MacOS has proved itself a trusted and easy-to-navigate operating system. However, you can still find a lot of useful settings and options that let you customize your computer in the most convenient way for you. There are dozens or maybe hundreds of shortcuts and tricks to streamline your workflows and make it easier to use your Mac. But, many of these features are less-known to folks out there. So, here are some useful tips to get the most out of your Mac.
Copy from iPhone to Mac
If you’re like me, I use both my Mac and iPhone for everyday tasks. And, sometimes, you can find a lot of good info while surfing the internet on your phone that you want to use it for work on your Mac. Sending or saving that info on an app is a great way but it may cost a little bit of time.
So, just go ahead and copy what you want. Then on your Mac, hit Command + V to paste. And, it’ll automatically paste what you just copied over on your phone.
Turn Desktop Folders into Emoji
Tired of the original icon on your screen? You know that you can change those icons into something fun. Here’s how to do it:
- Create a new folder on desktop by File > New folder.
- Choose the emoji or image you want.
- Drag the image to your desktop.
- Double-click the image to open it in Preview.
- Press Command + C.
- Go back to the folder you just created and right-click on it.
- Click Get Info.
- In the screen that pops up, click on the blue folder icon and press Command + V and there you have it.
Type Emoji from Your Keyboard
You can use emoji not only for texts on your iPhone but also in almost any web page or app (including Google Docs and Microsoft Word). This is quite a useful and easy trick to do but a lot of Mac users have missed out.
On the menu bar, click Edit > Emoji & Symbols. Then, the emoji box will appear. Next, add any to the page you’re working on. Or, you can use a keyboard shortcut: Control + Command + Space to skip the first step.
Split Screen Without Resizing
With Split View, you can work in 2 apps side-by-side without having to resize them.
- In macOS Catalina, go to the upper left corner of a window.
- Either hover your mouse over or click and hold the green full-screen button.
- You can choose between Tile Window to Left of Screen or Tile Window to Right of Screen from the menu.
- To get out of the split-screen, hit the Esc.
Note: In old versions of macOS, click and hold the green button for full-screen, and drag the window to the side of the screen to tile it. And, you will also need OS X El Capitan to use this feature.
Create a Keyboard Shortcut for Anything
You’re probably familiar with a lot of Mac keyboard shortcuts. But, do you know that you can also customize your own shortcut to access anything you like in your own way?
To do this:
- Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts
- Click the “+” icon.
- A tab will pop up allowing you to choose the app you want, the name of the menu command, and the keyboard shortcut of your choice.
- After you’re done, tap Add.
Hide or Customize the Menu Bar
To customize the menu bar. hold Command and drag the icons into different places, or remove them altogether.
Also, if you don’t want to see the Menu bar on your Mac unless you need it. Go to System Preferences > General. Next, click Automatically hide and show the menu bar.
Whether you’re running the newest Mac or an older version, you can still do all of these simple tricks to stay organized and get more things done on your MacBook. What is the most useful trick for you? Let us know in the comments!
