10 Tips & Tricks for Mac Users

Macs are fast and high-performing computers that are appreciated by many. Some people use it for work, some - for entertainment, and some - to create music.

On the other hand, purchasing a Mac is quite an investment, so not taking advantage of its maximum speed and not taking your time to learn how to enjoy its best features would be a shame.

Therefore today, we want to share ten tips and tricks for Mac users that will make your daily use of a Mac even more pleasant and efficient.  

Tip #1: Hide Desktop Icons

One of the great tips and tricks we are about to share today is how to hide desktop icons. This may come in handy when you show a presentation through a projector and do not want the audience to see your personal files or when you are filming a video tutorial.

You can easily hide the desktop icons by using specialized software or using the Finder. Click on Finder, go to Preferences, choose the General tab, and uncheck all of the items.

Tip #2: Stack Icons on Your Desktop

Having many items on your Desktop makes it difficult to find the files you need quickly. More to it, it slows down your Mac because to display each thumbnail; your computer is using system resources.

It is best to sort all of those files out and always keep a clean desktop, but if you do not have time for that right now, you can stack icons. To do so, go to Desktop, click View, and select Use Stacks. This option will group files by their type.

Tip #3: Manage Storage: Store in iCloud

Clicking on the Apple icon in the top menu, going to About This Mac, and choosing the Storage tab will reveal how much free disk space you have. If it is less than 10%, your computer is likely to underperform.

Luckily, clicking on the Manage button will lead you to four options that will help free up Mac's disk space. The first of the options is called Store in iCloud. This option will automatically store files in iCloud rather than on your Mac. Only recent files will be stored on the computer.

Tip #4: Manage Storage: Optimize Storage

The second option in the Manage section is called Optimize Storage. Using it will automatically remove such media files as TV shows and movies that you have already watched on Apple TV.

Tip #5: Manage Storage: Empty Bin Automatically

Emptying Mac's Trash Bin regularly is important because all of the files you delete are still stored in there and taking up disk space. 

It would be great if you would build a healthy habit to empty the Trash Bin each time you finish working on your computer. For those of you who struggle to remember to do so, enabling the Empty Bin Automatically option will erase items from the Trash Bin after 30 days of their deletion. 

Tip #6: Manage Storage: Reduce Clutter

Reduce Clutter will sort out files like documents on your Mac and remove items you no longer need and make more free disk space. 

Tip #7: Use Spotlight Search

To quickly launch apps, media, and other files, you can use the Spotlight Search. You can either click the icon at the top right corner of your screen or use the combination Command + Space to open it.

More to it, you can take advantage of the Spotlight Search to calculate equations and convert currency. 

Tip #8: Learn macOS Shortcuts

To truly experience how easy it is to use a Mac and how it can make multiple processes like switching between tabs easier, you need to learn the macOS keyboard shortcuts and the trackpad gestures if you are using a MacBook. Here are a few popular shortcuts to use on macOS: 

1. Command + M: Minimize the front app window.
2. Command + M: Close a window.
3. Command + Q: Quit a program.
4. Command + H: Hide apps.

Tip #9: Use iPad as a Second Screen

If you use multiple apps for your work, using a second screen might be helpful. Although, you do not necessarily need to purchase a large monitor. You can use an iPad as the second screen if you have one.

For example, you can open a group communication tool like Skype or Slack on iPad to avoid always switching from the Mail app to the chatting app.

Tip #10: Unlock Mac With Apple Watch

If you own a Mac and an Apple Watch, you should enable the option that automatically unlocks your computer when the Apple Watch is near and unlocked. This way, you will save time because you won’t have to enter a password. 

To activate this feature, click on the Apple icon at the top of your screen, choose System Preferences, go to the Security & Privacy, and choose the option “Use your Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac.”