Written by Mårten Björk •
This guide will help you become familiar with Mac OS X — the operating system of every Mac. In just a few, short steps, this article will teach you everything you need to know to get started with your Mac.
Mac OS X — The Basics
Mac OS X is the operating system of your Mac. It's the basic system that enables your Mac to work. All the files, folders and programs are handled by Mac OS X as well as internet connectivity, battery consumption and more.
As a Mac user, you will encounter Mac OS X in many different forms:
- When viewing the desktop
- When you're browsing through files
- Through the Mac's search function (called 'Spotlight')
- Through the application bar (called 'The Dock')
- As the system that runs your applications
…and much more. Mac OS X is always there in the background, making sure your Mac runs smoothly. By learning more about Mac OS X, you will become a more efficient and confident Mac user. Let's get started!
Macbook Air Video Port
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Mac OS X — An Overview
The home of your Mac is the desktop. Think of it as a physical desktop – a place where you may temporarily spread out your work while performing a task.
For example, you may put an image from the internet on the desktop, make some modifications, and then drag it into an email. Just remember, while the desktop is a great workspace it not a good place to store files long-term since it quickly gets messy — again, just like an actual desktop.
Let's have a look at the other things you see in when you first turn on your Mac.
The Dock
In the bottom of your screen, you should see 'the Dock' — a bar with convenient shortcuts to your favorite applications. If you don't see it by default, try moving your cursor to the bottom of the screen and it should pop right up.
The icons in the Dock are just shortcuts. You can add or remove icons from the Dock without affecting the actual applications.
To add an application shortcut to the dock, you can use Launchpad, which is a complete overview of all your applications. You can probably find Launchpad in the left part of your Dock. Click Launchpad to view all your applications, then drag any icon into the dock to create a new shortcut.
Another way to add shortcuts to the Dock is to find the Application file (in the Applications folder) and drag it to the Dock. This requires some familiarity with browsing through files.
To remove an item from the dock, just drag it out and hold it over the desktop. After a second or so, a 'remove' label shows up. Release the icon and the application shortcut is removed from the Dock.
Menus
At the top of the screen you will see some menus. These menus change depending on what application you are using at the moment.
If there is ever anything you want to do in a certain application, try to find it in these menus.
Menu extras
Look at the top of your screen. To the right of the menus you are most likely to see a few symbols.
These little icons are mostly used to quickly edit your Mac's settings. Rather than having to open System Preferences, you can change the settings using Menu extras.
To change what Menu extras are visible, open System preferences. Click a preference pane and look for the checkbox that lets you choose if you want the specific Menu extra to be visible or not.
Users
Mac OS X offers a really nice way to switch between the different user accounts on the Mac. Near the upper right corner of your screen you will find your name. Click it and a list of all the users on the computer will appear.
Now, just click another user in order to log in to his/hers account (password may of course be required).
Spotlight
If you look at the upper right corner of your screen, you will see a small magnifying glass. This is Mac OS X's search function. It is called Spotlight. To read more about it, click here.
Dashboard
Mac OS X has a great thing called Dashboard where you can run mini-applications called widgets. Read the article about it, Dashboard is awesome.
Turn your videos into movie magic.
With iMovie for iOS and macOS, you can enjoy your videos like never before. It's easy to browse your clips and create Hollywood-style trailers and stunning 4K-resolution movies. You can even start editing on iPhone or iPad, then finish on your Mac.
Download iMovie for iOS
Download iMovie for macOS
Make Movies
Easy. From the first
scene to the last.
Whether you're using a Mac or an iOS device, it's never been easier to make it in the movies. Can you download google chrome on a macbook. Just choose your clips, then add titles, music, and effects. iMovie even supports 4K video for stunning cinema-quality films. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a wrap.
Edit Like a Pro
With iMovie, create professional-looking videos without an editing degree. Easily add photos and videos to projects, trim clips with your finger, add seamless transitions, and fade audio like a pro.
High-Fidelity Filters
Choose from 13 creative video filters that add a cinematic touch. Give your film a nostalgic silent‑era style, a vintage western appearance, or a fun comic book look. It's simple to apply filters to individual clips or your entire movie, and adjust the intensity on your iPhone or iPad.
Extra-Special Effects
Make action shots more exciting by slowing them down. Let viewers fly through scenes by speeding them up. Or add a broadcast feel to your school report with picture-in-picture and split-screen effects.
Soundtracks, Simplified
Rock your video with over 80 smart soundtracks on iOS that intelligently adjust to match the length of your movie. You can also add built-in sound effects or record your own voiceover to create a video that sounds as good as it looks.
Macbook Air Intro Video Creator
Whether you're making a silent film, moving a story forward, or simply have something to say, iMovie titles and backgrounds let you quickly create personalized title cards, credits, and more on your iPhone and iPad. Easily customize titles by choosing your favorite fonts and colors, pinching to scale, placing them over photos or videos, and then positioning them onscreen wherever you like. Plus, you can select background colors, gradients, and patterns, adjust title and background durations, or even add a graphic or logo to make your mark.
Appear Anywhere
Transport yourself with green-screen effects.
Go everywhere you've always wanted to — without leaving home. With green-screen effects in iMovie for iOS and macOS, you can place yourself or your characters in exotic locations with a tap or a click. Masking controls and strength adjustments let you fine-tune the effect for maximum believability.
You have hundreds of videos. And one big dream to be a moviemaker. iMovie trailers let you quickly create fun, Hollywood-style movie trailers from all that footage. Choose from a range of templates in almost any genre, pick your studio logo, and type in your movie title and credits. Then add photos and videos to the storyboard. Whether you're using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you'll have an instant blockbuster.
iMovie for iOS and iMovie for macOS are designed to work together. You can start cutting a project on your iPhone, then use AirDrop or iCloud Drive to wirelessly transfer it to your iPad. You can also send a project from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac for finishing touches like color correction and animated maps. And you can even open iMovie projects in Final Cut Pro to take advantage of professional editing tools. Time to take a bow.
iMovie on MacBook Pro
You have a great touch
for making movies.
iMovie is even easier to use with MacBook Pro, featuring the revolutionary Touch Bar. The most useful commands automatically appear on the keyboard, right where you need them. And MacBook Pro easily powers through demanding 4K video projects so you can edit and export in record time.
The icons in the Dock are just shortcuts. You can add or remove icons from the Dock without affecting the actual applications.
To add an application shortcut to the dock, you can use Launchpad, which is a complete overview of all your applications. You can probably find Launchpad in the left part of your Dock. Click Launchpad to view all your applications, then drag any icon into the dock to create a new shortcut.
Another way to add shortcuts to the Dock is to find the Application file (in the Applications folder) and drag it to the Dock. This requires some familiarity with browsing through files.
To remove an item from the dock, just drag it out and hold it over the desktop. After a second or so, a 'remove' label shows up. Release the icon and the application shortcut is removed from the Dock.
Menus
At the top of the screen you will see some menus. These menus change depending on what application you are using at the moment.
If there is ever anything you want to do in a certain application, try to find it in these menus.
Menu extras
Look at the top of your screen. To the right of the menus you are most likely to see a few symbols.
These little icons are mostly used to quickly edit your Mac's settings. Rather than having to open System Preferences, you can change the settings using Menu extras.
To change what Menu extras are visible, open System preferences. Click a preference pane and look for the checkbox that lets you choose if you want the specific Menu extra to be visible or not.
Users
Mac OS X offers a really nice way to switch between the different user accounts on the Mac. Near the upper right corner of your screen you will find your name. Click it and a list of all the users on the computer will appear.
Now, just click another user in order to log in to his/hers account (password may of course be required).
Spotlight
If you look at the upper right corner of your screen, you will see a small magnifying glass. This is Mac OS X's search function. It is called Spotlight. To read more about it, click here.
Dashboard
Mac OS X has a great thing called Dashboard where you can run mini-applications called widgets. Read the article about it, Dashboard is awesome.
Turn your videos into movie magic.
With iMovie for iOS and macOS, you can enjoy your videos like never before. It's easy to browse your clips and create Hollywood-style trailers and stunning 4K-resolution movies. You can even start editing on iPhone or iPad, then finish on your Mac.
Download iMovie for iOS
Download iMovie for macOS
Make Movies
Easy. From the first
scene to the last.
Whether you're using a Mac or an iOS device, it's never been easier to make it in the movies. Can you download google chrome on a macbook. Just choose your clips, then add titles, music, and effects. iMovie even supports 4K video for stunning cinema-quality films. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a wrap.
Edit Like a Pro
With iMovie, create professional-looking videos without an editing degree. Easily add photos and videos to projects, trim clips with your finger, add seamless transitions, and fade audio like a pro.
High-Fidelity Filters
Choose from 13 creative video filters that add a cinematic touch. Give your film a nostalgic silent‑era style, a vintage western appearance, or a fun comic book look. It's simple to apply filters to individual clips or your entire movie, and adjust the intensity on your iPhone or iPad.
Extra-Special Effects
Make action shots more exciting by slowing them down. Let viewers fly through scenes by speeding them up. Or add a broadcast feel to your school report with picture-in-picture and split-screen effects.
Soundtracks, Simplified
Rock your video with over 80 smart soundtracks on iOS that intelligently adjust to match the length of your movie. You can also add built-in sound effects or record your own voiceover to create a video that sounds as good as it looks.
Macbook Air Intro Video Creator
Whether you're making a silent film, moving a story forward, or simply have something to say, iMovie titles and backgrounds let you quickly create personalized title cards, credits, and more on your iPhone and iPad. Easily customize titles by choosing your favorite fonts and colors, pinching to scale, placing them over photos or videos, and then positioning them onscreen wherever you like. Plus, you can select background colors, gradients, and patterns, adjust title and background durations, or even add a graphic or logo to make your mark.
Appear Anywhere
Transport yourself with green-screen effects.
Go everywhere you've always wanted to — without leaving home. With green-screen effects in iMovie for iOS and macOS, you can place yourself or your characters in exotic locations with a tap or a click. Masking controls and strength adjustments let you fine-tune the effect for maximum believability.
You have hundreds of videos. And one big dream to be a moviemaker. iMovie trailers let you quickly create fun, Hollywood-style movie trailers from all that footage. Choose from a range of templates in almost any genre, pick your studio logo, and type in your movie title and credits. Then add photos and videos to the storyboard. Whether you're using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you'll have an instant blockbuster.
iMovie for iOS and iMovie for macOS are designed to work together. You can start cutting a project on your iPhone, then use AirDrop or iCloud Drive to wirelessly transfer it to your iPad. You can also send a project from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac for finishing touches like color correction and animated maps. And you can even open iMovie projects in Final Cut Pro to take advantage of professional editing tools. Time to take a bow.
iMovie on MacBook Pro
You have a great touch
for making movies.
iMovie is even easier to use with MacBook Pro, featuring the revolutionary Touch Bar. The most useful commands automatically appear on the keyboard, right where you need them. And MacBook Pro easily powers through demanding 4K video projects so you can edit and export in record time.
iMovie on iPad Pro
A powerful performance in every movie.
iMovie delivers a tour de force on iPad Pro. Work with multiple 4K video clips. Create effects like green screen, picture‑in‑picture, or split screen and play them back instantly. Use the all-new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro with trackpad support for an extra level of speed and precision when editing. And with the USB‑C port on iPad Pro, you can connect to an external display to show others your latest cut in 4K while you work.
iMovie in the Classroom
Assignments that
come to life.
Engage your students through video storytelling. Students can use green-screen effects to go back in time for history projects, or create split-screen and picture-in-picture effects to report on current events. Drag-and-drop trailers make it even simpler to create beautiful, personal projects that look and sound great. And iMovie for iOS works with ClassKit, so teachers can assign projects to students, and students can easily hand in their finished assignments right from the app.
Make Movie Magic.
iMovie is easy to use, and it's free. Just click to download and install on your Mac or iOS device. Furniture design software mac.
Try Clips.
Clips is a free iOS app for making and sharing fun videos with text, effects, graphics, and more.
