When we learn a new language, it’s helpful to start with the basics, such as vocabulary and grammar. If we were to dive in without knowing these things, we’d have a hard time becoming fluent. In the same way, Take Control of Mac Basics is a primer for your Mac, giving you the basic facts and concepts you need, then moving on to explain how to put them to use in order to become “fluent” in macOS.

But Take Control of Mac Basics is also meant for anyone—whether beginner, intermediate, or beyond—who wants to fill in any missing gaps in their knowledge of the Mac. Providing a carefully arranged and cross-referenced guide to the Mac, Take Control of Mac Basics brings together dozens of essential Mac topics in one place. Drawing on her years of experience as the former editor in chief of Take Control, author Tonya Engst presents a wealth of information in an easy-to-use format.

After you read this book, you’ll be able to: 

• Meet and greet: Find out the names of the interface elements on your Mac screen and learn what you can do with them, including the menu bar, Apple menu, applications menu, Siri, Spotlight, Notification Center, Finder, Finder windows, Dock, and Desktop. You’ll also be introduced to each built-in app and utility on your Mac, and get expert advice on how to locate, install, and update additional apps.
• Use the Finder: Become confident with using the folders available to you on your Mac and with filing your files in both default and custom folders that work well for you. You’ll find lots of tips for working on the Desktop, customizing the views in your windows, resizing windows, and understanding Mac paths.
• Manage Customization: Discover the many ways you can make your Mac work better for you, including making it more secure, easier to see, less of a power hog, more beautiful to look at, and better to share with a child. Also learn how a wide variety of settings in System Preferences can improve the way you carry out essential tasks, such as copy/paste between your Mac and your iPhone, speaking through headphones on a FaceTime or Skype call, and viewing recent text messages or upcoming calendar events.
• Run Apps Effectively: Understand the best methods for getting in and out of apps, having apps launch on their own, quitting apps, dealing with frozen apps, opening new files, saving files, and more.
• Master Essential Tasks: Build your expertise with core Mac tasks and technologies including printing, copy and paste, keyboard shortcuts, connecting to a Wi-Fi network (even if you don’t know the password), Universal Clipboard, Mission Control, AirPlay, Sleep, Shut Down, what to do if you need to enter a Unix command in Terminal, how to think about backups, and more.