Mac computers are a powerful tool that can boost your productivity and efficiency. But unless you are tech-savvy, you might only be scratching the surface of what this device can do. With this guide, we aim to transform your Mac experience and give you insider tips to enhance your workflow.
Leverage the Split View Feature
Supercharge multitasking by working on two applications side-by-side on your Mac screen using Split View. With this feature, you don’t have to resize the windows of either application. You don’t have to switch between applications using this feature, and it can seamlessly work in two different programs.
You can enable Split View by opening two applications and placing them on opposite sides of the screen. Go to the top left corner of one of the app’s windows and hover over the app or click the green bubble. This will open a dropdown menu and you can choose either Tile Window to the Right of Screen or Left of Screen. The specific app will fill that side of the screen. Similarly, click on the other application, and it will fill the opposite side of the screen.
Once you are done, you can exit Split View by clicking the green bubble again.
Find And Edit Passwords
Mac devices make it easier for users to create passwords, save them, and then forget about them. You don’t have to bother yourself with the burden of remembering so many different passwords.
Finding passwords on Mac is easily achieved through System Settings. When here, click Passwords > sign in with Touch ID or type your account password > choose a website and click the ‘i’ button.
Another method of finding saved passwords is through the iCloud Keychain.
Look Under Spotlight’s Hood
Spotlight search is an exceptional feature that performs searches and helps you quickly locate applications and files. But did you know that Spotlight can do more than perform searches? You can use Spotlight to perform conversions or math calculations.
Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight and then click the magnifying glass icon. Enter the math problem you want to solve or the unit you want to convert. The rest will be done by Spotlight. You don’t need Google.
Record the Screen Using the Keyboard Shortcut
It is easier for people to learn things by watching a video instead of reading instructions. The best way to ensure all the instructions are provided to the audience or your team is through a screen recording.
You can record your screen by pressing Command + Shift + 5. You will see a border around the screen that is being recorded. You can click Record to start recording. Then, stop recording by clicking the Stop icon, or you can press Command + Control + Escape.
The screen recording will be saved to the desktop, or you can change the location.
Create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts
Mac computers have several built-in keyboard shortcuts that you can use to boost productivity. Additionally, you can create custom shortcuts to streamline your workflow.
Custom keyboard shortcuts can be created by tapping on the Apple logo and selecting System Settings from the dropdown menu. Then, click Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > select App Shortcuts. To create custom shortcuts, click the plus button and choose the application for which you want to create the shortcut.
Type the menu command and the combination keys. Make sure the key combinations used do not already exist.
Sign Documents Digitally
Since remote working is having its moment right now, it makes sense to learn how you can sign documents digitally. After all, it is a chore to print out the forms or documents, sign them, scan them, and send them back.
You can digitally sign documents by opening Preview > clicking Tools > selecting Annotate > choosing Signature > selecting Manage Signatures. Then, choose Create Signature and use the trackpad or your iPhone to write your signature. You can also use your Mac’s camera to capture your signature after writing it on a piece of paper.
After this, whenever you need to sign a document, you can open the document in Preview > Tools > Annotate > Signature > choose the signature you want to use and drop it in place.
Customize the File and Folder Icons
Although the default Mac interface is perfectly fine, and you don’t need to tamper with it. But if you want to customize your Mac device, you can use specific logos and images for files.
You can use the default image editing application to create the image you want. Choose the image and press Command + C. Once the image is copied, you can right-click on the folder or file you want to change the icon for and choose Get Info. Then, press Command + V and paste the custom image to change the icon of the file or folder.
Conclusion
So, these are the hacks you must know to ensure your user experience is elevated and productivity is supercharged.
