On Windows I would...

Activity 2

You may be more familiar with the PC / Windows environment. The good news is that most of your PC skills are transferrable to Mac - you just need to know where to look. In this activity, we will explore some of the common features of Windows, and how they can be performed on a Mac.

Task 1. Try each of the following on your Mac

On a PC, I would...

On a Mac, I can...

Use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V to copy and paste.

Use Command+C and Command+V.

In fact, many common PC keyboard shortcuts can be replicated on a Mac by using the command key instead of control.

Use the system icon to change the volume or sound device.

Use the sound icon on the menu bar, or

Use the volume keys on my keyboard.

Access the Sound preference pane for more options relating to your sound devices.

Use the system icon to connect to a wifi network or disable the wifi.

Use the wifi icon on the menu bar.

Access the Network preference pane for more options relating to your network interfaces (Wifi, network cable, etc).

Move, resize, minimise and maximise an application or folder window

Follow this guide or the image below.

Hint: resizing and moving works just like on Windows.Maximise is the green button, minimise is the yellow button.

Change the desktop background / wallpaper

Follow this guide.

Hint: You can right click on the wallpaper or on the file of the image you want to set it to.

Access the Desktop & Screen Saver preference pane to change your wallpaper.

Search for files, settings or programs

Use the 'Spotlight' search tool.

Click on the magnifying glass icon on the menu bar, type query and press enter.

Hint: You can also use the Command+Space keyboard shortcut to bring the search function up.

Take a screenshot using 'Snipping Tool' or the Print Screen buttton.

Use the 'Screenshot' app or one of the following keyboard shortcuts:

Command+Shift+3 to take a full screenshot

Command+Shift+4 to take a partial screenshot

Command+Shift+4 and then Space bar to take a screenshot of a particular window.

Close an application by closing all of its windows.

Close the application from the menu bar.

On a Mac, an application does not always stop when the last window is closed. You need to close it from the menu bar by clicking on the application name.

Hint: You can also use the Command+Q to close the active application, including all its windows.

Force an application to shut using Ctrl + Alt + Delete when it is not responding.

Force Quit an application from the Dock or Force Quit menu.

Right click on the application in the Dock. If Mac knows it is not responding, you will have the option to Force Quit.

If you don't get the option, open Force Quit from the Apple logo ()

Look at the properties of a file or folder by right clicking and choosing 'Properties'

Right click on the file or folder and choose "Get Info"

Hint: You can also use Command+I to see properties of the highlighted file or folder

From the "Get Info" window, you can see properties of the file, where it came from (e.g. an email), choose what program to open it in by default, and so on.

Use backspace to remove characters while I'm typing

Use the delete key as though it were backspace.

This is confusing at first, especially as Windows keyboard have a 'delete' key which is distinct from 'backspace'. To emulate the function of the 'delete' key on a Mac, use Fn+Delete.