Apple introduced the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro in 2016, and it's been included on the 13-inch as well as 15-inch model ever since. The OLED touch strip on top of the keyboard replaces the Function keys, but adds plenty of extra features. The Touch bar will adapt to the app that you're using and provide shortcuts and best controls for that app. Some people love the Touch Bar, but there are some who don't like it.
If you have a shared computer in your household, then you know what it’s like to hand your Mac over to someone else regularly. To make the task of switching users a bit easier, you can put a button in your Control Center, menu bar, or both.
Here, we’ll show you how to add a switch for users in both spots on your Mac.
Whether you have two Macs of your own or just in your household, file sharing is likely to come up now and then. You may want to share a financial spreadsheet, PDF of a contract, receipt from a purchase, or similar document.
Here, we’ll show you seven super easy ways to share files between two Mac computers. Each is simple in its own way. So, the one you choose can depend on the confidentiality of the document, access to the services, or pure preference.
As you know, your computer stores files using a hierarchical structure. So if you need to find the full path of a file, it’s good to know the various ways you can do so on macOS. You might want the path name to create a shortcut, need it for an app, or would like it as a reference for yourself.
We’ve covered different ways for finding and displaying the full path of a file. Here, we’ll round up those methods for you and include a couple more. So the next time you need the path name of a file or folder on your Mac, you can use whichever is easiest or most comfortable for you.
If you'd like to make a specific macOS user interface element larger without zooming the entire screen of your Mac, take advantage of a cool assistive feature called Hover Text.
Apple gives you a handy tool for picking out and popping in emojis on your Mac. In notes, emails, or documents, you can open the Character Viewer and drag an emoji or symbol where you want it.
This Viewer has a couple of convenient features too. You can jump right to emojis you use frequently and those you save as favorites. Along with these features, you have the ability to customize the list that displays. So if you want to use technical symbols, geometrical shapes, math symbols, or even pictographs, they’re all there.
You only see a dozen or so emojis when you open the Character Viewer. So here, we’ll show you where the others are so you can customize your Mac emoji list for oddball characters, shapes, and symbols.
Maybe you’re buying a new computer, want to downgrade or need to reinstall macOS, or are working on troubleshooting an issue. For whatever reason you have, you may want a list of all applications installed on your Mac.
There are a few ways to get a list of apps, depending on what you really need. You can get a simple list of installed applications, those you downloaded from the App Store, and even a list of absolutely everything with the APP extension including the paths.
Here, we’ll show you various ways to get a list of applications installed on your Mac. And as a bonus, we’ll show you how to save and print that list too.
Many times we take precautions to secure our digital items from others. We password-protect things like files and folders to prevent changes by others. But who protects us from ourselves?
If you’ve ever changed a file or moved a folder by mistake, then you know what I mean. The worst is when you do something like that and don’t even realize it until you need the item.
On your Mac, you can lock files, folders, and your Desktop (folder) to prevent unwanted changes. This doesn’t require a password. It’s just a simple “lock” to keep you, or someone else, from editing, moving, or even removing a file or folder. Here’s how it works.
If you own an Apple silicon Mac and are wondering how to transfer your files to another Mac computer, you've come to the right place. Apple's macOS Recovery feature makes it simple to transfer files between two Mac computers, and we show you how it's done in this tutorial.
If you work on different projects where you want or need to use specific text styles, the Font Book installed on your Mac is your go-to tool. With it, you can find and use fonts you didn’t know existed. Plus you can install additional fonts and disable those you never use.
Another terrific feature of the Font Book is the ability to create Collections. Collections let you group fonts together for easy access. So if you need them for a Keynote presentation or Pages document, as examples, they are just a few clicks away.
Additionally, you can set up Smart Collections in the Font Book. Like Smart Albums in Photos and Smart Folders in Finder, Smart Collections group fonts based on criteria you set up. This gives you an effortless way to create collections automatically.
Here, we’ll show you how to create a font Collection and a Smart Collection in the Font Book on your Mac.
The ubiquitous Bluetooth wireless technology is awesome until you run into problems, and run into issues you will as the number of Bluetooth accessories you're using at any given time increases. If the traditional troubleshooting steps for fixing common Bluetooth connection issues won't help, try reseting your Mac's Bluetooth module to factory settings.
Fix Mac Bluetooth problemsThe Bluetooth protocol is adopted by billions of various accessories and devices. But with so many Bluetooth options available on the market from many different vendors, connection problems are inevitable. Whether you're trying to connect Bluetooth headphones with the Apple TV (or other devices like your iPhone), pair a Bluetooth keyboard with your iPad, remove a paired Bluetooth accessory from iOS, pair your Bluetooth speakers with an Apple Watch, and what not, you may experience various Bluetooth problems at some point.
A typical troubleshooter for fixing common Bluetooth issues on the Mac might suggest various steps, including changing a Bluetooth device's battery, reconnecting it, restarting your computer, performing an SMC reset and similar tricks. But, there are still times when none of those tips prove helpful. Should you find yourself in a similar situation, your only solution may be to reset the Mac's Bluetooth module to factory settings, and we show you how it's done.
How to reset Bluetooth on MacTo fix connection and pairing issues that you may be experiencing with your wireless Bluetooth devices such as keyboards, mice, trackpads, speakers and other peripherals, click the Bluetooth menu in macOS using a pair of modifier keys to reveal hidden options.
Click the Apple menu, then choose the “System Preferences” option. Choose “Bluetooth” in the System Preferences icon. Tick the box next to “Show Bluetooth in menu bar”. Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar while holding the Shift (⇧) and Option (⌥) keys. Choose the hidden option labeled with the text “Reset the Bluetooth module”. Click “OK” to confirm the operation. Restart your Mac by choosing “Restart” from the Apple menu.And this is how that menu looks like.
After your Mac reboots, its Bluetooth module will reset and factory settings will be loaded.
If your Mac is using a wireless keyboard or a wireless mouse, or both, reseting the computer's Bluetooth will cause them to temporarily lose connection. It's a wise idea to double-check that you have a wired keyboard or mouse handy so you can continue using your Mac.
Other helpful optionsIf that doesn't cure all Bluetooth ills, the Shift + Option trick reveals other options that might be helpful. For example, choosing the option “Factory reset all connected Apple devices” will force your AirPods and all other connected Apple devices to instantly revert to their default settings.
→ How to fix Bluetooth issues on iPhone
Are you selling your Mac? Maybe you wanna move your Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to another one? Either way, choosing the menu option labeled with the text“Remove all devices” will unpair all the connected Bluetooth peripherals from your computer in one fell swoop.
What to do after resetting Bluetooth in macOSYou'll need to reconnect each of your wireless peripherals after resetting the Mac's Bluetooth by visiting System Preferences → Bluetooth. If your Bluetooth devices are powered on, discoverable and in range of the computer, you'll see them listed there. Simply click the one you with to pair with the computer and follow the onscreen instructions.
Have you renamed a particular Bluetooth peripheral? If so, Apple's support document advises that pairing the accessory with a different Mac may cause it to reset to its default name.
Are there times when you sit down to work on your Mac and struggle to see items on the screen? Whether it’s the app icons on your desktop, text in emails or webpages, or simply your mouse pointer, there are ways to improve your screen space.
You should never have to strain to read or see what’s on your computer screen. So, we’ll show you several adjustments you can make to improve your Mac experience.