The Mac operating system is packed with features that can make your life easier. The Finder app, for example, makes it easy to find and manage files on your computer. Mission Control gives you a bird’s-eye view of all your open windows, making it easy to switch between them. There are many other features that you can take advantage of, so let’s explore some of the most useful ones.
The Finder
One of the most useful tools in OS X is the Finder, which you can use to navigate and manage your files. The Finder is like the file browser in earlier versions of Mac OS, but it offers more features. You can open a Finder window by clicking on its icon on the dock or going to File > New Finder Window from the menu bar. By default, all your drives are listed in the sidebar under Devices. If you click on the arrow to the left of each device, you can open it to see its contents.
The dock
The dock displays all your open windows to help you switch between them. For example, if you have a terminal window open in one dock icon and multiple Finder windows in other icons, then when you click on the Finder icon in the dock, all those windows will be displayed as separate thumbnails so that you can choose which to activate with a single click.
Mission Control
Mission Control is useful because it gives you a quick overview of all your running programs and windows. You can access Mission Control by using control + space, or click on the mission control icon in the dock. Your open windows will appear as thumbnails below an overview window which you can scroll through to find what you’re looking for.
Spotlight
Spotlight is a tool that helps you quickly find files and launch programs with a few keystrokes. You can open Spotlight by using control + space, or clicking on the spotlight icon in the dock. Once opened, you can start typing to search for files or apps. You can also click on specific categories for more advanced searches.
Split View and Full Screen Mode
Split View and Full Screen Mode are two features that can help you to be more productive when working on your Mac. Split View allows you to have two windows open side-by-side, while Full Screen Mode hides all the other windows and gives you a distraction-free environment in which to work.
Gestures
Many Macs have a trackpad equipped with multi-touch gestures, which means you can use several fingers to perform different actions on the touch pad. You can zoom in and out by placing two fingers on the touch pad and then moving them closer or further apart. You can also scroll up and down through web pages or documents by swiping two fingers up or down.
System Preferences
There are many advanced options in System Preferences that can help you get the most out of your Mac. For example, you can choose which applications open when you plug in a device such as an iPhone or camera by going to the “Other” option. You can also control how much power is saved by your display and hard disks, so that your battery lasts longer or your disk doesn’t spin down too quickly.
Why is my Mac so quiet
This is because the Mac has a default setting for system volume that’s “Muted”. This means that the fans will work at their lowest speed, causing less noise and heat. You can increase the speed of the fans by going to “System Preferences” > “Sound” > “Output”, then selecting an option from the list under “Use audio output devices:”
Conclusion
Apple has been a leader in the tech industry for decades and is known as one of the most innovative companies on earth. With their latest operating system, OS X El Capitan, Apple continues to innovate by providing customers with tools that make it easier than ever before to use their computer.
