508-909-5961 [email protected]

Improve your new MacBook’s functionality with these tipsMacBooks are among the most in-demand devices for both work and personal use, primarily because of their user-friendly interface and robust security. They also have their sleek, minimalist design going for them. So if you’ve finally given in and bought yourself a MacBook, you’ll want to make the most of your new toy — and […]

The post Improve your new MacBook’s functionality with these tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Improve your new MacBook’s functionality with these tips

MacBooks are among the most in-demand devices for both work and personal use, primarily because of their user-friendly interface and robust security. They also have their sleek, minimalist design going for them. So if you’ve finally given in and bought yourself a MacBook, you’ll want to make the most of your new toy — and here’s how you can do that.

Go through the basics

When you first turn on your MacBook, a setup assistant will walk you through the process of configuring your computer. The assistant will prompt you to select your country and language, as well as create a user account and Apple ID, if you don’t already have one.

You’ll also be asked if you want to enable the following services:

  • FileVault – encrypts your hard drive
  • iCloud Keychain – manages passwords and Wi-Fi credentials on Apple devices
  • Find My Mac – helps track down lost Apple devices together with the Find My app
  • Touch ID – MacBook’s built-in fingerprint reader, which can be used for signing in to the device and apps, switch users, and approve Apple Pay purchases

Check for updates

Apple releases regular updates to macOS. If a new one has been released since your MacBook was built, there’s a way to make sure you don’t miss out on the latest features and patches. Simply click the Apple icon on the upper-left corner of your screen and select System Preferences. If any updates are available, install them by clicking on Update Now or More Info to see the details about the updates.

Choose a default browser

Safari is the default browser on Apple devices, and many users prefer it over other browsers for several reasons. But if you don’t like Safari, you can easily change your default browser to Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox. Simply go to System Preferences > General and select the browser of your choice.

Configure the Dock

The Dock is used to launch and switch between applications on macOS devices. By default, it’s located at the bottom of the screen, but you can move it to the left or right by going to System Preferences > Dock. Under “Position on screen,” choose Left or Right.

You can also make room on the Dock for the apps that you frequently use. To add an app to the Dock, open it and right-click on its icon in the Dock. From the menu that appears, go to Option > Keep in Dock. To remove apps that you don’t need from the Dock, click on its icon and drag it to the desktop until “Remove” appears above the icon.

Set up Siri

Apple’s virtual assistant is enabled by default on your MacBook, but if you prefer not to use it, go to System Preferences > Siri and uncheck the box for "Enable Ask Siri." You could also switch Voice Feedback to Off if you want to mute Siri and get responses to your queries as text displayed on your screen.

If you do decide to keep Siri around, you can choose a language and voice for your assistant as well as the apps Siri can learn from and make suggestions. You can also customize a keyboard shortcut to activate Siri.

Flip the scrolling direction

By default, moving two fingers down a MacBook’s trackpad makes the view scroll down an open document or website on your screen. You can change your trackpad’s scrolling direction so that the same gesture makes the view scroll up. Go to System Preferences > Trackpad, and under the Scroll & Zoom tab, uncheck "Scroll direction: Natural."

Set your screen to lock automatically

Keep unauthorized users out of your MacBook by setting the screen to lock automatically after the system has been idle for a while. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General. Under the “Require password...after sleep or screen saver begins” option, select “immediately” from the drop-down menu.

Download and install iOS apps

The latest crop of MacBooks run on Apple’s M1 chip — this means that MacBooks and iOS devices now share the same processor architecture. This allows you to install and use compatible iOS apps on your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or Mac Mini.

To download iPhone and iPad apps onto your MacBook, go to the Mac App Store. Note that not all apps in the store are macOS-compatible, but developers are working on optimizing their apps for MacBooks, which means it may only be a matter of time before your favorite iOS apps become available for your new computer.

Got questions about your MacBook or other Apple devices? Get the answers you need and more from our experts. Give us a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Improve your new MacBook’s functionality with these tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More

7 Tips on customizing your Windows 10 PCGetting tired of looking at the same old interface of your Windows PC? That’s not a problem with Windows 10. Here are some of the many ways you can customize your PC and make it a better fit for your work or leisure needs. Change your themes The most notable way to personalize Windows 10 […]

The post 7 Tips on customizing your Windows 10 PC appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

7 Tips on customizing your Windows 10 PC

Getting tired of looking at the same old interface of your Windows PC? That’s not a problem with Windows 10. Here are some of the many ways you can customize your PC and make it a better fit for your work or leisure needs.

Change your themes

The most notable way to personalize Windows 10 is by changing your background and lock screen images. Do this by right-clicking anywhere on your desktop and choosing Personalize. Here, you can choose and preview different backgrounds and themes you can use. You can even add new themes by using images from your gallery or by clicking Get more themes in the Microsoft Store.

Use dark mode

Want to give your Windows 10 an edgier feel? Right-click on your desktop and choose Personalize. Go to Colors. Under Choose your color, select Dark. This changes the colors of your windows and menus from white or gray to black, and text from black to white. The colors on websites and third-party apps remain unchanged, however.

To restore your default settings, repeat the process but click Light.

Virtual desktops

If you’re having trouble separating your work files from your personal files, try creating a virtual desktop. Press the Windows key + TAB to show all your open windows. Click on the Add a new desktop button at the upper left corner of your screen to create a virtual desktop. While viewing your open windows, you can click and drag windows from one desktop to another.

To quickly switch between desktops, use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Windows key + left/right arrow. Remove a virtual desktop by pressing Windows key + TAB. Click on the X button on the desktop you want to erase.

App snapping

App snapping is not exactly a new feature, but Windows 10 lets you snap any app in place. Snap an app window by dragging it into any of the four corners of your screen. This changes your window to a fourth of your screen size, allowing you to view multiple windows at once. You can have a maximum of four separate windows simultaneously open in your monitor.

Reorganize your Start Menu

To add a little more “you” to your Windows PC, you can customize how your apps are arranged on the Start menu. For one, you can resize the Start menu by simply dragging the top or right side of the menu.

You can also resize the live tiles by right-clicking on them and selecting Resize. You can also rearrange application tiles by dragging them anywhere around the Start menu. If you won’t be using a particular application, simply right-click the tile and select Unpin from Start. On the other hand, if you want to pin applications to the Start menu, right-click on an app and choose Pin to Start.

For even faster access to apps, simply pin the programs to the taskbar.

Change color themes

Is the plain black Start menu not doing it for you anymore? Just right-click on your desktop, choose Personalize, go to Color, and select any accent color that pleases you. Tick the checkboxes under Show accent color on the following surfaces if you want this color applied to the Start menu, taskbar, action center, and title bars.

Disable notifications

We don’t know where you stand on app notifications, but if you absolutely hate them and wish to never get them ever again, press the Windows key and click on the gear icon to open your Settings. Click System and select Notifications & Actions. Switch off whatever app notifications you don’t want.

Switch up and personalize your Windows 10 however you like by using some or all of these options. If you want more ways to personalize your desktop or if you need information on anything Windows 10-related, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post 7 Tips on customizing your Windows 10 PC appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More