7 Hidden Mac Features to Help You Work Faster

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If you own a Mac device, it might interest you to know that there are some amazing — and helpful— features that you should be taking advantage of to get around work faster. The truth is, your knowledge of your device is most likely less than it should be, regardless of the brand or type. This is not surprising, as most people tend to know only a fraction of all the features their gadgets and devices have to offer.

Nowadays, more and more Windows users are switching to the Apple OS as Macs gain popularity, but if you’ve been a longtime Microsoft user, your new Mac probably has a ton of capabilities you’re not even aware of. We’ve curated this guide to show you what some of these features are, and how to take advantage of them to optimize your work and user experience.

Mac

Capture a Trimmed Screenshot on a Mac

Taking screenshots on Windows can be problematic. Either the PrtSc key or the Snipping Tool are typically used to take a complete screenshot of your display. Naturally, not all keyboards can use the shortcut, and using a different app to snap a screenshot is a pain. Fortunately, the procedure is simplified on a Mac.

Your cursor will become a crosshair if you hold down Command + Shift + 4 for a few seconds. Simply take your finger off the mouse after outlining what you want to appear in the screenshot, and it will be saved. Alternatively, you can use Command + Shift + 3 if you want a snapshot of the entire screen.

Sign PDFs in your Mail on a Mac

If you receive a PDF that needs to be signed via email, you can sign it directly in Mail without having to print, sign, and scan it. 

When you drag a PDF into the email you’re sending, hover over it to reveal a small button in the top right corner. After you click the button, a number of Markup options appear, including one for document signing. 

Additionally, you can add your signature by either writing on your trackpad or by bringing a signed piece of paper up to your Mac’s webcam, which does an excellent job of cutting it out of the backdrop.

Turn Your Mac’s Screen Corners into Shortcuts

You can perform operations on your Mac such as displaying the desktop, activating a screensaver, turning off the display, or launching Mission Control by moving your cursor over various corners of the screen which will provide a view of all your open windows. 

You must first configure these shortcuts, though. Go to the Screen Saver tab in System Preferences, select Desktop & Screen Saver, and then click Hot Corners. You’ll now be able to choose which purpose to assign to each corner of your Mac’s screen.

Manage your Open Tabs Quickly on a Mac

With your Mac, you can cycle between applications if you have too many of them running at a time and need to close some.

To do this, you can simply hold Command while pressing the tab key. To minimize an open tab, press H, and to terminate any application, press Q.

Never Tab Past Boxes on Online Forms Again

Tabbing through the input boxes on online order forms frequently skips selection menus such as the “month” or “year” selections.

To allow your computer to tab through them like any other text box, simply open System Preferences => Keyboard => Shortcuts, and then choose “All Controls” under “Full Keyboard Access.”

Employ Spotlight Search for Faster Access

Apple’s Spotlight search is readily accessed by pressing Command + Spacebar, allowing you to quickly search for documents, apps, music, the web, and even Wikipedia when doing research. 

The truth is that this feature can also perform simple math operations like multiplication and division; all you would need to do is just type those commands into the Spotlight search bar!

Recall Wi-Fi Passwords on a Mac

Macs have the ability to remember all of your passwords and clearly recall them to you using a tool called Keychain that other computers lack. The majority of your private information is stored in Keychain Access, the integrated program that comes with Keychain. Wi-Fi connections are the situations in which this is most useful. 

You may use Keychain Access on your Mac to discover your Wi-Fi password if you’re in a strange location or even if you’ve just forgotten it. The steps are simple: launch Keychain Access by looking for it in Spotlight, look up the connection’s name, then double-click the iCloud Keychain icon for the desired SSID.

Then, input the Keychain password you created previously by clicking “Show password” on the subsequent screen. The Wi-Fi password you need will then be presented to you.

In conclusion, there are tons of other delightful Mac features that this guide can’t totally cover, and this is what makes the Mac one of the more superior brands in the market. 

Take a cue from the tips we’ve provided in this guide and allow yourself to enjoy faster and easier work processes through all the goodness that Macs have to offer. Also, don’t forget to share this article with your loved ones do they can also benefit from it.

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