8 Mac Tips and Tricks You Might Not Know

[justperry]

• Turn a Website Into a Dock App - You can add any website to your dock by dragging the URL bar over to the bottom section of the dock that houses open and recently used apps. Adding a website to the dock makes it quicker to open because you can click from that spot alongside all your apps.

Or you know...assign a shortcut to Safari, I have "Command-Option-4" set to Macrumors, faster than a Link in the dock.

 

[llllllllll]

I really hope screen sharing will be made available for iMessage for iOS/iPadOS. While it's helpful now, it would be tremendously helpful while assisting my father (lol).

Just use Team Viewer for the time being. It's free and works great with various operating systems.
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Another one for people with OCD: Long pressing the Spotlight icon in the menubar resets the Spotlight panel's position.

..wonderful, thanks! 🙂

 

[SpringKid]

A very simple (and slightly obvious) tip: I've just found out that selecting a file (or files) in Finder and pressing cmd+backspace sends it to the trash. I don't know why I haven't tried it years ago.

Then you would probably also appreciate that adding shift to that key combination will empty the trash.

 

[esjwe]

This helps me everyday:
When writing text, use CMD+key arrows to move cruiser a hole sentence, or Option+key arrows to move it just one word. (Up/down=top/bottom)
Also works when you press delete.

 

[tyc0746]

Pretty sure that “move” implies that the original will he moved, not copied. You’re using two terms that mean very different things accompanied by common copy and paste commands that reveal your words as inaccurate as they wouldn’t even be true in a text document. Lord.

It seems very strange to use cmd-C to copy something, then cmd-opt-V to move/paste - when there's a cmd-x to cut (which is greyed-out for files). This would mean it followed the same cmd-C/X/V convention used for the last 30 years, but NO, Apple decide we need another key combination...and one that doesn't make sense, as you're changing your mind from 'copy' to 'cut' whilst you're doing the 'paste' command.

Apple....as a Mac veteran, PLEASE stop breaking things.

 

[Wanted797]

My favourite trick is 3 finger dragging in Accessibility
Go to System Preferences > Accessibility > Mouse & Trackpad > Trackpad Options > Enable Dragging > Three finger drag.

You can now move finder windows or anything where you would click and drag by just sliding 3 fingers together on the trackpad. I can't live without it now and usually end up trying to do it on my Windows work laptop.

 

[hudson1]

It seems very strange to use cmd-C to copy something, then cmd-opt-V to move/paste - when there's a cmd-x to cut (which is greyed-out for files). This would mean it followed the same cmd-C/X/V convention used for the last 30 years, but NO, Apple decide we need another key combination...and one that doesn't make sense, as you're changing your mind from 'copy' to 'cut' whilst you're doing the 'paste' command.

Apple....as a Mac veteran, PLEASE stop breaking things.

I'm not sure if you're referring to file copy vs move but Apple has always had the default convention that files are "moved" within a drive or partition but "copied" to another drive or partition.

 

[JosephAW]

My only issue with Target Disk Mode is permissions. I had to do thsi today and it took hours to change the permissions on the home folder I needed access to.

I'm using an older macOS but can't you just click on the target disk icon and press Command I and check ignore permissions? Should give you full access.

 

[amartinez1660]

I knew you could copy and paste files, but I didn't know you could move them by adding the Option key. I'll be using that all the time now. Thanks.

Thanks to you.
Totally missed the “option” part and read it twice as “command-C , command-V”!
Was wondering if it was a typo or if MacRumors also had a partnership with DupeHunter, DuplicateTerminator or something (*names pulled out of my back, might or might not exist).

 

[Weaselboy]

I just wish I could swap them out so Command-V was Paste and Match Style.

I have that setup here in System Prefs.

How to Set 'Paste and Match Style' as Default on Mac OSX

Here's a way to set your Mac to copy and paste unformatted text by default rather than preserving unwanted formatting.

havecamerawilltravel.com

Here ^ is how to configure it.

 

[R10k]

The problem with 'Past With Matching Style' is that the shortcut isn't consistent or always available (and requires finger gymnastics).

I'm not sure who would want anything but this aside from special circumstances. Sucks that it is so difficult (by comparison to Command-V).

Just get used to it... and personally, I use this many many times every day.

EDIT: Actually I had never thought to change it, and I just did. Thanks everyone who suggested it 😆

 

[neliason]

Lot’s of good tips. I like screen sharing, but unfortunately I’ve mostly had problems with it working. Since I’m always wanting to use it to help a less experienced user, I find this very disappointing. If it reliably worked for me it would be great.

Printing can be faster.... Select a document and then hit command+p ...

When I discovered I could print multiple files by simply selecting them in Finder and hitting COMMAND-P I was at first amazed. Then I realized that is why I love Mac and will never go back to Windows. The difference a well thought out and intuitive OS and UI makes is tremendous.

 

[justperry]

You're absolutely right that "copy" and "move" are two different things. Unfortunately, the tip had to be described that way because in Windows, you can move a file or folder using CTRL+X followed by CTRL+V. In MacOS you have to copy the file first in order to move it: ⌘+C followed by ⌥+⌘+V

CTRl+X = copying the file while waiting for the CTRL+V shortcut, if that is the case it will paste the file/Folder to the new location and after that condition is met the original file is deleted.

 

[krfr]

Wow, I knew most of these as I’ve been a Mac user for a long time but learned something new.

 

[Kabeyun]

Move Files Quickly - To move files from one location to another using keyboard shortcuts, just use Command-C to copy the files you want to move and then Option-Command-V to move those files to a new spot.

You’d think this would be how to copy files quickly to a new location, and Cmd-X/Opt-Cmd-V would be how to move them. Go figure.

Edit: oop, issue posted

 

[adrianlondon]

Otherwise, one of these useful tips articles should mention the keyboard shortcut customizing, if it hasn't been mentioned already

Yep. When I moved from a MBP to the 2020 Air a few weeks ago, I realised the new power button doesn't really do much. So I've created shortcuts ⌃⌥⌘P for power off, ⌃⌥⌘R for restart and ⌃⌥⌘S for sleep. They're mapped to the non-"..." versions of those commands, so they run without prompting.

 

[smitster]

Screen sharing is a good one! All this time, I've unnecessarily made sure to install Skype to share screens. Not if only tvOS had a remote control as it is big time sink to help with remotely ("Press menu until the icons wiggle. Now press the Q-like button. Humm, that didn't work--get the icons to wiggle again.")

This one is useful to some: toggle dot/hidden files in Finder with cmd-shift-dot

 

[tyc0746]

I'm not sure if you're referring to file copy vs move but Apple has always had the default convention that files are "moved" within a drive or partition but "copied" to another drive or partition.

I was simply referring to the standard shortcuts (in almost every app on Mac/PC) of cmd/ctrl[C] being copy, cmd/ctrl[X] being CUT, and cmd/ctrl[V] being PASTE.

BTW, on my (unmodified keystrokes) machine cmd-C then cmd-V within the same folder/volume does not move it, it copies/duplicates it as it would to another volume.

If you use the mouse, then yes dragging will move it within the same volume (depending on folder permissions of course), but copy to another - unless the cmd key is held whilst moving it.

 

[dspdoc]

Here's a tip: Use a pop filter when recording your voiceover to cut down on the PLOSIVES... DIS-TRAC-TING 🤦‍♂️

 

[lotones]

Didn't know that about messages screen sharing... that will definitely come in handy tech supporting all my friends.

Pretty sure the desktop printing icon shortcut has been around since at least OS 8 though.

 

[imnotthewalrus]

I love hitting the spacebar to preview files. Keeps me from firing up an app more than half the time. Probably the biggest macOS feature I miss on my work PC. Keep hitting the spacbar on my Dell and wondering why nothing is happening.

As a musician and audio enthusiast, I was surprised to find Mac now will play FLAC files in quick look. I discovered by accident, as I use quick look a LOT.

 

[jchap]

My favourite trick is 3 finger dragging in Accessibility
Go to System Preferences > Accessibility > Mouse & Trackpad > Trackpad Options > Enable Dragging > Three finger drag.

Indeed, this one increases the usefulness and usability for the trackpad in a serious way! No need to long-press to click and then drag—just drag with three fingers. This is one I sorely miss when working on Windows. Tapping twice to hold and then dragging is just not as easy.

 

[MacBH928]

You can't cut-paste files on MacOS?

One trick I know is that if you drag a document over an app icon and it does not recognize it, you can press the alt button and now it will forcefully open it.

 

[azpc]

Great tips thank you!

I hardly use the green button anymore. The options it provides aren't useful to me. Tiling windows left and right could be useful if it didn't force me into full screen mode.

I would rather have a dedicated full screen button and turn the green button into a button with these options - full window, tiled right, tiled left. Double clicking on the title bar would use the traditional mac right sizing routine for sizing windows.

Before I switched to Mac in 2008, I used a Commodore Amiga, Linux and Microsoft Windows. There are only three features I really miss from those computers.

1. Cut option in File Explorer (Finder).
2. Switch to Desktop button at the far right of the Task Bar. (Dock)
3. Maximize Window option. This option is or was available on Linux, Windows and the Amiga. I really miss it.

Yes there are 3rd party alternatives and I am glad they exist. Unfortunately, I have found a few irritating compatibility issues with several of these apps.

 

[philosopherdog]

Hhh
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Great tips thank you!

I hardly use the green button anymore. The options it provides aren't useful to me. Tiling windows left and right could be useful if it didn't force me into full screen mode.

I would rather have a dedicated full screen button and turn the green button into a button with these options - full window, tiled right, tiled left. Double clicking on the title bar would use the traditional mac right sizing routine for sizing windows.

Before I switched to Mac in 2008, I used a Commodore Amiga, Linux and Microsoft Windows. There are only three features I really miss from those computers.

1. Cut option in File Explorer (Finder).
2. Switch to Desktop button at the far right of the Task Bar. (Dock)
3. Maximize Window option. This option is or was available on Linux, Windows and the Amiga. I really miss it.

Yes there are 3rd party alternatives and I am glad they exist. Unfortunately, I have found a few irritating compatibility issues with several of these apps.

pretty sure all you want with the tiling etc is now built in. Google it.