We spend far too much time tinkering with OS X, and over the years we've picked up countless quick tips that make spending 12 or 14 hours a day in Apple's OS a bit more bearable.
Have a look through our favorite tricks for the latest Mac OS X release, version 10.6 (aka "Snow Leopard"). From handy keyboard shortcuts to under-the-radar features, all of these tricks are accessible without downloading any additional software.
Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments! You can also upload your favorite Mac tips to our slideshow via the "Add a Slide" tool.
25 Tips Every Mac User Should Know
Tap To Click(01 of27)
When you're clicking thousands of times a day, that extra couple of millimeters required to click the trackpad button adds up. Turn on "Tap to Click" by going to System Preferences > Trackpad on your Apple laptop.
Change Your Views(02 of27)
While browsing any Finder window, tap Command-1 through Command-4 to quickly move between different views, ranging from a grid layout to CoverFlow.
Set Login Items(03 of27)
Sick of clicking the dock or jumping into the Applications folder to open up the same five apps every time you turn your computer on? Fire up System Preferences, click Accounts, and select Login Items. Here, you'll be able to add and delete apps that automatically start when you log in. Add your favorite browser, Twitter client, and mail app, and enjoy some coffee the next time you wait for your computer to get itself ready for you.
Make Calculations Via 'Spotlight'(04 of27)
No need to grab your calculator or open the Calculator app for your simple calculations; simply launch Spotlight (Command-Space) and type in your basic math.
Power-Up Your App Switching(05 of27)
Most people know that hitting Command-Tab cycles through your currently running apps, but a two finger swipe or spin of the scroll wheel lets you quickly select the app you want with just a flick of your finger. While Command-Tabbing to move between apps, you can quit or hide an app while the cursor is over it by tapping Q or H.
Take Screenshots(06 of27)
To take a picture of your entire screen, hit Command-Shift-3; you'll hear a shutter sound and the screenshot will be saved to the Desktop. For more control, Command-Shift-4 brings up crosshairs to let you manually capture a certain part of your screen.
Make Your Icons Bigger (Or Smaller)(07 of27)
While using the Finder, hit Command-J (or View > Show View Options) to manually set the size of your icons. It's great for quickly browsing big folders of photos.
Super-Charge Your Mouse(08 of27)
If you're a multi-button mouse users, you apply your OS X Expose commands to your mouse. A quick tap of the assigned button quickly shows all open windows. Even better, other buttons can be assigned to push all windows off the edge of the screen so you can quickly find something on the desktop and get back to what you were working on.
Quickly Hide The Dock(09 of27)
Simple enough: hide (and recover) the Dock by tapping Command-Option-D.
Define Words Within Apps (10 of27)
In most apps, you can highlight any word and hold down Command-Control-D to get a pop-up definition from OS X's built-in dictionary. (Some third-party apps don't support this feature.)
Stealthily Hide Apps(11 of27)
Boss coming over while you're finishing up a game of Angry Birds? Tap Command-H to instantly hide the app you're currently using. Command-option-H hides all apps running in the background. You can also tap Command-Option-M to minimize all the windows in an app to the Dock. The completely desperate can tap Command-Option-Shift-Q to immediately log out.
Silence Those Pesky Volume 'Pops'(12 of27)
By default, volume changes in OS X are accompanied by subtle pops. Fortunately, you can turn this off by heading to System Preferences > Sound > Sound Effects. Pro tip: hold down option and hit one of the sound controls at the top of the keyboard to instantly open the Sound preference pane.
Find Out Where You've Saved A File(13 of27)
In document-based applications like TextEdit and Preview, command-clicking (or right-clicking) the icon at the top of the window reveals exactly where the file is saved. It's handy for when you're not sure where you've saved something and don't want to search via Spotlight.
Simplify Finder Windows(14 of27)
The inconspicuous button on the top right of every Finder window is actually used to collapse the sidebar of the current window. If you prefer a key command, tap Command-Option-S.
Dig Deep(15 of27)
If you're buried deep in your photo archives and need to quickly move back out, Command-up (or Command-[) on they directional keypad will pull you back a directory. Similarly, tapping Command-Down (Command-]) takes you deeper into the system.
Reveal Your Path(16 of27)
The Path Bar lets you see exactly where you are in the Finder. Click View > Show Path Bar while in the Finder, and a clickable list of your path will appear in windows.
Pull Up Your App Folder(17 of27)
Command-Option-A, tapped from anywhere in the Finder, whisks you to the Applications folder. Similarly, Command-Option-D opens up a new Finder window showing off your Desktop.
Open Files From The Dialogue Box(18 of27)
When you're in the open dialogue box in most apps, you sometimes want to actually interact with the file back in the finder. Usually, this involves hiding all the windows, navigating to the correct folder in the Finder, and generally too much clicking. Instead, while in the Open dialogue, just hit Command-R, and a Finder window will open with that file selected.
Switch Windows Within The Same App(19 of27)
Here's one of our favorites: tapping Command-~ functions much like Command-Tab for moving between different apps. So, if you've got multiple Word documents or browser windows open, Command-~ lets you switch between the windows without having to reach for your mouse.
Adjust Advanced Volume Settings(20 of27)
Ever get frustrated by having to jump into System Preferences to change the audio input or output? The unassuming volume menu bar icon is magically transformed into an input/output menu with a simple Option-click. Unfortunately, this works on Snow Leopard only. For everyone else, we recommend the free SoundSource.
Keep Front Row Quiet(21 of27)
If you've ever overshot Command-Q and accidentally hit the escape key, you'll know that the latter will bring up the sluggish Front Row app. Fortunately, you can turn this off. Head to System Preferences > Keyboard > Front Row and deselect the shortcut.
Clean Up Menu Bar Clutter(22 of27)
We've installed hundreds of programs and utilities over the years, so it's no surprise our menu bar gets a little cluttered. Remove the tools you don't use by holding down Command, clicking on the tool, and dragging it off. Note: this doesn't work with most third party tools, which require you to adjust their preferences individually to remove the menu bar icon.
Kill Widgets(23 of27)
Quickly kill OS X widgets -- running too many will slow down your computer -- by pulling up the Widget layer, holding down the option key and clicking the "x" that appears on the corner of each widget.
Force Quit(24 of27)
Apps freezing on you? Tap Command-Option-Escape to bring up the Force Quit window and kill the offender.
Invert The Screen(25 of27)
Just for fun, Option-Control-Command-8 inverts the colors on your screen. Once the headache kicks in, press the same combination to revert to normal.
Huffington Post(26 of27)
Geraldine V Tyrance:
The faces™ concept is the fastest note recognition tool in the music industry.
The faces™ concept is the fastest note recognition tool in the music industry.
How to Change/Customize your Desktop Icons to your Liking(27 of27)
Here, by clicking on the Finder Tab "View --------> View Options". This opens up a new mini window of how to customize your desktop icons. Size, spacing, etc. Great way to organize your icons and keep neat! Take care!
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