If you are an age-old Mac user or new to the aesthetic operating system, there’s a lot to learn. macOS is a powerhouse of robust features; the more you explore, the more you discover.
So, even if you believe that you know enough shortcuts and commands, here’s what you need to know to explore new functions that your Mac offers.
The article explains several quick tips to learn to use your computer in the best possible way.
Start Your Mac Mutely
Many new users are annoyed by MacBooks’ starting chimes when you turn them on.
The noisy Sound is particularly frustrating when you use your laptop in a public place such as a cafe or library; this is rare. Try this out next time you power on your MacBook to avoid the inconvenience.
Now press down the Mute key when you hit the power button and release it gently as the device boots up and the Apple logo appears.
Check & Optimize Storage
Managing storage on your Mac computer is essential. The more you do it, the better. Storage is finite no matter how large your SSD is or how big your iCloud plan is. Even if you have 1TB storage space available, it will be occupied in no time.
To keep track of the storage, check it regularly and delete the items you think are no longer needed yet occupying ample space. Click the Apple menu, tap About This Mac, and click on the Storage tab.
You can check how much space is allocated to Documents, System files, Apps, and other times. You can either delete files or move them to cloud storage based on your specific preferences. You can even connect an external hard drive and transfer important files.
Record Screen With Sound
Screenshots are a great way to capture your screen, but sometimes you need more than that for your class project or business presentation.
In that case, screen recording adds more animation to the project you are working on, making it more intuitive. Apple’s native QuickTime app can be used to record the screen without using any third-party apps.
To capture a screenplay with QuickTime, tap on the File menu, select New Screen Recording, pick if you want to record a full video or a portion, and click Record. To add Sound, click on Options and select the audio source.
Recover Forgotten Password
macOS has this incredible feature to store the password details of all your accounts locally. The passwords of the websites you visit or the “accounts” you log in to are stored in the Keychain utility within the Mac.
Since information is stored locally, no unauthorized access is possible, which assures that the details are secure and private. Visit Keychain within your Mac computer and recover the password; it’s simple.
Click Finder, tap on the Applications folder and select the Utility folder to recover the password. Click to open the Keychain, and you will see the password details of all the websites and accounts you have visited so far on your Mac. Find the one you want to recover.
Unlock Mac With Apple Watch
If you own an Apple Watch, use it to unlock your Mac remotely. You sign in to an iCloud account on both devices using the same Apple ID to use the feature. Apple Watch works with Mac 2013 or later models running macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later versions.
To set up the feature, click the Apple menu, go to System Preferences, tap on Security & Privacy, and click General. Select the option ‘Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac’ or ‘Use Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac.’
Make sure your Apple Watch and Mac match some requisites, such as the Mac having Bluetooth and WiFi turned on. Apple Watch is passcode enabled, and both the devices are signed up to the same iCloud account where two-factor authentication is enabled on Apple ID.
Learn Keyboard Tricks
While working on your Mac computer, you can control the mouse using numeric keys on the keyboard by enabling it in the Accessibility settings. Please note that when the mouse keys are allowed on the keyboard, you cannot use them for typing the text.
To set up keyboard keys to work as mouse keys, click on the Apple menu, select System Preferences, tap Accessibility, navigate to Pointer Control, select Alternate Control Methods, and click on Enable alternate pointer actions.
Next, click Options if you wish to customize the actions. To turn the mouse keys on and off the keyboard using the Accessibility Shortcuts panel, press down Command + Options + F5 keys. Alternatively, press Touch ID thrice if available on your Mac or the keyboard.
No matter if you are using your computer for work or simply for gaming, never forget to back up your data so that you can restore it in the event of a loss.
If you are switching from Windows, learning macOS tips will make you proficient as you may find the operating system quite unintelligible initially.
Check out: How To Keep Secure Your Mac Devices From Cyber Attacks