it never hurts to update, especially if you’re running an older version. You can also update your Mac manually if you want to. As of 2022, the most recent macOS is Ventura, which is compatible with most devices built during or after 2017. Once you’re fully settled into the operating system and worked out all the issues you might have with it, you can move on to exploring your other tools.
Use Spotlight to Find Anything Instantly
“Spotlight” is a search tool built into Mac OS. It’s powered by the information stored in your Mac, so it knows what you use most often. Once you type in a keyword and press enter, Spotlight will show you results based on what it thinks you’re looking for.
You can find the Spotlight feature in your menu bar (usually at the top of your screen). If you can’t, you can go to your Dock and Menu Preferences to add it there. Once you have it there, all you have to do is click on the icon and type in your keyword to find previews of any relevant data. It’s a simplified version of the Finder tool, built to maximize efficiency.
Install Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are a simple way to do things with your Mac that would otherwise take a lot of time. For example, if you often copy and paste text between two different documents, you can create a keyboard shortcut. Once you assign this shortcut to a key, you can quickly copy text by pressing that key, then pasting with Command + V. You can also assign a shortcut to an app or function on your Mac. For example, you can assign a shortcut to open a certain app every time you start it with a key. While keyboard shortcuts can be helpful for common tasks, you can also use Spotlight to quickly open apps or find files.
Understand App Tagging and How to Find Great Apps
Mac apps come with a nice feature called “app tagging” which lets you group items with an app tag. For example, if you often create documents with a certain type of formatting, you can create an app tag for that style and group all related documents together. Once an item tagged with your tag is opened, it will automatically open all tagged items. If you often need to find certain documents, you can use this feature to quickly find them. You can also create tags for relevant websites or apps and use tags to find content or navigate through your computer. If you’re looking for great Mac apps, be sure to check out the Mac App Store. The Mac App Store has a ton of great apps, and they’re updated regularly. Many great apps aren’t on the Mac App Store, so it’s a great place to find unique apps.
Know Your Applications
There is a multitude of free software available for Macs that can take the place of paid alternatives. There are Powerpoint and Microsoft Word alternatives, for example. If you’re interested in producing music, you can ignore the price tag on a program like Logic Pro and use Garageband instead. There are a lot more of these applications than you’d see immediately when opening up a new computer, so make sure you keep an eye out.
Learn your Key Shortcuts
If you’ll be working in Mac’s native programs like Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, then you’ll need to know some basic shortcuts. For example, if you’re working in Pages and want to create a table, press Shift + 4 to create the first row in the table. You can also change the paragraph style by pressing Shift + 7. Numbers and Keynote also have shortcuts that can make your workday more efficient. For example, to change the font in Keynote, hold down the key and then press the letter you want to use. You can also create graphics by pressing the key and creating a rectangle.
There are tons of keyboard shortcuts available. Think about what you tend to use your computer for and what you could stand to waste less time clicking around for.
Know The Flaws
A Mac has tons of options for customization and efficiency, with one of the more user-friendly interfaces of modern technology. That being said, making the most of it also means knowing what it can’t do.
For example, Macs tend to be worse for playing video games. Most games are built with non-mac computers in mind, so you’ll experience a lot of lag or can’t download certain properties whatsoever. If you’re completely uninterested in video games, then it shouldn’t be a problem. However, many kids are eager to try out new software that could be completely unavailable to them .
Additionally, despite the large variety of native applications available, Apple products can prioritize native apps over the industry standards. That can make it hard to figure out when to go with the freebie, one-click-away option, or with the alternative, professional pick.
Another example is that Mac products are more difficult to fix on your own. More likely than not, if something breaks in your Mac computer, you’ll have to bring it to the store to get it repaired. Computers are built to help us with our everyday lives, but they’re also sold to make money.
So long as you keep yourself informed on the ins and outs of keeping your Mac up-to-date and easy to use, you can focus on the more important things in your life. Now, you can return to the computer when you need it without worrying about what you haven’t found yet.