Helpful Hints

Shortcut keys

To speed up monotonous tasks on your Mac, try using keyboard shortcuts. Next to most menu items are the keyboard shortcuts for performing that task. Here's a good one: hold down the Command (Apple) key and press Tab to cycle through your open programs. Release the Command key to bring that application to the front.

Safari - tabbed browsing

Instead of having several windows open when browsing the internet in Safari, hold down the Command (Apple) key on the keyboard, and click on the link you wish to go to. The linked page then opens in its own tab, leaving your original window as it was. Useful for comparing prices / information, or to easily get back to where you started without having to hit the back button in Safari multiple times.

Google searching

Although not a Mac-specific hint, it deserves a mention anyway. Next time you need to find a particular phrase on the internet, try putting quotations around it. This tells Google to find what you have entered exactly. For example, our contact number is 1300 650 126, if you were to type that number into Google, this will find any / all pages that have the numbers 1300, 650 or 126 on them. Whereas if you search on "1300 650 126" with the quotations at the beginning and end, you will find the Mac Manager web site easily, and any other sites that contain our contact phone number.

Viruses

At this point in time there are almost no viruses that affect macOS, so installing anti-virus software can often cause more problems than it solves. Malware on the other hand is becoming more of a concern and roughly 1 in 20 machines that we service have some type of malware infection. If you suspect your Mac may be infected give us a call to arrange a service visit.

Spam

If you're getting dozens of spam emails each day, contact your email provider. Most providers can enable virus & spam filtering on your email account at your request, either for free, or for a small monthly fee.

Laptop battery

For a more accurate indication of how much battery power you have left, click the battery icon near the top right corner of your screen and choose "Show Percentage". This will tell you approximately how much battery power you have left, or how full the battery is when charging.

Word, Excel & PowerPoint files

Did you know that Apple's suite of productivity apps can open most types of Word, Excel and PowerPoint files? It can also save to these formats which can then be sent to, and safely read by Windows PCs. And they come free with your Mac, as opposed to $379 for the Home & Business Edition of Microsoft Office, or $219 for the Home & Student Edition.

Restart

It might seem obvious, but often a restart is just what your Mac needs when it starts to slow down or hits a bump in the road. Although not essential, it's recommended to restart your Mac once every week or two for optimal performance.

Need just a little Mac training in Sydney?

If you're booking one of our Apple Mac technicians to come and service your Mac, we recommend writing a list in advance of all the things you want to know about your Mac & its features & software. Our Mac technicians are very helpful at providing on-the-spot training and tuition as part of the repair process. Particularly useful when upgrading to a new operating system.

Phone: 1300 650 126

Mobile: 0407 026 037

Email: click here