Getting Started with Mac

If you are just getting started with a Mac and its operating system (called macOS), learning how to navigate the interface is the best place to begin. While it looks different from Windows, it's designed to be intuitive and easy to use. Let's take a look around at the main screen, which is called the Desktop.

The Desktop

The desktop is the main screen you see when you turn on your Mac. It's your primary workspace. It includes a few key areas:

Desktop Background (Wallpaper)

This is the image or color that fills the main screen, which you can customize to your liking.

The Dock

The Dock is the row of icons that sits at the bottom of your screen. It's your quickest way to access your favorite applications, folders, and files.

What it does: To open any of the items on your Dock, just click its icon once. For example, you can click the Safari icon to open the web browser or the Finder icon to browse your files.

Launchpad: The Launchpad icon in the Dock (looks like a grid of squares) gives you access to all of your applications at once, making it easier to find and open programs that aren't in your Dock.

The Menu Bar

The Menu Bar is the bar that runs across the very top of your screen. It changes depending on the application you are using.

Apple Menu: The Apple icon () on the far left is always there. It gives you access to your System Preferences (where you can change settings), recent files, and options to restart or shut down your computer.

Application Menus: Next to the Apple Menu, you will see the name of the currently active application (e.g., "Finder," "Safari"). Clicking this name gives you a menu with options specific to that program, including Quit. To completely close an application, you click the app's name and choose Quit.

Spotlight Search: On the right side of the Menu Bar, you'll find a magnifying glass icon. This opens Spotlight, which is a powerful search tool. If you're having trouble finding a file, an app, or even a setting, just click Spotlight and type what you're looking for.

Notification Center: The last icon on the far right opens the Notification Center. This is where you can see alerts for things like calendar events, reminders, and new messages.

How to Interact with Your Mac

Opening and Closing Items

Opening: To open a file, folder, or application icon that is on your Desktop, you will need to double-click it.

Closing a Window: Most application windows have three colored dots in the top-left corner. Clicking the red dot will close the current window, but it may not quit the entire application. To fully quit an app, use the Quit option in the Menu Bar.

Using Full-Screen Mode

Many apps have a full-screen mode that lets you focus on a single task without distractions.

Activate: To activate it, hover your mouse over the green dot in the top-left corner of a window and click the double-arrow that appears.

Exit: To return to the normal view, press the Control + Command + F keys on your keyboard at the same time, or move your mouse to the top of the screen and click the green button again.

A Note on Using Your Mouse: Natural Scrolling

macOS has a feature called Natural Scrolling.

What it is: This is the reverse of traditional scrolling. When you scroll down on a mouse wheel or trackpad, the content on the page moves up, as if you were physically "pushing" it.

Why it exists: This is how most touchscreen devices work, so it can feel more natural to some users.

Change the setting: If you don't like it, you can easily turn it off. Click the Apple Menu, go to System Preferences, and choose Mouse or Trackpad. There, you'll find a checkbox to disable Natural Scrolling.

That covers the basics of navigating your Mac. Now that you know your way around the Desktop, the Dock, and the Menu Bar, you can start using your computer and taking advantage of everything it has to offer.