Getting the most out of your Mac

Apple releases new updates for the Mac fairly regularly, and with the constant changes it’s easy to miss out on new and handy features that could save you time and change the way you use your computer. We’ve listed below some of the best lesser-known features from recent updates.

Muting Safari tabs
How many times have you opened a bunch of tabs and been greeted with random audio blaring from one? You can mute your whole computer to shut it up, but if you were listening to or watching something through another application, that can be a bit of an annoyance. Fortunately, there’s an easier way to shush that tab, all you need to do is locate the blue speaker icon in the browser bar and you can quickly mute any unwanted audio playing from Safari.

Automatic suggestions when viewing your email
When you receive a new email, your Mac will automatically scour the content for new information that isn’t already in your records, such as an upcoming event or information for an unknown contact. If something is located, a new line will appear at the top of the message letting you know, and with one simple click you can add the new event to your calendar or create a new contact without having to type anything in yourself.

Keeping your desktop cleaner than ever
When organising the application dock at the bottom or side of your screen, you might have noticed there’s an option to hide it between uses, meaning it only makes itself visible when you hover your mouse where the dock usually displays. You can also use this trick on your menu bar by going into System Preferences, General, and then checking the “Automatically hide and show the menu bar” option. The result of hiding both bars is a neat and minimalist screen environment, which can be improved further by deleting or archiving any icons and files dotted around your desktop.

Syncing and locking your notes
If your Apple devices are synced to an iCloud account, any notes created on your iPhone should immediately appear in your iPad or Mac notes library too. This feature is great for saving items such as web addresses, photos and to-do lists, which can then be viewed or completed across all of your devices. Another handy addition to the notes app is the option to secure any individual notes using a padlock icon, ensuring that anyone without access to your password won’t be able to read them if you happen to leave your device lying around unlocked.

Live photo viewing
Live photos have been available on your phone since the release of the iPhone 6s, but did you know you can view them on your Mac as well? Simply hover your mouse over the thumbnail of the photo you wish to view, change it to full screen, click on the live logo at the bottom left of the image, and watch it come to life!