If you own or use a Mac computer at home, work or school, it’s likely that you are absolutely in love with it. This brand of computers is the best in the business, and they are designed with the user in mind.
The first Macintosh computer was introduced by Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984, and they have gotten better and better ever since. Today’s Macs are versatile, functional, intuitive, and keep working hard for many years. They’re a favorite of many and a big part of our lives.
One of the best things about Mac computers is the wide variety of extra-special features they include. In fact, there are so many cool things to do on a Mac, you could learn about one a day for a year and you will still be amazed about how much more there is to discover.
Amazing Things Macs Can Do
Read on to learn about cool things to do on a Mac. Knowing is only half the battle, though. Take some notes and then start putting these great tips to work for you right away.
1. Read Text Aloud To You
Did you know you can have your Mac read text aloud to you? In a world where audiobooks and podcasts are becoming more and more popular, this feature will save you time and will change your life.
Simply highlight the section of text you would like to hear, and then choose Speech from the Edit menu at the top. Once you click “Start Speaking,” a narrator will read to you. If you don’t like the sound of the narrator, you can change the voice in System Preferences > Dictation & Speech.
2. Back-Up Everything On Time Machine
It’s in your best interest to back up the data on any computer on a regular basis, but Macs make it especially easy for you though their built-in Time Machine feature. Simply attach an external hard drive and the back up will begin, and all of your files including apps, music, photos, email, documents and system files will be saved for later. You can restore them from there.
3. Use Hot Corners For Some Simple Shortcuts
Few people know about Mac’s Hot Corners feature but it can save you a lot of time and effort once you set it up. The set up for Hot Corners is in the Screen Saver menu (System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver > Screen Saver) and it allows you to swipe to the upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right to activate different shortcuts, including shortcuts to Launchpad, Notification Center, Desktop, and, of course, your Screen Saver.
4. Decompress Zip Files With Zero Effort
These days, with all the files we send back and forth to one another, some are bound to be compressed for smooth delivery. To view them, we have to unzip them. Macs used to use a program called StuffIt Expander for this purpose, but today you just have to click on the .zip file and they appear like magic, with no extra steps needed.
5. Play Chess
Would you like to play a game of chess? Many people don’t notice that there is a Chess game built right into every Mac computer. You can access it through your Applications folder.
6. Enjoy Keyboard Shortcuts – And Make Your Own
There are so many keyboard shortcuts available on a Mac, it would be impossible to remember to use them all. Fortunately, Apple put together this list of them to help you discover some you may have never even thought of before.
Don’t feel limited by the built-in shortcuts, though. You can also create your own by going to System Preferences > Keyboard > App Shortcuts and clicking the plus button to make a new one.
7. Talk To Siri
We have all become used to asking Siri a variety of questions throughout our day on our iPhones, but did you know you can also speak to her on your computer? You can summon her by holding down Command and Space or by pressing the Siri button on your menu bar. Newer Macs respond to the standard, “Hey Siri” that we have grown accustomed to, too. You can ask her the same kinds of questions you’d ask on your phone, as well as a number of other things, and you can have her launch apps for you too.
8. Take Screenshots
If you haven’t yet learned how to take screenshots on Mac yet, you’re missing out. It’s so easy. When you want a snapshot of your entire screen, press Shift + Command + 3 at the same time. Better yet, if you only want to take a picture of part of your screen press Shift + Command + 4 in unison and a cursor will appear that allows you to draw a box around what you want to capture.
9. Crop and Edit Images
People don’t realize how incredible Mac’s Preview app can be. It can do so much for you including some things you thought were only possible with an advanced program like Photoshop. You can crop, draw, and edit images and even add text. You can sign documents or annotate a pdf. These things are only the beginning. Play around with this app and you’ll be surprised at all it can do.
10. Record and Edit Video
Mac’s Quicktime is just as impressive when it comes to working with video. You can record and share videos, and you can even record your actions on your screen. iMovie is also wonderful for editing and creating movies that you can use for work or send to friends. A number of third-party apps can enhance this experience even further, check out https://setapp.com/how-to/record-edit-share-videos-on-a-mac for more information.
11. AirDrop Things to Yourself
Instead of emailing photos or videos to yourself from your phone or from a friend’s phone, you can manage this much more easily by using AirDrop. AirDrop appears on your iPhone screen whenever you attempt to share something, and you can do it in reverse by opening an AirDrop window in Finder and then dragging files to the correct recipient.
12. Move Windows Without Bringing Them To The Front
If you often have a lot of windows open on your desktop, you may find it annoying that when you rearrange them, they each pop to the front. To stop this from happening, hold down command while you drag them around.
13. Try Dark Mode
Is all that white a little hard on your eyes? Try Dark Mode instead. All you need to do to engage it is go to System Preferences > General > Dark and a whole new world will open up to you.
14. Text With Friends And Family
You can use the iMessage app to text with friends and family – even if they don’t have an iPhone. Since Yosemite, SMS texting works too, not just actual iMessages. This can make long text conversations much easier since it’s faster to type on a computer than on any phone.
Enjoy All These Cool Things To Do On A Mac
The cool things to do on a Mac are endless and that’s why Mac users love these machines so much. The awesome things listed here only scratch the surface of all the wonderful options and user-friendly shortcuts available to you on a Mac computer. Try these and seek out more. As a result, you’ll find that you love your Mac even more.
If you’re looking for more great computer tips for Macs or otherwise, please check out more of the posts in the Technology section of our site.
