How To Use A Mac Computer Tutorial

So you took the plunge and finally bought a Mac. Congratulations on your new purchase---now information technology'southward time to acquire how to use it!

macOS is well-known for its ease of use, and we're confident you will accommodate to your new platform in no time. That said, at that place are a few tricks that will assist yous become started and avoid defoliation later on.

And then here's our consummate beginner'due south guide to macOS that'll teach you everything you lot need to know near the Apple ecosystem for iMacs and MacBooks, separate into the following capacity:

What Is macOS?
Setting Upwards Your New Mac
The Nuts of Using macOS
Understanding iCloud and macOS
Backups and Maintenance on macOS
Troubleshooting macOS Problems

1. What Is macOS?

macOS is the proper noun of the operating organization that powers all Mac computers, similar Windows on PCs. Different Windows, macOS is only supplied with Apple computers. Many users cite the operating system as i of the reasons they buy Apple hardware.

The operating organisation receives regular security updates and ane major upgrade each twelvemonth. macOS was previously known as Mac Os Ten, and the kickoff version (ten.0) debuted in 2001. The electric current version is macOS 10.thirteen High Sierra, released in October 2017.

Dissimilar Windows, macOS is based on the Unix operating system, with routes tracing dorsum to the 1970s. As a result it shares many similarities with Linux and other Unix offshoots, like the Bash command line interface and Unix permissions layer.

macOS is a fairly straightforward operating organization. It comes with a rich suite of apps to simplify everyday tasks like e-mail and web browsing. It integrates well with Apple'southward family unit of mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad.

two. Setting Up Your New Mac

Setting up your Mac will take around 20 minutes, during which you'll be guided through the setup process.

The beginning thing to practice is take your Mac out of the box, connect the power cable and whatsoever relevant peripherals (keyboards and pointing devices), and then hit the Power button. You'll encounter Apple's trademark logo appear on screen, then y'all tin can start setting up your calculator.

This requires connecting to Wi-Fi virtually immediately, and so make sure you have those credentials ready. You lot'll and so encounter prompts to provide information like your time zone, keyboard layout, and whether you want to share anonymous usage data with Apple.

Your Mac requires an Apple tree ID for iCloud, the App Store, iTunes and other purposes. If you have an Apple ID that you're already using for your iPhone or iPad, employ the same business relationship. Those who don't yet have an Apple tree ID tin can create one now.

Once you've fabricated information technology through the initial setup, your Mac will restart. You lot'll see a clean desktop with a row of icons (the dock) at the bottom of the screen. You lot're now ready to brainstorm!

iii. The Nuts of Using macOS

Let's beginning with the nigh of import parts of using your Mac.

When your Mac first boots up, you lot'll meet the cadre user interface components. At the height of the screen is the menu bar, at the bottom is the dock, and behind all your windows is the desktop.

Like most other desktop operating systems, macOS uses a desktop equally a temporary workspace on which to shop files. Difficult drives, external drives, and mounted disk images volition all appear here when connected to your auto. You can correct-click to create folders and drag to arrange your desktop as yous meet fit.

At the tiptop of the screen, the menu bar changes based on the app currently in focus. The Apple menu is where you can Shut Down your machine, and access information related to your Mac under the Almost This Mac pick.

The menu bar displays application options like File, Edit, Help and so on. On the right-hand side of the menu bar are condition indicators for organisation and third-party apps. These include Wi-Fi and bombardment meters, as well as apps like Shazam or Evernote if yous're using them.

You tin can re-accommodate these items past holding Command while clicking and dragging. There's a whole sub-category of menu bar apps built to reside in this easy-to-reach tray at the superlative of the screen.

3.2. The Dock

The dock is the closest equivalent macOS has to a Windows Commencement carte. It'south divided into two parts: shortcuts to apps, and pinned folders or minimized windows. You can arrange the dock to announced along the lesser, left, or correct edges of the screen nether System Preferences > Dock.

Launch pinned apps by clicking on them. Apps that aren't pinned will also show up on the dock when in utilise. Right-click on any icon to determine whether or non to keep it in the dock, and elevate apps to rearrange them. You tin likewise drag icons out of the dock and release to remove them.

Dragging a file over an app icon and releasing volition open the file in that app, assuming the app is compatible with the file. Dragging an application file into the dock will add together it to the dock equally a shortcut.

In the other (correct-mitt) section you'll find a few pinned folders and the Trash. Drag any folder into the dock to pin it. Right-click to tweak its display, so it shows as a stack or regular binder. You can drag files into these folders to move them, just like you can drag files into the Trash to delete them.

Finally, if y'all want to remove a mounted drive or disk epitome, simply elevate it over the Trash. You can quickly empty the Trash past right-clicking and choosing Empty Trash.

iii.3. Finder

Finder is the default macOS file management app. But like Windows Explorer, Finder lets y'all browse your hard drives and other connected devices.

In that location are several components to the Finder window, which you can toggle under the View menu bar particular:

Tab bar: Automatically shows and hides when y'all open up a new tab within Finder (Cmd + T).
Path bar: Displays the path to the current folder at the bottom of the screen.
Condition bar: Lists the number of items in a location and available deejay infinite.
Sidebar: A list of favorite or frequently-used locations on the left-manus side.
Preview: An expanded preview pane on the correct-hand side of the window.

The sidebar is particularly useful, since you tin customize it to display your favorite locations. Right-click and choose Remove from Sidebar to delete an entry. Click and drag a binder into the sidebar to add together it permanently.

Gyre down to the Devices section to meet currently mounted volumes and disks. Below that y'all'll notice shared network locations and tags. To remove or add sections, click Finder > Preferences in the menu bar at the acme of the screen.

Finder uses a primary toolbar to brandish common controls like back and forward. There's too a healthy listing of view options. Y'all can view files and folders as icons, lists, columns, or in Apple tree'due south "Cover Menstruation" preview manner. Past default y'all'll come across Share and Tags buttons too.

Right-click on the toolbar to customize Finder. You tin add or remove buttons and shortcuts, and rearrange fields like the search bar. By default the search bar is visible, and you can use information technology to search your entire Mac or simply the binder you lot're currently viewing.

Finder supports copy (Cmd + C) and paste (Cmd + V) just not cut. On macOS, Move replaces cut. To "cut" a file you must first copy it, and then motility information technology (Cmd + Pick + Five). If you right-click and press the Option central, you'll run across "Paste" change to "Motion."

Meet our guide to copying and pasting on Mac for more on this bones.

3.four. Spotlight

Spotlight is the name of your Mac's search engine, and it appears in a floating window any fourth dimension you press Cmd + Infinite. Simply blazon your query and macOS volition respond with context-sensitive results. Hitting Enter to action the top result, or scroll through what Spotlight has found till you find what you're looking for.

This handy search tool works not just for finding files, only also as an application launcher. Just by typing yous can:

Find files, folders, documents, notes, electronic mail, letters, and more
Launch applications and utilities
Perform basic calculations
Catechumen currencies, measurements, and other units
Get suggested websites, definitions, Wikipedia entries, and more
Use tongue for refining results

You lot should get used to using Spotlight to launch applications and find relevant results without ever taking your hands off the keyboard. Information technology's a powerful tool, especially when you know the best tips for Spotlight.

three.v. Applications

Most applications you lot download from the web will prove up every bit a disk image (DMG) files at first. Double-click a DMG to mount it, after which it will prove up to macOS like a read-only drive. Drag the application (APP) file to your Applications folder to install it. Deleting the APP file from this folder will remove the app from your system.

Some applications use a packaged installer (PKG), which is similar to how apps install on Windows. Run the PKG file and follow the on-screen prompts. Many PKG installers utilise packaged uninstallers to remove the app. These are the basics, but there's more to installing and removing Mac software.

The other major fashion of installing Mac software is using the Mac App Shop. This is an application which manages the install process for you. Launch the Mac App Store, and login with your Apple ID. Find an app to install, then click on Get or the item'south price, depending on whether the app is free or not. Y'all can remove these apps as y'all would any regular app.

When installing some third-party applications, Gatekeeper will tell you that the installation cannot go on because the source is not trusted. This is because the programmer hasn't applied to Apple for a developer license, something macOS requires when trusting new software. To bypass this protection, dismiss the initial dialog and then caput to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and click Open Anyhow most the bottom of the screen.

At that place are other methods for installing software, like the command line utility Homebrew which pre-packages many open source projects into a repository.

3.half-dozen. Arrangement Preferences

You can configure pretty much everything under Arrangement Preferences, which is pinned to the dock past default. You can admission information technology using the little silver cog icon, or right-click the icon to go direct to a specific section.

Note: Depending on your model of Mac and its features, you might encounter more or fewer options under your own System Preferences panel. Don't worry if yours doesn't look exactly like the screenshot above!

This should be your first stop if you're looking to change something on your computer. Everything from adding a new user account, to irresolute trackpad sensitivity, to brandish resolution and security settings, lives here. Yous tin use the search bar at the top to quickly find a specific preference pane, or click View to toggle alphabetic sorting.

You should take some time to familiarize yourself with the almost mutual sections. A few tweaks you lot might want to make soon later you start using your new Mac are:

Change your wallpaper under Desktop & Screen Saver
Change the size, alignment, and behavior of the Dock
Larn and adjust gesture controls under Trackpad
Add new electronic mail and social media accounts in internet Accounts
Specify a backup location with Fourth dimension Machine

Remember: You lot tin can always search for any of these preference panes using Spotlight with the Cmd + Infinite keyboard shortcut.

iii.7. Notifications and Today Screen

Click on the three-line icon in the height-right corner of your screen to brandish Notification Middle and Today screen. You tin can too swipe with two fingers from the correct edge of the trackpad, or fix hot corners to make triggering this feature even easier.

The Today screen is essentially an area for widgets, which are minor snippets of data and interactive elements that necktie in to your other apps. Ringlet to the lesser of the list and click Edit to view your available widgets. Drag them to reorder them, and click on the greenish Plus or red Minus symbols to add and remove widgets.

When an app wants to ship you notifications, yous will receive a request that yous can approve or deny. Incoming notifications will appear in the meridian-correct corner of the screen, just beneath the menu bar. You tin customize or revoke notification permissions under Organization Preferences > Notifications.

It's common for websites to request access to Notification Center, only they volition bear witness upwards as separate apps rather than using Safari.

For boosted customizations, check out our ultimate guide to customizing Safari on your Mac along with these time-saving link shortcut tips.

If y'all're using a trackpad, either on a MacBook or with Apple tree'south Magic Trackpad accompaniment, you'll have access to a range of gestures in macOS. Gestures trigger sure features and speed up navigation. You can customize these gestures and view some handy instance videos nether Arrangement Preferences > Trackpad.

This is as well where you can change scroll beliefs (2-finger elevate), enable tap to click (so you don't need to fully depress the trackpad), and alter the gesture for swiping between desktops (horizontal three-finger drag).

Some modernistic MacBooks have Force Touch trackpads, which is the aforementioned basic technology backside 3D Touch on an iPhone. By pressing slightly harder than you would to trigger a regular click, you can trigger a Force Affect---essentially a whole new mouse button for context-sensitive operations.

You tin can vastly speed upward your interactions with macOS past learning a few basic Mac keyboard shortcuts. Some useful ones to start you off are:

Copy: Cmd + C
Paste: Cmd + V
Move (afterwards copying): Cmd + Option + V
App Switcher: Cmd + Tab
Screenshot: Cmd + Shift + 3 (captures the whole screen; you can also accept screenshots in other ways)
Spotlight: Cmd + Infinite
Siri: Cmd + Space (hold)
New Tab (Safari, Finder, and more): Cmd + T

3.9. AirPlay and AirDrop

AirPlay is Apple'south proprietary wireless streaming applied science. You lot tin can transport video or sound (or both) to an AirPlay receiver like an Apple TV by clicking on the AirPlay icon (below) in the carte bar at the summit of the screen. You can as well send media to receivers using the AirPlay icon when you see it in other apps, like iTunes and Spotify.

Click on the AirPlay icon to enable mirroring, which sends your Mac's screen to an AirPlay receiver of your selection. This is platonic for presentations and sharing photos, merely performance will depend on your network speed and interference. You lot can choose to output your Mac'south sound to AirPlay devices by choosing them as an Output device under Organisation Preferences > Sound.

AirDrop is Apple's proprietary wireless file sharing engineering. Apply it to send files between Mac computers and iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad. Launch Finder and click on AirDrop in the sidebar to scan for a list of available recipients. If you're trying to receive a file on your Mac, brand sure you take this screen open up.

Y'all can share nigh annihilation using AirDrop from your Mac. The quickest way is to right-click on a file or link, then click Share > AirDrop. You lot can also use the Share button built into many Mac apps, like Safari and Notes. AirDrop is handy when it works, but information technology'south notoriously hit and miss. Check out our AirDrop troubleshooting guide if yous're having issues.

3.10. Siri

Siri on Mac is just like Siri on iPhone. By belongings the Cmd + Space shortcut you tin can inquire Siri to find files, fetch information from the web, send email and messages, and even telephone call people---right on your Mac desktop.

As an case, y'all tin can ask Siri queries using natural language similar:

"Show me PDFs I opened final week"
"Remind me to buy milk tomorrow"
"Who are the Giants playing this week?"
"What's the weather like on Sunday?"

With some queries, you tin drag and pin them to your Today screen, and they'll update automatically based on new information. Examples include stock information, sports fixtures and tables, local conditions forecasts, and calculations made with Wolfram Blastoff.

4. Agreement iCloud and macOS

You'll find iCloud all over macOS, and so it's vital that you understand information technology.

iv.1. What Is iCloud?

iCloud is a grab-all name for Apple'due south online cloud services. You lot'll see it appear before other services, like iCloud Drive or iCloud Music Library. In short, information technology basically means that particular service'due south data is stored online, in the cloud.

Not all iCloud services require iCloud storage. iCloud Music Library, for instance, is a cloud-based library for Apple Music subscribers. It maintains the aforementioned library contents across devices, and requires no storage infinite online or otherwise unless y'all decide to salvage content offline.

four.two. Storage Infinite

Apple tree provides 5GB of complimentary space per Apple ID, whether y'all purchase an iPhone, Apple TV, or brand-new MacBook. That doesn't go very far, especially if you're using it to support personal devices like an iPhone or iPad. You lot can check your current storage allocation under System Preferences > iCloud.

Somewhen, y'all'll need to consider a storage upgrade. When you upgrade your storage, you'll keep the 5GB you got when you joined with the option of adding:

50GB for $1/month
200GB for $iii/month
2TB for $10/calendar month

You can share the 200GB and 2TB tiers with your family, provided yous set iTunes Family Sharing. To upgrade your storage space, head to Organization Preferences > iCloud > Account Details and choose an upgrade.

iv.3. iCloud on Mac

You'll detect a smorgasbord of iCloud features available to you in macOS, many of which y'all tin can plow on or off nether System Preferences > iCloud.

iCloud Bulldoze is a bones cloud storage platform. Y'all can upload files to the cloud and so access them on other Apple devices, with no limits on the type of file or how often it'due south accessed. Just make sure file sizes are under 50GB.

iCloud Photograph Library within the Photos app. This uploads the contents of your Photos library to Apple's servers, while giving you the choice of keeping merely optimized, lower-quality copies. You tin can retrieve the contents of your library on whatsoever iCloud-connected device.

Many other apps push and pull data to and from Apple's servers, including Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Notes, Safari, and Mail. These services don't apply any iCloud storage space, just rather use the service every bit a become-between to go on all your Mac and iOS devices in sync with each other.

Finally in that location are services that use iCloud as a conduit, including Notice My Mac and Dorsum to My Mac. The former allows you lot to track your laptop from the web and other Apple tree devices; the latter is a remote control (VNC) solution.

4.four. iCloud.com

iCloud has a web frontend at iCloud.com which allows you to access sure services from any device. These include basics like Mail, Contacts, Agenda, and Notes. It as well holds the Find My iPhone service (which works for finding your Mac), Photos for viewing iCloud Photograph Library, and a web-friendly version of iCloud Drive.

You'll also notice iWork for iCloud apps hither, including Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. These are web-based versions of Apple's iWork suite, and you tin can work on any documents you have chosen to proceed in the cloud (or create new ones).

This web frontend is well-nigh useful equally a webmail service for iCloud mail, for tracking your devices and friends, or for working on documents remotely.

5. Backups and Maintenance on macOS

Generally speaking, you don't take to actively maintain macOS. By just running updates and keeping your automobile safely backed up, you'll be prepared for most eventualities.

5.1. macOS Updates

macOS delivers updates via the Mac App Store. For of import system downloads including security fixes, firmware updates, and new versions of offset-party Apple software, launch the App Store app and click on the Updates tab.

Any third-political party apps you lot install from the Mac App Store will besides receive updates in this manner. Apps you lot install from the spider web or through other means will require updating manually. Most applications will automatically notify you of updates and offering to download and install them for you.

5.2. Backing Up With Fourth dimension Machine

Time Car is Apple'southward automatic fill-in solution. It works using an external drive, though you can specify network locations if y'all want. To become started, plug in a (blank) external hard drive with at least every bit much space as your Mac's arrangement drive. More space is better, since yous'll have a greater archive of backups to peruse.

With your bulldoze continued, head to System Preferences > Time Machine and click Select Backup Disk. Specify the bulldoze y'all desire to use to support your Mac. This volition erase all its contents, and then you lot might want to create a segmentation if you also intend to store other files on that bulldoze.

With a disk specified, Time Automobile volition start backing up your Mac. Every fourth dimension yous connect this difficult bulldoze, Time Machine will kick in and create a backup. Information technology won't back upward everything every time, simply rather copies the changes and creates a browsable snapshot of your estimator at a specific moment in fourth dimension.

When your drive becomes full, the oldest backups are deleted first. Yous can browse your backups at whatever fourth dimension by connecting your Time Machine hard drive, then clicking the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and selecting Enter Fourth dimension Machine.

The purpose of this backup is to restore your Mac to its current glory if something goes wrong. That includes hardware or operating arrangement failure, or even moving to an entirely new Mac. Bankroll up also of import for securing your Mac when you travel. For proper backup redundancy, consider creating non-Fourth dimension Machine backups too.

five.three. macOS Maintenance

Y'all don't need to babysit your Mac, simply in that location are a few basic forms of maintenance you should remember to practice on a regular basis to keep your automobile running smoothly. The most obvious ane is maintaining a decent buffer of gratis infinite.

Your Mac volition feel operation issues when it runs low on space. The operating organization and many third-party apps rely on usable free space for regular operating. If possible, try to maintain a bare minimum of 10GB of space on your Mac at all times.

By using the Storage Management app under Applications > Utilities you lot tin can see exactly which files are taking up the most space by clicking on the diverse categories. The Store in iCloud feature lets y'all automatically upload and download files to iCloud as needed.

Y'all can also choose to enable the Empty Trash Automatically feature, which permanently erases items in your Trash after 30 days. Finally, click on the Review Files push button to see a breakdown of the largest and least-used files on your Mac. From here you can delete what you don't need.

At that place are many third party Mac apps that can help you create free space. You can also delete your internet and other caches. If you're really stuck, consider adding more storage to your MacBook to ease the strain.

v.4. Annual macOS Upgrades

Apple tree's yearly update bike means a new version of macOS is available free of charge each fall. This usually happens in Oct, about a calendar month after the yearly iOS update lands. Provided your Mac is compatible, yous tin can download the update from the Mac App Store when it's ready.

These major updates correspond a brand-new version of macOS, with a new proper name and set of wallpapers to differentiate it from the concluding. Apple debuts new features and technologies in yearly revisions, as well equally major new versions of core apps similar Safari, Photos, and Notes.

If you want the latest features, you'll demand to install these upgrades when they go far. I word of caution though: if yous rely on a detail app, make sure that app is compatible with the newest version earlier upgrading. If yous don't practice this, y'all might not be able to use your sometime video editor, audio workstation, or other such software.

Before yous install a major operating system upgrade, e'er create a backup using Fourth dimension Machine. You lot should besides ensure you have acceptable free infinite to install the upgrade. Apple hardware tin can and will accept bug while installing updates from time to time, and it never hurts to exist prepared.

half-dozen. Troubleshooting macOS Problems

Your Mac is non immune to problems, and bug will rear their head occasionally. You should know what y'all can do to prevent issues and become everything rolling again when needed. This is i of the reasons that creating frequent backups (every bit discussed above) is so of import.

6.one. Boot Modes

By holding a specific combination of keys while starting your Mac, you can enter specific boot modes. These assistance troubleshoot your Mac, install other operating systems, or run hardware diagnostics.

Close down your Mac, press the power push button, and then immediately printing and agree the required combination. Some useful kicking modes to think are:

D to enter Hardware Diagnostic mode (pictured above) to test your Mac for problems using Apple tree's online tool.
Option (Alt) to list all bootable volumes and featherbed automatically launching macOS.
Shift to start in Rubber mode, platonic if you're having problems starting your Mac.
Cmd + R to enter into Recovery mode, ideal for fixing bulldoze bug or reinstalling macOS.

6.ii. PRAM and SMC

Some issues can only exist solved past resetting your Mac's parameter random admission retentiveness (PRAM) and system management controller (SMC). These play an of import role in keeping your Mac running smoothly, whether it's remembering the time and date or controlling physical elements like fans and LEDs.

You might want to reset PRAM if you accept issues with your Mac'south sound, you can't observe the kicking volume, your keyboard or pointing device behaves strangely, yous notice erratic display resolution changes, or your computer shuts down slowly.

On the other manus yous might desire to reset your SMC if you notice odd fan and LED behavior, the power light on your adapter is interim upward, your MacBook doesn't wake upward when you lot open the lid, you have Wi-Fi connexion bug, or your calculator runs very slowly under low load.

Depending on the age of your car, there are different combinations of keys to hold down at startup to initiate a PRAM or SMC reset.

6.3. Diagnostics and Fixing Your Mac

Yous have two options when it comes to running diagnostics on your Mac:

Use Apple tree Diagnostics (Apple tree Hardware Test) via the relevant boot way, discussed in a higher place.
Find relevant Apple Service Diagnostics (ASD) for your car to attempt and isolate the result.

Past testing your automobile using Apple'southward online tool, y'all should become some limited information about whatever particular issues. You lot might be able to isolate the problem to a specific component, but you won't get much information about what's incorrect.

However if yous go to the problem of tracking downwards the relevant ASD release for your machine (pre-2015 Macs merely), and then you'll get as much relevant information as you can handle. Apple tree technicians use ASD to isolate and fix problems with Apple tree hardware.

If your Mac is notwithstanding under warranty and you call up in that location'due south a problem, take it to Apple. You can find out whether or not it's nevertheless covered by putting your series number (establish on the bottom of your machine, and under Apple > Nearly This Mac) into Apple'south warranty checker.

If your Mac is out of warranty, you lot can notwithstanding accept Apple gear up it, merely this is an expensive route. You could likewise opt for tertiary-party authorized Apple tree service points, which are slightly cheaper.

Finally, you can take it to any repair shop or cull to fix it yourself. While it's not impossible to fix your own Mac, it might not be the best choice for newcomers and those lacking in hardware feel.

Call back Different: Be Comfortable With macOS

macOS is meant to be user-friendly. You lot'll have a difficult time "breaking" the operating system, based on the safeguards Apple has put in place. Once you lot've adjusted to the keyboard layout, gesture-based navigation, and Apple's way of doing everything, you lot'll likely find macOS a productive and reliable platform in which to spend your fourth dimension.

If you're coming from a Windows PC, you'll demand to adjust to Apple's way of calculating. We've thrown together a quick guide to using a Mac for Windows users and compiled a listing of default Mac app equivalents to Windows software, which should get you upward to speed with the basics.

And be sure to take advantage of your Mac dashboard with these useful apps and check out means to go along your Mac from sleeping.