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Apple CEO Tim Cook says The company had “its best launch week ever” for first-time Mac customers MacBook Neo, M5 MacBook AirAnd M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro went on sale. It seems people are switching to Macs in significant numbers, as well $599 MacBook Neo Most likely to have an impact.
If you’re one of the people responsible for Apple’s record-breaking launch week for first-time customers, you might be wondering where Get started with macOS—and how it’s different (or not different) from the Windows OS you’re already used to. Windows is the operating system I grew up with since the early days of Windows 95, but as a tech journalist I Write a lot of articles On macOS. I use both operating systems pretty much every day, so here’s my guide to familiarizing yourself with Apple’s desktop operating system if you’ve only used Microsoft.
Perhaps the biggest interface change you’ll need to embrace at first is the menu bar. If you’ve only ever known Windows, you’re used to having the taskbar at the bottom, and the app menu attached to the program it’s with.
macOS has a menu bar that links these various elements together. It takes application shortcuts, time and date displays, and notification pop-ups from the lower-right corner in Windows, and places them in the upper-right corner. The same top bar also includes the menu of whatever app is currently active.
So, whether you’re using Google Chrome, Adobe Photoshop, or Spotify, menus aren’t attached to the program window—they’re at the top of the screen. It may take some getting used to, but the name of the currently active program is always shown in the upper-left corner, and to the left of that is the Apple menu—which I’ll get to next.
There is no Start button and no Start menu on macOS – instead, different parts of the Start menu are spread out in other places. For example, if you’re looking for OS settings or shutdown and user account options, this Apple Menu: It’s the Apple logo that always sits in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Go here to find out About the Mac (information about the computer you are using); Options for sleep, RestartAnd Shut down; and controls for locking or logging out the Mac. Also useful here Release the pressureWhich can close the offending app for you.
This Apple The menu also gives you access to the macOS App Store, and any app updates that may be pending there. This Recent items The submenu, meanwhile, complements some of the uses of the Windows Start menu, giving you convenient access to recently launched apps and recently opened files.
You can get to your apps through Spotlight.
Credit: Lifehacker
How the MacOS application experience differs from Windows
As with Windows, you can install apps on macOS through the official App Store or by downloading them through your web browser. There are multiple ways to find and launch apps, which can be a little confusing at first: the method I use most is to launch Spotlight Cmd+Space or magnifying glass on the menu bar), then type the name of the program.
Then there’s the Dock at the bottom of the screen, which is largely equivalent to the Windows taskbar. You can switch between apps and launch recent apps from here, as well as pin app shortcuts permanently (right-click an app icon and choose Options > Keep in Dock). Open the Apple menu and select System Settings > Desktop & Dock To set the dock state and behavior.
To find all installed apps on macOS, you can launch Spotlight (as above), then click the App Store icon to the right of the search box. You can also launch the Finder app and select Go to > Applications From the menus (or select applications link in the left navigation pane, if it is visible).
Mac’s “Finder” is your new “file explorer.”
The Finder is a place to manage everything saved locally on your system, and while it may feel different to begin with than File Explorer, it doesn’t take long to get used to. Like any other app, you can launch it from Spotlight or the Dock.
By default, there’s a navigation pane on the left that lets you navigate to key areas on your system, including the desktop and your Downloads folder (as well as applications folder). Usually, the main menu is at the top, but a drop-down menu can be found at the top of the current window to control the Finder’s layout.
Many Finder operations work the same as they do in File Explorer—so drag from one window to another to move a file between folders, for example. A neat feature in the Finder that you don’t get on Windows is Quick Look, which lets you press Space To quickly preview the selected file without opening it.
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How to control settings on your new Mac
There are many ways to customize MacOS, and you can start by opening the Apple menu and choosing System settings. From here you can manage everything from software updates and Siri access to WiFi connections and battery life (if you’re using a MacBook, not a desktop Mac).
Head for Wallpaper To set your desktop background (you’ll see dynamic backdrops that change over time), Instructions To control how often you are distracted by app alerts, and menu bar To change the elements and shortcuts that appear at the top of the screen. If you’re wondering how to tweak something in macOS, you’ll usually find it here.
Options for individual programs are usually handled by clicking on the program name on the menu bar (eg Chrome Or Spotify), then select settings From the menu that appears.
System Settings on MacOS.
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Keyboard shortcuts take some getting used to on macOS
Keyboard shortcuts are a crucial part of getting through both Windows and macOS as efficiently as possible, but you’ll have to retrain your muscle memory when you switch to Apple computers. If you use both Windows and macOS side by side, like me, you’ll need to spend some time remembering which keys to hit when.
In many cases, you can change Ctrl On Windows with Cmd (command) on macOS: use Cmd+C to copy (instead of Ctrl+C), Cmd+V pasting (instead of Ctrl+V), and Cmd+W Closing browser tabs (instead of Cmd+W), for example.
Sometimes the combination is slightly different. If you are used to using Alt+Tab To cycle around your open applications in Windows, you need to use Cmd+Tab For this on macOS—though you can Install a utility to copy Alt+Tab If you miss it. there Utilities are available Which can help you learn all the relevant shortcuts you need.
Apple ecosystem integration is seamless
If you already have an iPhone or iPad to go with your new Mac, there are tons of cool features to explore. As long as your mobile devices and your Mac are using the same Apple account and signed into the same wifi network, they’ll work together.
There’s a universal clipboard, so you can copy an image on macOS and paste it on iOS. You can too Mirror your iPhone screen On the macOS desktop, Control the iPad With your Mac’s keyboard and mouse, Use your iPhone as a webcamAnd that too Use iPad as a second screen for your Mac.
If you’re on the Android side of the fence, your phone won’t play too well with macOS—though Apple Music And Apple TV Available on Google Play Store. The best ways I’ve found to use Android, macOS, and Windows together include tools that are cross-platform, including Dropbox. Everything is made by Googleand web applications.
