Apple MacBooks are the most powerful laptops available today and come packed with so many innovative features. Users who are new to MacBooks and have not previously used them may struggle to learn how to use these wonderful Apple laptops smoothly and effectively. There are many great features and functionalities that may help you optimize your workflows and utilize your Mac more efficiently. It is interesting to note that many of these features are neglected or can be forgotten easily.
This beginner’s guide that we have prepared for MacBook users’ lists down some important features that you need to know to be more productive in less and less time.
Apple Touch ID
The MacBook Pro’s latest model comes with support for Touch ID, which helps you login with one touch. You may set up multiple users with Touch ID.
You may configure Touch ID when you first set up your new MacBook or when you add a new user account. However, if you neglected to complete this step during initial setup, then go to the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, and then select Touch ID.
To add your fingerprint, adhere to the on-screen instructions. To add a second fingerprint, click the “+” icon and proceed as usual.
Menu Bar
Menu bar appears on the top of your MacBook from where you can access options or applications that you want to use. It is important to remember that in full screen mode the macOS hides the menu bar. To keep your menu bar always visible even in the full screen mode, go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock and in the right-hand panel, find the “Automatically hide and show menu bar” section and disable this option.
Additionally, organize the built-in menu icons on your Mac without using any other programs. Simply click and drag the toolbar’s icons in the desired sequence while holding down the Cmd key. It should be noted that the Control Centre and Spotlight icons cannot be relocated or eliminated from the Mac toolbar.
Quick Look for Previewing
Quick Look is a quick preview feature on your MacBook that helps you preview the contents of a file or folder without opening it. When you select your file (Word, PDF or image) and press the spacebar a little pop-up shows up to let you see the contents of the file.
However, if you select a folder containing different document types it will only show you the file size and how many items are in it.
Quick Look is a useful feature on MacBook that enables you to locate files in less time and multitask like a pro. You can open items in Quick Look via shortcut keys Command + Y.
Finder for File Management
The finder feature on MacBook is file management visual tool that helps you browse and organize your files and folders. you can use the finder to open and close files, move and copy files, create and delete folders, and perform other file management tasks.
The Finder is located in the Dock by default, but you can also open it by clicking the Finder icon in the menu bar. When you open the Finder, you’ll see a sidebar on the left side of the window. The sidebar contains shortcuts to your most common locations, such as your desktop, Document’s folder, and Download’s folder.
Organize with Tags
Tags on a MacBook are colored dots that can be assigned to files or folders to make them easily accessible in the Finder Window. At first, they may seem like a tiresome task but once you get into the habit of labelling your files and folders as soon as you create them, it will become second nature to you and will save you time looking for things.
When you have finished giving a file a tag, you may open the Finder window and then bring up the file by clicking on the color of the tag that you have given it. Since many files may share the same color, it is possible to find all the files to which you have assigned a particular color without having to search through countless folders.
Documents History
MacOS on your MacBook maintains a history of all the modifications you have made to a document since you first opened it. It is compatible with Pages as well as the vast majority of other programs. When you have your document open in Pages, go to the ‘File’ menu, and then choose the ‘Revert to’ option. This should offer you the opportunity to see all of the various versions of the document that are currently available.
If you use your MacBook for projects, this is an excellent tool to have since it allows you to keep track of what you wrote and when you wrote it, as well as observe your progression through a project. Alternately, if you need to modify it slightly without reorganizing anything, all you have to do is go to a version of the document that gives you a blank slate on which to write the new concept and you are good to go.
Sign PDF Documents
Signing a PDF document manually is time-consuming and tedious. You have to print the PDF file, sign it, and scan the signed document before sending it back. But if you are a MacBook user, you can electronically sign PDF documents thanks to the Preview app that comes pre-installed on every MacBook.
All you need to do is open your PDF document in the Preview app, click the annotation tool, and then hit the signature tool. Draw your signature on the trackpad and then insert it into the PDF document. You may resize or change the position of your signature, like an image.
Safari Browser
This is Apple’s own web browser, designed just for Macs. It’s popular among users and well-supported in the Mac developer community, with many plugins available. It comes with everything a modern browser should have, including a private browsing mode. You are not forced to use Safari. In fact, if you are switching from another operating system, there is a reason to keep what you are already accustomed to. The majority of popular browsers, including Chrome, are available on macOS.
