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Pointers in macOS
Arrow This is the pointer you see the most. It’s used to point to and select items, move scroll bars, resize windows, and more. If you lose track of the pointer on the screen, quickly move your finger on the trackpad or quickly move the mouse—the pointer briefly gets bigger so you can see it. You can turn off this feature. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Accessibility, click Display, then deselect the “Shake mouse pointer to locate” checkbox.
Create keyboard shortcuts for apps on Mac
Select version: Modifying this control will update this page automatically Search this guide You can create your own keyboard shortcuts for menu commands in any macOS app, including the Finder. This might be useful if a global shortcut, which works the same with most apps, conflicts with a specific app shortcut. In this case, you could create a new key combination. You can create keyboard shortcuts only for existing menu commands.
If your Mac battery won’t charge
Reset the SMC: Reset the System Management Controller (SMC), which controls how your Mac manages power. If you have a Mac with Apple Silicon, just restart your computer. For other Mac computers, see the Apple Support article How to reset the SMC of your Mac.
Look up words on Mac
Select version: Modifying this control will update this page automatically Search the user guide You can quickly look up the definitions of words and phrases while working in apps or browsing webpages. Tip: When Siri Suggestions are enabled in Spotlight preferences, some apps—for example, Mail, Messages, and Notes—may outline an item (such as an artist name, a place, or a movie title) in text or make it a link as a hint that more information is available.
Use emoji and symbols on Mac
In an app on your Mac, choose Edit > Emoji & Symbols, or open the Character Viewer from the Input menu (if you set the option in Keyboard preferences). Depending on your Mac model, you can also set an option in the Keyboard pane of Keyboard System Preferences to access the Character Viewer by pressing the Fn key or (if available on the keyboard). To open Keyboard preferences, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Keyboard.
Replace text and punctuation in documents on Mac
Automatically replace certain text with other text or symbols. For example, replace (c) with ©. Note: You don’t have to create a text replacement to be able to quickly end a sentence with a period and a space by pressing the Space bar twice. Instead, just select the “Add period with double-space” checkbox in the Text pane of Keyboard preferences. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Text.
If graphics tasks slow down your Mac
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Reset your Mac login password
Sometimes a login password needs to be reset — for example, if you have forgotten the login password and can’t use a password hint to remember it. When a user’s login password is reset, a new default keychain is created to store the user’s passwords. See About your keychain password. Reset your login password using your Apple ID If you associated your user account with your Apple ID, you can use your Apple ID to reset your login password.
Commands for dictating text on Mac
Select version: Modifying this control will update this page automatically Search the user guide When you dictate text, you can use commands for punctuation, formatting, and capitalization, and symbols for math, currency, emoticons, and intellectual property. The commands listed below are always available while you’re dictating text. If you need additional commands to edit and format text and to control your Mac, use Voice Control.
Copy and paste between devices from your Mac
Select version: Modifying this control will update this page automatically Search this guide With Universal Clipboard, you can copy text, images, photos, and videos on one Apple device and then paste the content on another Apple device. For example, you can copy a recipe from your Mac and paste it into a note on your nearby iPhone. Or copy a file from one Mac to paste in a folder on another Mac. Note: To use Universal Clipboard, your devices must meet Continuity system requirements.
Change Apple Wireless Keyboard batteries
If your keyboard uses replaceable batteries, replace all of them at the same time with the same kind of battery. Apple wireless keyboards use two, three, or four AA batteries (lithium, alkaline, or rechargeable), depending on the keyboard you’re using. If you’re using rechargeable batteries, recharge them all at the same time. Dispose of the old batteries according to local laws and regulations.
Fine-tune the calibration of your Pro Display XDR on Mac
macOS Catalina 10.15 On your Mac, you can fine-tune the current calibration of your Apple Pro Display XDR by adjusting the white point and luminance to more precisely match your own in-house display calibration target. To fine-tune your Pro Display XDR, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Displays, click Presets, then click Fine-Tune Calibration. Option Description White Point (x) The x chromaticity coordinate as described in the CIE 1931 xyY color space when measuring a white image.
Use your iMac as a display
If you have a 27-inch iMac with a Mini DisplayPort , any other Mac with a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt port can use it as a display. Make sure you have a Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable. If the primary Mac has a Thunderbolt port, it can play audio and video on the iMac. If the primary Mac has a Mini DisplayPort, it may be able to play its audio. To see if it can, go to the primary Mac, choose Apple menu > About This Mac, click System Report, then select Audio in the Hardware category.
Zoom in on the Touch Bar on Mac
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Share the screen of another Mac
While your screen is being shared, the user of the other Mac sees what’s on your screen and can open, move, and close files and windows, open apps, and even restart your Mac. Before you start, make sure the Mac whose screen you want to view has screen sharing turned on. See Turn Mac screen sharing on or off. Start a screen sharing session with another Mac If you’ve been given permission, you can view and control the screen of another Mac on your network.
Work in multiple spaces on Mac
If you assign an app (or System Preferences) to a specific space, the app will always open in that space. On your Mac, press and hold an app’s icon in the Dock. You may need to first open the app to see its icon in the Dock. From the shortcut menu that appears, choose Options, then choose one of the following: All Desktops: The app opens in every space. This Desktop: The app opens only in the current space. If you use the app full screen, it appears in its own space.
Control the pointer using Dwell on Mac
Depending on where you choose to show dwell actions, they’re available in the Accessibility Keyboard and custom panels or the Dwell status menu in the menu bar. After you select an action, dwell on the spot where you want the action performed—for example, on a checkbox or an image. The dwell pointer appears over the item and the dwell time countdown begins (the pointer circle starts to turn white). When the countdown is over, the action is performed.
Back up to a shared folder with Time Machine on Mac
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Work in multiple spaces on Mac
If you assign an app (or System Preferences) to a specific space, the app will always open in that space. On your Mac, press and hold an app’s icon in the Dock. You may need to first open the app to see its icon in the Dock. From the shortcut menu that appears, choose Options, then choose one of the following: All Desktops: The app opens in every space. This Desktop: The app opens only in the current space. If you use the app full screen, it appears in its own space.
Use apps in full screen on Mac
Select version: Select version: Modifying this control will update this page automatically Search the user guide Many apps on your Mac support full-screen mode—an app fills the entire screen—so you can take advantage of every inch of the screen and work without desktop distractions. To work in a bigger window without going full screen, maximize (or zoom) the window.
Types of disks you can use with Time Machine on Mac
You can use Time Machine with an AirPort Time Capsule, with a network-attached storage (NAS) device that supports Time Machine over SMB, or with an external storage device connected directly to your Mac (such as a USB or Thunderbolt drive). If a disk has partitions, you can use one of the partitions for your backup disk. Time Machine can’t back up to iPhone, iPad, or iPod or to a disk formatted for Windows.
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