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Top 10 Mac os tips

Enable Android Apps

As most of you know, Google has brought Android app support on Chromebooks and it’s a great step towards creating a coherent Google ecosystem. You can install and use millions of Android apps directly from the Google Play Store. In case, it’s not turned on by default, you can enable Play Store from the Settings page. Click on “Apps” on the left pane and open “Google Play Store”. Here, allow various permissions and set up Play Store. That’s it. Enjoy Android apps on your Chromebook. If Play Store settings are not showing on your Chromebook then it might be in beta and you may have to change your update channel to access Play Store. I have mentioned how to change the update channel in the next section so go through those steps. Also, you can find the details about Play Store support for your Chromebook from here.

Resize widgets right from the Notification Center

Another cool Mac feature that rightly fits into our macOS Big Sur tips and tricks list is the option to resize widgets in the Notification Center. With the new update, widgets have become part of the Notification Center and come in three different sizes. In order to quickly resize widgets:

Open the Notification Center by clicking on the date and time on the menu bar
Right-click on a widget
Click on the small, medium, or large.

Enable Floating Keyboard

You can enable the floating keyboard if you are using your Chromebook in a tablet or tent mode. It will help you type using the touch-screen display. So to enable it, open Settings and click on “Advanced” from the left-pane menu. Here, scroll down and open “Accessibility”. Now, just enable the toggle for the “on-screen” keyboard. Now, a keyboard icon will show up on your shelf. Click on it and voila, the keyboard is on your screen.

Edit Date and Time in Photos

Not only can you check the image details from the Photos app, but also modify their date and time in iOS 15. You can select a single photo or multiple photos and select the Share menu. Tap on the Edit Date & Time option and change the date and time for the photo.

Rename a Group of Files at the Same Time

You don't have to individually rename a bunch of files on your Mac. Renaming a group of files at the same time is among the top tips to help you master your macOS 12.

Go to Finder and select the group of files you want to rename; click one, hold down Shift and click the others.
Right-click, and choose Rename X items. Then, you'll be able to add text, replace text or apply a format like "Caroline’s wedding celebration" with a number for each photo.

Handoff Continuity

As Safari is the default browser for iOS and Mac, Apple has long explored how to make it seamless between the two systems. Enter Handoff, Apple’s solution for starting an email on Mac and picking it up on iOS. This also works incredibly well with Safari.

Start by signing in to your iCloud account on both devices.
On your Mac computer, go to “System Preferences -> General,” and click on the box next to Handoff to allow it.
On iOS or iPad OS, go to “Settings -> Handoff” and move the switch so that it’s active.
Once activated, you can go about your regular browsing business on your Mac. When you want to pick up wherever you left off on your Mac on your iPhone or iPad, a little icon will appear above your Safari icon. Tap on Safari and it will allow you to select whatever page you want to continue browsing.

Taking a screenshot

Unlike Windows computers that come with a snipping tool program for taking snippets of the screen, Mac offers an easy option of clicking CMD+ Shift+ 4, which gives you a cursor option to click and drag the area you wish to capture. On the other hand, pressing CMD+Shift+3 captures the entire screen.

Hide or Customize the Menu Bar

Hiding and revealing the menu bar at will is a useful macOS 12 tips and tricks.

Go to System Preferences > General, then click "Automatically hide and show the menu bar." This will ensure that the menu bar pops up only when needed. If you want to keep your Menu bar and customize it, you can hold Command and drag the icons into different places, or remove them all together.

Change music source easily

Changing music source easily is another essential tip very macOS 12 owners needs to know, especially if you frequently pair Bluetooth headphones with your Mac. Make the changing of your audio output source less annoying by;

Accessing System Preferences > Sound and check off "show sound in menu bar." You can then change the volume from said menu bar, and hold Option while clicking on the icon to quickly change the source.

Share your Chromebook

As we have mentioned before the Chromebook is, in some sense, a very private computer. It’s directly linked to your Google account so anyone gaining access to your Chromebook means they can view your photos, check your emails, read your notes among many other things. In a way, it’s not easy to share your Chromebook as it’s with Windows-based computers. So, what if someone asks to use your Chromebook for a while, say your sister or someone from your family? Well, you can create a separate account or better, take advantage of the “Guest Mode”. It lets you access most of the Chrome OS features without adding any account. Open the Quick Settings menu from the bottom-right corner and sign out of your current profile. Now, click on “Guest Mode” at the bottom and you will be in a temporary profile.