Getting a new 2016 13" MacBook Pro today. Any tips, tricks, suggestions...etc. for a new user?

[testudoaubreii]

Hello. After many, many years on Windows, I have finally jumped ship and picked up a MacBook Pro. If should actually be here any minute and I am kind of excited. I have always wanted one, but couldn't do pull the trigger for one reason or another.

Anyhow, I have messed around with Garageband on my brother's MacBook Pro and that alone is worth the price of admission for me. I was just wondering if any of you here could offer any suggestions, advice, tips, tricks for a brand new user of OSX.

Thank you in advance for any and all help and responses!

 

[keysofanxiety]

Learn trackpad gestures. They're buttery and fun to use. They'll certainly make your life easier.

Coming from Windows, remember that the menus aren't tied to specific windows. The file/options will always be at the top of the screen depending on which app's window you're in. It may be confusing at first but in time you'll find it makes your workflow less confused.

CMD is CTRL, pretty much. CMD C/V is copy/paste. CMD N is new window, CMD T new tab. Just like Windows.

Closing all the windows doesn't close the whole app. You'll need to click the app name at the top left (by the Apple logo) and select quit. Or press CMD+Q. Similarly you can press CMD+TAB to move between open apps, while pressing CMD+Q to close them (keys are right next to each other). Very well thought out. Again, it works much better.

Overall I think you'll love it. Just keep plugging away and before you know it, you'll be working faster than you ever were on Windows.

 

[testudoaubreii]

Learn trackpad gestures. They're buttery and fun to use. They'll certainly make your life easier.

Coming from Windows, remember that the menus aren't tied to specific windows. The file/options will always be at the top of the screen depending on which app's window you're in. It may be confusing at first but in time you'll find it makes your workflow less confused.

CMD is CTRL, pretty much. CMD C/V is copy/paste. CMD N is new window, CMD T new tab. Just like Windows.

Closing all the windows doesn't close the whole app. You'll need to click the app name at the top left (by the Apple logo) and select quit. Or press CMD+Q. Similarly you can press CMD+TAB to move between open apps, while pressing CMD+Q to close them (keys are right next to each other). Very well thought out. Again, it works much better.

Overall I think you'll love it. Just keep plugging away and before you know it, you'll be working faster than you ever were on Windows.

Thank you!

 

[oreganoinferno]

Go to Settings > Mission Control > Hot Corners and select Mission Control and Desktop for the lower corners of your screen.
When you move the cursor to the respective corner, either your desktop will become visible without you having to close all the windows, or you'll see all open windows. The later one is perfect to switch between programs or to move files per drag&drop from one window to another. Move the cursor back to one of the corners and your windows re-appear.
Might take a little to get used to it, but it might become one of your favorite features...
(This might be an "old-school" advise - perhaps Apple has a gesture for that - but I'm not into gestures that much.)