Apple sold more than 22 million MacBooks last year. If you purchased one of them, you might still be getting the hang of your new MacBook.
While you’re doing it, you should make it a point to learn about some of the hidden MacBook features that you can put to good use. There are so many cool MacBook tricks that will help you make the most of owning a MacBook laptop.
Today, we’re going to provide you with an inside look at seven of these hidden MacBook features. It’ll allow you to take full advantage of owning a MacBook computer in the first place.
Take a look at the hidden MacBook features that you should know about below. We’ve also included some great MacBook tips you can use to take these features over the top.
1. Keep a Universal Media Player Pinned to Your MacBook’s Menu Bar
When you’re using your MacBook to do a million and one things, trying to control the sounds coming from the Apple Music app or a YouTube video can be difficult to do. But you can do it easily by pinning a universal media player to the menu bar on your MacBook.
To do this, go to System Preferences and then go to Dock & Menu Bar and Now Playing before checking the “Show in Menu Bar” box. This will result in a media player widget popping up that you can use to take control of whatever forms of media you might be playing at any given moment.
2. Learn the Shortcuts for Your MacBook Keyboard
There are literally dozens and dozens (and dozens!) of shortcuts that you can use when you’re typing away on a MacBook’s keyboard. For example, if you want to make a copyright symbol on Mac laptops, there is a shortcut for it.
You might not be able to memorize every single shortcut that is available. But you should be able to learn a few of the ones that will make using a MacBook more convenient for you.
3. Transform the Corners of Your MacBook’s Screen Into Shortcuts
If there are certain shortcuts that you know you’re going to have to use early and often, you should take things one step further. Instead of simply relying on keyboard shortcuts, you can actually set up your MacBook so that you can use the four corners of your screen as shortcuts.
How in the world do you do this? Well, just follow these simple steps:
- Go to System Preferences
- Choose Mission Control
- Click on “Hot Corners”
- Select the dropdown that appears near a corner and decide which shortcut you want to attach to it
- Repeat step 4 for each corner on your MacBook
You can also go in and change these shortcuts on your MacBook as necessary. It’ll make the shortcuts that you use the most extremely accessible to you.
4. Put Important Files and Folders Into Your MacBook’s Dock
The dock that runs along the bottom of your MacBook is great for providing you with shortcuts to your favorite apps. But did you know that you can also use it to access files and folders that you need to get to all the time?
To accomplish this goal, all you’ll need to do is go and find the files and folders that you would like to add to your dock. Then, click on a file or folder and open up the “File” menu found at the top of your screen. Press shift while doing this and it should reveal a hidden option that says “Add to Dock.”
Once you click on “Add to Dock,” it’ll send your file or folder to the dock on your MacBook. You won’t ever have to worry about scrambling to find it again.
5. Utilize Your MacBook’s Easy-to-Use Screenshot and Recorder Tool
There are some shortcuts that you can use to take screenshots on your MacBook or record something that’s taking place on it. But you should be aware of the fact that there is also a screenshot and recorder tool that you can utilize on MacBooks.
Hold down command, shift, and 5 at the same time and this tool will magically appear. You’re going to find that this will be one of the MacBook tricks that you’ll use the most now that you know about it.
6. Figure Out How to Minimize Your MacBook’s Windows Fast
Under normal circumstances, you can maximize the windows on a MacBook by double-clicking on them. But if this isn’t something you do often, you should look into changing this shortcut to something more useful.
For instance, you can go into System Preferences and then Dock & Menu Bar and check out the “Double-click a window’s title bar to” dropdown. This will give you an opportunity to make it so that you can minimize your MacBook’s windows quickly by double-clicking on them.
7. Summon Your MacBook’s Emoji Tray on Demand
You probably don’t have any trouble at all finding the emoji tray on your smartphone. It’s why you likely turn to it early and often when you’re texting and writing emails.
But it can be tricky tracking down the emoji tray on a MacBook if you don’t know what you’re doing. It can result in people using emojis less often than they might like.
Fortunately, summoning your MacBook’s emoji tray will be a breeze when you know what to push to get it. Just hold down command, control, and space bar all at once to make the emoji tray pop up.
These Hidden MacBook Tricks Will Make Using a MacBook Better
Even if you don’t use any of the MacBook tricks listed here, using a MacBook can be a lot of fun. But you’ll enhance your MacBook experiences by learning these tricks and using them all the time.
Give a few of the hidden MacBook features found here a try to see how well they work. You might be surprised by how much easier they make it to use a MacBook.
Find more technology-related tips and tricks by browsing through the rest of our informative blog articles.
