7 Mac Tricks You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

These will make you master macOS

#1. Preview Links Quickly

I discovered Quick Look when I was quite frustrated that day (don’t remember why) and pressed the Trackpad a bit hard. Then, the definition of the word behind the pointer popped up.

For definitions

So, if you don’t know the meaning of a word in a doc or pdf, just hover the pointer over it, and press the Trackpad harder than usual i.e., Force Touch (you can feel two jerks while doing it).

This replaces the longer process of:

• Selecting it,
• right-clicking it, and
• hitting Look Up .

You may try it with Gobbledygook, right here.

For links

If you’re in a sea of links (e.g., Wikipedia page), do the same to a link to “preview” it.

This works great in Mail, Safari, and especially in YouTube. Do it for a side-by recommended YouTube video to preview it (with audio!).

#2. Copy Links Quickly

If you really liked a video or an article you just read on Safari, and would like to share it with a friend, you should first copy its link, right?

Do this: hit

• ⌘ + L (to select the address)
• ⌘ + C (to copy it)

It’s so instant.

The traditional way of dragging the pointer towards the address bar is so longer than this.

#3. Open Links In Background

Say you’re researching on something and you find dozens of links on Google you’d like to open. Going to every page and coming back to open another one is weary.

Instead, click on each link on the page while holding ⌘. And they’ll load in fresh tabs in background.

Happy researching :)

Bonus tip

Click ⌥ + ⌘ + ←/→ to visit the previous or next tab, and ⌘ + W to close it.

#4. Change A Folder’s Icon

I love the fact Macs are customisable and hate the fact the related settings are hard to find.

Do you know you can change a folder’s icon on your Mac? Here’s how.

• Copy an image (jpeg, png, ico, or any).
• Right click on a folder and click Get Info (Or use ⌘ + I).
• Click on the folder icon at the top.

• Click Edit → Paste on the Menu Bar. (Or simply drag and drop the image on the folder icon).
• Close everything. Now see your folder waving hi with its new icon.

Custom icons help identify folders easily, and it looks super cool.

#5. Create A Folder With Secret Files

Even if you feel you don’t need a folder for secret files, keep reading. This might help you someday.

Say you don’t want to show your friend the photos you took at a party, and don’t know how to encrypt a folder too, do this.

• Add all the photos to a new folder with the name — say project files, pdf docs, or any other normal name.
• Right click on it, and click on Get Info (Or use ⌘ + I).
• Type "Party Photos" in Comments section.
• Close.

Now he won’t even think of opening the supposedly boring folder with project files or pdf docs.

Even if you forget the name of the folder, there’s no problem.

Open Spotlight (⌘ + space), and type "Party Photos" and the folder pops up, wherever it is.

#6. Permanently Delete Files

I always had to double-delete files on my Mac. Once in local storage, and once in Bin.

But the other day, I discovered a way to permanently delete files (like ⇧ + Delete in Windows) → hold ⌥ while you delete i.e., use ⌥ + ⌘ + delete.

#7. Hide An Open Window (or All Except It)

Visit my house and see my Mac. I always have at least 3–4 windows open and I hate it.

To minimise a window that I didn’t need at that moment, I clicked its yellow button at its top-left corner, and it disappeared with genie effect. But it’s an arduous process.

Here’s an easier way I discovered later.

Click ⌘ + H to hide an open window, or click ⌥ + ⌘ + H to hide all open windows except the active one.

For more a’macOS’zing tricks, read these

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