Susanna Balashova
Writer
There are many attractive features about MacBooks, enough to make consumers jump ship from other competitors. However, it is a fact that there are many things that this computer can do that many users don’t know about. Whether you’re just starting in the world of MacBooks or you’re a long-time user, here are 20 valuable facts that you probably didn’t know about Mac devices.
20 useful facts about your Mac device you probably didn’t know . Source: apple.com
1. Hide your activities from people around you
To hide your window, press the Command and H buttons to hide the window. Everything that you’re doing will be hidden immediately. If you’re running multiple apps simultaneously, press Command and M buttons to minimize it all at once.
2. Your computer can read to you
Your Mac can read text documents out loud to you. Highlight what part you want the computer to read, select edit at the top, then click on start speaking. It’s much simpler than when you have to recover deleted photos.
3. Sign documents digitally
The Mac device can record and remember your handwritten signature for when you digitally have to sign documents. You only have to write your signature on a blank paper and launch the preview application. Then click “create signature’ and show your signature to the camera until it becomes aligned with dotted lines on your screen. Click on accept to save the signature.
4. Stealth mode
If you don’t want interruptions from your notifications, then you can turn on the stealth feature. This will prevent incoming messages from causing disturbance until you deactivate them again.
5. Complete your printing sooner
You don’t have to stay too long in the queue before printing at your office. You can simply select all printers at your office instead of just one and send the document. It will be printed on the first available one.
6. Create customized shortcuts
You can create a shortcut for both elementary and complex stuff by going to system settings, select language and region, then keyboard settings and text. Then press “+” from the menu to add the shortcut.
7. Show battery draining apps
Simply click on the battery icon to see the apps that consume power the most. These apps will be shown stating that they use significant energy. Then you can regulate these apps or stop them.
8. Do quick calculations
You don’t need the dashboard calculator for quick math. Use spotlight. It shows solutions to quick calculations under the search bar. So, it’s convenient for crunching numbers when the need arises.
9. Shop faster
You don’t have to continually input your credit card details if you shop online regularly. You can save these numbers with Safari, then your autofill during checkout. Open Safari, go to preferences, then autofill. Click on the edit button and add your credit card details to save it.
10. Migrate files
If you’re a window user changing to Mac, you can still take your essential documents along. The migration assistant allows you to move data from your former PC to Mac.
11. Do currency conversions with a spotlight
To convert currencies with a spotlight, type the amount you are converting with the symbol ($500). Data is gotten from Yahoo showing the conversion rates for other currencies.
12. Use two apps simultaneously
You don’t have to resize to use two apps simultaneously; the Split view on Mac allows users to work on two apps simultaneously.
13. Use parental controls
You can protect your children from your Mac without locking them out completely. Mac has a child-lock feature that parents can use to control the way their kids use the device.
14. Customize or hide your menu bar
To hide your menu bar for when it’s needed, go to general under system preferences and click on hide automatically. If you’re customizing it instead, hold the command button, move the icons to different places, or take them out.
15. Create your keyboard shortcuts
There are numerous popular keyboard shortcuts, but you can create your keyboard shortcuts if you feel the need to. To do this, go to the keyboard under system preferences, then shortcuts – app shortcuts, and then press “+.”
16. Use emoji from the keyboard
Emojis aren’t used on phones alone. You can use them on almost all apps and web pages with Mac. Click on edit, then emoji and symbols from the menu bar. Then you can add from the box of emojis that appear.
17. Download games and apps from the App store
There are all kinds of these apps for users on the App Store for users to get more entertainment, productivity, etc., and you can download anyone with ease.
18. Set downloads automatically
You can set up your Mac for automatic downloads. macOS is updated regularly, be sure to not miss out on the interesting new features by setting automatic downloads to run in the background.
19. Optimized storage
You can use your hard drive and avoid making it full with the iCloud syncing options and the clutter cleaning regimen. Your hard drive storage is optimized and kept for essential downloads.
20. Setup calendar and email
Ignore the calendar and email apps for once and set up the in-built version. These built-in apps are never going to stop working, unlike the third-party app.
Conclusion
If you’re using a Mac device as a new or old user, these are some of the things that you need to know so that you can use the device more seamlessly.
Susanna Balashova is a creative magician in a world of (mostly) boring marketing. She turns dreary work things to be exciting and effective and likes creating her world within some fanfic sketches. Reach out to her on Twitter or LinkedIn.
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