These days, Macs are the norm, and many people use them for work, study and/or leisure. They can take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of them, you should find that they are initiative, reliable and efficient. You should also know that there are numerous tips and tricks that you can use to improve your performance and get more from your machine. These tips and tricks can make a big difference to your daily productivity and could help you to enjoy using a Mac more. So, whether you are new to Macs or you have been using them for a number of years, here are a few tips and tricks to try.
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Remove Passwords From PDF
If you regularly use PDFs, you might have encountered an issue with password-protected files. While password-protected PDFs can be helpful in some cases when they contain sensitive information, such as your bank statement, you will find that often they are unnecessary and can slow you down. If you do not want to have to enter a password every single time that you access a PDF, you should know that there are a few different ways that you can do this. One of the best options is to use a PDF editor that can allow you to easily remove password protection as well as edit a PDF with various features. You can learn more about this here https://setapp.com/how-to/remove-password-from-pdf.
Print Out A List Of Keyboard Shortcuts
First, you should learn as many keyboard shortcuts as you can. There are all kinds of shortcuts that will allow you to complete tasks much faster and with less effort, which will always help to improve your productivity and experience. You will want to master the most common shortcuts, like copy and paste, and then print off a list of all of the other ones. You can then start to incorporate these into your daily usage.
Use Spotlight Search To Find What You Are Looking For
Spotlight search can make it much quicker and easier to find what you are looking for. You can bring up Spotlight search by pressing Command and Spacebar and you are then able to search files and applications. You can also use Spotlight search to provide definitions, complete calculations and much more.
Learn How To Take Different Screenshots
Everyone needs to take screenshots whether this is for work, study or leisure. You should know that there are a few different ways that you can do this on a Mac, so you will want to learn these to improve your experience and capabilities. You can press Shift, Command and 3 to take a basic screenshot of the entire screen, but if you want a specific section of the screen, then you simply replace 3 with 4. You should also know that you can take screen recordings with Shift, Command and 5 – this is handy when you need to show someone how to do something.
Use Siri
People often use the voice-assistant Siri on their iPhones to carry out tasks, such as sending text messages, opening apps and setting reminders. You should know that you can also use Siri on Mac and there are all kinds of functions that you can use it for. There is a Siri icon in the menu bar that you can click on to activate Siri.
Turn On “Do Not Disturb”
It can be frustrating when you are working hard, and you are constantly being distracted by messages and emails coming through. For periods where you need to concentrate, you can turn on Do Not Disturb mode on your Mac. You simply need to click the Notification Centre in the menu at the top and enable Do Not Disturb. This will prevent notifications and alerts from coming through, but you can also create exceptions for the rule (such as emergency contacts).
Use Quick Look
Quick Look is another handy feature that can make a big difference when you are going through your files. This is a feature that allows you to preview a file without having to actually open it, which can save time and effort. You simply need to press Spacebar when you have a file selected, and it will show you a large preview so you can then decide whether or not to open it.
Use Quick Note
If you ever need to jot something down when working on a Mac, then there are a few ways to do this. It can be time-consuming to have to open up the Notes app or open a new Pages document, which is why Quick Note is such a great feature. Quick Note is like having a notepad next to your Mac so that you can write down any notes without interfering with your workflow. You can access Quick Note simply by positing the mouse in the bottom right-hand corner and clicking on the small white square that pops up.
Enable Tap To Click
If you are using a MacBook, you will find it helpful to enable Tap to Click. As the name implies, this allows you to register a click simply by tapping on the trackpad. It might seem minor, but this can make it a lot quicker and easier to navigate your Mac and could enhance your overall productivity.
Set Up Hot Corners
One of the most underused features on Mac is Hot Corners. Much like Quick Note, these allow you to set up different actions to the corner of the display so that you can always carry them out quickly. As an example, you could set up a Hot Corner to display the desktop when you move the mouse to the top right corner and clock.
Hopefully, there will be a few tips and tricks in this article that you will find useful and improve your experience on Mac. When you know how to improve your productivity and experience with various different tips and tricks, it can be a lot easier to complete tasks and get the most out of your device.