Complete list of posts

Updated June 12th, 2019.

Here’s a list of every post on the blog. Click one and learn something about the Mac– in one minute!

I’ve been using a Mac since 1985, and when you do something that long, you learn a few things. I don’t want you to have to spend 30+ years in order to know what I know, so I’m writing down my favorite Mac tips, hints, stories, and history bits so you can read them right now

Be faster, have more fun, and get more done with the Mac tips on this site! By the way, it’s searchable– use the magnifying glass at upper right.

  1. How to activate Microsoft Office 2011 for the Mac
    Activating Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 is tricky but doable. If you've upgraded machines, or changed hard drives, you need this.
  2. Keyboard Shortcut of the Month: ⌘-Delete
    Clicking dialog box buttons from the keyboard is a great time-saver. Here's a button-clicking shortcut I just "discovered" last week.
  3. How to fix “Unable to start Parallels services” issue on a Mac
    Updating Parallels can lead to a broken Parallels installation and an error message "Unable to start Parallels services." Here's the fix.
  4. The Mac Calculator: three calculators in one!
    The Mac's Calculator app does more than basic math. It knows trigonometry, square roots, exponents, natural logs, scientific notation, etc.!
  5. Five hidden features in the Mac Mail app
    Five hidden features in macOS Mail that will save you time and trouble! A secret menu, keyboard shortcuts, Smart Mailboxes, and more.
  6. iCloud calendars not synching? Here’s a solution.
    Here's how you can solve the "my Mac is not synching with iCloud" problem. If you see a spinner in Calendar that never stops, you need this.
  7. How to find the settings you want in the Mac’s System Preferences
    The Mac's System Preferences has zillions of settings. Here's how you find the one you want, using the built-in Search feature.
  8. Quickly see your reply to an email
    Stop searching for your email replies! Just click the reply arrow next to the message. It's more than an "indicator"-- it's also a button.
  9. Top 10 Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
    You should be using these shortcuts many times, every day. The time and trouble you save adds up! Pass these on to your new Mac friends.
  10. Tips for searching in the Mac Mail app
    Finding the one email you want can be tricky... unless you know how the Mac's Mail app works. Here are tips and shortcuts to help you.
  11. Tips and Shortcuts for the Calendar app on the Mac
    The Mac's Calendar is easy to use. It's easier with these tips. Keyboard shortcuts, usability tips, links to shared calendars: it's all here.
  12. How to get more items into the Recent Items menu
    The Recent Items menu can be really helpful-- if the item you're looking for is in it! Here's how to increase your chances.
  13. Quickly neaten your Desktop using Stacks
    Turn a messy Desktop into a neat one with a single click! Stack your documents into groups by type, by age, and more. Super power-feature.
  14. Save Time by using the Mac’s “Go” Menu
    Save time by accessing frequrently-used folders via the Finder's "Go" menu. Learn the keyboard shortcuts and how to reveal the user Library.
  15. Add Text Labels to Mac App Toolbars
    Mac app toolbar buttons don't always tell us exactly what they do. Add text labels to toolbar buttons and know for sure. Quick and easy.
  16. The Finder has preferences too
    Adjust the Mac's Finder Preferences so it acts the way you want. Show the hard drive icon on the desktop. Show filename extensions. And more!
  17. Show your laptop’s battery percentage in the menu bar
    With a Mac laptop you're always wondering how the battery is doing. Here's how to show percentage charge remaining, and other useful stuff.
  18. How to rearrange the order of menubar icons on a Mac
    Here's how you rearrange the order of the icons in your Mac's menubar. Works for every modern version of the macOS.
  19. How to install macOS Mojave or High Sierra or Sierra when Apple says your installer is damaged
    Installing Sierra or High Sierra or Mojave on a Mac? Seeing a message that your installer is damaged? The message is wrong. Here's the fix.
  20. Latest macOS version
    The latest Mac OS is 10.15.4 (Catalina), released Tuesday, March 24th, 2020. A supplemental 10.15.4 update was released Wednesday, April 8th, 2020 addressing a FaceTime bug, an Office 365 sign-in bug, and a lot more. The supplemental update is highly recommended. (Remember that upgrading to Catalina from any other macOS is a big deal, and you should be sure that your apps are ready for it.) See this article for information about compatibility with 10.15.
  21. Text Selection Shortcuts
    Text is a big part of working with a Mac. Work with text faster by using a couple of text-selection shortcuts. They work almost everywhere.
  22. How to tell Spotify not to run at login on a Mac
    Spotify wants to run at startup. Maybe you don't want it to. Turns out it's not obvious how to make it stop. This article tells you how.
  23. Mysterious Mac Mail problem solved with Malwarebytes
    Mac Mail app couldn't send or receive. Settings were right, and the account worked on an iPhone. Cleaned with Malwarebytes-- problem solved.
  24. Find out whether your Mac’s apps are 64-bit or not (for Catalina).
    macOS Catalina (10.15) requires 64-bit apps. Here's a quick way to check your apps and get a list of those that are not 64-bit.
  25. Figure Out Your Passwords via Safari’s Preferences on a Mac
    Safari stores passwords, if you know where to look! Here's where. This is way easier than resetting a forgotten password. Just look it up.
  26. How to check that your Mac’s Time Machine backup is working
    It's great that you set up a Time Machine backup. But is it working? Find out now. Here are two ways to check.
  27. How to solve Mac error -9923 when scanning over a network
    Here's how to fix the "error -9923" issue (an error occurred when communicating with the scaanner). It takes just a few moments, and it works.
  28. How to extract great hi-res icons from Mac apps
    Here's how to extract hi-res icons for the apps on your Mac. Great for use in how-to tutorials. Also just plain fun to look at. Someone worked hard on these.
  29. How to print an ePub document on a Mac
    You can't print an ePub (Books) document. But you can convert it to a PDF, and then you can print that. Use the free Calibre app, right on your Mac (not some sketchy online service).
  30. How to make Evernote stop opening every time you start your Mac
    Evernote can mysteriously open at login, even when it's not a Login Item in the Users & Groups preference pane. Here's how to make it stop.
  31. How to delete– or forward– part of a Messages conversation on the Mac
    Delete part of a Messages conversation on your Mac and keep the rest of the conversation intact. Delete bad photos & those accidental swear words.
  32. How to insert a return (line feed) in Messages on the Mac
    Option-Return adds a line feed within a single text message. Nothing to it. See my series of Option Key articles for more tips like this one.
  33. How to temporarily turn off all Notifications on a Mac
    Notifications are great, until you're giving a presentation, watching video full-screen, or trying to focus on your work. Here's how to turn them off quickly.
  34. How to find the pictures you’re looking for with the Mac Photos app’s Search feature
    Quickly find the images you want using the Search feature in Photos. You don't have to name your photos or put them in albums to make this work. It's magic!
  35. Apple’s Holiday Return Policy (it’s extra-long)
    Apple's holiday return policy extends the "14 calendar days" return window to January 8th, 2019, for items purchased directly from Apple.
  36. How to make the Mac’s annoying “To use the java command-line tool you need to install a JDK” pop-up go away forever
    The "java command-line" pop-up is improperly linked at Apple.com. You need to install an older version of Java. Here's how.
  37. Mac Safari Secrets: how to reload a stubborn web page
    Safari offers 3 ways to reload web pages (button, menu, keyboard). Everyone knows that! There are variations and they come in handy.
  38. Two Shortcuts for Mac Photos in macOS 10.14 (Mojave)
    The Mac Photos app in macOS Mojave changes the keyboard shortcut for toggling Thumbnail and Viewer modes. Here's the new shortcut and a bonus.
  39. How to solve a tricky “can’t log in” problem in Safari on a Mac
    If you try to sign into a website but get sent back to the login screen-- even though you have the right password-- the answer may be simple.
  40. Three tips for Messages on the Mac
    Three tips for those using Messages on the Mac. It's much faster to text from a Mac with a big keyboard, and these tips make it even better.
  41. iCal (Calendar) World Cup 2018 knockout stage schedule
    Add the FIFA World Cup 2018 schedule to your Mac's calendar. The calendar will update as the tournament progresses. Includes all 64 games.
  42. How to check your MacBook’s, MacBook Pro’s or MacBook Air’s battery condition
    Here's how you check your Apple laptop's battery condition. Works for MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook. Easiest thing ever.
  43. How to quickly access a Mac app’s Help
    Super-fast keyboard shortcut method for accessing s a Mac app's Help file, so you can search it. Standard across most apps.
  44. How to change the size of the icons on your Mac’s Desktop
    Bigger icons make it easier to visually distinguish between icons on your desktop. Here's how you change their size. It's easy to do!
  45. Is iCloud up, or not?
    Are Apple's services up? iCloud, Mac App Store, iTunes Store, iOS Device Activation, Siri, etc.? Maybe it's not you having trouble. Maybe it's them.
  46. How to use the Mac’s Calculator from the Keyboard
    It's much easier to use the Mac's calculator from the keyboard than by clicking on the little buttons with the mouse. Try it and see!
  47. How to copy an image from a web page on a Mac
    It's easy to copy an image from a web page, Once copied, you can paste it anywhere. Super easy. Learn this control-click technique in just a minute.
  48. How to Open winmail.dat Files on a Mac
    Ever get an email with a "winmail.dat" attachment? Those attachments are impossible to open... unless you use TNEF's Enuf. Here's how it works.
  49. Clean Out Mac Malware with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac
    Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is the best thing for cleaning up malware. It's also free. (It used to be called AdwareMedic. It''s still great.)
  50. Activate 1Password from the Keyboard on a Mac
    1Password is already super-handy, but if you trigger it from the keyboard it's better. Here's how you activate 1Password from the keyboard.
  51. How to look up your email server settings
    Here's how you figure out the email server settings for your particular email address. Very handy when setting up email programs!
  52. How to make things bigger in Safari on a Mac
    Some websites use text that's too small to read comfortably. Enlarge it quickly and easily using one of these three methods.
  53. How to type Emojis and Symbols on a Mac
    Want to type emojis on your Mac? Of course you do. Here's how you can pick emojis from a big palette of choices. Quick and easy.
  54. Your Mac has a Dictionary
    Every Mac has a dictionary. This isn't "spell check." It's a real dictionary with definitions. And everything in it is clickable. Try it!
  55. How to zoom in and out on your Mac
    Zoom in (and out) on your Mac to make small stuff easier to see. Very simple to enable this built-in feature.
  56. How to Keep the Mac’s Photos App from Launching When You Connect Your iPhone
    If Photos launches every time you connect your iPhone via the USB charging cable, and if you don't want it to, this is the tip for you.
  57. Delete Conversations in Mac Messages from the Keyboard
    Delete conversations in Messages from the keyboard. Command-Delete gets you started, but the real magic is Command-D.
  58. Make the Mac’s green zoom buttons work the way you expect them to
    The green "Zoom Window" button used to toggle the size of the window. Now it goes full-screen and hides the menu bar. Here's how to fix that.
  59. How to delete a file from the Mac immediately, without having to empty the Trash
    Save a few seconds by putting something into the Trash and having it automatically delete, without you having to choose "Empty Trash..."
  60. Block phishing and adult sites from your home’s network with one easy change
    You can protect your home network from phishing and adult sites with one easy change. As a bonus your web browsing will speed up too. And it's free.
  61. Quickest way to access the Mac’s Displays preference pane
    Hold the Option key while tapping the bright/dim buttons on the keyboard and the Displays preference pane pops up. So cool.
  62. Easy way to remember four important Mac keyboard shortcuts
    Undo, Cut, Copy, and Paste helped the Mac be much better than anything else. Keyboard shortcuts made them better! Here's how to remember them.
  63. Quickest way to access the Mac’s Sound preference pane
    Hold the Option key while tapping volume up, volume down, or Mute on the keyboard to quickly access the Sound preferences.
  64. Get audible feedback when you adjust the Mac’s volume from the keyboard
    Do you miss hearing the volume get louder and softer as you tap "Volume Up" and "Volume Down" buttons? I did too. Here's how to get that back.
  65. Put frequently used Mac Mail folders and Mailboxes into Favorites Bar for easy access
    Put frequently-needed Mail folders into the favortites bar at the top of the Mail window. Quick and easy access. You'll use these a lot.
  66. Save time with Smart Groups in Contacts on the Mac
    Smart Groups in Contacts offer a way to search for information in specified fields. Set up permanent "canned searches" for various criteria.
  67. Customize the Mac’s Share button
    You can change the order of the items in the Sharing menu, add and delete items, and more! Put the things you use at the top. Who knew?
  68. Add and remove columns from the Finder’s List View windows on a Mac
    You can customize the Finder's List View windows. Add and delete columns. Opt to show the size of folders. Change the size of icons.
  69. Apple has a 14-day return policy
    Apple has a 14-day return policy. No questions asked, even if you've opened the package. Don't like something? Bring it back.
  70. How to make a Mac’s Power Button behave like it used to
    Bring back the power button's old behavior-- get a dialog box asking whether you want restart, shutdown, sleep, or cancel.
  71. Fast and easy way to send a file by email on the Mac
    There's always another way to do things-- sometimes a better way! Here's the easiest way to send a file via the Apple Mail app.
  72. Clean up your Mac’s Desktop in a hurry
    Here's a great Finder feature: "new folder from selection." Try it once and you'll do it all the time. Easier than dragging items to folders.
  73. Quick Fix when Mac Mail doesn’t work
    Sometimes, for some reason, Mail stops working. We don't usually know why. But, sometimes you can fix it with a couple of clicks. Here's how.
  74. Use Preview’s Scale to Fit feature
    The Mac's free Preview program is great at scaling things to fit the page when printing. Here's how you do it. There's no easier way.
  75. How to hide (and show) Finder’s Favorites
    Sometimes the Finder's Favorites disappear (this happens in iTunes also. Here's how to bring them back. Does not require programming.
  76. How to check that your Time Machine backup is running
    Time Machine is the easiest, simplest, most trouble-free backup system there is. Here's how to check that it's running.
  77. Use Dictation instead of typing
    The Mac does dictation! Sometimes it's a LOT faster to speak some text than to type it. Similar to dictation on the iPhone, which is great.
  78. Secrets of the WiFi menu
    Knowing something about your WiFi connection can help you to trouble-shoot. Here's how you find out a bunch of information, all with a click.
  79. How to do something nice for your friend the Macman
    Take one minute to help the One-Minute Macman! Just share one page. Maybe the home page, maybe a favorite article. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
  80. Be Careful How You Close That Laptop
    Use two hands when you close your laptop. If you use one hand and grab one of the corners of the screen you will damage the cable that connects the screen.
  81. Pay attention when you Restart or Shutdown your Mac
    You get options when you restart (or shutdown) your Mac. Pay attention to that little checkbox asking whether you want to re-open windows.
  82. How to type accent marks on a Mac keyboard
    It's easy to type an accent mark on a Mac. As usual, the good stuff starts with the Option key. Takes a second to learn how.
  83. Essential Keyboard Shortcuts: Command-Up Arrow
    If you're looking at a Finder window, and you want to go up one level to the folder that encloses the current one, this is the shortcut for you.
  84. Customize Toolbars in Safari, Preview, and Mail
    Here's how you customize Safari's toolbar. Make it a lot better with a couple of quick changes, saving you time and trouble down the road.
  85. How to search your web browsing history in Safari
    You can search your browsing history in Safari. This can be very handy for finding articles down the road.
  86. Is that a lowercase L, an uppercase I, or the number 1?
    Sometimes you're assigned a password automatically, and it's really hard to tell whether it's a one or an "L" or a zero or an "O." Here's how to figure it out.
  87. How to take stuff out of the Trash and have it go back where it came from, automatically
    if you want to take something out of the Trash and put it back where it came from, you can do it in one step. Look for "Put Back" in the Finder's File menu.
  88. Get dimensions of images via Get Info
    There's more than one way to do this, but Get Info does reveal the size of an image, in pixels. Rather handy. Try it!
  89. Save a step when emptying the Trash
    Save two seconds by skipping the Empty Trash dialog box. Be sure you really want to empty it because they're not going to ask if you're sure.
  90. Move Mac files and folders to the Trash, from the keyboard
    Delete an item from the keyboard! You'd think you'd use the Delete key, but you'd only be half right. The other half involves the Command key.
  91. Collapse a bunch of folders at once
    Quickly collapse all of the folders in a given window, with two keystrokes! Save time and impress your friends. Super easy and fast.
  92. Easy way to correct spelling errors
    Fix spelling errors quickly via Control-clicking on misspelled words. Faster and easier than running the spelling check.
  93. Macs can type emojis too
    It's easy to type an emoji on the Mac, because there's a giant palette of them that lets you simply double-click to insert one. Plus it's searchable.
  94. Don’t install the software that came with your printer
    Apple makes it easy to set up a new printer, if you let them. Often there's no reason to install the software that comes with the printer.
  95. Better way to move and resize Mac windows
    Save time and trouble many times a day by installing Moom. It's the fastest, easiest way to move and resize windows. I use it all the time.
  96. Click a button in Mail to see your reply
    Those little curvy arrows that show you replied to a Mail message are clickable, and when you click them they reveal the message you sent. Neat.
  97. Show your laptop’s battery charge percentage
    Here's how you show how much charge your laptop's battery has-- the precise percentage. If your menu bar is getting crowded, turn it off.
  98. Find your Safari downloads
    Sometimes you download something and then can't find it. Here's the easiest way to find it-- easier than opening the Downloads folder, even.
  99. Double-click to select a word
    Double-clicking a word selects it in almost every Mac program. Really nice Mac programs automatically select the space after the word too.
  100. Adjust the View Options for Finder windows
    The Mac's Finder windows have options, on a per-window basis. Make bigger icons for some windows, show previews in some, etc.
  101. My first Mac
    My first Mac was a Mac Plus, no hard drive, 1 MB of RAM. Bought it as a grad student at The University of Texas as Austin.
  102. Toggle between normal view and inverted view
    If your Mac's screen is white text on black, instead of black text on white, you may be in "Inverted" screen mode. Here's how you toggle that on and off.
  103. How to find your Mac’s serial number the hard way
    The iMac's serial number is printed on the underside of its foot. It's in tiny type, but it's there.
  104. How to find your Mac’s serial number the easy way
    There's a hard way, and an easy way, to find your Mac's serial number. This is the easy way.
  105. Original Mac keyboard didn’t have function keys
    Steve Jobs wanted his Mac to be the opposite of the IBM PC, and part of that was "no Control key, no Alt key, and no function keys." He changed his mind eventually.
  106. Add the Shift key to go the other way
    In a spreadsheet, tabbing goes forward... but Shift-tabbing goes backward! Also works in dialog boxes and web forms.
  107. If you can print it, you can turn it into a PDF
    Mac users, here's how you create a PDF from any printable document. It's built into the system-- no need to install anything!
  108. Minimize a Mac window by double-clicking its title bar
    Minimize a window with a simple double-click in the title bar. It's easier to click the title bar twice than to click the yellow button once, because the target is so much bigger.
  109. Did your Mac’s red, yellow, and green buttons change to gray?
    Bring some color back to your Mac! If the Close, Minimize, and Zoom buttons aren't red, yellow, and green, check the System Preferences.
  110. Essential Mac keyboard shortcuts: Command-Z, -X, -C, and -V
    Mac users, if you know only four keyboard shortcuts, let them be these four! Command-Z, Command-X, Command-C, and Command-V are what make the Mac the Mac.
  111. Better way to make Software Update notifications go away
    Drag "Software Update" notifications off to the right rather than clicking "Details" or "Later." Saves a few seconds, every time!
  112. How to name your Mac
    Name your Mac, making it easier to find it when using file sharing or AirDrop. This is especially nice if your Mac used to belong to someone else. Make it yours by renaming it.
  113. Don’t be FAT(32)– it’s a bad format for a Mac disk
    Most hard drives and thumb drive, when you buy them, are formatted for PCs using FAT32. That makes for a slow disk on a Mac. Reformat to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for better performance.
  114. How to find the Mac’s Software Update options
    Apple has moved the Software Update options again! Here's how to find them. It's important to know where they are so you can change them as desired.
  115. Close, minimize, or zoom Mac windows in slow motion
    Hold the Shift key down while clicking the red, yellow, or green button in a Mac window's title bar to see the effect in slow motion. Very beautiful and fun.
  116. Apple has a 14-day return/exchange policy
    Apple's return policy is 14 days, no questions asked. Even if the item has been used.
  117. Too many notifications on your Mac? Turn some off.
    it's nice to be notified of important stuff but too much is too much! Here's how you customize Notifications, on an app by app basis.
  118. Set priority for WiFi networks so your Mac joins the right one
    You can set the priority for WiFi networks! This way, you always join the right one, not some sketchy free, open network.
  119. Bring back the scroll bars
    Scroll bars should show! They're important indicators of how much material remains unviewed. Apple turned them off; we're turning them back on.
  120. Option-click speaker icon in menu bar to choose Mac’s input and output sound sources
    Changing sound options doesn't require a trip to the System Preferences. Do it all from the Sound menu, with an Option-click.
  121. On a Mac, Control-click = Right-click
    The Control-click technique opens up all sorts of options for you, all of them very quick and easy to access. You don't need a two-button mouse to right-click!
  122. The public beta version of Mac OS X didn’t have an Apple menu
    macOS has evolved quite a bit. The first version-- Mac OS X-- removed the Mac's Apple menu, something a lot of us were very comfy with.
  123. Hold the Command key down to drag things around in Mac app toolbars
    Many Mac apps have toolbars-- Mail, Safari, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and many more. The tools on such toolbars can be rearranged via Command-drag.
  124. Speed up your older MacBook Pro with a Solid State Drive (SSD)
    Some Apple laptops are easy to open, making it easy to upgrade to solide state drives. You'll get big performance improvements with an SSD.
  125. Command-click a window’s title to show the document’s location
    Here's how to know the location of an open document, all with a simple click. Actually, all with a simple Command-click. It's a great feature.
  126. Option-drag to resize Mac windows and graphic objects in two directions, keeping the center fixed
    Resize Finder windows and graphic objects from the center by holding the Option key while you drag an edge or corner. Grow the item while keeping the item's center fixed.
  127. Stuff the cat did: toggled VoiceOver so my Mac started talking
    Your Mac can talk to you, telling you which button you're about to click, which menus are showing, and so on. Very handy if you can't see well, but very surprising to have it turned on by itself. Or by the cat.
  128. Essential Mac Keyboard Shortcuts: Use Spacebar to pause/resume audio and video in iTunes and YouTube
    Use the space bar to quickly pause audio (or video) in a variety of Mac apps. Tap it again to start it again. Very handy.
  129. Essential Mac Keyboard Shortcuts: Command-A for “Select All”
    The 60 seconds it takes to learn this shortcut will be paid back thousands of times. You have to know Command-A for Select All. Practice!
  130. When was your Mac most recently backed up?
    It's important to know when your Mac was last backed up. If it's too far back, there's probably a problem. Checking now gives you a chance to fix it.
  131. Hold Command key to see file path in Mac’s Spotlight
    Spotlight is great, it finds stuff for you. But when you want to know where the things it found are, it falls short. Unless you use the Command key!
  132. Use Escape key to click the “Cancel” button
    Quit mousing around! Tap the "Esc" key (Escape) whenever you want to click a "Cancel" button. Quick and easy, never fails.
  133. Preview your Mac screen saver choices
    You can preview your Screen Saver choices right there in the System Preferences app. It's much quicker to do it this way.
  134. The Mac’s System Preferences has a Search box
    Quickly find the proper item in System Preferences, by searching. There's a reason they put that "Search" box up there-- try using it! Great for new Mac users.
  135. Buy refurbished Macs from the Apple Store and save 20%
    Save a bunch of money and get a genuine Apple product, with a genuine Apple warranty, by shopping online at the Apple Refurbished Store.
  136. Mac trackpad users: try “tap to click”
    Save your hands by making it easier to click the trackpad! "Tap to click" takes away the need to press hard, saving your clicking finger. Try it!
  137. The Mac’s Help menu shows you where menu items are
    Unfamiliar with a Mac app, and wondering which menus hold important menu items? Just search Help for the things you care about, then hover.
  138. Make stuff bigger with ⌘+ on a Mac
    Here's how you quickly make things bigger (and smaller) in many Mac programs. Try it and see if it works in the Mac apps you use!
  139. Get the Save As… menu item back onto your Mac
    Apple took away the Save As... menu item. That's too bad, because it's very handy. Actually it's still there, if you know how to bring it to the surface.
  140. Mac keyboard shortcut symbols, explained
    Here's what those mysterious symbols mean in the Mac's menus. When I first got a Mac I didn't know. Maybe you still don't. But now you do.
  141. Search quickly in the Mac Contacts app
    Quick way to search Contacts app. Save a few seconds every time.
  142. Reopen all windows from last Safari session on your Mac
    Reopen windows from last Safari session on the Mac with a simple visit to Safari's History menu. What a great feature.
  143. Grab pictures from web pages from any Mac browser
    You can grab images from web pages using any browser on the Mac-- Chrome, Safari, Firefox, whatever. Just click, hold, and drag.
  144. Hide and Show the Mac’s Dock, from the keyboard
    Great time-saving shortcut: Command-Option-D to show and hide the Dock on your Mac. Show it when you need it, hide it when you can.
  145. Why does my Mac’s Trash look full even though I emptied it?
    The Mac's Trash shows the combined "Trash" folder contents of all disks. If you connect a disk with items you tossed but didn't empty, the Trash fills up.
  146. Send big attachments using Messages on the Mac, instead of Mail
    Use Messages to transfer big files from Mac to Mac. It's not just for sending photos. Send anything. Tell the recipient to drag it to his desktop.
  147. Escape from the Mac’s full-screen mode
    Sometimes Apple's changes to the user interface aren't "improvements." For example, putting you in full-screen mode when you click the zoom button. Here's how you escape from full-screen mode.
  148. Signatures inside original Macintosh case
    Steve Jobs : "Artists should sign their work." He considered the original Mac art, so he had people who worked on it sign it. Inside the case.
  149. Force-quit a stuck Mac app, from the keyboard
    Here's how you force-quit a Mac app, from the keyboard. This will come in handy some day.
  150. Undo accidental “Move to Trash” on a Mac
    Here's how you put a trashed file back where it came from, on a Mac.
  151. ⌘-click to open links in new tabs in Mac browsers
    Tabbed browser pages are a big efficiency booster. It's all in the Command-key: Command-click to load the link in a new tab, in the background.
  152. Organize your passwords on your Mac and be more secure
    Time to get organized with a password management app. More than a safe place to store passwords, 1Password makes up new passwords, has secure notes, and more.
  153. Let Apple take care of Daylight Saving Time on your Mac
    Your Mac will always have the correct date and time, through power outages, Daylight Saving time, whatever-- if you choose the right options in the Date & Time preference pane.
  154. Use the ⌘-Spacebar shortcut to bring up Spotlight on a Mac
    The Mac's Spotlight system can help you find just about anything on your Mac. Make it easier to use by triggering it with a shortcut.
  155. Smaller Mac Mail mailboxes open more quickly
    The Mac's Mail app opens smaller folders faster than fuller ones. Speed up your Inbox by moving old mail to other mailboxes. Makes a big difference.
  156. Use Mac Mail’s Activity window and Connection Doctor to see what Mail is doing
    If Mail seems stuck, try going to the Window menu and choosing "Activity" and also "Connection Doctor." You'll learn a lot there.
  157. Find more stuff in the Mac’s Recent Items menu
    Increase the number of "Recent Items" that your Mac tracks. It's as easy as 1-2-3. Set it once and forget it.
  158. Essential Mac Keyboard Shortcuts: go to the Desktop with ⌘-Shift-D
    Quickly go to the Desktop folder with Command-Shift-D. It's fast, and it works both in Finder windows and in Open... and Save... dialog boxes.
  159. Set paragraph alignment from the keyboard in Microsoft Word on a Mac
    You can do centered, left justified, right justified, and fully justified, all from the keyboard, in Microsoft Word on a Mac.
  160. Close every window of a Mac app, all at once
    Command-W does what a click on the red button does. Command-Option-W does what an Option-click on the red button does-- close all windows for that app.
  161. Check your Mac laptop’s battery condition
    Your Mac laptop's battery is going to wear out one day. Here's how you can check on the condition of the battery today. Easy and informative.
  162. Add text labels to the Mac’s toolbars so you know what the buttons are for
    Add text labels to toolbar buttons, making them easier to identify & easier to click on (because they're bigger). Works in Finder, Preview, Mail, and more.
  163. How to access your Mac’s Library folder
    Apple hides your Library folder because they don't want you accidentally messing it up. When you have to get into it, use the Option key and the Go menu.
  164. Essential Mac Keyboard Shortcuts: Command-1, -2, -3, and -4
    Switch between the Finder's icon and list views with simple keyboard shortcuts. What could be easier than Command-1 and Command-2?
  165. How to be faster with Safari, Chrome, and Firefox on a Mac
    Most people work harder than they have to where web browsing is concerned. Here are two time-saving tips to help you in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.
  166. How to take a picture of the screen (screenshot) on a Mac
    Command-Shift-3 takes a picture of the entire screen. Command-Shift-4 takes a picture of whatever you draw a box around. There are other options too!
  167. Speed up your typing with Text Substitution on a Mac
    Make your own shortcuts for text you type a lot. Boilerplate text, phone numbers, email addresses, website addresses-- these are great candidates.
  168. How to type a checkmark on a Mac
    You'll need to type a checkmark someday. Here's how to do it.
  169. Use the spacebar to scroll down in web pages on a Mac

    When browsing web pages, tapping the spacebar scrolls you down one screenful. Shift-spacebar scrolls you back up. This works in Safari, Firefox, and Chrome. Way easier than using the mouse or trackpad.

  170. How to navigate Mac dialog boxes from the keyboard
    Save time by using the keyboard to navigate Mac dialog boxes, rather than the mouse. Try it a few times and you'll be hooked.
  171. Essential Mac Keyboard Shortcuts: ⌘-B for Bold
    Command-B toggles "Bold" on and off. This is one you have to know: I rate it up there with Command-Z, -X, -C, and -V. And -P.
  172. Introducing the One-Minute Macman blog
    Providing daily (or almost daily) Mac hints, tips, and stories-- readable in one minute! By Christian Boyce.
  173. How to find stuff on the Mac’s Desktop
    Quickly find items on your desktop (or in any Finder window) by typing the first letter of the item. You don't have to search. Just type.
  174. Essential Mac Keyboard Shortcuts: ⌘-I for Italics
    Add Command-I to your list of essential Mac keyboard shortcuts. It turns selected text into italics. If it's already italicized, it turns italics off.
  175. Use Control-Eject to bring up Restart/Sleep/Shutdown dialog on a Mac
    Bring up the Mac's Restart/Sleep/Shutdown dialog box, as if you'd pressed the power button. Much more conenient to do it this way.
  176. How to show the day, date, and time in your Mac’s menu bar
    Check one little box and improve your Mac experience for every day moving forward. I wonder why Apple didn't set it up this way to begin with.
  177. Get Mac System Information with a single click
    Get detailed information about your Mac in a single move, under the Apple menu. What other people do in two moves you can do in one!
  178. How to Type the Apple Logo 
    Every Mac users should know how to type the Apple logo. Turns out it's built into almost every font and it's easy as pie to do.
  179. Print in a hurry on a Mac: ⌘-P, then Enter
    Mac users: save a few seconds every time you go to print! The seconds you save add up. Maybe enough to learn to play the piano.

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