Have you recently invested in your very first Mac computer? Did you purchase a Macbook for your studies, but are unsure of how to make the most of it? Learning how to use a Mac can be overwhelming if you’ve never done it before.
Apple products are unlike any other on the market. They offer many great benefits, but the interface itself takes some getting used to. The important thing is to learn a few tips for new Mac users so that you can feel it out for yourself.
See below for more information and guidance on how to use a Mac for your benefit. No matter what your reasoning for buying one, we guarantee this guide will help.
Set Up Your New Mac
Let’s assume that you’ve yet to take the Mac out of its package yet. The first thing the Mac will do once you configure it and turn it on is to help you get it set up. Kudos to Apple, they’ve made this process very simple for beginners.
First, start by pushing down the power button. The software will prompt you to select a language, then a keyboard layout. The keyboard layout, for those of you that don’t know, is the way your keys will type out on the computer. Doesn’t matter what letters the keyboard shows.
Next, it will ask you for your preferred Wi-Fi network and ask you to enter the Wi-Fi password for it. After that, you’ll want to select “enable location services on this Mac”.
The Mac will ask you to sign in with your Apple ID. If you don’t already have one, it will allow you to create one later on.
From then on, the Mac will ask you simple questions to fill out such as your name, account name, password, and so forth. Simply follow the directions it lays out for you.
Consider Virtual Machines
The one other thing you’ll want to consider during the setup phase is whether or not you wish to have a virtual machine.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a virtual machine is essentially a tool that allows you to have more than one desktop on the same Mac.
For example, say you and your spouse are looking to share a Mac for your respective careers. Rather than have all of your files mixed in which one another, a virtual machine can grant you your own desktop for each, thus making organization easier.
It can also grant you privacy for those of you that have young kids. You can have a private virtual machine for your work that they can’t get into and wreak havoc.
To get started, you’ll want to begin by downloading the best virtual machine software for Mac. This ensures that your Mac is secure and being used the right way.
As you’ll see in the link above, there are many great choices. You can invest in VMs like Parallels Desktop, VMWare Fusion, or Apple Boot Camp, depending on your needs.
Familiarize Yourself With Key Features
If you’ve never used a Mac before, then you might not be familiar with some of its key features, such as:
- Finder
- App Store
- Siri
- Safari
- Mail App
- Dock
The list goes on and on. Some of these (like App Store and Siri) are universal across all Apple devices. Then there are others, such as Finder, Dock, and Launchpad, that aren’t.
Finder will quickly become your best friend. It can help you find any app or file that your Mac contains, helping you retrieve them within a few seconds.
The Dock—the long bar of App icons at the bottom of your screen—helps you open and close your most-used apps with ease. You can customize it as you wish so that you aren’t constantly going back and forth from the launchpad or Apple icon on the menu bar.
The Launchpad contains all your apps. You can use it to organize said apps and condense them into one page, similar to the home screen on your iPhone.
Back Up Your Data
Imagine the horror of booting up your Mac one day to find that an important file has been deleted. Imagine the frustration of replacing a file with a blank document.
Believe it or not, these things can happen. That’s why it’s important to develop a backup plan right after you install your Mac.
Fortunately, Mac offers a great feature known as Time Machine. It’s automatically built-in to the Mac and allows you to automatically back up your files to an external hard disk.
Set Up Auto Unlock
For those of you that have an Apple watch, you’ll love the auto-unlock feature on your new Mac or Macbook.
A strong password is necessary but annoying to type in every time you go to open your desktop. The auto-unlock feature allows you to unlock your Mac from your Apple watch.
To do this, go to the Apple icon at the very top left of your screen, then go to “System Preferences”, then “Security and Privacy”. There you’ll see “Use your Apple Watch to Unlock Apps on Your Mac”. Click that, and follow the instructions it gives you.
How to Use a Mac: Follow These Steps to Get Going
As with any other new venture, learning how to use a Mac is all about taking the first step. Simply turn on the Mac and follow the setup instructions it gives you. It’s easy!
Once you get more comfortable with the features your Mac offers, you can start to implement more tools and apps to increase your productivity.
Be sure to browse our website for more articles on how to use a Mac, as well as many other topics that you will enjoy reading about.