Your Mac is far more powerful than just a device for checking email and browsing the web. Beyond its sleek design and user-friendly interface lies a treasure trove of hidden capabilities that can transform how you work, create, and play.
From secret productivity hacks to mind-blowing built-in features, this guide will unveil ten extraordinary things your Mac can do and help you save time.
10 Unbelievable Things Your Mac Can Do
1. Screen Recording
The use of screen recording extends beyond the workplace. It can help you in:
- Troubleshooting wherein you can capture errors and seek help from the technical team for diagnosis,
- Make informative videos to share information and guidelines,
- Content creation, etc.
To record a screen on your Mac you can use the built-in Screenshot app.
- To open it press Shift + Command + 5. With screenshot options in one section and screen record buttons in the other, the toolbar will show up at the bottom of the screen.
- Drag and move the screenshot toolbar. The buttons on the left side lets you capture a still image of your screen.
- Click the Record Entire Screen button for video recording the entire screen.
- To record a certain area, click the Record Selected Portion button. The remaining part of the screen dims significantly as the recording area appears. Move the frame and drag the edges to adjust the size of the area you want to photograph.
- On the toolbar, click the record button located at the far right. To end recording, press the Stop button in the menu bar at the top of the screen or press the Command + Control + Escape keyboard shortcut. Click the record button which is to the far right of the toolbar.
- In the lower right corner of the screen, a thumbnail of the screen recording is displayed. You can click it to edit or share the screen recording right away. This is saved on the desktop as a .mov file.
Your only option if you’re running a macOS version before Mojave is to use the QuickTime Player to record your screen.
2. Split Screen View
Split Screen View on a Mac allows you to work with two apps side by side, improving productivity and multitasking. Here’s how to enable it:
- Open Two App
Start by opening at least two apps or windows you want to use.
- Enter Split Screen Mode
Click and hold the green full-screen button (in the upper-left corner) of one window. Drag the window to the left or right by clicking Tile Window to Left of Screen or Tile Window to Right of Screen, once you see the screen divide. Choose the second app from the thumbnails on the other side to complete the split view.
- Adjust Screen Space
You can drag the dividing line between the two apps to adjust the space each app takes up.
- Exit Split Screen
Place your pointer at the top of the screen to close the split screen. After selecting Window Controls, either use the Escape key or click the green full-screen icon once more.
The split screen view is ideal for multitasking, such as comparing documents, watching videos while working, or managing multiple projects simultaneously.
3. Background Sounds
Background sounds can help create a more focused or relaxing environment while working on your Mac. For greater customisation, macOS provides third-party apps in addition to built-in background sound settings.
Enabling Background Sounds:
- Open System Settings
Go to Apple Menu > System Settings.
- Access Accessibility Settings:
Navigate to Accessibility > Audio.
- Enable Background Sounds
Turn on the Background Sounds option. You can click Choose to select from different sound options like Rain, Ocean, Stream, Dark Noise, or Bright Noise. Turn off this option when you need to disable the Background Sounds. The first time you select a new sound, a high quality version will get downloaded.
- Adjust Volume
You can adjust the volume of the background sounds by dragging the slider left or right.
Click Turn off background sounds when your mac is not in use to automatically stop playing the sound when your Mac screen locks or goes into screensaver mode.
4. Put Yourself in Your Presentation
Keynote on Mac offers the ability to integrate live video directly into your presentations, making them more dynamic and engaging. This feature is perfect for live demonstrations, personalizing content, or keeping the audience focused on the presenter. Here’s how you can use it:
- Start by opening your presentation.
- Choose the slide where you want to add the live video.
- Click the Media button in the toolbar, then select Live Video.
- You can use your Mac’s internal camera, an external camera, or even an iPhone or iPad connected to your Mac.
- Place the live video on the slide and adjust its size and position as needed.
- During your presentation, the live video will play only when the slide it’s on appears.
5. Digital Signature
Mac allows users to create and use digital signatures for signing documents electronically, making the process faster and more convenient. Here’s how to create and use a digital signature on Mac:
- Open the document you want to sign using the Preview app.
- Access Markup Toolbar by clicking on the Markup Icon (a small pen tip) in the toolbar.
- If the toolbar isn’t visible, click View > Show Markup Toolbar.
- Click the Sign Icon (a signature symbol) in the toolbar.
- Choose Create Signature and select how to create it. You can either use Trackpad – where you can draw your signature on the trackpad with your finger, or Camera – where you can write your signature on paper, and then use your Mac’s camera to scan it.
- After creating your signature, it will be saved for future use. Click the Sign Icon in the toolbar, select your signature, and place it on the document. You can resize or move it as needed.
6. Screenshot on Mac
Taking a screenshot on a Mac is simple and flexible, with multiple options for capturing your screen. Screenshots are saved as PNG files by default and can be edited, shared, or moved to different locations right after capturing. Here’s how to do it:
- To capture the entire screen, press Shift + Command + 3. The screenshot will be automatically saved to your desktop or the location specified in your settings.
- To capture a selected portion press Shift + Command + 4. The cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to select the area you want to capture. Now release the mouse or trackpad to take the screenshot.
- To capture a specific window press Shift + Command + 4 + Spacebar. The cursor then changes to a camera. Click on the window you want to capture.
- To open the Screenshot Toolbar, press Shift + Command + 5. From here, you can choose to capture the entire screen, a selected window, or a portion of the screen. You can also record your screen from this toolbar.
- To capture the Touch Bar (for MacBooks with Touch Bar), press Shift + Command + 6 to take a screenshot of the Touch Bar.
7. React With Hand Gestures on Video Call
When you are on a video call you can use hand gestures to fill your camera frame with 3D effects like hearts, confetti, or fireworks. In macOS Sonoma, Apple introduced the ability to react with hand gestures during video calls when using the built-in camera, or continuity camera with any Mac with iPhone 12 or later. Here’s how to use hand gestures on video calls in macOS:
- Start a video call by opening an app like FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams.
- Click the FaceTime icon in the menu bar and select Reactions. Perform specific hand gestures that the system recognizes to trigger animations. Some common ones are:
- Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down for bubble reaction,
- Two Thumbs Up for fireworks,
- Two Thumbs Down for stormy weather,
- Single Peace Sign for Balloons,
- Double Peace Sign for confetti,
- Two signs of Horns for lasers.
- The animations appear on the screen for all participants to see, making the call more engaging.
- Ensure that your Camera is on, as the gestures only work when your video camera is on during the call.
8. Erase and Reset Your Mac to Factory Settings
Your Mac has a built-in assistant to help you securely erase and remove your data, like your personal information. Here is how to use it:
- Before resetting, it’s important to back up your data using Time Machine, which is available in the system settings. As the erase process permanently deletes your data, this step is important.
- Sign out of Apple Services and Find My with your Apple ID and Password.
- To erase all contents using macOS Ventura or later, first click on the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of the screen. Then click General from the settings sidebar, and then Transfer or Reset on the right. It will prompt you to enter the administrator password you used to login to your Mac.
- To erase all contents using macOS Monterey, first click the Apple menu > System Preferences > Erase All Content and Settings. Enter the administrator password and click OK and follow the prompts.
- Once you click unlock or OK, the erase assistant will open. It will provide a summary of your settings, media, data, etc. that will be erased. Click continue to begin the erasing process and follow the prompts.
- After the steps are completed, your Mac will restart. This might take some time though. If you are trading or selling your Mac, you can end the process by pressing and holding the Power button until it turns off.
- If you’re keeping your Mac, you will be prompted to reconnect your bluetooth accessories, the mouse or keyboard. Connect the Mac to the Wi-Fi and your Mac will activate and restart after a countdown.
9. Crop and Straighten Your Photos
Adding a fresh perspective to your photos by cropping and straightening them on your Mac is easy using the built-in Photos app. You can adjust your images to fit specific dimensions, improve composition, or straighten a crooked horizon. Here’s how to do it:
- Launch the Photos app and select the photo you want to edit.
- Double-click the photo, then click the Edit button in the upper-right corner (or press Return).
- Select the Crop tool from the editing options at the top. Drag the corners or sides of the cropping frame to adjust the area you want to keep. You can also choose a specific aspect ratio by clicking the Aspect button.
- Straighten the photo by using the slider below the photo. This adjusts the angle of the image. Photos will automatically suggest adjustments, which you can fine-tune using the slider.
- When you’re satisfied with the crop and straightening, click Done to save your edits.
- If you don’t like your changes, you can always go back to the original photo by clicking Revert to Original.
10. Swipe Between Open Apps With a 3-Finger Swipe Left or Right
(Image source: Apple)
On a Mac, you can easily swipe between open apps using a three-finger gesture on your trackpad. This feature is part of multitasking capabilities, allowing smooth transitions between full-screen apps or different desktops. Here’s how to use it:
- Enable the Gesture (if not already enabled) by selecting:
Apple Menu > System Settings > Trackpad
- Under the More Gestures tab, ensure that Swipe between full-screen apps is enabled. You can choose either a 3-finger or 4-finger swipe.
- With multiple full-screen apps or desktops open, place three fingers on the trackpad. To navigate between full-screen desktops or apps, use three fingers to swipe left or right.
