9 Beginner Tips for Your Mac

How to Right Click on Mac

The first thing you'll probably notice on your Mac, especially if you have a MacBook or use a Magic Trackpad, is that right-clicking isn't as clear as with Windows. 

The good news is that you can still right-click on your MacBook, but it's a bit different than on Mac. Apple calls this Control Clicking, and you can do it in two different ways.

First, you can press and hold the Control key on your keyboard and then click normally on any item. 

Or, if you don't want to rely on your keyboard all the time, you can just press your trackpad with two fingers at the same time. This will work just like a right-click on any app your use. 

Set Up Siri

You can use Siri on your Mac just like you use it on your iPhone. That is, you can press and hold a key on your keyboard or say Hey Siri, and Siri will immediately appear and help you out. 

Here's how to use and set up Siri on Mac:

1. Click the Apple menu located in the top left corner of your screen. (it's the button with the Apple logo).
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Click on Siri.

Here, you can customize Siri just the way you like it. You can change its voice, create a custom keyboard shortcut, and even click on Listen for "Hey Siri," so you can just ask Siri for help without touching your Mac. 

Master Hot Corners

Your Mac has a feature called Hot Corners. Even though the name might sound weird, this is a really helpful feature you need to start using. 

Hot Corners will let you add actions to each of the four corners of your Mac's screen. You can hover your cursor on one of those corners, and your Mac will do an action like opening a Quick Note or putting your Mac to sleep. Here's how to use them.

1. Click the Apple menu located in the top left corner of your screen. (it's the button with the Apple logo).
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Click on Desktop & Screen Saver.
4. Make sure you're on the Screen Saver tab.
5. Click on Hot Corners in the bottom right corner of your screen.
6. Choose the corner you want.
7. Select the action you want that corner to do.
8. Once you're done, click on OK.

Use Touch ID

If you're using a relatively modern MacBook, or you have a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, you can use your fingerprint to control your Mac. You can do things like unlocking your Mac, paying for stuff, and downloading apps without having to enter your password every time. Here's how to set it up.

1. Click the Apple menu located in the top left corner of your screen. (it's the button with the Apple logo).
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Click on Touch ID.
4. Click on Add fingerprint. 
5. Enter your password if you need to.
6. Place your finger in the Touch ID button and scan it until your Mac says it's done.

You can add up to three different fingerprints, which means you can use it for both of your hands and allow someone else to unlock your Mac. 

And since you're there, you can also choose which options you can use with Touch ID. For instance, you can use Apple Pay, unlock your Mac, and autofill your passwords. Tick the options you want and once you're done, close the window.

Customize Your Widgets

Not everyone uses them, but you can set up your favorite widgets on Mac as you would on iPhone or iPad. However, you can't have your widgets on your home screen as you would on other devices. 

Instead, you can find your Mac widgers in the Notification Center. The good news is that you can customize them and add your favorite widgets in a flash. Here's how:

1. Click the clock in the top right side of your screen.
2. Select Edit Widgets.

You'll see a list of the widgets you currently have on the right side. In the middle, you'll find some suggestions you might want to try. And on the left side, you'll see a list of all the widgets available. 

You can drag and drop the widgets to the right side to add them to your list. You can also drag them above or below other widgets to rearrange them. And if you don't see the widget you want to use, enter its name in the search bar to see what options you have.

How to Take Screenshots on Mac

A really useful tool you need to learn is to take screenshots with your Mac. There are a few ways for you to take screenshots, and you can do it with just a few keyboard shortcuts.

1. To take a screenshot of the whole screen, press Command + Shift + 3. You know you took the screenshot because your Mac will make a sound.
2. If you want to take a screenshot of a specific section, you can press Command + Shift + 4. Your cursor will change, and you can click and drag over the area you want. Once you release your finger, you'll take the screenshot.
3. If you want to record your screen, either a section or the whole screen, you can press Command + Shift + 5. A menu will appear on your screen, and you can select what you want to do from the menu at the bottom. 

Unlock Your Mac with Your Apple Watch

A really cool trick that will impress others is how you can unlock your Mac with nothing but your Apple Watch. Not only that, but you can also unlock apps with it as well.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Click the Apple menu located in the top left corner of your screen. (it's the button with the Apple logo).
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Click on Security & Privacy.
4. Make sure you're in the General tab.
5. If you need to, click the lock icon located in the bottom left side of the window.
6. Click Use your Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac.

Keep in mind that you'll need to have your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections turned on to use this feature. If you're using a MacBook, this means you'll use more battery than usual. 

Customize Your Menu Bar

The Menu Bar is with you at all times, and it has the most useful tools and actions you might need. 

The best part is that you can customize it, so all your most used actions or options are just one click away. Just follow these steps:

1. Click the Apple menu located in the top left corner of your screen. (it's the button with the Apple logo).
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Click on Dock & Menu Bar.

You can select any of the items located on the left side menu. Choose whatever you want to use and then click on Show in Menu Bar. There are a lot of options in there, so test them out to see what are your most frequently used options. 

Basic Keyboard Shortcuts You Should Know

Your Mac is loaded with a lot of keyboard shortcuts you can use to both master your Mac and make your life a little easier. 

There are just too many shortcuts for us to list them all in one place, but here are some basic keyboard shortcuts you'll want to know:

1. Command + Tab will help you quickly switch between your open apps.
2. Command + Q will close the window you're using at the moment.
3. Use Command + F3 to minimize all your windows and go straight to your desktop.
4. Command + C will copy any selected text or file.
5. Press Command + V to paste a text or file you copied.
6. Command + Z will undo anything you recently did.
7. Command + Option + Esc will open the Force Quit window where you can automatically close any app that's causing you trouble.
8. Control + Command + Q will immediately lock your Mac screen.