Introduction to Mac Basics With: Mojave Note: This handout based on instructions already available at www.apple.com/support PART I: Getting Oriented to the Home Screen Menu Bar App Menus System Status Information Dock Menu Bar The menu bar is located at the top of the screen. It contains the Apple menu, App menus, Status menus, Spotlight, Notification Center, and Ask Siri. System Status Information This contains quick information about the status of various ‘systems’ like blue tooth connections, battery charges, and wi-fi connections. Use the Wi-Fi status menu in the menu bar to switch between Wi-Fi networks, turn your Wi-Fi on or off, open Network preferences, or create a computer-to-computer network. 1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Network, and then click Wi-Fi in the list. If Wi-Fi isn’t in the list, click Add (+) at the bottom of the list, choose Wi-Fi from the Interface pop- up menu, give the Wi-Fi service a name, then click Create. Last Updated: October 11, 2018 [email protected] Page | 1 Introduction to Mac Basics With: Mojave 2. Select the Show Wi-Fi status in menu bar checkbox. Four signal bars appear in the Wi-Fi status icon in the menu bar. The more bars that are black, the higher the signal quality. Using the Dock The Dock is the bar of icons that sits at the bottom or side of your screen. It provides easy access to many of the apps that come with your Mac (like Mail, Safari, and Messages). You can add your own apps, documents and folders to the Dock, too. To use an item in the Dock, click its icon. If you want to listen to some music, click the iTunes icon (the icon with music notes). To check your email, click the Mail icon (it looks like a stamp). When an application is open, the Dock displays a black dot beneath the application's icon. To make any currently running application the active one, click its icon in the Dock. Organizing the Dock The Dock keeps apps on its left side. Folders, documents, and minimized windows are kept on the right side of the Dock. If you look closely, you can see a vertical separator line that separates these. New for Mojave is an additional line and recently uses apps are placed between these lines If you want to rearrange where an icon appears on the Dock, just drag it to another location in the Dock. The Trash and the Finder are special items, so they are always present at each end of the Dock. Adding and removing Dock items If you want to add an application to the Dock, click the Launchpad icon in the Dock. Then, drag an app icon from the Launchpad to the Dock. The icons in the Dock move aside to make room for the new item. If you want to add a file or folder to the Dock, just drag its icon from any Finder window (or the desktop) and drop it on the Dock. To remove an item from the Dock, drag its icon an inch or more off the Dock and wait a couple seconds. Then release the icon and it disappears. Last Updated: October 11, 2018 [email protected] Page | 2 Introduction to Mac Basics With: Mojave Removing an item from the Dock doesn't permanently remove it from your computer. If you want that item back in the Dock, locate the app, file, or folder in the Finder or Launchpad, and simply drag it back into the Dock. Minimizing Windows If you minimize a window (click the round, yellow button in the upper-left corner of any window), the window is pulled down into the Dock. The Trash The Dock includes the Trash (its icon looks like a waste basket). Drag any documents you no longer want to the Trash to get rid of them. When you move items to the Trash, you haven't completely deleted them. You can click the Trash icon in the Dock to see what it contains. When you're ready to permanently delete files or folders that you've dragged to the Trash, click and hold the Trash icon in the Dock and choose Empty Trash. Many users forget to empty their trash, which results in a buildup of files over time. You can set your preferences to automatically empty the trash. Simply go the Finder > Preferences > Advanced and check Remove items from the Trash after 30 days. Eject If you drag a flash drive or other mounted volume to the Trash, it changes to an ‘eject’ icon to let you know that this action ejects or removes the item rather than erasing or deleting it. If you don't see the Dock You can also set the Dock so that it isn't visible until you need it. If you don't see the dock, try moving your pointer to the bottom or side of your screen to see if it appears. To turn Dock hiding on or off, choose System Preferences > Dock > Automatically hide and show the Dock from the Apple menu. Last Updated: October 11, 2018 [email protected] Page | 3 Introduction to Mac Basics With: Mojave PART II: Working With Your Desktop Windows Most of the information on your Mac is displayed in windows, including Finder windows and app windows. When you have multiple windows open, only one is active. When an app window is active, the menu bar contains the app’s name. Move, resize, and minimize windows Move a window: Click the window’s title bar, and then drag it. Manually resize a window: Drag the window’s edges (top, bottom, and sides). Minimize a window: Click the yellow minimize button in the top-left corner of the window, or press Command (⌘)-M. Some windows can’t be moved or resized, and may require that you perform an action or answer a question before you can continue with a task. Switch to full screen In many apps, including Calendar and Mail, you can expand the window to fill your entire screen. Click the green full-screen button in the top-left corner of an app window Return to standard view by pressing the 'escape' key or by moving the pointer to the top-right corner of the screen, then clicking the two arrow icon. Last Updated: October 11, 2018 [email protected] Page | 4 Introduction to Mac Basics With: Mojave Quickly switch between apps If multiple apps are open, it may be difficult to find the one you want. Here are shortcuts you can use to move among apps. Quickly switch to the previous app: Press Command (⌘)-Tab. Scroll through all open apps: Press Command (⌘-) Tab, continue to hold the Command key, then press the Tab key repeatedly. When you get to the app you want, stop and release the keys. You can also press Command (⌘ -)Tab, continue to hold down the Command key and use the mouse pointer or arrow keys to scroll. Resume work without switching apps: Press Esc (Escape) or the period key. Here are other tasks you can do after pressing Command (⌘)-Tab and holding down the Command key: . Hide a selected app: Press H. Quit a selected app: Press Q. Close windows Click the red close button in the top-left corner of the window, or press Command (⌘)-W. When you close an app’s window, the window closes, but the app remains open. If you want to quit an app, click the app’s name in the menu bar, and then choose Quit [App] or press Command (⌘)-Q. PART III: Managing Files, Folders, and Documents Represented by the blue icon with the smiling face, the Finder is the home base for your Mac. You use it to organize and access almost everything on your Mac, including documents, images, movies, and any other files you have. To open a Finder window, click the Finder icon in the Dock. To go to the Finder without opening a window, click the desktop. Everything on your Mac—documents, pictures, music, apps, and more—is organized in folders. As you create documents, install apps, and do other work, you can create new folders to keep yourself organized. Last Updated: October 11, 2018 [email protected] Page | 5 Introduction to Mac Basics With: Mojave Create a folder 1. Control-click (with a trackpad, two-finger tap) the desktop if you want to create the folder on the desktop; otherwise, open a Finder window and navigate to where you want to create the folder. 2. Click the Action (gear symbol) > New Folder, or press Shift–Command (⌘)–N. If the New Folder command is dimmed, you can’t create a folder in the current location. For example, you can’t create a folder in the All My Files section of the Finder sidebar. 3. Enter a name for the folder, then press Return. Move items into folders Do any of the following: Put an item in a folder: Drag it to the folder. Put several items in a folder: Select the items, and then drag one of the items to the folder. All selected items move to the folder. Keep an item in its original location and put a copy in a folder: Hold down the Option key, then drag the item to the folder. Keep an item in its original location and put an alias for it in a new folder: Hold down the Option and Command (⌘) keys, and then drag the item to the folder.