Mac Basics
Tips & Tricks
The Windows “Right click” is equivalent to the MacBook’s “Secondary Click”
This can be achieved through pressing “Ctrl + Click”. If the settings allow, tapping the trackpad with two fingers will also work.
All files and programs are movable through “drag and drop”
The items on the dock at the bottom of the screen can be added or removed from the dock through drag and drop.
To uninstall programs, you drag and drop the program from the “applications” folder to the trash bin located on the dock.
When the files are dragged and dropped on Finder, it will move the file by default. When you drag and drop to an external storage device, it will copy the file to the external storage device by default.
Mac features compared to Windows features
Windows | Mac |
|---|---|
Minimize, maximize, close: top right of browser. | Top left of browser:
|
Bottom right task bar: also known as the “notification area” shows open programs, title, battery life, volume and network connection. | Top right task bar : for Macs, the “notification area” is located at the top right of the screen. |
File, edit, view, tools etc: these options are typically located at the top of each program window. |  Application settings for Macs are shown at the top left of the screen next to the Apple logo. These settings are specific to the program being used. |
Different Features
MacBooks have a feature to have multiple Desktops.
The multiple desktops work similarly to having multiple monitors. However, since you only have one screen, you must scroll to see the other desktops.
Having multiple desktops can be easily managed through “Mission Control” which allows you to quickly switch between ANY of your desktops.
When you are adding an item (e.g. file, user, printer), it is ALWAYS represented by a “+” sign
OS X offers a great searching tool called “Spotlight”
It is located at the top right of your screen or can be accessed through the keyboard shortcut “Command + Space Bar”
It searches using metadata. Metadata allows Spotlight to search the data about a file, rather than the actual content stored in the file. (e.g. You could search for a specific picture by providing the details of the dimensions or the format of the picture.)
Apple Menu
The Apple menu is located at the top left of the screen and looks like an Apple logo
Contains:
System information / About This Mac (Serial Number, Version, Hardware details)
Software Update (check and install the newest software update for your machine)
App Store
Purchase, download, install applications for your MacBook
System Preferences
Comparable to Windows “Control Panel”
Refer to the documentation below for more information
Dock Preferences
Preferences for the Dock, comparable to the Windows “Task Bar”
Force Quit (Command + Option + Escape)
Comparable to “Task Manager” of Windows, allows you to shut down a misbehaving program
Log Out
Finder
“Finder” can show you where all your documents, applications, and downloads are located. It can is similar to “My Computer” in Windows
Applications
All installed applications (software/programs) will be in here.
To install/uninstall applications, simply drag and drop applications inside/outside (into the trash) of this folder.
Desktop
Files stored here appear on your desktop, similar to Windows shortcuts
Documents
All your applications should be set by default to save documents here
Downloads
All your downloads will be in this folder
Connected Networks
You can also find all the networks that you’re connected to in finder. The option to disconnect is called “eject”.
Devices
CD’s, External Hard Drives, Hard Disks, USB drives can be seen in Finder
Dock
The dock is the bar located at the bottom (sometimes sides of the MacBook screen). It is comparable to the Windows Task Bar
Drag and drop applications on and off the dock to customize it
Check System Preferences for more options (To move bar to the left/right hand side of the screen, change the size, effects)
System Preferences
Mission Control
Allows you to see all applications/desktop on the MacBook
Helps when multiple windows are open
Helps when multiple desktops are being used
Trackpad
Settings for the Touchpad/Trackpad
Gestures for the Trackpad to navigate through MacBook
It is highly recommended to review and customize these settings to improve your MacBook experience
Displays
Multiscreen settings
General
Scrolling settings
Appearance settings of buttons, menus, and windows
Desktop/Screen Savers
Change your background picture here
Dock
Users and Groups
Guest account
Maintains privacy of the regular user(s) and deletes all additional files
Change password
Link with Apple account
Log in options/items
Changes settings of the log in process and what applications should open when you log in
Time Machine
Network
Connection settings for wifi, ethernet, etc.
Internet Accounts
Set up accounts for Exchange (UW mail service for faculty & staff), iCloud, Google, Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Backups
Time Machine
If you are doing backups on your own person (unmanaged) Mac, Time Machine is a good option:
Backup software application
Requires an external storage device connected to your computer or accessible on your local network
Simple as specifying a disk to back up on and turning time machine on
You can specify files/folders to ignore when backing up through Time Machine under Options
It will by default:Keep hourly backups for the past 24 hours
Keep daily backups for the past month
Keep weekly backups for all previous months
Delete the oldest backups when disk becomes full
Backup when the disk specified to back up is connected