Are you a macOS beginner? Despite its utmost user-friendliness, this operating system is a terra incognita for those who are just starting with it. In this post, we will share everything you need to help you get your new Macbook up and running.
How to set up your new Mac
A Mac is beginner-friendly and provides a guided start-up process. Mind that the setup process requires an Internet connection. As your first step, you need to connect your new Mac to the power supply. If it comes with a mouse or a keyboard, connect them to the Mac as well. Then, launch the computer by pressing the Power button. After your Mac starts up, you’ll see the Apple logo on the screen, and the prompts will follow. At this point, if you’re a new Apple user, you may wonder about an Apple ID, an authentication system that provides you access to all Apple services. If this your first Apple product, you need to create a new Apple ID now. Otherwise, you can use the login and password for your existing Apple ID. After the setup is over, your Mac will restart.
How to adjust the Dock
The first thing you’ll see after the setup is complete is an empty desktop with a panel studded with icons at the bottom of the screen. That’s Dock, a tool that will quickly take you to your apps. You can adjust the Dock’s position (left, bottom, right) and its size by going to the Apple menu (an Apple logo at the top left of the screen) – System Preferences – Dock. Dock shows all the currently running apps (marking them with a dot below their icons), plus the apps you’ve dragged there specifically. You can access the rest of your apps via Launchpad, an app that looks like a rocket located in your Dock.
How to use the Menu bar
A narrow strip at the top of your screen is the Menu bar, which is basically a collection of options. There’s the Apple menu (looks like an Apple logo) with options like shut down your Mac, access the system and About this Mac information, and more. The Menu bar also shows the options for the currently selected app. Here are key things you can do using the Menu bar:
- Set up Siri, your virtual personal assistant;
- Check the battery status;
- Adjust the date and time;
- Access and use Notification Center;
- Access Today screen and widgets.
How to set up Safari
Safari is Apple’s default browser known for a fast browsing experience and fantastic usability. You can access Safari from your Dock – via the icon that looks like a blue compass. As a new Safari user, you may want to familiarize yourself with its capabilities.
Create Reading Lists. This feature lets you make a list of articles you want to go over later. With Reading Lists, you can quickly access the material offline and on other Apple devices. To add a webpage to your reading list, go to the Bookmarks menu and click “Add to Reading List.”
Create a Bookmarks folder. You can access your favorite websites straight from the Dock – all you need to do is drag that website’s icon to the Dock.
Clear browser cache. A full cache on Mac can slow Safari down, but Apple offers a quick way to empty it – either press the combination of Command + Alt + E or go to the Developer menu under the Apple menu – Preferences – Advanced – “Show Develop menu in menu bar” – Develop – Empty Cache.
Manage tabs and windows. If you’d like to go to a place where you left off right after Safari launches, you can adjust it by going to Safari – Preferences – General – “All windows from last session.”
Tailor layout. Safari’s default homepage shows your recently visited websites. You can also bring up a sidebar by clicking on the book icon, which contains your Favorites, Reading List, and Shared Links. You can adjust the homepage to show your top websites first, use Safari in a full-screen mode, and rearrange the toolbar layout.
Hopefully, this guide has given you an idea about how to get started with your Macbook and its basic capabilities. Read this post to learn more tips and tricks to do on your Mac.
