Mac Tips & Lessons
-
macOS Classes5 Lessons
-
New in macOS Sequoia3 Lessons
-
Getting Started with the Mac13 Lessons
-
14+ Tips for Getting Started with a New Mac (and older Macs)
-
How to tell which macOS you are using
-
Getting Around your Mac
-
Working with Finder Windows
-
Accessing Folders and Navigating Folders
-
A Look a the Folder Hierarchy of the Mac
-
Using Keyboard Shortcuts
-
Notifications and the Notification Center
-
Searching with Spotlight Search
-
System Preferences Overview
-
Mac Quick Look Demystified: Preview Files with Ease!
-
Quickly access Mac system settings with Menu Bar or Dock
-
Learn Cut, Copy, and Paste on Mac
-
14+ Tips for Getting Started with a New Mac (and older Macs)
-
Menu Bar Lessons for the Mac4 Lessons
-
Dock Lessons for the Mac11 Lessons
-
Automatically Hide the Dock
-
Open Recent Documents from a Closed app with the Mac's Dock
-
Open an App's Recent Documents through the Dock on the Mac
-
Change the Position of the Dock
-
Working with Applications in the Dock
-
Documents and Folders in the Dock
-
Customizing the Dock
-
Add Printers to the Mac's Dock
-
3 Easy Tips for Organizing your Folders in the Mac's Dock
-
Unlock Hidden Settings for the Dock
-
How to Add Folders to the Mac Dock
-
Automatically Hide the Dock
-
Finder Lessons for the Mac24 Lessons
-
Opening an Enclosing Folder from a Finder Window
-
Adding a Folder to the Sidebar in a Finder Window
-
Cycle through your Open Finder Windows
-
Set What Folder A New Finder Windows Shows
-
Finder Window View Options
-
View Unopened Documents with Quick Look
-
Arranging Files and Folders
-
Actions and Tasks
-
Finder Windows as Tabs
-
Customizing the Sidebar
-
Customize the Finder Window Toolbar
-
Show the Path Bar in a Finder Window
-
Keep Folders on Top
-
Show the Status Bar in Finder Windows
-
Set what is searched in a Finder Window
-
Hide your Hard Drives from the Desktop
-
Add Documents to a Finder Window Toolbar
-
Resizing Finder Window Columns
-
Copy the location of a File or Folder as Pathname
-
Set what your Finder Windows Open To
-
Show the Mac's Clipboard in a Window
-
Create a PDF from Multiple Images with Quick Actions on the Mac
-
The ultimate guide to the Mac's Finder: 24+ tips included!
-
Need help Organizing Your Mac? Master Smart Folders Today!
-
Opening an Enclosing Folder from a Finder Window
-
Manage Applications on the Mac24 Lessons
-
Easily Open the Applications Folder
-
Apps and Significant Energy
-
Set which Applications Open at Login
-
Add the Applications Folder to the Dock
-
Close Windows when Quitting Apps
-
5 Ways to Find and Open your Applications on the Mac
-
Finding your Applications Folder
-
Switching between Open Applications
-
Hiding Open Applications
-
Launchpad and Applications
-
Opening Applications with Spotlight Search
-
Installing Applications
-
Removing or Uninstalling Applications
-
Applications in Full-screen Mode
-
Finding an App’s Preferences or Settings
-
Open Apps with the Launchpad Icon
-
Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Switch between Open Apps
-
Shrink Apps to Prevent the MacBook Pro Notch from Obscuring App Controls
-
Prevent In-App Rating & Review Notifications
-
How to Check App Version History on Your Mac
-
How to Use Multiple Desktops with Spaces
-
Switch between open apps with the Mac's App Switcher
-
Enhance your Mac experience by Installing iOS apps
-
Add a Signature to a Document
-
Easily Open the Applications Folder
-
Manage Files and Folders on the Mac30 Lessons
-
Selecting Documents and Folders
-
Working with Save Dialog Boxes
-
Deleting Files and Folders
-
Copying, Moving, and Grouping Files
-
Move Selected Files into a New Folder
-
Specifying Applications for Documents
-
4 Ways to Open a File on the Mac
-
3 Ways to Force Quit an App on the Mac
-
4 Ways to Edit Finder Window Sidebars on the Mac
-
Create A New Folder with Selected Files on the Mac
-
Using Spring-loaded Folders
-
Compressing Files and Folders
-
Convert and Compress Images with Quick Actions
-
Viewing Document Information
-
Renaming Files in Batches
-
Tagging Files and Folders
-
Set What App a Document Opens With
-
Open Windows Media or WMV Files
-
Tips for finding your Downloads Folder
-
See Folder Sizes in a Finder Window
-
Duplicate Documents with Stationery Pad on the Mac
-
Reverse the Print Order of your Document
-
Creating PDFs on a Mac: Two Easy Methods
-
Save Time and Effort: How to Select Multiple Files on Your Mac
-
How to Easily Zip and Unzip Files on Your Mac
-
Learn how to use Find and Replace on the Mac
-
Rename Multiple Files on the Mac
-
How to Manage Storage on Your Mac - Easy Tips & Tricks!
-
Ever Wondered How to Rename Mac Files? Top 7 Tips Here!
-
11 Easy Ways to Optimize Your Mac's Desktop Experience
-
Selecting Documents and Folders
-
General macOS Lessons21 Lessons|1 Quiz
-
Have your Mac Learn Spelling
-
Close Notifications with a Swipe
-
Working with the Today View
-
Using Siri
-
Using Mission Control
-
Add Virtual Desktops with Spaces on the Mac
-
Sharing Files with AirDrop
-
iCloud Options
-
Take a Screenshot of your Display
-
Add Emojis as Text
-
View All Open Windows as Thumbnails
-
Copy, and Paste and Match Style
-
Type Special Characters with the Keyboard Viewer
-
Set where Screenshots are Saved
-
Add a Timer to Screenshots
-
Hide all your open windows to show the Mac's Desktop
-
Turn on Do Not Disturb Temporarily
-
Using Split View
-
The Mac’s Magic Shortcut to Trashing Files and Photos Quickly
-
10 Little Known Tips for the Mac
-
Keyboard Navigation on the Mac
-
Have your Mac Learn Spelling
-
Preferences or Settings for the Mac34 Lessons
-
Organize and Hide System Preference Panes
-
General Preferences
-
Working with Printers and Scanners
-
Share Connected Printers with other Macs
-
A Quick look at Sound Preferences
-
A closer look at Internet Accounts
-
Creating User Accounts
-
Set an Animated Emoji for your Mac User Profile
-
Customize the Date and Time in the Mac's Menu Bar
-
Adding Parental Controls
-
Change the Cursor Size
-
Show the Date in the Menu bar
-
Change the Clock in the Menu Bar from Digital to Analog
-
Set the Scroll Bar to Always Show in a Window
-
Create a New user Account
-
Text Replacement
-
Quickly Look up Information with the Trackpad
-
Shortcuts for opening System Preference Panes
-
Rename your Mac
-
Searching your System Preferences
-
Set the Default Browser on the Mac
-
Reduce the Transparency in the Menu Bar and Dock
-
Open Preference Panes from the Dock
-
A closer look at Wi-fi Settings
-
Using Hot Corners
-
Select what macOS Updates you want to install
-
Create Keyboard Shortcuts for Menu Items
-
Use Keyboard Navigation to Move Focus
-
Enable Fast User Switching to Switch between User Accounts
-
Use Touch ID to Switch between Users on the Mac
-
How to Zoom into your Mac's Display for Easier Reading
-
How to Extend Your Mac Display to Your iPad
-
Disabling Showing the Notification Center from the Trackpad
-
Can Force Click Boost Your Productivity on your Mac? Find Out How!
-
Organize and Hide System Preference Panes
-
Troubleshooting Lessons for the Mac16 Lessons
-
Finding Help for your Mac
-
Backing Up with Time Machine
-
Restoring Files with Time Machine
-
Erase a Hard Drive
-
Force Quit an App on the Mac
-
Restart or Relaunch the Mac's Finder
-
Force Quit Apps from the Apple Menu
-
Putting it All Together
-
Automatically delete items in the Trash after 30 Days
-
Troubleshooting Bluetooth Connections
-
Manage Storage Space with macOS Monterey and Earlier
-
Reclaim Local Mac Storage Space by Removing iCloud Drive Downloads
-
Disable Unused Sharing Options on Your Mac If You’re Not Using Them
-
Forget Wi-Fi Networks that are Troublesome
-
View memory usage in Activity Monitor on Mac
-
Erase All Content and Settings on a Mac
-
Finding Help for your Mac
-
New in macOS Mojave12 Lessons
-
Dark Mode Appearance
-
Dynamic Desktop Pictures
-
View Recent Apps in the Dock
-
Gallery View for Files in Finder Windows
-
macOS Software Updates in System Preferences
-
Desktop Stacks for Files on the Desktop
-
Keep Desktop Folders on Top of Files
-
View File Metadata
-
Quick Actions and Markup Files
-
Continuity Camera from your iPhone or iPad
-
New Privacy Options
-
New Screenshot Options
-
Dark Mode Appearance
-
New in macOS Catalina19 Lessons
-
See which apps will no longer work with macOS Catalina
-
See which apps are 32-bit
-
Opening Recent Folders from the Dock
-
Reorganized System Preferences
-
New Window Management Options
-
New Screen Time Preferences
-
New Music App
-
New TV App
-
New Podcasts App
-
Manage your iOS Devices through the Finder
-
What's New in the Photos App
-
What's New in the Notes App
-
What's New in Safari
-
What's New in the Mail app
-
New FindMy App
-
New Catalyst Apps
-
New Security and Privacy Features
-
New Redesigned Reminders App
-
Use an iPad as a second Display with Sidecar
-
See which apps will no longer work with macOS Catalina
-
New in macOS Big Sur15 Lessons
-
What hasn't changed with macOS Big Sur
-
Notification Center
-
Allow Wallpaper Tinting in Windows
-
Filtering Mail Messages
-
New Control Center
-
A look at the Finder Window Toolbar
-
New with Desktop Pictures
-
Play Startup Sound
-
Drag and Drop Controls to the Menu Bar
-
Battery Usage Preferences
-
Change the Date & Time in the Menu Bar
-
Do Not Disturb location in macOS Big Sur
-
See what is Now Playing
-
It’s Time to Consider Upgrading to macOS 11 Big Sur
-
How to Reveal the Proxy Icon in Big Sur
-
What hasn't changed with macOS Big Sur
-
New & Updated in macOS Ventura12 Lessons
-
How to Manage your Open Windows with Stage Manager
-
New Setup Options and Filters in Focus on the Mac with macOS Ventura
-
View Forecasts and More in the New Weather App on the Mac
-
Add Multiple Stops to Routes in the Maps App with macOS Ventura
-
Create Templates for Reminders Lists with macOS Ventura
-
Maximizing Your Storage on macOS Ventura: A Guide to Managing Space
-
Discover the New Clock App on MacOS Ventura
-
How to Keep Scroll Bars Always Visible on Mac (macOS Ventura)
-
Manage App Store and Streaming Services Subscriptions through the Mac
-
Save time typing text and Emojis on your Mac with Text Replacement!
-
3 Ways to Remove the Background in a Photo
-
Stop Apps from Launching when your Mac Starts Up
-
How to Manage your Open Windows with Stage Manager
-
Favorite Features in macOS Sonoma9 Lessons
-
Make Your Favorite Websites Act Like Apps with macOS Sonoma
-
macOS Sonoma: Screensavers & Wallpapers
-
Click your Wallpaper to Show the Desktop
-
Add Widgets to your Mac's Desktop
-
My 3 Favorite New Features in Reminders with macOS Sonoma!
-
iCloud Passwords for Chrome: Seamless Access to Your Passwords
-
Make your next Zoom Presentation stand out with Presenter Overlays
-
Turn off Click Wallpaper to Show Desktop
-
Build your own Apple Passwords app in 5 minutes! A Step-by-Step Guide
-
Make Your Favorite Websites Act Like Apps with macOS Sonoma
-
New in macOS Monterey6 Lessons
iCloud Options
Learn about iCloud on the Mac.
In this lesson for macOS Mojave, I look at the different options we have with iCloud on the Mac. With iCloud, we can sync our contacts, calendars, and more including our Desktop and Documents folder.
Video Transcript (video also has closed captions):
Introduction: Now, let’s take a look at our iCloud options we have with the Mac. Let’s go to my Mac. When you first created a new account, the Mac asked you to enter your iCloud or your Apple ID. It did this to connect your iCloud to your Mac. What does this mean? Let’s find out.
iCloud Preferences: The first thing we need to do is go to our System Preferences. What I’m going to do is I’m going to click on iCloud here. This is where we can see all the different services that iCloud has to offer. It’s also where we can go and purchase more space. Click on it. We can see my iCloud details here, and over to the right, we have all of the different services.
iCloud Drive: Our first one here is iCloud Drive. What we can do is we can keep certain folders on iCloud Drive. Now, what’s the advantage of this? If you have a couple of Macs, or if you have an iPhone or an iPad, you can access iCloud Drive. If I put something in my Pages folder, which is an iCloud Drive, let’s go ahead and open up my iCloud Drive. I’m going to go to command in, and we’re going to go to iCloud Drive. We have all of these folders here. I put something in Pages. I’ll be able to access it in Pages on my iPhone or my iPad. This is how I keep my Numbers spreadsheet. I can access it from any one of my computers or anyone of my iOS devices.
Desktop & Documents in iCloud: We also have the option to store our desktop and documents. I’m going to click on this, and you’re going to see we have Desktop & Documents Folders. When I select this, my desktop folder and my documents folder will be stored in iCloud. Now, I’ll be able to access anything that I put on the Desktop from my other computers. It’ll show up on the desktop of my other computers. Anything in my documents folder will be in my documents folder on my other computers. This is how I use it on my personal account. I have a MacBook Pro, and I have this iMac. If I have something that I need to access on both computers, I put it on the desktop or in my documents folder.
Below that, we have the other apps that can use iCloud Drive, including third-party apps. If you no longer want to allow an app to use iCloud Drive, you can de-select it. Then, Apple no longer uses iCloud Drive. I’m going to click on Done. With Photos, we can sync our photos across all of our different devices. Let’s click on Options. I can set if I want to use iCloud Photos. Any photos that I add on my Mac here, or if I edit them on my Mac, will show up on my other devices. If I go and take a photo on my iPhone, it will show up on my Mac. I go and edit that photo. The edited photo will show back up on my iPhone.
My Photo Stream: Then, we have My Photo Stream, which allows you to import recent photos from your different devices without using iCloud Photos. I recommend people to use iCloud Photos. With iCloud Photos, it’ll sync all of your different edits. It syncs high-res versions of your photos. With My Photo Stream, it doesn’t sync your photos across all your different devices. All you can do is import them. If you make any change in your photos, it is not going to show, or those changes are not going to show on any of your other devices. All you’re doing is just importing your photos from your Photo Stream. It doesn’t sync any changes. It doesn’t sync all of your photos. If you want to have all of your photos on all of your devices, I recommend using iCloud Photos.
Shared Albums: We also have Shared Albums. This is where we can go and share albums via iCloud Drive. I’m going to click on Done.
iCloud Mail: We have Mail. If you do not want to use the iCloud.com Mail, you can turn this off. Let’s say you’re using Gmail. You did not have to use Apple’s iCloud Mail.
Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders: We also have our Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders. This will sync all of our contacts, events, as well as reminders across all our different devices.
Safari, Notes, and Siri: We have Safari, Notes, and Siri. With Safari, it’ll sync all of our bookmarks and reading lists. With Notes, it’ll sync all of our different notes across all our devices. With Siri, Apple uses some machine learning. The more you use Siri, the better it gets. It will share what it has learned across all your different devices.
Keychain: We also have Keychain. When we enter a username and password into a website, the Mac will ask you if it wants to save that username and password, and then it will share that with your other devices.
Find My Mac: We have Find My Mac. This is off by default because I’m using it on another account, but you want to make sure that this is checked. Then if you lose your Mac, you can log into iCloud.com and find your Mac. Again, the reason it’s off on my computer is because it’s on a different account. You can only have it on in one account.
News, Stock, and Home: Then we also have News, Stocks, and Home. This is new to macOS Mojave. Now what I can do is I can sync my news across all my devices, including my Mac, my stocks, my stock watch list, as well as my home, which is my home kit devices. I have my living room lights set up as a home kit device. Now, what I can do is I can turn them on and off from any one of my devices, including my Mac.
Buying more iCloud Space or Storage: Depending on how you use iCloud on your Mac, you may run out of space. This happens quite a bit when you sync your photos across all your different devices because photos can take up a lot of space. Apple gives you five gigabytes for free. What happens when you run out of space?
You can purchase more space from Apple. The next upgrade plan is 99¢ a month, and they give you 50 gigabytes. To purchase more space, you have to click on Manage, and then you can purchase more space. Again, they start at 99¢ for 50 gigabytes.
If you use iCloud Photos, which I recommend, you may run out of space. If you do, you can purchase the next plan for 99¢ a month. In my experience, that seems to work for most people. Of course, you can always upgrade for more space as well.
That’s a look at iCloud and how it works on the Mac.