Mac App Store Tips

Troubleshooting the Mac App Store

If an app purchased on one Mac does not open after being copied to another Mac

On the other Mac (where the app was copied, not purchased):

1. Delete the app that will not open.
2. Open the Mac App Store.
3. Ensure that you are logged in to the Mac App Store with the same account that purchased the app.
4. Select the Purchases view from the top of the Mac App Store window.
5. Find the app and click the Install button beside it.
6. The app will be installed on the Mac you are using.

If you are unable to find an app you purchased from the App Store

Apps you purchase from App Store have an icon added to your Dock and are installed in the Applications folder. To locate them:

1. Open the Finder.
2. Choose Applications from the Go menu.
3. Locate your app in the Applications folder.

If the Mac App Store application was removed after installing the Mac OS X v10.6.6 Combo Software Update

First, confirm that you haven’t simply removed the App Store icon from your Dock:

1. Open the Finder.
2. Choose Applications from the Go menu.
3. Locate App Store in the Applications folder.

If you cannot find the app, confirm that it isn’t in your Trash by clicking on the Trash icon on your Dock and looking for App Store in the Trash contents. If it is listed in the Trash contents, follow the steps in this article under Step 1, “If you change your mind…” to return the App Store to your Applications folder.

If the Mac App Store has been fully removed from your computer, visit AppleCare Support Downloads to download the Mac OS X v10.6.6 Combo Software Update package. Double click the file that downloads to run the Software Update. The Mac App Store will be replaced in the Applications folder and in your Dock.

If nothing happens after clicking Buy when purchasing an app

Select the Purchases view at the top of the Mac App Store window. Look for your purchased app. If it is listed under Purchases and says Installed next to it, check your Dock or Applications folder for the app. If the app’s listing under Purchases says Install next to it, click the Install button. The app will then be downloaded and installed into the Applications folder. You will not be charged again for the app.

If the app is not listed under Purchases, your previous attempt to buy was not completed and you were not charged for the app. Navigate to where you tried to purchase the app earlier and click the Buy button for the app. This will charge your account for the app. If you delete the app and wish to to reinstall it later, you can use the Purchases view to reinstall it without being charged again.

If downloading an app is interrupted

Once an Internet connection is reestablished, your purchased downloads should automatically restart. The Mac App Store may alert you that there was an issue with the download and ask if you’d like to restart the download(s). Confirming will restart all pending downloads.

Note: The download time will vary according to the file’s size and your Internet connection speed.

Additional Information

• You can find additional information by choosing Help > App Store Help from within the application.
• Additional articles and support resources for the Mac App Store are available here.

If you forgot your Apple ID password

Use these steps to reset it and regain access to your Apple ID.

Reset your password

First, follow these steps:

1. Go to My Apple ID and select “Reset your password.”
   
2. Enter your Apple ID, then select Next. If you don’t remember it, choose Forgot your Apple ID.
   
3. After you enter your Apple ID, there are three ways you can reset your password. Choose an option below:
   • Answer your security questions. Use these steps if you know the answers to your security questions.
   • Use email authentication. We’ll send you an email that you can use to reset your password.
   • Use two-step verification. If you set up two-step verification, you can use it to reset your password. You just need your recovery key and a trusted device.

Answer your security questions

1. Select “Answer security questions,” then select Next.
2. Select your birth date, then select Next.
3. Answer your security questions.
4. Set a new password and select Reset Password.

Use email authentication

1. Select “Email authentication,” then select Next. Apple will send the email to your primary or rescue email address.
   
2. Open the email and select the link to reset your password.
3. When the My Apple ID page opens, set a new password and select Reset Password.

Didn’t get the email?

Use two-step verification

1. Enter your Recovery Key.
   
2. Choose a trusted device. We’ll send your device a verification code.
3. Enter the verification code.
4. Set a new password and select Reset Password.

If you permanently lost your recovery key or access to your trusted device, you can’t reset your password.

Get help

If these steps didn’t help you reset your password, contact Apple Support.

What’s next?

After you reset your password, we’ll ask you to sign in with your new password the next time you use your Apple ID. If you want to, you can update your email address or change your Apple ID.

How to browse and purchase from the Mac App Store

Learn how to browse and purchase from the Mac App Store.

With the Mac App Store you can buy and download apps directly on your Mac. To download and purchase apps from the Mac App Store, you need to sign in with the same Apple ID you use on the iTunes Store. If you don’t have an Apple ID, you can create an account at My Apple ID (appleid.apple.com).

Note: If you have an existing credit balance on your iTunes Store account, that balance will be shared across the iTunes Store and Mac App Store.

Browsing for apps

If you already know what you’re looking for, you can search for the app name using the Search field in the upper-right corner of the Mac App Store. Your search results will be displayed after you press Enter or Return. You can also browse apps by categories such as games and productivity,

You can sort your search results by Relevance, Most Popular, Release Date, and Customer Rating using the Sort By function located just below the Search field. You can read app descriptions, user reviews, and view screenshots for any app.

Purchasing an app

When you find an app that you like, click Buy (you may be asked to sign in with your Apple ID). For more information about Apple ID, please see this article. When you click Buy, the app will begin downloading automatically, and the app icon will be added to your Dock with a progress bar below the app icon. Once the app is done installing, the progress bar below the app icon will go away.

Hide and unhide purchases in the Mac App Store

Learn how to hide and unhide your Mac App Store purchases.

Hide your purchases

If you hide an item you purchased in the Mac App Store, you won’t get update notifications for it, and you won’t see it on your Purchases page. If you’re using Family Sharing, hidden items will also be hidden from your family members.

Use these steps on OS X Mountain Lion or later:

1. Open the Mac App Store.
2. Choose Store > Sign In, then enter your Apple ID and password.
3. Click Purchases.
4. Right-click the item that you want to hide and choose Hide Purchase. A prompt will ask if you’re sure that you want to hide the item.
5. Click the Hide Purchase button. The item will fade. The item below it, if there is one, will replace it in the list.

Use these steps on OS X Lion:

1. Open the Mac App Store.
2. Choose Store > Sign In, then enter your Apple ID and password.
3. Click Purchases.
4. Locate the item that you want to hide.
5. Click the X to the right of that item. The item will fade. The item below it, if there is one, will replace it in the list.
   

Unhide your purchases

1. Open the Mac App Store.
2. Choose Store > Sign In, then enter your Apple ID and password, if you’re not already signed in.
3. Choose Store > View My Account.
4. Enter your Apple ID password, if prompted.
5. From the Account Information page, click View Hidden Purchases.
   
6. From the Hidden Purchases page, locate the app you want to unhide.
7. Click the Unhide button.

 

 

Finding your purchased apps

Finding the apps you’ve purchased from the App Store is designed to be easy—read below to find out how.

Apps purchased via the Mac App Store

When purchased via the Mac App Store, apps are installed in the Applications folder. Icons for purchased apps are automatically placed in the current user’s Dock. There is also a purchases tab in the Mac App Store where you can see all of your Mac App Store downloads.

Apps purchased on another household Mac

Apps purchased on another Mac can be installed on other Macs in the household by opening the Mac App Store on each destination Mac and signing in with the same Apple ID as you used to purchase the apps originally. Selecting the Purchases view at the top of the the Mac App Store window will display all apps which have been purchased with that account. Apps not yet installed on the current Mac will show an “Install” button next to the app name and description. Clicking the Install button will install the selected app on the current Mac without charging the account again. The apps installed in this manner will be placed on the current user’s Dock and installed in the Applications folder.

Sharing apps with other household Macs via File Sharing

Apps which have been shared with other Macs in your household via file sharing/copy should be manually placed in the Applications folder on the the computers they were shared or copied to. The first time you open a copied app, it will require the user to authenticate with the Apple ID which was originally used to purchase the app.

 

 

How to resume interrupted downloads

If a Mac App Store download is interrupted, the App Store will automatically restart or resume your download. Follow the steps in this article If your download does not automatically resume.

Follow the steps in this article If your download does not automatically resume, or if you see this alert:

The application could not be downloaded.

The application you tried to download could not be
downloaded. Check your internet connection and try
again.
To resume your download:

1. Open the Mac App Store.
2. From the Store menu, choose Sign In.
3. Enter your Apple ID and password.
4. Click Purchases to get to your Purchases Page.
5. Click the Resume button next to the app name.

Update OS X and App Store apps on your Mac

Use Software Update to keep OS X and Mac App Store apps up to date.

Automatic Updates

Your Mac notifies you when updates are available for OS X or software you’ve purchased from the Mac App Store.

Always Update

In OS X Yosemite, you can tell your Mac to automatically install updates as needed. The first time updates are ready, Yosemite gives you the option to always update automatically.

If you click Turn On when you see this notification, your Mac installs OS X and app updates overnight as they become available. Your computer automatically restarts as part of the update process when needed. The next morning when you log in, your apps and windows re-open just the way you left them. This way your computer is up to date and ready to continue where you left it.

Notifications

If you don’t turn on Always Update, your Mac lets you know every time updates are ready to install. You might see a notification in the Apple menu, a badge on the App Store icon, or an alert telling you that updates are available.

When you see a Software Update alert, Click Update, Install, or Restart to install the updates that are ready. You can click the banner to dismiss the alert without updating and see the list of updates that are available and their descriptions.

For updates that can be postponed, a Later button appears in the alert. If it’s not a convenient time to install your updates, click Later to tell OS X to remind you about the update at another time. Click and hold the Later button to see additional options, like “Try Tonight” and “Remind Me Tomorrow.”

Check for Updates

OS X Mountain Lion, Mavericks and Yosemite

You can use these steps to manually check for updates, or to see more information about available updates:

1. Choose App Store from the Apple menu.
2. Click the Updates button in the toolbar at the top of the App Store window.

Updates to OS X and software that you purchased from the Mac App Store are listed in the Updates pane of the App Store window. OS X updates appear at the top of the updates list. If more than one OS X update is available, you can click “More…” to see the complete list, along with descriptions of each update.

• Click the Update button next to a item to update it.
• If more than one update is available, click the Update All button to download and install all the updates that are listed.
• A list of items that have already been updated in the last 30 days are shown at the bottom of the window.

You can monitor the process of an update from this window, or pause and resume updates if you want to continue downloading an item later.

Earlier versions of OS X

In earlier versions of OS X, choose Software Update from the Apple menu to manually check for OS X updates. Follow the onscreen prompts to install any updates that are available. If you’ve installed software from the Mac App Store, open the App Store app and check the Updates pane for updates to your purchased software.

If you can’t connect to the Software Update server

If you’re using your iPhone as an Instant Hotspot, OS X doesn’t check for updates automatically. If you need to install an update while you’re using your cellular data connection, open the Updates pane of the Mac App Store to manually check for and download updates.

If you are using your Mac at a business or school, ask your network administrator if you’re using a proxy server. Software Update uses HTTPS to create a secure connection to Apple’s Software Update servers. Make sure you have a working Internet connection by opening http://www.apple.com in Safari. Your administrator can configure a proxy server to allow allow a secure connection to Apple’s Software Update server if needed.

Using standalone installers from Apple Support

Sometimes you might want to download a standalone installer instead of using Software Update. For example:

• If you think you might need the same download again later
• You want to install the same software on multiple computers
• You have a faster Internet connection available from another computer
• You have no Internet connection on the computer that needs the update

You can get standalone installers for many Apple software updates from the Apple Support website. Carefully read the download description before using a standalone installer. It lets you know if you need to apply other updates first. It also helps you determine if your Mac is compatible with the related download.

Find apps

There are several ways to browse for apps on App Store. If you’re looking for a specific app or kind of app, use search to find it quickly.

Browse apps, purchases, and updates

Click a button in the toolbar.

• Featured: Browse new and noteworthy apps.
• Top Charts: Browse the most popular apps.
• Categories: Browse apps in specific categories, such as Photography. (You can browse apps in a particular category by choosing an item from the All Categories pop-up menu in the Quick Links section. The Quick Links section is located in the right part of the window shown when you click Categories.)
• Purchases: View apps you purchased.
• Updates: View updates to apps you installed on your Mac and updates to OS X.

Search for apps

Type text in the search field at the top right of the App Store window, and then choose an item from the list or press Return to display results.

How to create a Mac App Store account

Learn how to create a Mac App Store account.

In order to purchase and download from the Mac App Store, you’ll need to have an Apple ID. If you have used the iTunes Store, then you can sign in to the Mac App Store using the same Apple ID you use on the iTunes Store. If you don’t have an Apple ID, you will need to create one before you can begin using the Mac App Store.

Note: The payment information on your iTunes Store account will be the same as the Mac App Store. If you have a store credit balance on the iTunes Store, that balance will be shared with both the iTunes Store and Mac App Store. The balance will be updated upon you making a purchase from either store.

Creating an Apple ID for use on the Mac App Store

1. Open the Mac App Store.
2. From the App Store menu, choose Store > Create Account
3. Once you have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions, click Agree.
4. When prompted, you’ll need to enter your email address and password, your email address will be used as your Apple ID.
   
5. Once you’ve created your password and filled out all of the required fields click Continue.
6. You’ll now be asked to enter your payment and billing information. Once you’ve completed entering your payment information click Create Apple ID.
7. A verification email will be sent to the email address you provide. You will need to check for an email from Apple, and click the link to verify your email address.
   

 

Share files, folders, and other services

You can set up your Mac to share files, folders, and other services with users on your network. You can also share your screen, or share a printer connected to your Mac.

Use the information on this page to help you choose which services to share, and whom to share with.

DVD or CD sharing

If you install the DVD or CD Sharing Setup software, users of other computers should be able to access your DVD or CD drive. This can be helpful if the other computer doesn’t have an optical drive, or if you want to provide access to your optical drive to other computers on your Ethernet or wireless network.

Share your optical drive with another computer

You can share discs in your computer’s DVD drive with other computers on your network.

• Open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open (choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Sharing), then select the DVD or CD Sharing checkbox.

  Open Sharing preferences for me

• To be notified when a computer tries to access your optical drive, select “Ask me before allowing others to use my DVD drive.”

Screen sharing

You can let others see what’s on your screen; open, move, and close files and windows; open apps; and even restart your Mac.

Screen Sharing pref pane

You can let others view your computer screen on their own 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.

1. Open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open (choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sharing).

   Open Sharing preferences for me

2. Select the Screen Sharing checkbox.

   If Remote Management is selected, you must deselect it before you can select Screen Sharing.

3. To specify who can share your screen, select one of the following:

   • All users: Anyone with a user account on your Mac can share your screen.

   • Only these users: Screen sharing is restricted to specific users.

4. If you selected “Only these users,” click Add  at the bottom of the users list, then do one of the following:

   • Select a user from Users & Groups, which includes all the users of your Mac.

   • Select a user from Network Users or Network Groups, which includes everyone on your network.

5. To let others share your screen without having a user account on your Mac, click Computer Settings, then select one or both of the following:

   • Anyone may request permission to control screen: Before other computer users begin screen sharing your Mac, they can ask for permission instead of entering a user name and password.

   • VNC viewers may control screen with password: Other users can share your screen using a VNC viewer app—on iPad or a Windows PC, for example—by entering the password you specify here.

   If this computer’s screen is shared only by other OS X users, turn off these options and add accounts for the other users.

File sharing

You can share files with other Mac computers:

• Over a network

• Using AirDrop

• Using Back to My Mac

Share your Mac with everyone, or restrict the sharing service to allow specific users access to only certain folders.

File Sharing pref pane

You can share files and folders with others on your network. You can share your entire Mac with everyone, or allow specific users access to only certain folders.

1. Open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open (choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sharing).

   Open Sharing preferences for me

2. Select the File Sharing checkbox.

3. To select a specific folder to share, click Add  at the bottom of the Shared Folders list, locate the folder, select it, then click Add.

   The Public folder of each user with an account on your Mac is shared automatically. To prevent a folder from being shared, select it in the Shared Folders list and click Delete .

4. By default, any user set up on your Mac in Users & Groups preferences can connect to your Mac over the network. A user with an administrator account can access your entire Mac.

   To give only specific users access to a folder, select the folder in the Shared Folders list, then click Add  at the bottom of the Users list. Then do one of the following:

   • Select a user from Users & Groups, which includes all the users of your Mac.

   • Select a user from Network Users or Network Groups, which includes everyone on your network.

   • Select a person from your contacts. Create a password for the person, then click Create Account.

5. To specify the amount of access for a user, select the user in the Users list, click the triangles next to the user name, then choose one of the following:

   • Read & Write: The user can see and copy files to and from the folder.

   • Read Only: The user can view the contents of the folder but can’t copy files to it.

   • Write Only (Drop Box): The user can copy files to the folder but can’t view its contents.

   • No Access: The user can’t see or copy files from the folder.

6. OS X allows guests to access shared folders on your Mac. To turn off guest access, deselect “Allow guests to connect to shared folders” in the Guest Account pane of User & Groups preferences.

Open Users & Groups preferences for me

Printer sharing

If you have a printer connected to your Mac, you can let others on your network use it.

Printer Sharing prefs

You can share your printer with another Mac or with a UNIX computer. The computers must be on the same local network as your Mac, and the Mac users must have Mac OS X v10.4 or later.

Printer sharing is for non-network or non-wireless printers that typically are plugged in directly to your computer. You don’t need to share network, wireless, or AirPrint compatible printers because they are already shared on your network.

1. Open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open (choose Apple menu > System Preferences and click Sharing), then select the Printer Sharing checkbox.

   Open Sharing preferences for me

2. Below Printers, select the printer you want to share.

   When you share a printer, all users on your network (“Everyone”) can use it by default. If you want to restrict access to specific people, continue with steps 3 and 4.

3. Click Add  at the bottom of the Users list, then do any of the following:

   • Select a user from Users & Groups, which includes all the users of your Mac.

   • Select a user from Network Users or Network Groups, which includes everyone on your network.

   • Select a person from your contacts. Create a password for the person, then click Create Account.

4. When you add people to the Users list, access to the shared printer is reset to No Access for users on your network (“Everyone”). To provide access to Everyone again, click the triangles, then choose Can Print.

To remove a user, select the name, then click Remove . You can’t remove Everyone.

Remote login

If you allow remote login, you can use Secure Shell (SSH) to log in to your Mac from another location.

Remote login pref pane

If you allow remote login, you can use Secure Shell (SSH) to log in to your Mac from another computer.

You can’t use Telnet to log in to your Mac.

Set up Remote Login

1. On your Mac, open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open (choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sharing).

   Open Sharing preferences for me

2. Select Remote Login.

   Selecting Remote Login also enables the secure FTP (sftp) service.

3. Specify which users can log in:

   • All users: Any of your computer’s users and anyone on your network can log in.

   • Only these users: Click Add , then choose who can log in remotely. Users & Groups include all the users of your Mac; Network Users and Network Groups include people on your network.

Log in from another computer

To log in from another computer, open Terminal (or another SSH app) on that computer, then type:

ssh username@IP address

For example, if your user name is steve, and your computer’s IP address is 10.1.2.3, open Terminal on the other Mac and type:

ssh steve@10.1.2.3

Don’t know your user name and the IP address for your Mac? It’s easy to find them. Open the Remote Login pane of Sharing preferences; your user name and IP address are shown below the “Remote Login: On” indicator.

Open the Remote Login pane of Sharing preferences for me

Allowing remote login to your Mac can make it less secure. For more information about keeping your Mac secure, see Protect your Mac.

For more information about using the ssh command, type “man ssh” at a Terminal shell prompt.

man page for ssh

Remote Management

If your Mac is remotely managed using Apple Remote Desktop, turn on remote management in Sharing preferences.

Remote Management pref pane

If you are sharing your screen and Mac using Remote Desktop, use Remote Management instead of Screen Sharing in Sharing preferences.

1. Open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open (choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sharing), then select the Remote Management checkbox.

   Open Sharing preferences for me

2. Do one of the following:

   • Select “All users” to let all users on your network connect to your Mac using Apple Remote Desktop.

   • Select “Only these users,” click Add , then select the users who can share your Mac using Apple Remote Desktop.

3. Click Options, then select the tasks remote users are permitted to perform.

4. Click Computer Settings, then select options for your Mac. If people connect using a VNC viewer, you need to set a password.

Apple Remote Desktop is available from the App Store. For help setting up and using Apple Remote Desktop, see Remote Desktop Help.

Open App Store for me

Remote Desktop Help

Remote Apple events

Set your Mac to respond to events sent from other computers on a network.

Remote Apple Events pref pane

Your Mac can accept Apple events from apps running on other computers. An Apple event is a task being performed on a Mac, such as “open this document” or “print.”

With remote Apple events turned on, an AppleScript program running on another Mac can interact with your Mac. For example, the program could open and print a document that’s located on your Mac.

1. Open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open (choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sharing).

   Open Sharing preferences for me

2. Select the Remote Apple Events checkbox.

3. Specify who can send events:

   • All users: Any of your computer’s users and anyone on your network can send events.

   • Only these users: Click Add , then choose who can send events. Users & Groups include all the users of your computer; Network Users and Network Groups include people on your network.

For more information about AppleScript, see the AppleScript website.

Internet sharing

Share your Internet connection with other computers on your local network.

Internet Sharing pref pane

You can share your Internet connection with other users on your local network.

1. Open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open (choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sharing).

   Open Sharing preferences for me

2. Select the Internet Sharing checkbox.

3. Click the “Share your connection from” pop-up menu, then choose the Internet connection you want to share. For example, if you’re connected to the Internet over Ethernet, choose Ethernet.

4. Select how you want to share your Internet connection in the “To computers using” list. For example, if you want to share your Internet connection over Wi-Fi, select Wi-Fi.

   If you share your Internet connection using Wi-Fi, deselect the Internet Sharing checkbox, click Wi-Fi Options, give your network a name and password, then select the Internet Sharing checkbox again.

If your Internet connection and your local network use the same port (Ethernet, for example), investigate possible side effects before you turn on Internet sharing. In some cases, sharing your Internet connection disrupts the network. If you use a cable modem, for example, you might unintentionally affect the network settings of other ISP customers, and your ISP might terminate your service.

Bluetooth sharing

If your Mac is Bluetooth enabled or you have a Bluetooth USB adapter connected to your Mac, you can share files with other Bluetooth enabled computers and devices.

Bluetooth Sharing pref pane

1. Open Sharing preferences if it isn’t already open (choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sharing).

   Open Sharing preferences for me

2. Select the Bluetooth Sharing checkbox and set the following options:

   • When receiving items: Choose Accept and Save to save all items sent to your Mac; choose Accept and Open to open the items; or choose “Ask what to do” to decide what to do each time a file is sent. If you don’t want to accept any items sent to your Mac, choose Never Allow.

   • Folder for accepted items: Choose the folder in which you want to store accepted files. The default folder is the Downloads folder. Choose Other to select a different folder.

   • When other devices browse: Choose Always Allow to let devices browse your Mac, or choose Ask What to Do to manually decide what to do each time a device tries to browse your Mac. If you don’t want other devices to browse your Mac, choose Never Allow.

   • Folders others can browse: Choose the folder on your Mac that other devices can browse. The default folder is the Public folder. Choose Other to select a different folder.

To set options for what happens when others try to send you files or browse your Mac using Bluetooth, open Bluetooth File Exchange, then choose Help > Bluetooth Help.

Open Bluetooth File Exchange for me

Share the contents of the Clipboard with another Mac

Transfer information between the Clipboards of the two computers

When you’re sharing one computer’s screen with another computer, you can transfer information between the Clipboards of the two computers. For example, you can:

• Copy text and images from documents on one Mac and paste them into documents on the other.

• Select and drag text and images from one Mac to the other.

• Copy a link from your web browser and paste it into a web browser on the other Mac.

• Copy text from a document on one Mac and drop it on the desktop of the other Mac to create a clipping.

1. Start a screen sharing session with a Mac on your network. See Share the screen of another Mac.

2. Choose Edit  > Use Shared Clipboard.

 

Spotlight Tips

Search with Spotlight

Spotlight helps you quickly find anything on your Mac, including documents, emails, apps, songs, contacts, and more. It also provides Spotlight Suggestions from sources like Wikipedia, Bing, Maps, news, and iTunes so you can get more information right in Spotlight. Search results have rich, interactive previews so you can play song previews, get directions, send email, make phone calls, and more from results.

Note:   Spotlight Suggestions may not be available in all regions.

1. Click the Spotlight icon  in the menu bar, or Press Command (⌘)-Space bar.

2. Enter your search. Results appear as you type; you don’t need to press Return.

   Here are some of the items you can search for:

   • Items on your Mac, such as documents, emails, apps, songs, movies, contacts, events, and reminders.

   • Items in the iTunes Store, iBooks Store, or App Store, such as songs, albums, movies, TV shows, books, and apps.

   • Locations near you, such as stores, restaurants, parks, and landmarks.

   • Wikipedia entries for people, places, and more.

   • Movies playing in theaters near you.

   • News for current events.

   Note:   If you turn off Spotlight Suggestions and Bing Web Searches, Spotlight searches only for items on your Mac.

3. Click a search result to preview it in Spotlight. You can also use the arrow keys to scroll through the results.

   • Perform actions in result previews: Click items or links in the previews.

     For example, to preview a song from an album on iTunes, click the Play button next to the song. Or, to get tickets for a movie playing near you, click the movie times.

   • Open a result: Double-click the result, or select it, then press Return.

   • See all results from your Mac in the Finder: Scroll down to the bottom of the results list, then double-click Show all in Finder.

With Spotlight, you can also get unit and currency conversions, quickly open apps, and get calculations and definitions.

• Get currency and unit conversions: Convert dollars to euros, feet to meters, pounds to kilograms, even hectares to acres. Enter the units or currency you want to convert, such as 100 dollars. The top result shows the conversions.

• Open an app: Enter the app’s name in Spotlight, then press Return.

  Spotlight learns from your searches, so if you enter “s” and open Safari, the next time you enter “s,” Safari is the top result.

• Get a calculation: Enter a mathematical expression in Spotlight, such as 956*23.94.

• Get a definition: Enter a word or phrase, then click the result below Definition.

Note:   If you deselected categories in the Search Results pane of Spotlight preferences, you won’t see those results from those categories in Spotlight. If you used the Privacy pane of Spotlight preferences to exclude any folders or disks from searches, Spotlight results won’t include items in those folders and disks. For more information.

Spotlight keyboard shortcuts

Quickly search with Spotlight using keyboard shortcuts.

Open Spotlight to start a search	Command (⌘)-Space bar
Complete the search using the suggested result	Right Arrow
Move to the next search result	Down Arrow
Move to the previous search result	Up Arrow
Move to the first search result in the next category	Command (⌘)-Down Arrow
Move to the first search result in the previous category	Command (⌘)-Up Arrow
Show the path of a search result on your Mac	Command (⌘)
Open the selected result	Return key
See a file or app in the Finder	Command (⌘)-R or Command (⌘)-Double-click
Open a Finder window with the search field selected	Option-Command (⌘)-Space bar

To choose different shortcuts, open Spotlight preferences—choose Apple menu > System preferences, click Spotlight, then choose shortcuts from the pop-up menus at the bottom of the pane. You can also click the pop-up menus, then press the keys you want to use.

If you use multiple input sources and have designated Command (⌘)-Space bar and Option-Command (⌘)-Space bar as shortcuts for switching between input sources, you should change the Spotlight shortcuts.

Find specific types of items when searching

If you’re looking for a specific type of item on your Mac, such as an email or image, you can specify it when performing a search. To specify the type, add the text “kind:[type of item]” at the end of your search. For example, to search for your images of New York City, enter “New York City kind:images.” To search for your email messages that mention Anne Johnson, enter “Anne Johnson kind:email.”

You can use these keywords in Spotlight, Finder, and Open dialog search fields.

Type of item	Keyword
Apps	kind:application kind:applications kind:app
Contacts	kind:contact kind:contacts
Folders	kind:folder kind:folders
Email	kind:email kind:emails kind:mail message kind:mail messages
Calendar events	kind:event kind:events
Reminders	kind:reminder kind:reminders
Images	kind:image kind:images
Movies	kind:movie kind:movies
Music	kind:music
Audio	kind:audio
PDF	kind:pdf kind:pdfs
Preferences	kind:system preferences kind:preferences
Bookmarks	kind:bookmark kind:bookmarks
Fonts	kind:font kind:fonts
Presentations	kind:presentation kind:presentations

Narrow down search results

When searching in Spotlight or the Finder, you can add criteria to a basic search, perform Boolean queries, and search items’ metadata.

Add criteria to a search

You can focus a search by adding criteria to a basic search. For example, you can search for particular kinds of files, or for items created on a particular date.

1. Click the Spotlight icon  in the menu bar, then enter your search.

2. Double-click Show All in Finder at the bottom of the search results list to open a Finder search window.

3. Click Add  on the right side of the search window, below the search field.

4. Click the far-left pop-up menu, then choose your search criteria.

   For example, to search only a certain type of item instead of all items, choose Kind. Or to search for any item whose name contains a particular word or phrase, choose Name.

5. To add more choices to the far-left pop-up menu, choose Other, then select each attribute you want to add.

   For example, to search copyright information, select Copyright in the list of attributes, then click OK.

6. Add or remove search criteria as needed by clicking Add  or Remove .

To appear in the search results, an item must match all your criteria. For example, if one criterion specifies searching for items whose name begins with S and you add a criterion to search for items created today, the search results include only items created today whose names begin with S.

Perform a Boolean query

A Boolean query uses AND, OR, and NOT (known as Boolean operators) to narrow search results. You can also use a minus sign (–), which means AND NOT, to exclude items when you search.

Here are examples of what you might type in the search field when you use Boolean operators:

• author:tom OR author:thom searches for items authored by Tom or Thom, if you don’t know the exact spelling of his name.

• trip -france searches for items that contain the word “trip” but not “france,” so results might include photos from a trip to Spain but not to France.

• kind:message date:6/29/14-7/25/14 NOT date:7/14/14 searches for email messages dated from 6/29/14 through 7/25/14, but excludes those dated 7/14/14.

Search for metadata attributes

Most items contain metadata that describes the item contents, how it was created, and other attributes. For example, when you take a digital photo, information such as the camera model, the aperture, and the focal length are among the many attributes automatically stored in the file as metadata. To view metadata for a file, select the file, then choose File > Get Info.

Here are examples of how you might use metadata attributes in your search:

• trip kind:document searches for the word “trip” in documents only.

• author:tom searches for all items written by Tom.

• meeting date:tomorrow searches for meetings you have planned for tomorrow.

• kind:images created:5/16/14 searches for images created on a specific date.

• kind:music by:“glenn miller” searches for music by Glenn Miller.

• modified:<=6/29/14 searches for items modified on or before a specific date.

You can also search for specific types of items, such as apps, contacts, or bookmarks.

Spotlight preferences

In Spotlight preferences, choose the categories that appear in Spotlight search results. If you want, you can also keep Spotlight from searching specific folders or disks.

To open Spotlight preferences, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Spotlight.

Open Spotlight preferences for me

Search Results pane

Choose which categories appear in Spotlight search results: Select the categories you want to include, deselect those you don’t.

By default, Spotlight results include Spotlight Suggestions, Bing Web Searches, conversions, documents, folders, music, and more.

If you don’t want your Spotlight search queries and Spotlight Suggestions usage data sent to Apple, you can turn off Spotlight Suggestions by deselecting the Spotlight Suggestions and Bing Web Searches checkboxes. You can also turn off Location Services for Spotlight Suggestions in Security & Privacy preferences. If you turn off Location Services on your Mac, your precise location will not be sent to Apple. For detailed instructions and information, see About Spotlight Suggestions.

Change the order of results: Drag the categories until they’re in the order you want.

Privacy pane

Keep Spotlight from searching locations: Click Add , then locate the folder or disk you want to exclude. You can also drag folders or disks into the list.

Remove a folder or disk from the exclusion list: Select the folder or disk, then click Remove .

If you add a Time Machine backup disk to the privacy list, you will continue to see messages that Spotlight is indexing your backup disk. This indexing is necessary for Time Machine to function properly and can’t be disabled. Spotlight does exclude from searches any items you store on your backup disk that are not part of a Time Machine backup.

Important:   If you add certain files and folders to the privacy list you may not be notified when updates become available for some apps. If you add your entire internal disk to the privacy list, you won’t be notified about any updates.

Show Spotlight search and Show Finder search window shortcuts

Show Spotlight search: Click the pop-up menu, then choose the keyboard shortcut you want to use to open Spotlight.

Show Finder search window: Click the pop-up menu, then choose the keyboard shortcut you want to use to open a Finder search window.

When you use the shortcut, a Finder window opens with the search field selected.

If a yellow alert triangle appears next to the shortcut you select, then the shortcut is already being used. Click the triangle to open Keyboard Shortcuts preferences and view all the keyboard shortcuts set on your Mac.

 

 

Finder Tips

Represented by the blue icon with the smiling face, the Finder is the home base for your Mac. You use it to organize and access almost everything on your Mac, including documents, images, movies, and any other files you have.

To open a Finder window, click the Finder icon in the Dock. To go to the Finder without opening a window, click the desktop.

Finder preferences

Use Finder preferences to set options for Finder windows, file extensions, and the Trash.

To view Finder preferences, click the Finder icon in the Dock, then choose Finder > Preferences.

General

Show these items on the desktop	Select any items you want to see on the desktop.
New Finder windows show	Choose which folder is displayed when you open a new Finder window.
Open folders in tabs instead of new windows	Select what happens when you hold down the Command (⌘) key and double-click a folder. When selected: Folders open in tabs. When deselected: Folders open in windows.
Spring-loaded folders and windows	Select to have folders open when you drag items over them. Use the slider to specify how long an item has to be over a folder before the folder opens.

Tags

Show these tags in the sidebar	Customize the tags you see in the Finder sidebar. See a tag in the sidebar: Select the checkbox to the right of the tag. Change a tag color: Click the color next to the tag , then choose a new color. Change a tag name: Click the tag, click the tag’s name, then enter a new name. Create a new tag: Click Add . Delete a tag: Select the tag, then click Remove .
Favorite Tags	Customize the tags you see in the shortcut menu that appears when you Control-click a file. Add a tag: Select it in the list above the Favorite Tags section, then drag it over the tag you want to replace. You can have up to seven tags in the shortcut menu. Remove a tag: Drag it out of the Favorite Tags section until you see a puff of smoke.

For more information about tags, see Use tags to organize files.

Sidebar

Show these items in the sidebar

Select the items you want to see in the Finder sidebar. These items also appear in Open and Save dialogs.

Advanced

Show all filename extensions	A filename extension—the period followed by a few letters or words that you see at the end of some filenames (for example, .jpg)—identifies the type of file. This option affects most, but not all, filenames. You can show or hide extensions for individual files in their Info windows.
Show warning before changing an extension	Display a warning if you accidentally try to change an extension. As a rule, you shouldn’t change filename extensions.
Show warning before emptying the Trash	Display a warning so you don’t accidentally delete items in the Trash.
Empty Trash securely	Make sure that items you delete when you empty the Trash can’t easily be recovered using data recovery tools. When this option is selected, the deleted files are overwritten with meaningless data.
When performing a search	Choose what you want to search by default when you use the search field in Finder windows. You can search your entire Mac, the folder that’s currently open, or the scope you specified the last time you searched in a Finder window.

For even more ways to customize Finder windows, see Customize the Finder toolbar and sidebar.

Rename files, folders, and disks

You can change the name of most files, folders, and disks, including the internal hard disk (named Macintosh HD by default). If you change the name of your hard disk, it still appears with its original name on a network.

Rename one item

1. Select the item you want to rename, then press Return.

2. Enter a new name.

   You can use numbers and most symbols. You can’t include a colon (:) or start the name with a period (.). Some apps may not allow you to use a slash (/) in a filename.

3. Press Return.

Rename multiple items

1. Select the items, then Control-click one of them.

2. In the shortcut menu, select Rename Items.

3. In the pop-up menu below Rename Folder Items, choose to replace text in the names, add text to the names, or change the name format.

   • Replace text: Enter the text you want to remove in the Find field, then enter the text you want to add in the “Replace with” field.

   • Add text: Enter the text to you want to add in the field, then choose to add the text before or after the current name.

   • Format: Choose a name format for the files, then choose to put the index, counter, or date before or after the name. Enter a name in the Custom Format field, then enter the number you want to start with.

4. Click Rename.

These are some items you should not rename:

• App folders and any items that came with your system, such as the Library folder. (If you change the name of an item and experience problems, change the name back. If this doesn’t help, you may need to reinstall the software.)

• Filename extensions—the period followed by a few letters or words that you see at the end of some filenames (for example, .jpg). If you change an extension, you may no longer be able to open the file with the app that was used to create it.

• Your home folder—the one with your name on it.

Ways to view items in Finder windows

There are four ways to view items in a Finder window: as icons, as a list, in columns, or in Cover Flow. To choose a view, use the View buttons at the top of the Finder window:

In the four views, there are additional ways to customize how your items are displayed.

Sort items, arrange icons, and resize columns

Your sort and icon arrangement settings for a folder apply until you change them. For example, if you sort your Documents folder by Date Added, the next time you view your Documents folder, it’s sorted by Date Added.

Sort items: In any view, click the Item Arrangement button , then choose an option, such as Date Created or Size.

Arrange icons neatly: In Icon view, choose View > Clean Up.

Resize columns: In List view, Column view, and Cover Flow, drag the line that’s between the column headings.

To expand a column to show all filenames in their entirety, double-click the column divider.

Further customize Icon, List, Column, or Cover Flow view

You can customize each view to accommodate your preferences. For example, you can change the text size of file names and, in some views, change the size of file icons.

1. Select a folder in the Finder, then click a View button: Icon, List, Column, or Cover Flow.

2. Choose View > Show View Options, then set the options you want.

   • To have the folder always open in the view, select the “Always open in” checkbox.

   • To have subfolders also open in the view, select the “Browse in” checkbox.

     If a subfolder opens in a different view, select the subfolder, choose View > Show View Options, then deselect the “Always open in” and “Browse in” checkboxes. The checkboxes must be selected for the main folder and deselected for the subfolder.

3. To use these settings for all Finder folders that are in this view, click Use as Defaults.

   For example, if you set options for Icon view, then click Use as Defaults, all folders in Icon view appear with the same options. Use as Defaults isn’t available for Column view because the settings apply automatically to all folders in Column view.

Customize the Finder toolbar and sidebar

There are several ways to customize the Finder toolbar and Finder sidebar.

Before you start, open a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon at the left end of the Dock.

Customize the toolbar

Hide or show the toolbar: Choose View > Hide Toolbar, or View > Show Toolbar.

Hiding the toolbar also hides the sidebar, and moves the status bar from the bottom to the top of the window.

Resize the toolbar: If you see angle brackets  at the right end of the toolbar, it means the window is too small to show all of the toolbar items. Enlarge the window or click the brackets to see the rest of the items.

Change what’s in the toolbar: Choose View > Customize Toolbar. You can drag items into and out of the toolbar, add a space between items, and choose whether to show text with the icons.

Rearrange the items in the toolbar: Hold down the Command (⌘) key, then drag an item to a new location.

Add a file or app: Hold down the Command (⌘) key, then drag the item to the Finder toolbar until a green plus sign (+) appears.

Remove an item: Drag the item out of the toolbar until you see a puff of smoke.

Customize the sidebar

Hide or show the sidebar: Choose View > Hide Sidebar or View > Show Sidebar. (If Show Sidebar is dimmed, choose View > Show Toolbar.)

Resize the sidebar: Drag the right side of the divider bar to the right or left.

Change what’s in the sidebar: Choose Finder > Preferences, click Sidebar, then select or deselect items.

Rearrange items in the sidebar: Drag an item to a new location. You can’t rearrange items in the Shared section.

Add a file, folder, or disk: Drag the item to the Favorites section.

If you don’t see the Favorites section, go to Finder > Preferences > Sidebar, then select at least one item in the section.

Add an app: Hold down the Command (⌘) key, then drag its icon to the Favorites section.

Remove an item: Drag the item icon out of the sidebar until you see a puff of smoke.

The sidebar link disappears, but the original item is still on your Mac. You can’t remove items from the Shared section.

To change other Finder preferences, choose Finder > Preferences. For more information, see Finder preferences.

To set the scrolling behavior for Finder (and other) windows, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click General.

Open General preferences for me

Open folders in new Finder tabs or windows

When you open a folder in the Finder, the folder’s contents usually replace the current contents of the window. If you prefer, you can open a folder in a new tab or window.

Set folders to open in tabs or windows

1. In the Finder, choose Finder > Preferences, then click General.

2. Select or deselect “Open folders in tabs instead of new windows.”

Open folders in tabs or windows

Press the Command (⌘) key while you double-click the folder.

The folder opens in a new tab or window, depending on your Finder preferences.

Tip:   If the Finder toolbar and sidebar are hidden, double-clicking a folder without pressing the Command key opens the folder in a new window.

To open a new Finder window without opening a specific folder, choose File > New Finder Window or press Command (⌘)–N.

Work with tabs

If all of your tabs aren’t visible, scroll through them.

When two or more tabs are open, click Add  to open a new tab.

To close a tab, place the pointer over the tab, then click Delete .

Show or hide filename extensions

Filename extensions—the period followed by a few letters or words that you see at the end of some filenames (for example, .jpg)—indicate which app can open a file.

Filename extensions are usually hidden in OS X, but if you find them useful, you can show them. If extensions are hidden, OS X still opens files with the proper apps.

For one file

1. Select a file, then choose File > Get Info, or press Command (⌘)–I.

2. Click the triangle next to Name & Extension to expand the section.

3. To show or hide the filename extension, select or deselect “Hide extension.”

For all files

If you select “Show all filename extensions,” all extensions are shown, even for files that have “Hide extension” selected. If you deselect “Show all filename extensions,” then file extensions are shown or hidden based on their individual “Hide extension” settings.

1. Choose Finder > Preferences, then click Advanced.

2. Select or deselect “Show all filename extensions.”

When you rename a file or folder, don’t change its filename extension. Or, you may no longer be able to open the file with the app that was used to create it. To be warned before you change an extension, select “Show warning before changing an extension” in the Advanced pane of Finder preferences.

If you want to change a file’s format, use the app you used to create the file. For example, TextEdit can convert a document from plain text format (.txt) to a rich text format (.rtf), and Preview can convert many types of graphics files.

Delete files and folders

At any time, you can get rid of files, folders, and other items that you no longer need. You start by dragging items to the Trash, but the items aren’t deleted until you empty the Trash.

Note:   If you turned off Time Machine or haven’t backed up your files recently, you may want to store a backup copy on a storage device, just in case you change your mind and want the item later.

Delete an item from your Mac

1. Drag the item to the Trash. Or select the item, then press Command (⌘)–Delete.

2. Click the Trash, then click Empty. You can also choose Finder > Empty Trash.

   When you see a warning message, click OK.

   Note:   If you see Empty Securely or Finder > Secure Empty Trash instead of Empty or Empty Trash, see If the Empty Trash command isn’t in the Finder menu.

Delete a locked item from your Mac

You must unlock the item before putting it in the Trash.

1. Select the item, then choose File > Get Info or press Command (⌘)-I.

   If you are not logged in as an administrator, you may need to click the lock icon , then enter an administrator name and password.

2. Drag the item to the Trash, click the Trash, then click Empty. You can also choose Finder > Empty Trash.

   When you see a warning message, click OK.

Securely empty the Trash

Even after you empty the Trash, deleted files can be recovered using data-recovery software. For extra security, you can delete files so they can’t easily be recovered.

1. Drag the item to the Trash.

2. Click the Finder icon in the Dock, then choose Finder > Secure Empty Trash. When you see a warning message, click OK.

   To always empty the Trash securely, choose Finder > Preferences, click Advanced, then select “Empty Trash securely.”

Files deleted in this way are completely overwritten by meaningless data. This may take some time, depending on the size of the files.

Prevent the Trash warning message from appearing

Once: Press the Option key when you click Empty or choose Empty Trash.

Always: Turn off the warning in the Advanced pane of Finder preferences. Choose Finder > Preferences, click Advanced, then deselect “Show warning before emptying the Trash.”

If you change your mind before emptying the Trash

Click the Trash to open it, then drag the item out of the Trash, or select the item and choose File > Put Back.

 

See your files in the Finder

Represented by the blue icon with the smiling face, the Finder is the home base for your Mac. You use it to organize and access almost everything on your Mac.

See your stuff

Click items in the Finder sidebar to see your files, apps, downloads, and more. To make the sidebar even more useful, customize it.

Use folders … or don’t

If you like working in a folder structure, you can do that. It’s easy to create new folders in your Documents folder, on the desktop, or in iCloud Drive. For more information about iCloud Drive, see Store documents with iCloud Drive.

If you’d rather avoid folders, use All My Files. All of the files on your Mac and in iCloud are there. You can also use tags to organize your files.

Choose your view

You can choose how you view the items in Finder windows. For example, you don’t have to view your items in a list—Cover Flow lets you flip through your files and folders visually.

AirDrop it

You can send a file to a nearby iOS device or Mac right from the Finder. Click AirDrop in the sidebar to get started. For more information, see Use AirDrop to send files to devices near you.

You can also select a file in the Finder, then click the Share button  to share it using Mail, Messages, Twitter, Facebook, and more.

Onscreen help in OS X

The Finder and most other Mac apps have a Help menu in the menu bar. Use the Help menu and Help Window to get information about OS X, your Mac, and your apps.

Help menu

In the Help menu, you can search for menu items and help topics.

See how the Help menu works: Click the Finder icon in the Dock, open the Help menu, then enter “clipboard.” The results include the Show Clipboard menu item and help topics about the Clipboard.

See a menu item: Open the Help menu, enter the menu item you’re looking for, then place the pointer over the menu item result.

For example, in the Finder, enter “clipboard” in the Help menu, then place the pointer over Show Clipboard. The Edit menu opens with an arrow pointing to the command.

Get help: Open the Help menu, enter a search term, then choose one of the help topics, or choose Show All Help Topics to see more topics.

Help window

If you choose a help topic from the search results in the Help menu, or if you choose Mac Help or an app’s help (such as Mail Help or iTunes Help), the Help window opens.

Search: Enter a word or two in the search field, then choose a suggestion or press Return.

See more topics for the help you’re viewing: Click the Table of Contents button  in the Help window.

See previous topics: Click the Back  and Forward  buttons.

See a list of recently viewed topics: Click and hold the Back or Forward button until a list appears, then choose the topic you want.

Make text bigger or smaller: Press Command (⌘)-Plus (+) or Command (⌘)-Minus (–).

Find words within the current topic: Press Command (⌘)-F.

Print or share a topic: Click the Share button  in the Help window, then choose an option.

If help doesn’t answer your question

Enter different words in the search field.

If you searched for one word, search for two or three words. If you searched for many words, search for fewer words.

Open the specific app you want help for, then choose Help > [App name] Help.

Make sure you’re connected to the Internet. If you’re not connected, most of the help topics are unavailable.

Share on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more

You’ll find the Share button  in the Finder as well as in many OS X apps, including Safari, Notes, Reminders, Photo Booth, and iPhoto. The Share button gives you an easy way to share links, photos, videos, and more—instantly.

Share items from a Finder window

1. In a Finder window, select one or more items, then click the Share button  in the toolbar.

   If the item is on the desktop, Control-click it, then choose Share from the shortcut menu.

   

2. Choose how you want to share from the options listed in the Share menu.

   The options listed—including Email, Messages, Facebook, Twitter, and others—depend on the type of item you’re sharing and how you set up Extensions preferences, as described below.

3. Provide any additional information needed for the sharing method you chose. For example, if you share a photo using Twitter, you can type some text describing the photo.

Customize the Share menu

You can choose which items appear in the Share menu by using Extensions preferences. Your choices also affect what appears in the Social widget in Today view in Notification Center. For more information.

1. Click the Share button , then choose More from the Share menu to open Extensions preferences.

   You can also choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Extensions.

   Open Extensions preferences for me

2. Click Share Menu on the left, then select the items you want in the Share menu and deselect the items you don’t want.

   If an item is selected in Extensions preferences, but you don’t see it in an app’s Share menu, then you can’t use that item to share in that particular app. For example you can’t use AirDrop in Mail or Safari.

You’ll find the Share button in many places on your Mac. You can tweet your favorite webpage links from Safari, share notes via Mail and Messages, and post photos and videos to Flickr or Vimeo. Or select a photo in your Pictures folder and use AirDrop to share it with others near you.

Use AirDrop to send files to devices near you

 

Window Basics

Most of the information on your Mac is displayed in windows, including Finder windows and app windows.

When you have multiple windows open, only one is active. When an app window is active, the menu bar contains the app’s name. Some windows that you open within apps, such as the Fonts window, always appear in front of other windows.

Move, resize, and minimize windows

Move a window: Click the window’s title bar, then drag it where you want it.

Manually resize a window: Drag the window’s edges (top, bottom, and sides).

Expand a window: Double-click an app’s title bar to expand the app window to fill the space between the Dock and the menu bar. If the Dock is on the side of your screen, the window expands to fill the space below the menu bar and to the side of the Dock. You can also Option-click the green full-screen button in the top-left corner of an app window.

To return to standard view, double-click the title bar, or Option-click the green full-screen button again.

If you double-click an app’s title bar, and the app minimizes into the Dock, the “Double-click a window’s title bar to minimize” option is set in Dock preferences. To instead expand the app window, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Dock, then deselect “Double-click a window’s title bar to minimize.”

Minimize a window: Click the yellow minimize button in the top-left corner of the window, or press Command (⌘)-M.

Some windows can’t be moved or resized, and may require that you perform an action or answer a question before you can continue with a task.

Switch to full screen

In many apps, including Calendar and Mail, you can expand the window to fill your entire screen.

Click the green full-screen button in the top-left corner of an app window:

Return to standard view by moving the pointer to the top-left corner of the screen, then clicking the green full-screen button again:

For more information, see Take apps full screen.

Quickly switch between apps

If multiple apps are open, it may be difficult to find the one you want. Here are shortcuts you can use to move among apps.

Quickly switch to the previous app: Press Command (⌘)-Tab.

Scroll through all open apps: Press Command (⌘)-Tab, continue to hold the Command key, then press the Tab key repeatedly. When you get to the app you want, stop and release the keys.

You can also press Command (⌘)-Tab, continue to hold down the Command key and use the mouse pointer or arrow keys to scroll.

Resume work without switching apps: Press Esc (Escape) or the period key.

Here are other tasks you can do after pressing Command (⌘)-Tab and holding down the Command key:

• Hide a selected app: Press H.

• Quit a selected app: Press Q.

Close windows

Click the red close button in the top-left corner of the window, or press Command (⌘)-W.

When you close an app’s window, the window closes, but the app remains open. If you want to quit an app, click the app’s name in the menu bar, then choose Quit [App]. For more information, see Quit apps.

 

Desktop Tips

There are several ways to give your desktop—the background area of your screen—a custom look.

Change your desktop picture

In Desktop & Screen Saver preferences, you can change the picture that’s displayed on your desktop. Your Mac comes with dozens of desktop pictures to choose from, but you can also use your own pictures, or choose a solid color.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Desktop & Screen Saver, then click Desktop.

   Open the Desktop pane for me

2. Find the picture you want to use:

   • Use a picture that comes with your Mac: Select Desktop Pictures below Apple.

   • Use a solid color: Select Solid Colors below Apple.

   • Use your own picture: Select a location below iPhoto. You can also select Pictures below Folders, if the image you want is in your Pictures folder.

     If your image is in another folder, click Add , navigate to and select the folder, then click Choose.

3. Click the picture you want on the right.

Use a screen saver

You can choose to have a screen saver start when you aren’t using your Mac. You might want to use a screen saver to hide the items on your desktop while you’re away.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Desktop & Screen Saver, then click Screen Saver.

   Open the Screen Saver pane for me

2. Click the screen saver you want on the left.

   Previews are shown on the right.

3. Set any screen saver settings below the screen saver preview on the right. If necessary, click Screen Saver Options.

   For example, click the Source pop-up menu to choose the location with the pictures you want to see in the screen saver.

4. Click the “Start after” pop-up menu, then select an amount of time. The screen saver starts automatically after your Mac has been inactive for that amount of time.

5. Select “Show with clock” to show the time when your screen saver is on.

6. Click Hot Corners to set a shortcut for starting your screen saver.

To stop the screen saver and return to the desktop, press any key, move the mouse, or touch the trackpad.

If you want more security when you stop the screen saver, see Require a password after waking your Mac.

Make your menu bar and Dock dark

You can give your desktop a darker look by setting your menu bar and Dock to be dark.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click General.

   Open General preferences for me

2. Select “Use dark menu bar and Dock.”

Change button, menu, window, and highlight colors

Use the General pane of System Preferences to choose new colors for buttons, menus, windows, and highlighted text.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click General.

   Open General preferences for me

2. Click the Appearance pop-up menu, then choose the color you want.

3. Click the “Highlight color” pop-up menu, then choose the color you want.

 

Get to know the desktop

At the top of your screen is the menu bar. At the bottom of your screen is the Dock. In between is the desktop.

Menu bar

The menu bar contains the Apple menu, app menus, status menus, Spotlight, and Notification Center. For more information, see What’s in the menu bar?

Desktop

Your computer’s desktop takes up most of your screen, and it’s where you do most of your work. To customize the desktop, see Give your desktop a custom look. When you open apps, the app’s windows appear over the desktop. For information about working with app windows, see Window basics.

If you have files on your desktop, you can organize them at any time.

Dock

Use the Dock to quickly access apps, documents, and folders. To open items from the Dock, just click them. For example, to open the Finder—the home base for your Mac—just click the Finder icon (the icon with the smiling face). For more information about the Finder, see See your files in the Finder.

To easily open apps that aren’t in the Dock, use Launchpad.

 

OS X Yosemite Quick Tips

PDF signature

No need for a paper and pen. You can now sign PDF forms using your Mac’s trackpad. Simply click the Sign button in Preview’s annotation toolbar and trace your signature on the pad with your finger.

Spotlight

Activating Spotlight with Command-Space now brings up a search box in the centre of your desktop. It no longer just searches your Mac for files either. It also retrieves news headlines, maps, Bing web search results, iTunes store media, and it can even convert currencies on the natch.

Green button goes fullscreen

In Mavericks, the green button at the top left of windows is better known as the zoom button. But in OS X Yosemite, it takes windows full-screen. You can still access the traditional functionality however by holding the Alt/Option key when clicking the traffic light.

Record output from an iOS device

Want to record a live screencast of apps or games running on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad? With iOS 8 and Yosemite, you can. Simply attach the device to your Mac using a Lightning cable and it shows up as a video input source in QuickTime. You can then capture anything you’re doing on-screen and store it as a video file.

Check compressed memory

OS X utilises memory compression features when resources are tight, making the system more efficient at passing data from place to place. Activity Monitor’s Memory tab now displays how much your Mac relies on compressed memory, which can be a good indicator of how much you’d benefit from a RAM upgrade.

Safari Tabs

The way Safari organises your browser tabs has changed. You can still switch between tabs in the horizontal strip above the main window, but click the new Tab View button in the top right corner of the toolbar and you get thumbnail previews of all open tabs. Multiple open pages from a single site are stacked on top of each other, while below these are iCloud tabs open on your other devices in a layout reminiscent iOS 7.

Duck Duck Safari

In addition to the typical search engines Safari has traditionally aligned with, you now have the option to choose DuckDuckGo as your default search service. For those late to the private party, DuckDuckGo is a slick search engine that doesn’t track your search activity or share personal information with advertisers or security agencies.

Safari Private Browsing window

Continuing the theme, Safari now allows you to create a separate window of tabs exclusively for private browsing (meaning your actions are not saved or tracked), while enabling you to also maintain separate windows that aren’t set to be private.

Markup in Mail

Apple Mail has aped Preview’s annotation tools. Now, whenever you add an image to an email you’re composing, a down-facing chevron appears in its top-right corner. Clicking this reveals the option to mark up the image with shapes, text and arrows to make your point clearer to your recipient.

Dashboard off by default

Some old-school OS X users may be rankled at the apparent disappearance of the Dashboard in Yosemite. Actually, it hasn’t been removed; it’s just disabled by default – you can switch it back on in Mission Control’s System Preference pane if you still find it useful.

Notification Center overhaul

Notification Center in Yosemite doesn’t just import iOS 7’s Today view. Apple has also opened it up to third-party widgets with what it’s calling ‘Today Extensions’. This will allow developers to feed bespoke information into Notification Center – think your favourite football team’s next fixture or eBay auctions you’re watching, for example.

AirDrop advanced

AirDrop has seen significant improvement in Yosemite. It now works between Macs and iOS devices that don’t share the same local network or have an internet connection. It also now works on older Macs that missed out in previous versions of OS X. Not only that, you don’t need Finder to be open on the recipient’s Mac to initiate a Drop (although it still needs to be authorised at the receiver’s end).

Mail Drop

Everyone’s experienced the frustration of an email not arriving at its intended destination because of an attachment the server deemed too big to handle. In Yosemite, Mail gets round this with Mail Drop, in which large attachments are now uploaded to your iCloud account. If the recipient is also using Mail they see the file just as if it was attached to the email; if they aren’t using Mail, they get a link to download it instead. Note that the size of an attachment will be limited to the free space on your iCloud account.

Soundbites in Messages

You can now send quick voice memos to your Messages contacts with the new Soundbites feature. These disappear shortly after the recipient has read them, but you can choose to save them if you wish. You can also now send short video clips or multiple images directly from within Messages.

Message/iPhone tones

One new feature Apple is rightly proud of is Yosemite’s ability to make and receive iPhone calls. Tied to that is Messages’ ability to send and receive SMS and MMS messages linked to your iPhone number. As a result of this extended phone service, Messages has also inherited all the ringtones of iOS, allowing you to match or differ the sound your Mac and your iPhone make when a message or call is incoming.

Batch rename

Batch renaming files in OS X used to require installing a third-party app or a trip to Automator. No more. In Yosemite, you simply click-drag a selection box over the files in Finder you wish to rename, right-click and select the Rename XX items… option in the dialog.

Screensharing in Messages

Previously screen sharing was only possible in Messages using a third-party service such as AIM. However now Apple has implemented a built-in screen sharing feature that operates automatically over iMessage accounts, meaning you don’t have to set up anything in order to help or receive Mac assistance from a friend or colleague remotely. Simply initiate a Message conversation and click on the Details button in the top right-hand corner of the screen and select the ‘Invite / Ask to share my screen’ button indicated by two overlapping rectangles.

Group messages

Not only can you initiate group chats in iMessage, you can also add and remove participants in your ongoing chat, as well as change the chat thread name (which will subsequently appear on all devices). Using the new Details button, you can also enable Do Not Disturb on individual chats to opt out of the conversation without terminating it.

Dark mode

Dark Mode was demoed on stage at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference as an option to benefit those who prefer to save their eyesight from glare at night as well as photographers and video editors who manipulate colour. You can turn it on via the ‘Use dark menu bar and dock’ toggle in the General pane of System Preferences.

Safari bookmarks

Just like iOS, your website bookmarks and bookmark folders can now be quickly accessed simply by left-clicking Safari’s address bar. Below your bookmarks you’ll also see links to those sites you’ve most frequently visited.

Double-click to zoom

For those who miss the instant action of the green maximise traffic light, try double-clicking an empty part of a window’s toolbar – it should automatically resize the window to fit its content. Note that this functionality may not work on third-party apps and later versions of iTunes.

Finder preview pane

Previously Finder’s file preview pane was restricted to Column view, but in Yosemite you can make it visible in any view mode you like. From the menu bar, choose View > Show Preview to turn it on.

Accessibility improvements

Not everyone gets on with transparency. Happily you can reduce its effect significantly in the Accessibility pane of System Preferences. What’s more, you can change the contrast level of windows and borders as well as increase the overall contrast of your display if you find Yosemite’s new look not so easy on the eye.

Calendar suggestions

Calendar in Yosemite is a little more intelligent than previous iterations and now learns from previous events in order to auto-complete event details as you input them – this includes likely attendees and even suggested dates to schedule the event. The more you use Calendar, the more accurate it becomes at predicting your schedule.

RSS feeds in Safari

RSS feed subscriptions are back in Safari. Simply click on the RSS feed icon in a web page and Safari will prompt you to OK the subscription, whereafter it will appear in the Shared Links sidebar alongside your other shared links piped in from Twitter and so on.

 

OS X Yosemite

View in Mac App Store

• Free
• Category: Utilities
• Released: 16 October 2014
• Version: 10.10
• Size: 5.16 GB
• Languages: English, Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
• Developer: iTunes S.a.r.l.
• © 2014 Apple Inc.

Compatibility: OS X 10.6.8 or later

Description

Upgrade your Mac to OS X Yosemite and you’ll get an elegant design that’s both fresh and familiar. The apps you use every day will have powerful new features. And your Mac, iPhone, and iPad will work together in amazing new ways. You’ll also get the latest technology and the strongest security. It’s like getting a whole new Mac — for free.

Here’s what you’ll love about OS X Yosemite:

A fresh look for your Mac
• The Dock has a sleek new design with instantly recognizable icons.
• A beautiful new system font is crisp and easy to read.
• Translucency gives you a sense of what’s in, or behind, your window.
• Streamlined toolbars free up space for your content.

Handoff. Pick up where you left off.
• Start an activity on your Mac and finish it on your iPhone or iPad — or vice versa.
• Use Handoff with Mail, Safari, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Maps, Messages, Reminders, Calendar, Contacts, and other apps.

iPhone calls. Now on your Mac.
• Make and receive calls on your Mac even when your iPhone is in the next room.
• Just click a phone number you see in Contacts, Calendar, Messages, Spotlight, or Safari to make a call.

SMS. Those green text messages on your iPhone? They’re now on your Mac, too.
• All of your messages now appear on all of your devices.
• Send and receive SMS text messages right from your Mac.

Instant Hotspot gives you the Internet anywhere.
• Easily activate the personal hotspot on your iPhone right from your Mac.
• Connect to your personal hotspot without taking your iPhone out of your pocket or bag.

AirDrop. Now between Mac and iOS devices, too.
• Share files to another Mac or to an iOS device, even when you don’t have an internet connection.

New Today view in Notification Center.
• Handy widgets give you quick access to up-to-the-minute calendar, weather, and stock information.
• Add widgets from the Mac App Store.

Spotlight. Now even brighter.
• Spotlight has a new design that delivers rich, interactive previews to your desktop.
• Get results from your Mac and from Wikipedia, news, Maps, movies, iTunes, and more.
• Convert currencies and units of measure right in Spotlight.

Safari is sleeker and smarter.
• Favorites view makes your favorite websites easily accessible.
• Spotlight suggestions provide handy information snippets from Wikipedia, Maps, and more when you search.
• Advanced energy-saving technologies let you watch Netflix for up to three hours longer.

New features in Mail.
• Markup lets you fill out and sign a PDF form or annotate an image without leaving Mail.
• Mail Drop lets you send messages of up to 5GB without worrying about whether they’ll get through.

Enhancements to Messages.
• Give titles to your ongoing group conversations to make them easier to find.
• Add participants to a group conversation — no need to start a new one.
• Start a screen sharing session right from a conversation.

iCloud Drive. Any kind of file. On all your devices.
• Store any file in iCloud and access it from your Mac, iPhone, iPad, or even a Windows PC.
• iCloud Drive is built right into Finder and lets you organize files any way you want.
• See files from your iOS apps right on your Mac.

Family Sharing makes it easy for your family to enjoy your content.
• Up to six members of a family can share iTunes, iBooks, and App Store purchases without sharing accounts.
• Parents can approve kids’ purchase and free download requests with Ask to Buy.

Handoff requires an iOS device running iOS 8.

iPhone calls require an iPhone running iOS 8.

SMS requires an iPhone running iOS 8.1.

Instant Hotspot requires an iPhone or iPad with cellular connectivity running iOS 8.1.

Some features require an Apple ID, compatible hardware, compatible Internet access or cellular network; additional fees and terms apply.

Apple Web Site

OS X Yosemite Support

Screenshots

 

Switching Windows to Mac

Installing applications

For most applications on OS X there’s no installation process like on Windows. When you want to install an application on Windows, you have to run an installer that will install it for you.

On OS X you can download an application from the Mac App Store or download a .dmg file from Internet and just drag it to your Applications folder. And that’s it. No installing. You are switching to another Mac? No problem, Apple iCloud will help you switch over without pain.

OS X offers plenty of productivity raising features without installing any third party application. However, we use apps like Alfred to extend OS X features even more.

Using the keyboard

Getting familiar with keyboard shortcuts is essential to becoming more productive. OS X offers many shortcuts by default. You can browse through them in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts.

CMD is the magic key you’ll use for most of the shortcuts and commands. ALT (⌥) button is also often called option key.

Useful shortcuts to remember:

• cmd + tab – Move focus to next application
• cmd + ` – Move focus to next window
• ctrl + tab – Move focus to next tab
• cmd + w – Close tab
• cmd + q – Close application
• cmd + , – Open preferences of active application

Finder file manager

Finder is OS X’s default file manager. It’s similar to Windows Explorer but with some differences. For example, there’s no classic Cut option which I really missed. If you want to Cut something like on Windows, you have to select the file, press cmd + C and then cmd + alt + V where you want to paste it.

SHORTCUT KEYS

Here are also some useful shortcuts to remember:

• cmd + ↑ – Up to higher folder (in the folder structure)
• cmd + ↓ or cmd + O– Open file or folder
• cmd + backspace – Delete selected item
• enter – Rename selected item

HIDDEN FILES

In case you want to be able to see hidden files in the Finder, paste this line into your Terminal.app (works for OS X 10.7 and above):

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE

Apply changes by holding ALT key and press right click on Finder icon and select Relaunch.

If you just need to see hidden files in the Open/Save dialogs, press cmd + shift + . to display them temporarily.

Navigation in text documents

Getting familiar with the text manipulation is especially useful for developers. There are noHOME and END buttons on most Mac keyboards. But, there’s an alternative – CMD + left/right.

• cmd + shift + ↑/↓ – Select a whole document from the cursor position in a desired direction
• cmd + shift + ←/→ – Select a line to the left or right
• alt + shift + ←/→ – Select a word left or right from the cursor position

If you ditch shift from shortcuts above, your cursor will be moved without selecting text.

Window management

Windows comes with a Snap feature. It’s a way of resizing windows by dragging them to the edges of the screen after what they automatically cover screen halves. That’s the only feature that was missing on Mac. That is, until we met Spectacle. Spectacle is a simple OS X application which lets you reorder open windows with keyboard shortcuts, even without using your mouse.

• cmd + alt + ← – snap window to the left edge of the screen
• cmd + alt + → – snap window to the right edge of the screen

Alfred app

Alfred is a substitute for native OS X Spotlight application. It’s a tool that saves you time when opening new apps or searching local computer or web. It can also be used as a calculator and has a bunch of other features.

To find and start an application just enter the application name and press enter. Alfred is super-fast for searching documents. Just type keyword find before name of the document you are trying to open in Finder. Use open if you want to open a file.

Start an application

Finding a file

Using Alfred as a calculator

Mouse and Trackpad

Magic Mouse is awesome. However, there’s a trick – the whole surface of the Magic Mouse is scrollable, you just need to swipe your fingers over it. It also offers some great gestures inSystem Preferences > Mouse > More Gestures.

Magic Mouse gestures

RIGHT CLICK

By default, the Magic Mouse and Trackpad come with the right-click option turned OFF. I recommend turning it ON in the Mouse preferences/Trackpad preferences section of the System preferences panel.

Screenshots & screencasts

OS X comes with a lot of built-in features. Taking screenshots is one of them. Without having to install any application, you can easily save a screen or a desired screen area. Of course, it’s possible to do this on Windows as well, but the whole process is simpler on OS X.

• cmd + shift + 3 – Saves whole screen
• cmd + shift + 4 – Saves user selected part of the screen
• cmd + shift + 5 – If you use Skitch – selects part of the screen and opens it in Skitch ready for editing

RECORDING SCREENCASTS

Easy way to record screencast is by using the QuickTime Player application and selecting File > New screen recording. Of course, you can choose to record the whole screen or just a part of it.

Mini DisplayPort FAQ

1. What is a Mini DisplayPort?

A Mini DisplayPort delivers a pure digital connection to external displays. It gives you plug-and-play performance with the Apple LED Cinema Display and works with single-link DVI, dual-link DVI, and VGA displays with the appropriate adapters.

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2. Does my computer have a Mini DisplayPort?

The Mini DisplayPort looks like this:

An Apple computer with a Mini DisplayPort will have this symbol next to the Mini DisplayPort:

On Apple portables, iMac, and Mac mini computers the Mini DisplayPort is located with the other ports and connectors. For the Mac Pro, the Mini DisplayPort is on the graphics card. Refer to the manual for your Mac for specific details about the location of ports and connectors on your computer.

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3. My computer has the same connector but the symbol is different, what does that mean?

Some Apple computer have a Thunderbolt port instead of a Mini DisplayPort. Computers with a Thunderbolt port will have the following symbol next a port although the port physically appears the same as a Mini DisplayPort:

Thunderbolt ports:

• Are compatible with all of the Mini DisplayPort adapters referenced below in question 5 and with Apple Mini DisplayPort equipped displays.
• Support adapters like Apple’s Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter and Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter which are not otherwise compatible with Mini DisplayPorts.

See Thunderbolt ports and displays: Frequently asked questions (FAQ) for more information on Thunderbolt.

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4. What are the system requirements for Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters?

Your computer needs Mac OS X v10.5.6 or later and a Mini DisplayPort to use these adapters. Note: When you use the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter, your Mac should also have a free USB port.

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5. Which Mini DisplayPort adapters are available from Apple?

Adapter	For use with these displays
Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter	Dual-link DVI displays with resolutions above 1920 x 1200
Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter	Displays that do not support Dual-link DVI resolutions (DVI displays with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 or lower)
Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter	Displays that connect via VGA

 

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6. Can other video adapters be connected or “daisy-chained” to Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters?

No, you should not connect Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters to any other video adapters. Connect your computer directly to an external display via one Mini DisplayPort adapter.

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7. What about HDMI?

Apple does not manufacture a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. For more information on Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters, see this article.

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8. What is HDCP?
HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) is a form of digital copy protection that requires compatibility between a source—such as your computer and video adapter if present—and a receiver, such as a high-definition television. If any of these devices or cabling do not support HDCP, your content may not play, may present a warning message, or may play back at a lower resolution than expected. An example of content that supports HDCP is an HD movie on the iTunes Store. Note: For information about whether your cabling, receiver, or television supports HDCP, refer to the manufacturer of the device.

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9. Does the Apple Mini DisplayPort adapter support HDCP?
Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters that offer digital connections—such as the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter and the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter—support HDCP content. Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters that offer analog connections—such as the Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter—do not support HDCP content.

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10. What is the difference between an active adapter and a passive adapter?

An active adapter can convert a signal from one connector to another. The Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI and Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapters are active adapters. A passive adapter acts as a pass-through from one connector type to another and does not convert a signal. The Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter is an example of a passive adapter.

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11. Should I use a passive or active adapter?

On some Apple computers, like the Mac Pro (Mid 2010), you can connect three displays to a single graphics card. In this scenario—to connect to three display to use three ports—use active adapters to connect the Mini DisplayPort ports to your external displays. Two displays can connect via Mini DisplayPort and one via DVI. Note: Learn more about supported display configurations for the Mac Pro.

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12. Can I output via Mini DisplayPort to an RCA or S-Video connection?

No. The Mini DIsplayPort connector allows output to Mini DisplayPort, DisplayPort, VGA, DVI, and HDMI connections when using the proper cables and adapters. However, output to RCA, Component, or S-Video connections is not supported.

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13. How is the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter different from the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter?

The Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter works best with displays that operate at dual-link resolutions, which are resolutions above 1920 x 1200. For displays that do not support dual-link DVI resolutions (displays that operate at resolutions of 1920 x 1200 or lower) you should use the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter instead.

 

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14. Which monitors work with the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter?

Use the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter to connect your computer to a 30-inch display that includes a dual-link DVI connector, such as the Apple Cinema HD Display. Note: For such displays, be sure to connect the USB connection on the adapter to the USB port on your Mac; also connect the USB connection from the display to the USB port on the adapter.

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15. What can I do if my external display is not working properly with the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter?

If you are using an external display that is not dual-link DVI, use the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter for best performance.

Try these steps if your dual-link DVI display has video issues while it is connected with the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter:

1. Reset the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter by disconnecting its Mini DisplayPort and USB connections from the computer for few seconds.
2. Reconnect the cables to the computer to see if the issues persist.
3. If your issue is still unresolved, disconnect the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter as described in step 1, then power off the monitor.
4. Reconnect all cables and power on the display.
5. If issues continue to persist, restart the computer.

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16. Why doesn’t the DVI connector for my external display fit my Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter?

Important: The DVI connector on the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter is for digital connections only. Some DVI connectors use additional pins on the connector to send analog information from the display to the computer. Connectors with additional pins are not compatible with the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter.

 

Apple DVI to VGA adapter	Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter

The Apple DVI to VGA adapter has four additional pins around the thin connector on the left. Those pins provide an analog signal and are not used with the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter.

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17. What should I do if I have flickering or compatibility issues with my Apple Mini DisplayPort adapter?

Be sure to install the latest update for your Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter. If you have flickering issues using your Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter with certain displays, learn how to update to an adapter with Firmware version 1.03.

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18. What is the maximum resolution available for use with the Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter?

The resolution available with the Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter is 1920 x 1200. VGA displays that use higher refresh rates (such as 85 Hz) at resolutions of 1600 x 1200 or greater may not generate video properly until you lower the refresh rate.