Loading...
 

Managing Your Computer

 

1. The Desktop: 

  1. Apple menu - Access Software Update, System Preferences, Sleep, Shut Down, and more.
  2. Application menu - Contains menus for the application you're currently using. The name of the application appears in bold next to the Apple menu.
  3. Menu bar - Contains the Apple menu, active application menu, status menus, menu bar extras, Spotlight icon, and Notification Center icon (OS X Mountain Lion).
  4. Status menu - Shows the date and time, status of your computer, or gives you quick access to certain features—for example, you can quickly turn on Wi-Fi, turn off Bluetooth, or mute your computer's volume.
  5. Spotlight icon - Click it to bring up the Spotlight search field, where you can search for anything on your Mac.
  6. Notification Center icon - Click it to view Notification Center, which consolidates your notifications from Messages, Calendar, Mail, Reminders, and third-party apps.
  7. Desktop - This is where your applications' windows will appear.
  8. The Dock - Quick access to your most frequently used applications, folders, and files. With a single click the application, folder, or file opens.

2. Organize your desktop files and folder

Organize your desktop files by grouping them into folders on your desktop.

  1. Select the items you want to group
  2. Control-click one of the selected items
  3. Choose "New Folder with Selection"
  4. Enter a name for the folder

3. Customize your desktop

Change the size of icons, arrange them in a grid, and set other preferences:

  1. Right click (two fingers) the desktop
  2. View
  3. Show View Options

4. Work in multiple spaces

When projects pile up and your desktop becomes cluttered, you can use Spaces to organize your windows into groups. When you’re working in a space, your desktop contains only the windows for the work you’re doing in that space. For example, you can have one space for work, and a second space for personal stuff.

  1. Hit the mission control.

  1. Move the pointer toward the upper-right corner of your screen.
  2. To add a space, click the Add button (+). You can add up to 16 spaces.

5. Move from one space to another

Do one of the following:

  1. Swipe left or right with three fingers to scroll through your spaces.
  2. Zoom to Mission Control, then click the space you want to use.

6. Move a window from one space to another

Do the following:

  1. Drag the window to the edge of your screen and pause;
  2. After a moment, the window is switched to the next space.

7. Decide which spaces to use with particular apps

If you work in multiple spaces, you can assign apps to particular spaces:

  1. Press and hold an app’s icon in the Dock.
  2. From the shortcut menu that appears over the icon, choose one of these:
    1. Choose Options > This Desktop - To have the app open only in the current space
    2. Choose Options > All Desktops - To have the app open in every space
    3. Choose Options > None - To have the app open in the space you are currently using