16 MacBook Tips And Tricks You Need To Implement Into Your Routine Immediately

I've been using MacBooks for about 15 years now, but there's still a lot about them that I don't know.

a black macbook with white logo from 2006

For instance, I was pretty surprised when I found out you can use the Spotlight tool as a calculator.

Marvel / Via giphy.com

Here are some other tips and tricks for anyone else in the same boat, courtesy of BuzzFeed Community members and Redditors:

1."Apparently, 'normal users' don’t know that Spotlight is faster and better than starting apps from the dock. Stop frittering with dock placement and sizing, and just learn to use Spotlight instead."

u/ToddBradley

2."I think my favorite Mac trick is that you can use an iPad as a second display with a setting called Sidecar. You can also control an iPad+Mac, Mac+Mac, etc., with one keyboard and mouse with a setting called Universal Control."

beauwentz

a macbook and ipad using the sidecar feature
Chaay_tee / Getty Images

3."Keep the system from sleeping using the terminal. Type caffeinate and press enter. You don’t need an external program to do this, but everyone and their mother here will recommend apps to do this simple operation. You can even make it stay awake for the duration individual processes need it to be."

u/0xDEFACEDBEEF

4."Hot corners. 😃"

u/FreakDeckard

Apple

5."Cmd + Shift + . to show/hide hidden files quickly."

u/retailer_

6."If you don't like the default blue folder icons, you can change them by clicking on the folder, hitting get info (⌘+i), and dragging the icon you want to use to where the little version of the blue folder icon is at the top."

charlieraines

Apple

7."Automator is a secret champion."

"A lot of Mac users don't know it exists, but this little workflow maker can turn hours of work into mere minutes without any coding skill required. For example, if you want to sequentially name a load of files, find and replace something in 1,000 filenames, or batch resize 1000s of images, Automator lets you drag and drop your workflow. It also is a gateway to AppleScript and running Bash scripts as part of a workflow, i.e. it makes getting into the harder stuff easier."

u/mightydanbearpig

8."Control + Command + Space -> emoji keyboard"

u/joni_synz

the apple emoji keyboard
Apple

9."Do use TimeMachine or backup your system in some other way. Not everyone loves TM, but if your needs are conventional, it's really a beautiful thing indeed, and it can save your bacon."

u/mightydanbearpig

10."Don’t close the screen with anything on the Mac; don’t use a camera cover."

u/kingalex29

a privacy webcam cover
Marvin Samuel Tolentino Pineda / Getty Images/iStockphoto

11."Command + shift brings up Spotlight search. Command + shift + 4 to take a screenshot that you choose the size of. Command + shift + 3 for a regular screenshot."

milksheikh

12."Don’t put a hard plastic case. Just use a laptop pouch instead. I once had a Speck plastic case, and it builds up dust, which scratched my Mac a bit."

u/sudocat50

person with a laptop couch
Ja'crispy / Getty Images/iStockphoto

13."Command + shift + 5 to screenshot and screen record."

abbieyarish

14."Option-clicking anything like volume or Wi-Fi gives you additional settings."

u/khelu_mdr

advanced settings for macbook volume
Apple

15."The three-finger swipe up to see all windows became compulsive immediately."

u/wellherewegofolks

16."In Settings, change the trackpad so a tap counts as a press/click. It’s quiet and better IMHO."

u/AintPatrick

Apple

Let me know in the comments if you have any others!