Whether you’re new to macOS or have been using it for years, odds are you’re not taking advantage of all of the features your computer has to offer. There is a huge variety of keyboard shortcuts and other tips and tricks that can make your experience better.
Keep reading to learn all about 10 Mac hacks you need to be using if you aren’t already.
1. Uninstall Applications
If you’re coming to macOS from Windows, you may be unsure how to go about uninstalling programs. On Windows, you need to go to the Add or Remove Programs application, then delete them from there. On a Mac, it’s easier.
All you need to do is find the program in your Applications. Once you do, drag it to the Trash. Your computer then deletes it!
Make sure you don’t drag programs you want to get rid of from the Dock into the Trash, as this will only delete the shortcut.
2. Use Spotlight
Are you searing for a program to no avail? Do you need to do a math problem? Spotlight lets you do all of this and more.
To activate Spotlight, press Command + Space. You can then search for applications, documents, and files. Spotlight also allows you to do math problems, check the weather, and hear the latest news.
Once you get used to using Spotlight, it’ll save you a bunch of time previously spent wasted on looking for applications and files.
3. Take a Screenshot
Sometimes, you’ll want to share an image of your screen to another user. Macs feature a quick keyboard shortcut that allows you to do that.
To take a screenshot on your Mac, press Command + Shift + 3. If your sound is on, you’ll then hear a camera noise and see the screenshot pop up on the bottom left of your screen. By default, your screenshots save to your desktop.
Whatever you see will show up in your screenshot. This can be a great way to show someone an image from a movie you’re streaming, show what your desktop looks like, or receive assistance for a technical problem.
4. Take a Screenshot of a Select Area
If you want to send someone a screenshot of a certain part of your computer screen, you can crop the photo. But you also have another, easier option that also uses a keyboard shortcut.
To take a screenshot of a selected area, press Command + Shift + 4. You’ll then be able to drag a box over which part of your screen you want to capture.
This is a useful feature for when you want to save or show someone a smaller part of your screen, but you don’t want them to see the rest of it.
5. Use the Dictionary
When you’re reading a scholarly article or a more technical piece of writing and you come across an unfamiliar word, what do you do? Head to Google, search the word, then read the definition. But on a Mac, highlight the word you want to define, then press Command + Control + D. The definition will pop-up.
The Dictionary app also works with words from other languages. Next time your friends send you an email in Mandarin, translate the words without a problem.
6. Take Advantage of iCloud
iCloud lets you store all of your photos, documents, and files on a cloud-based storage system. If something happens to your computer, you’ll be able to recover it all without a problem. You can also sync files between your Mac and your other Apple devices.
iCloud offers different storage plans for you to choose from. The most basic plan is free and lets you store 5 GB worth of data. If you have a lot of files, you can opt into getting a large plan for a reasonable price.
7. Check Your Computer’s Activity
If your Mac starts to act strangely, you can check the Activity Monitor to see what’s going on. Here, you can see how much memory each app uses. If you have too many apps running, this can cause slowdowns.
If things are running slowly, you might need to also allow cookies. Check out this guide that explains how to allow cookies on Mac.
8. Open the Emoji Keyboard
One of the best parts about using a Mac is that you have access to all of Apple’s emojis. There’s also an easy way to open the Emoji keyboard.
Press Command + Control + Space to open up the emoji keyboard. You can then choose from all of the different emojis.
9. Use Special Characters
Just like there are moments when you need to use an emoji, there are also times when you need a special letter. Your Mac gives you an easy method to type non-English letters.
When typing a letter, hold down on the key. You’ll then see a list of special characters to choose from. For example, for e, you can choose from è, é, ê, and ë, among others.
10. Understand the Dock
The Dock is the Mac version of the Windows taskbar. On your Dock, you’ll see a list of all the applications you’ve put there. You can drag others there to make them accessible.
Understand that when you press the red close button for an application, it keeps running in the background. You can see that the application will have a grey dot under it in the Dock. Right-click it and select Quit to exit it.
Make Your Mac Experience Better With These Mac Hacks
If you have a Mac, you may be missing out on some of the features that can make your life easier. Yet by following these 10 Mac hacks, you’ll be able to take your Mac experience to the next level.
Do you have any other recommendations for tips and tricks you can do on macOS? Let us know in a comment!
For more lifehacks and guides, don’t forget to check out some of our other articles.
