If you’re new to the world of Apple’s Macs, you may find it difficult to know where to start using them and taking advantage of their features compared to Windows devices.
But with some guidance and practice, you’ll be able to handle your Mac like a pro in no time. In this simple guide, we’ll get to know the basics of macOS, starting with the system’s various features, all the way to setting up the device for the first time, customizing the desktop, using the system’s basic applications, and other important steps that we’ll learn about through a series of reports.
Setting up the system for the first time
We’ll start by setting up macOS for the first time, which is simple and can be done by following these steps:
After you turn on your Mac, you’ll be asked to select a language and region. Connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Sign in with your Apple ID, or you can create a new one if you don’t have one. Set up Touch ID or Face ID. Turn on iCloud, which allows you to access your files and documents from any other device.
Mac OS Basics
Mac OS is an operating system developed by Apple to run on its computers, both mobile and desktop, and is known for its easy user interface and seamless integration with other Apple devices such as iPhones and iPads.
Here are some basic terms related to the system, and you should note that we will be talking about the latest available version of the system macOS Sonoma 14:
Dock: One of the basic features of macOS, it is the place from which you can access your most used applications. By default, it is at the bottom of the screen, and contains icons for applications such as Finder, Safari, and the email application. It can be thought of as the taskbar in Windows, which contains the Start menu. You can customize the bar and place the applications you need, in addition to changing its size and location if you want.
Finder: One of the basic features of macOS, it is where you will find all your files and folders. You will find it in the Dock, as we mentioned. You can organize your files into folders and search for specific files using the search bar, and you can also create new folders and move or delete files to them.
Launchpad: This is where you’ll find all your apps on your device, and you’ll find them in the Dock.
App Store: This is the Mac OS app store, similar to the iPhone app store. You’ll find the store icon in the Dock.
Settings: This is where all your device settings are gathered, and you’ll find its icon in the Dock as well.
Menu Bar: This bar is located at the top of the screen, and it contains menus for some different tasks, for example, it contains the Apple menu, menus for the applications you use, the Control Center, and the Notification Center.
Apple menu: It is located in the upper right corner of the screen, and it contains commands for the tasks you need constantly, such as updating applications, opening system settings, locking the screen, or turning off your MacBook.
App menus: It is located next to the Apple menu, and it shows the name of the application you are using in bold, followed by other menus, such as File, Edit, Format, Window, and Help, in addition to the menus for each application.
Spotlight: Helps you quickly find apps, documents, emails, and other items on your Mac. You’ll find the Finder icon in the menu bar.