Embedded Files
Right Clicking
Right Clicking
Apple Mice usually don't have a right click button, but that doesn't menu you can't 'right click'! Just click the touchpad with two fingers, or hold the control key down when you click.
Window Controls
Window Controls
On a Mac, you can find controls for a window on the top left corner of a window.
Red closes the window
Yellow minimises (hides) the window.
Green maximises the window to fill the screen. Tip! Click and hold this button down to see other options for organising the window.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard Shortcuts
Generally, keyboard shortcuts are very similar on a Mac to a Windows PC, with one key difference: Use the COMMAND key where you would normally use Ctrl. Eg. Command+C and Command+V to copy and paste.
Menu Bar
Menu Bar
At the very top of your screen is the menu bar. On the left hand side you will find the Apple menu and a series of menus that relate to the application you are currently using.
On the right hand side you will find a row of icons where you can see notifications, date/time and change some quick settings like volume. This is similar to the 'system tray' you find in the bottom right corner on a Windows PC.
Spotlight
Spotlight
Spotlight is Mac's search function. It's the best way to find an application or file on your Mac. It also functions as a web search, calculator, currency converter, and more.
To access spotlight, click on the search icon in the top right corner OR use the keyboard shortcut Command + Space bar. Start typing your search and results will immediately start appearing. Press ENTER to open the suggested result.
Opening Applications
Opening Applications
The Dock is the row of icons along the bottom of your screen. Any open application will appear here with a black dot underneath. Other applications can appear on the Dock if they were recently opened or are permanently pinned to the dock.
Click on the application in the dock to open it. If the application you are after is not appearing in the dock, you can search for it using Spotlight.
Closing Applications
Closing Applications
Closing all the windows in an application does not automatically close the application itself. If you wish to completely quit an application, you can right click on the icon in the Dock and choose "Quit" or use the keyboard shortcut Command+Q.
Remember, a block dot under the application in the Dock means it is currently running.
Browsing Files & Folders
Browsing Files & Folders
The file browser on a Mac is called Finder. You can find it in the Dock. Learning all the features of Finder will be a massive time saver. There is a page on the Apple website to give you a tour:
CTRL+ALT+DELETE?
On Mac, hold Command + Option + Escape to force quit an application if it has crashed.
You can also use Activity Monitor for more advanced features similar to Windows' task manager.
Taking Screenshots
You can use the 'Screenshot' app for that. Alternatively, use the Command + Shift + 3 shortcut to immediately take a picture of the entire screen, or Command + Shift + 4 to draw a square around the portion of the screen you want to capture.
By default, screenshots appear as images on your desktop.
Customising and configuring your Mac
Use the 'System Settings' app to configure and personalise your Mac.
Some options may be greyed out on school managed devices.
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