Are you using your Mac computer to its fullest potential? Become an Apple pro! Start with these essential Macintosh tricks for beginners.
Apple products are renowned for both their utility and ergonomic value. After all, there’s a reason why the iPhone 6s is the top-selling smartphone of all time.
Mac computers are no different in these aspects and are often chosen by general users and entrepreneurs alike. But, there are a handful of Macintosh tricks you can take advantage of in order to bring your experience to the next level.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know.
Changing Your Default Finder Menu
When opening Finder, you may become frustrated over time if the default menu isn’t one that you frequently work in. For example, having Finder display the ‘downloads’ folder during startup may hinder your productivity.
Fortunately, though, all it takes is a simple fix in order to change this.
In the ‘General’ pane of your Finder preferences, there’s an option called ‘New Finder windows show.’ This can be customized to have Finder open a specific folder each time you start the program.
Window Resizing
If you’re looking to arrange multiple windows on your screen, you’ll more than likely need to resize them. It can quickly become aggravating, though, when this process involves distorting or obscuring their content.
When resizing windows on your Mac, holding down ‘Option’ while dragging the window’s resize arrows will allow you to manipulate its size without making any changes to the center of the screen.
Holding ‘Option’ and ‘Shift’ together will cause the window to scale while it’s being resized. Holding just ‘Shift’ will allow the window to scale as it’s resized.
These options will allow you to ensure that your windows are comfortably arranged without making it difficult to view the content in each one.
Screenshots
Although taking screenshots on Mac computers is a simple process, not everyone is aware of just how easy it is. Similarly, most users don’t know that there are multiple ways you can take different types of screenshots.
Holding ‘Shift,’ ‘Command’ and ‘3’ will take a screenshot of the entire page. Pressing ‘4’ instead of ‘3,’ however, will allow you to crop the area where the screenshot is taken.
This gives you far more flexibility and is useful for those who would prefer to crop their screenshots as they’re taken as opposed to afterward.
Pressing the spacebar along with ‘4,’ ‘Shift,’ and ‘Command’ will allow you to click on a specific window and automatically take a screenshot of only that window’s contents. This allows you to forego cropping altogether.
Lastly, Pressing ‘5’ will display an interface that lets you record your screen. This interface even allows only a portion of your screen to be recorded.
File Management
While it happens sooner for some of us than others, chances are that your desktop will eventually become notably cluttered and messy.
By right-clicking on an empty section of your desktop and selecting ‘Use Stacks,’ your Mac will automatically organize files based on their type. All screenshots, for example, will be placed within a singular collapsable icon that can be viewed by clicking on it.
Sometimes, it’s more efficient and convenient to delete a file immediately as opposed to placing it in the Trash Can application and then removing it from there. To do so, all you’ll need to do is ‘Option,’ ‘Command,’ and ‘Delete’ after the file has been selected.
Another useful file management trick is the ability to auto-duplicate certain files.
By right-clicking and selecting ‘Get Info’ on the file in question and checking the ‘Stationary Pad’ box, you’ll automatically create a copy of the file each time it’s opened.
For those who frequently use templates for video editing or text documents, this can prove to be an invaluable resource.
You can also manage your files from a separate location through Apple remote desktop control. You can find out more about that here.
Speech to Text
Most of us are familiar with Mac’s capability to convert speech into text on your computer. This is especially true for iPhone owners, as Apple was a pioneer in this technology.
You can customize the shortcut that activates this software, though, allowing you to remain as productive as possible.
In the ‘Keyboard’ section of your general settings, enable your computer to use ‘Dictation.’ You may need to allow your machine to download files so that it can function properly (which you’ll be prompted to do if necessary).
Afterward, you can choose the shortcut that activates the feature. Ergonomically, pressing the ‘Function’ key twice is the easiest and most convenient way to do so.
Keyboard Mouse Control
It’s entirely possible to control your mouse by using the keys on your keyboard
This option can be enabled in the ‘Accessibility’ section of your general settings and involves moving your mouse’s cursor with different keys. This feature (once enabled) is activated by pressing the ‘Option’ key five times consecutively.
This provides a unique level of utility that may be suitable for developers, media editing, etc. Additionally, it can also serve as a way for those without a mouse (or a damaged trackpad) to navigate while using their machine.
These Macintosh Tricks Are Game-Changing
With the above information about Macintosh tricks in mind, you’ll be well on your way toward making the most out of your Mac experience.
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