These Mac Tips Will Speed up Your Daily Tasks
Computers make everything faster (that’s the point). But even though your Mac already speeds up everything you throw at it, there are ways to make calculations even faster. Whether it’s work, play, or anything in between, these tips will get you through almost any task on your Mac faster.
Open folders faster on hover
When you want to put a file in a folder, you usually pick it up with your cursor, drag it across the folder, and then wait for the folder to open. This is ok, but it seems to be taking a little longer than it should. As it turns out, you can significantly speed up this process.
I didn’t know about this trick until I stumbled across it on this Reddit thread . In short, under System Preferences > Accessibility > Pointer Control , you’ll find the option to change the speed at which folders open when you hover over them. Move the slider next to “Spring Delay” to “Short” and you won’t have to wait at all.
Search is your best friend
Spotlight search may be the most useful feature on your Mac. With it, you can search for any file on your computer, open applications, view web results, solve simple math problems, view dictionary definitions, and more. I hardly use Finder because of how handy Spotlight is.
Part of what makes Spotlight so useful is the keyboard shortcut: Command + Space . At any time, you can use this shortcut to access almost anything you need. This makes it an integral part of your Mac workflow (at least for me).
Actually use Siri (results may vary)
Siri may not be the most reliable smart assistant, but it can be useful when it works. On my Mac, I usually use it for macOS apps and tasks similar to those I would use on my iPhone, such as setting reminders, checking the weather, or opening apps or files. If you have a microphone icon on your keyboard, you can press and hold it at any time to activate Siri. If not, your Mac probably defaults to long pressing Command + Space to invoke Siri.
Of course, as you might know from your iPhone, Siri isn’t perfect. While it’s often quicker to ask Siri to set a reminder than to do things yourself, if something goes wrong, it will certainly take longer. Be patient, get ready for some mistakes, and Siri can be a useful tool for your daily tasks on Mac.
Shortcuts for more than just your iPhone and iPad
The Shortcuts app for iOS and iPadOS lets your mobile devices automate any number of tasks. However, the same shortcuts are also available on your computer through the macOS Shortcuts app .
You can use shortcuts to do many things , including downloading YouTube videos, turning on power saving mode automatically, and automatically switching to split screen when accessing frequently used apps. Explore our list of other uses for initial inspiration , or browse the gallery of shortcuts to see what other users find effective.
Download clipboard manager
If you are not yet using a clipboard manager on your Mac, please visit the nearest download link. For most Mac users, copy and paste only works on one task at a time: you copy something and then paste it somewhere else. If you want to paste something you copied earlier, you need to copy it again in order to do so.
However, the clipboard manager frees you up considerably: the manager keeps a list of your copied items, making them easily accessible when you need them. I rely on this feature all the time. This allows me to copy multiple elements from one page and then paste them into another page without having to constantly revisit the original source. I can also quickly paste items that I copied hours or days ago without having to dig through my search history or other apps.
There are plenty of third-party clipboard managers on macOS and we list some of our favorites here .
Download window manager
Similarly, if you don’t have a window manager, install one. They provide snapping windows to your Mac – admittedly the same feature you’ll find in the Windows OS. However, macOS is better than before when it comes to window management. If you hover over the green button in the window and then hold down the Option key, you will see the option to move the window to the left or right side of the screen. However, this is nowhere near as convenient as the features a dedicated Windows management utility can provide.
For example, Magnet allows you to snap windows to specific parts of the screen using a keyboard shortcut. You can also lock these windows in place by dragging them to specific corners.
The best way to exit and switch between apps
The prerequisite for macOS is Command + Tab . This keyboard shortcut brings up a menu bar with icons for all open applications: when you press a tab, your cursor moves over the application icons. When you hover over the one you want to switch to, just release. You can also go in reverse by pressing ` instead of a tab – that’s the key right above a tab that also has a tilde (~) on it.
You can also use this shortcut to instantly exit any open applications. Keep pressing Tab until the cursor stops over the application you want to close, then without releasing the command, press Q .
Use the Option key
The Option key is the most guarded secret in macOS. Holding it down gives you access to “hidden” menus and features you didn’t know were available. For example, holding Option while clicking on the Apple menu at the top left will require you to instantly restart or shut down your Mac without having to deal with the pop-up window first. Likewise, the menu item for exiting the application becomes “Quit and save Windows”, which will save open windows the next time the application is launched.
If you’re curious about all the best “Option” keyboard shortcuts, check out our guide here .
Fine-tune brightness and volume
If you’ve ever felt like the brightness and volume keys on your Mac changed things too much, there’s an easy way to adjust the changes instead. Hold down Option + Shift before pressing the corresponding key. These keys tell macOS to change the display or keyboard brightness or volume by a quarter step instead of a full step, allowing you to quickly adjust any of them to the perfect spot.
Surf the web a little faster
Whether you’re using Chrome or Safari, you probably know some of the classic keyboard shortcuts (like Command + T to open a new tab). However, there are a few lesser-known keyboard shortcuts that will help you move a little faster:
- Command + Option + arrow keys : Move from tab to tab.
- Command + 1-8 : Move through the first eight tabs.
- Command + 9 : Go to the last tab.
- Command + L (Safari only): Select a URL string.
Skip cart
If you know you want to delete a file and don’t want to mess with emptying the Recycle Bin, highlight the file, then press Command + Option + Delete to instantly remove it from your computer.
Install an SSD
This tip will likely apply to a small fraction of Mac users in 2022, but it’s important: if your Mac is still using a physical hard drive, go for an SSD. A spinning drive can’t compete in speed with an SSD, and replacing one is one of the best things you can do to improve speed and efficiency and extend the life of your old laptop or iMac .
If you have an older Mac with a hard drive, use Google’s instructions for installing an SSD in your specific device. It’s not too difficult or expensive, and it’s going to be a huge quality of life upgrade.