5 Tips For New Users Of Mac

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 The Mac is a go-to for professionals, creatives, and people who value performance and aesthetics because of its extensive abilities, exquisite design, and user-friendly interface. Its high-quality components deliver outstanding performance, dependability, and security, making them a hit. However, it might be hard to understand the workings of a Mac if you have just switched to it from another device. This blog will share some tips and tricks to help you navigate your new device in no time. 

  1. Keep Finder App Handy

The Finder is that blue happy face icon that serves as Mac’s central hub. It is the default file manager and graphical user interface shell on Mac OS X operating systems. It helps you navigate and manage files and folders on your Mac. However, to walk you through the process and help you learn how to find the path of a file on your Mac, a step-by-step tutorial is available on Setapp. Visit https://setapp.com/how-to/how-to-find-the-path-of-a-file-in-mac and read about the different ways to get to your files in seconds.

You can open the Finder application by clicking on its icon in the Dock or pressing Command + Space and typing “Finder” in the Spotlight search bar. In the Finder window that opens, you will see a list of folders and files on the left-hand side of the window that provides quick access to frequently used folders such as Documents, Downloads, and Desktop. You can then click on a folder in the sidebar to display its contents in the area of the Finder window and use the Back and Forward buttons at the top of the window to navigate through your previously visited folders. 

2. Customize the Dock

Dock, Mac’s graphical user interface feature, offers quick access to frequently used programs and documents. It is a row of icons situated at the bottom or side of the screen. You can customize your dock’s appearance by changing its size, position, and appearance. It can help you personalize your Mac and make it feel more personal. 

If you want to remove anything from your dock, drag the unnecessary item out of the Dock until the sign ”Remove” appears.  A program’s options may also appear by right-clicking it, and then, you can choose to remove from Dock.

You can also use it to sort out your applications into different categories, such as work-related, entertainment apps, education, or productivity tools, helping you stay organized and find the apps you need frequently. It can reduce clutter on your desktop and make it easier to find the files and documents you need.

3. Learn Keyboard Shortcuts 

There are many Mac keyboard shortcuts that you should learn right away if you want to speed up daily tasks and avoid making several visits to the menu bar. For example, to take a screenshot, you can press Command + Shift + 3, and if, mistakenly, you choose the wrong portion of your screen while taking a screenshot, you can press Esc, which can reverse a prior command. 

Here are some more shortcut keys:

  • To show the Get Info box for the selected file: Press Command+I (+I).
  • To open the Downloads folder: Press Option+Command+L (+++L).
  • To make a new folder: Press Command+Shift+N (++N)
  • To access the Documents folder: Press the keys Shift+Command+O
  • To print a document: Press Command+P (+P)
  • To save a document: Press Command+S (+S).
  • To open a new tab: Press Command+T (+T).
  • To close the front window: Press Command+W (+W). 
  • To close all of the app’s windows: Press Option+Command+W (++W) 
  • To restart your Mac: Control+Command+Eject (+)

You might take some time to learn these shortcuts, but once you become used to them, you’ll find yourself utilizing them fluently.

4. Make Use Of Multi-touch Gestures

Mac offers a variety of trackpad gestures that can help you get familiar with your device more efficiently. For example, to scroll up and down on a page, you can use two fingers and swipe up or down on the trackpad. To switch between open apps, you can use three fingers and swipe left or right on the trackpad. 

Some commonly used multi-touch gestures on a Mac include:

  • Zoom: Put two fingers on the trackpad and pinch them for zooming out or spread them apart for zooming in.
  • Mission Control: Use a four-finger swipe up to enter Mission Control, which displays all open windows and spaces on your Mac.
  • App Exposé: Use a four-finger swipe down to enter App Exposé, which displays all open windows for the current app.
  • Swipe between full-screen: Use four fingers to swipe left or right.
  • Launchpad: Pinch your three fingers and thumb together to open the Launchpad
  • Notification Centre: Use two fingers to swipe left from the right side to appear notification center
  • Desktop: Spread your other three fingers and thumb apart to appear your desktop

You can also customize some multi-touch gestures by clicking on the “Customize” button in the More Gestures tab of the Trackpad settings.

5. Use Spotlight Search

On your Mac, the Spotlight can assist you in finding applications, files, emails, and other stuff fast. You may access weather forecasts, news, sports results, stock prices, and information with Siri Suggestions.

To access Spotlight Search, use  the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner of your screen or press Command + Space, where you can type in a keyword or phrase, and the Spotlight will display all relevant results. 

Besides, you can preview files directly in Spotlight search without opening them in an application to save you time. You can even launch applications directly from Spotlight search by simply typing the application’s name. Moreover, Spotlight search can also perform calculations and conversions, making it a handy tool for quick math calculations or currency conversions.

Conclusion

There is a world out there for those who want to explore all the features of the Mac. Many resources are present to help you understand how it works, including online tutorials, user forums, and Apple support. It helps to keep up with the most recent features and upgrades. With little practice and exploration, new Mac users can fully utilize their equipment and have a smooth and productive computing experience. It can be a very exciting journey.