Macs For Dummies®, 14th edition
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Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2016938698
ISBN 978-1-119-23961-1 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-23963-5 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-23962-8 (ebk)
What an amazing time to get to know the Mac. For years, these elegantly designed computers have been models of simplicity and virus-free stability. But that’s never stopped Apple from making these machines even harder to resist by applying stunning changes.
You can benefit from what remains the best marriage in personal computing — the blessed union between Mac hardware and Mac software. You also don’t have to ditch the Microsoft Windows–based software you currently use out of habit, due to business obligations, or because you don’t know any better.
Indeed, this book partially targets Windows vets who are at least thinking about defecting to the Mac. It’s also squarely aimed at people who are new to computers — and the Internet — period. And though this book is primarily for beginners, I trust that people who have already dabbled in computers in general and Macs in particular will find it useful.
A word about the For Dummies franchise, of which I’m proud to be a part: These books are built around the idea that all of us feel like dopes whenever we tackle something new, especially when the subject at hand (technology) reeks with a jargon-y stench.
I happen to know that you don’t have a dummy bone in your body, and the publishers at Wiley know it too. Au contraire. (How dumb can you be if you speak French?) If anything, you’ve already demonstrated smarts by purchasing this book. You’re ready to plunge into the best computing environment I know.
Because you’re so intelligent, you’re probably wondering, “Who is this guy asking me for 400 pages or so of my time?” Go ahead and read my bio, which appears in the back of the book.
What you won’t find in the bio is this: I’m a relative latecomer to the Mac. I grew up on MS-DOS computing and then migrated to Windows, like most of the rest of the world. I still use Windows machines every day.
But I’ve long since become a devoted Mac convert, and I use my various Apples every day, too. (No snide remarks, please; I find time for other pursuits.)
The most foolish assumption that I can make as a writer of a book like this is to assume I should reach out to one specific type of reader. Not the way to go, friends. My assumption — not foolish at all, actually — is that all of you are coming at this from different levels of computing knowledge, from tyro to more seasoned user, if not quite a full-fledged computer engineer or programmer. Maybe this entire computing world is foreign to you. Maybe you’re the only one on your block who hasn’t spent any time on the Internet, or at least it seems that way. Or maybe you’re just new to Apple’s way of doing things. Heck, you can just rely on this book as a reference when you need an assist at troubleshooting.
My takeaway: You need not apologize for what you do or don’t know. As I laid out the groundwork for your Mac education, I’ve tried explaining the stuff that needs explaining without talking down to those of you who’ve already mastered this or that topic. Back when I started as a journalist, one of my editors occasionally added the acronym “DARK” to my raw copy. It stood for “Don’t Assume Reader Knows.” It’s a piece of advice that has served me well through the years.
Sprinkled in the margins of these pages are little pictures, or icons. I use the following four throughout this book.
A Remember icon means that a point of emphasis is here. So along with remembering your spouse’s birthday and where you put the house keys, you may want to retain some of this stuff.
I present the Tip icon when a shortcut or recommendation may make the task at hand faster or simpler.
Some percentage of For Dummies readers get so hooked on computing that they become the geeks of tomorrow. These people will welcome the presence of these pointy-faced little icons. Others among you would rather swallow turpentine than read an overly technical passage. You can safely ignore this material. (Still, won’t you be the least bit curious about what you may be missing?)
This icon is my way of saying, “Pay heed to this passage and proceed gingerly, lest you wreak the kind of havoc that can cause real and possibly permanent damage to your computer and (by extension) your wallet.”
At the time I wrote this book, I covered every Mac model available and the latest versions of Mac OS X and other Mac software. Apple occasionally slips in a new Mac model or a new version of OS X between book editions. For details about significant updates or changes that occur between editions of this book, go to www.dummies.com, search for Macs For Dummies, and open the Download tab on this book’s dedicated page.
In addition, the cheat sheet for this book has handy Mac shortcuts, comparisons to Windows terminology, and tips on other cool features worth checking out. To get to the cheat sheet, go to www.dummies.com, and type Macs For Dummies in the Search box.
I’ve made every effort to get things right and present them in a coherent manner. But if I’ve erred in any way, confused you, made you mad, whatever, drop me an email at baigdummies@gmail.com. I truly welcome your comments and suggestions, and I’ll do my best to respond to reasonable queries in a timely fashion. I encourage you to follow me on Twitter, too; @edbaig is my Twitter handle. (If you’re unfamiliar with how Twitter works, you can find out more about it in this book, too.)
One thing is for sure: Mac people aren’t shy about voicing their opinions. Oh, and because all writers have fragile egos, feel free to send complimentary comments my way too.
Above all, I hope you have fun reading the book, and more important, I hope you have a grand old time with your Mac. Thanks for buying the book.
Part 1
IN THIS PART …
Get to know the lay of the Mac landscape by familiarizing yourself with the tools of the Mac trade.
Find out how to do Mac basics — such as turning on your Mac, working with the mouse and keyboard, and running applications
See how to get around the Mac desktop and how to navigate the folder structure on your storage drive.
Check out the many Macs to choose from when looking to fulfill your computing needs.
Chapter 1
IN THIS CHAPTER
Discovering why your computer is special
Conversing with your computer
Introducing the essentials life
Getting work done
Going outside the box
Computing safely
Forgive me for getting too personal right off the bat, but next to your spouse or significant other, is there anyone or anything you touch more often than a computer keyboard? Or gaze at more intensely than a monitor?
If this is your initial dalliance with a Macintosh, you’re probably already smitten — and quite possibly at the start of a lifelong affair.
Despite its good looks, the Mac (whichever model you choose) is much more than a trophy computer. You can admire the machine for flaunting intelligent design, versatility, and toughness. A Mac can take care of itself. As of this writing, the Mac has avoided the scourge of viruses that from time to time have plagued PCs based on Microsoft Windows. Apple’s darlings are a lot more stable, too, so they crash and burn less often.
You shouldn’t be alarmed that far fewer people own Macs compared with PCs. That’s like saying fewer people drive Ferraris than drive Chevys. Strength in numbers is overrated — and even at that, the trend toward Apple’s computers is in plus territory. Besides, as a new member of the Mac community, consider the company you are about to keep. Mac owners tend to belong to the cool crowd: artists, designers, performers, and (can’t resist this one) writers.
Sure, these same people can be smug at times. I’ve had Mac mavens go ballistic on me for penning positive reviews that weren’t flattering enough, or for even daring to suggest that Macs aren’t always perfect. The machines come pretty darn close, though, so you’re in for a treat if you’re new to the Mac. It’s been suggested that most Windows users go to their computers to complete the task at hand and be done with it. The Mac owner also gets things done, of course. The difference is that using machines branded with the Apple logo tends to be a labor of love. Moreover, with Intel chips inside Macs, Apple’s computer can double as a pretty darn effective Windows machine.
Apple has a tremendous advantage over the companies promoting Windows PCs because it’s the single entity responsible for producing not only the computer itself, but also the important software that choreographs the way the system behaves. Everything is simpatico.
This situation is in stark contrast to the traditional ways of the PC world. Companies such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo manufacture hardware. Microsoft produces the Windows software that fuels the machines. Sure, these companies maintain close ties, but they just don’t share Apple’s blood relationships.
You’ll find a variety of Macintoshes meant to sit on top of your desk — thus the term desktop computer. These Macs are discussed in greater detail in Chapter 4. Just know for now that the main examples of the breed are the iMac, the Mac mini, and the Mac Pro.
Mac laptops, so named because they rest on your lap and are portable, are the MacBook Pro, the Twiggy-thin MacBook Air, and the even–Twiggyer MacBook. (You remember the svelte 1960s supermodel Twiggy, right?) They’re often referred to as notebook computers or just plain notebooks. Like spiral-bound paper notebooks, they can fit into a briefcase or backpack. These days, MacBook Pros are also anorexic.
Haven’t settled on which Mac to buy? This book provides assistance. Cheap advice: If you can eyeball the computers in person, by all means do so. Apple operates more than 460 retail stores worldwide, mostly in North America. You also find retail outlets in the United Kingdom, Italy, China, France, Spain, Germany, Japan, and elsewhere. Trolling through these high-tech candy stores is a delight. Of course, you can also buy Macs on the Internet or in traditional bricks-and-mortar computer and electronics stores.
Just be prepared to part with some loot. Although the gap between the cost of PCs and Macs is narrowing, you typically pay more for a Mac than for a comparable unit on the PC side.
(Uh-oh! The Mac diehards are boiling at that remark. I can practically see their heads exploding as they rant, “There’s no such thing as a comparable Windows machine.”)
As you might imagine, a full range of peripherals complement the Mac. Although much of what you create in bits and bytes, to put it in computer-speak, stays in that electronic form, at some point, you’re probably going to want to print your work — on old-fashioned paper, no less. Fortunately, a number of excellent printers work with Macs. I provide details in Chapter 8.
You may also choose a scanner, which in some respects is the opposite of a printer. That’s because you start with an image already in paper form and then scan it — translate it into a form that your computer can understand and display. Okay, so you can also scan from slides or microfiche, but you get my point.
Many machines combine printing and scanning functions, often with copier and fax capabilities too. These are multifunction, or all-in-one, devices.
The Mac isn’t at all standoffish, like some human objects of affection. It’s friendly and approachable. In the following sections, I tell you how.
Every mainstream computer in operation today employs what’s called a graphical user interface, or GUI. The Mac’s GUI is arguably the most inviting of all. It consists of colorful objects or pictures on your screen, plus windows and menus (for more, see Chapter 3). You interact with these by using a computer mouse or other pointing device to tell your machine and its various programs how to behave. The latest Macs also incorporate multitouch gestures that control actions on the screen; your fingers glide across a touchpad (on Mac laptops) or the Magic Trackpad 2 accessory that you can purchase to use with a desktop. You can also use gestures on the surface of the Magic Mouse. Either approach sure beats typing instructions as arcane commands or taking a crash course in programming. For that matter, OS X El Capitan, the operating system that you’ll get cozy with throughout this book, lets you use voice commands and dictation as well.
Given the Mac’s versatility, I’ve often thought it would make a terrific product to peddle on one of those late-night infomercials. “It slices, it dices. Why it even does more than a Ginsu Knife or Popeil Pocket Fisherman!”
Indeed, have you ever paused to consider what a computer is, anyhow? Consider a few of a computer’s most primitive (albeit handy) functions. A Mac can tell time, display family portraits, solve arithmetic problems, play movies, and let you chat with friends. I daresay that you didn’t surrender a grand or two or more for a simple clock, photo album, calculator, media player, or telephone, but it’s sure nice having all those capabilities in one place. And as that announcer on TV might bark, “That’s not all, folks.”
I can’t possibly rattle off all the nifty things a Mac can do in one section, and new uses are being found every day. (Many software programs preloaded on new Macs get their own sections later in this chapter, and I encourage you to read the rest of the book.) But whether you bought or intend to buy a Mac for work, play, or more likely some combination of the two, some little birdie tells me that the contents of the Mac’s tool chest will surpass your expectations.
I’m confident that you’ll spend many pleasurable hours in front of your computer. At the end of the day, though, you’re going to want to show other people how productive and clever you’ve been. So whether you produce legal briefs, spiffy newsletters for the PTA, or music CDs for your summer house’s beach bash, the Mac will make you proud.
All the latest Macs are loaded with a terrific suite of software programs. These were collectively called iLife to help you master the digital lifestyle you’re about to become accustomed to and are now lumped together as essentials in the App Store. Here’s a sneak preview:
Macs of recent vintage also come with productivity software, an application suite that helps you … well, get work done. That’s why these were grouped together as iWork apps, Apple’s answer to Microsoft’s Office productivity suite (versions of which, by the way, also work on the Mac). The iWork name no longer formally applies either, but the reasons to use these programs surely does. The Mac iterations of these apps are similar to versions on Apple’s iOS 9 devices, most notably the iPad, as well as web-browser based versions for Macs and Windows. Apple’s productive trio includes
The modern computing experience extends well beyond the inner workings of the physical contraption on your desk. Computing is more about what occurs in the magical kingdom of cyberspace, better known as the Internet.
In Chapter 9, you discover all there is to know about finding your way to the Internet and the many paths you can take when you get there. The Mac comes with the software you need to get started (and the circuitry required) to connect online through fast broadband methods. And throughout this book you'll hang out in iCloud, Apple’s place to manage photos, music, documents, contacts, calendars, and a lot more, across all the Macs you own and other devices too.
Ask a few people to explain what networking is all about, and they’ll probably utter something about trying to meet and cozy up to influential people who might help them advance their careers or social lives.
A Mac can help with such things, too, but that’s not the kind of networking I have in mind. Computer networks are about having two or more machines communicate with one another. Getting online to connect with various online outposts is a kind of networking (your computer connects with a web host, which is another type of computer, to put it simply). You can also set up a network that enables your Mac to share files, pictures, music, a printer, and more with other Macs or Windows computers in your home.
This second type of networking can get kind of geeky, though Apple does as good a job as anyone of helping to simplify the process. You can network by connecting certain cords and cables. The preferred method is to do so without wires by using Wi-Fi. Networking is explained in Chapter 17.
No matter how much care went into producing these beautiful computers, when all is said and done, we’re talking about physical contraptions filled with circuits and silicon. Machines break or at the very least get cranky. So drop by Chapter 19, where I outline common troubleshooting steps to ensure that you and your computer develop your relationship gracefully. It’s the high-tech alternative to couples counseling.
Chapter 2
IN THIS CHAPTER
Turning on the computer and getting set up
Taming the mouse
Keying in on the keyboard
Saving your work
Mastering memory
Finding common ports and connectors
Have you taken the plunge and purchased a Mac? If so, you’ve made a fabulous decision.
I bet you’re dying to get started. Maybe you began without even reading these initial instructions. Fine with me. No offense taken. The Mac is intuitive, after all, and the title on this cover notwithstanding, you’re no dummy. I know, because you had the good sense to buy a Macintosh — and this book. Besides, what would it say about Apple’s product designers if they couldn’t make you understand how to turn on the computer?
If you didn’t jump the gun, that’s cool too. That’s why your humble servant … um, author is here.
To borrow a line from a famous musical, “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start …” In the “Do-Re-Mi” of Macintosh computing, plugging the computer into the wall is a very good place to start. If you bought a Mac laptop, you won’t even have to do that (though I still recommend you do so) because Apple has partially charged the machine. In either case, it doesn’t get a whole lot more complicated from there.
Take a second to locate the On, or power, button. Where it resides depends on the Mac model you purchased, but finding it shouldn’t be too taxing. I’ll even give away the secret on recently issued models. On the latest iMacs, the On button is on the bottom-left back panel of the monitor (when you’re facing the monitor). On Mac laptops, the button is at the top-right corner of the keyboard.
Go ahead and press the On button now. To let you know that all is peachy (or should I say Apple-y?), you hear a musical chime while the Apple logo briefly shows up on the screen in front of a gray or black background. A spinning gear appears just below the Apple logo.
Powering up a new Mac for the first time may make you feel like you’re entering the United Nations. After the Apple logo disappears, a lengthy interrogation process commences. I’ve broken it down into a (more or less) step-by-step process for you:
Choose your language.
You’re kindly instructed to pledge allegiance to a particular language. In fact, Apple welcomes you in more than 30 languages, with greetings like Welkom, Tevetuloa, Vitejte, Bem-vindos, Deutsch als Standardsprache verwenden, and Gebruik Nederlands als hoofdtaal. If you don’t know what languages these phrases represent, you probably should make another choice. As you move up or down the list, you may hear an audible voice explaining how to set up your Mac. “To use English as the main language, press the Return key” is what most people will hear initially, because English is the top choice in the list. But as you highlight alternative options, you’ll hear instructions in other languages.
In fact, you have the option throughout the process to take advantage of VoiceOver, the Mac’s built-in screen reader. Press 
+F5 to turn it on here (or later on to turn it on). Make your selection by scrolling with the keyboard or by clicking with the mouse or trackpad (see details later in this chapter). After making the selection, press Return on the keyboard or click Continue.
Tell your nosy computer your country or region.
Because I chose English, the countries shown include the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia, and even Hong Kong SAR China. You can select the Show All check box to display dozens of other countries. You don’t need to whip out a passport. But you need to click Continue to move on. Select the Show All check box to see all the possible country options — nearly 240 at my last count.
I clicked the United States and then clicked the onscreen Continue button (a right-pointing arrow inside a circle), but you can obviously select whichever language and/or nation is appropriate for your living situation.
Select a keyboard layout.
U.S. and Canadian English are the main choices if you stuck with English. Again, you can choose Show All for additional choices.
As the cross-examination goes on select any available Wi-Fi, or wireless Internet, service to use.
You may have to enter a network password. If you don’t connect to the Internet wirelessly or for the moment lack an Internet connection, click the Other Network Options button (a circle with right- and left-pointing arrows). That’s where you can choose a wired Ethernet connection, assuming that your Mac is so equipped and that you have an available Ethernet cable. Or you can indicate that you don’t have an available Internet connection. (For more on networking, I direct you to Chapter 17.)
Transfer your user settings or data to your new Mac. If you don’t have such data or don’t want to transfer it right now, skip to Step 6.
You’re presented the option to transfer network settings, user accounts, documents, applications, files, email, and various preferences from another computer to this one. The process once typically involved connecting a FireWire cable, which you discover more about later in this chapter. But you have other options, including the speedy Thunderbolt connector that’s now standard on new Macs.
With the introduction a few years ago of the MacBook Air notebook, Apple upgraded its software so that you could migrate from another Mac wirelessly over a computer network. The reason: Air models and most Macs introduced since then lack the FireWire option. But as I just mentioned, the computers have a variety of other ports that I also discuss later in this chapter.
You may also be presented the option to transfer information from another Mac, a startup disk, or even a Windows PC. On older systems, you saw the option to transfer info from another partition on this Mac. Partition is a geeky term I’ll skip for now. Okay, a hint: Think of it as another volume though that’s kind of a geeky term too. An external hard drive would be a typical example.
Also, you can migrate from another Mac volume by using OS X’s Time Machine feature. Read Chapter 12 to find out how to go back in time. Oh, and you can also transfer information from a Windows PC.
If this is your maiden voyage on the SS Macintosh, the previous choices are unimportant. Instead, select the Not Now option and click Continue.
Don’t worry; you can always transfer settings later by using the Mac’s Migration Assistant.
Provide your Apple ID.
Your Apple ID is the credential that lets you buy songs, books, and videos in the iTunes Store, download apps in the Mac App Store, use iCloud, and more. You can use different Apple IDs for each of these features. Chances are that you already have an Apple ID if you own an iPhone or iPad.
If you don’t have an Apple ID yet, creating one is free and easy. Apple does ask for your birthday and the year that you were born, which it says it will use to determine appropriate services as well as to retrieve your password if you ever forget it (though that process hardly seems all that secure). Type your first and last name, and choose the email address that you want to use for your Apple ID — either a current address or a new free iCloud address. In choosing a new Apple ID, enter a password and choose a security question to help you retrieve that password later — perhaps the first record album you ever owned or the first celebrity you ever met. And no, Apple won’t ask for your Social Security number or driver’s-license information.
As the interrogation drill continues, decide whether to allow iCloud to use the location of your Mac.
Through the wonders of technology, the Mac can determine your approximate location, which can help you find nearby places to eat or shop, or assist you in getting from one place to another.
Cluing the Mac in on your location permits you to exploit an iCloud feature called Find My Mac, which (as its name suggests) is a way for you to find a computer that you may have inadvertently left behind in a taxi or that was — heaven forbid — stolen. (You have to turn on Location Services for Find My Mac to function.) Read more about this potential life, um, Mac-saver in Chapter 12.
Location Services also work with a variety of apps, or programs, including Twitter, Reminders, and Safari. There are lots of reasons why enabling this feature can be a good thing. Heck, Apple can even choose your time zone based on the current location of your machine. If knowing your location wigs you out from a privacy perspective, Apple understands and gives you the chance to opt out. But if you’re okay with the concept (as your humble author is), select the Enable Location Services on This Mac check box and click Continue.
Read through the legalese, and click Agree if you agree.
Before your setup is complete, you can read the terms and conditions required to use your Mac and all matters of legalese pertaining to OS X, iCloud, Game Center, Privacy, and more. You just knew the attorneys had to get their two cents in somewhere, right?
Read the next section to find out about creating your computer account.
You’re almost ready to begin touring the computer, but not quite. An important step remains. You must choose an identity, or a computer account, to tell the Mac that you’re the Grand Poobah of this particular computer. As this almighty administrator, you and you alone can subsequently add accounts for other members of your family or workplace, each with a password that keeps him or her from snooping into another user’s computing workspace (see Chapter 5).
Choose the name carefully because this name will be used on your home folder.
After doing so, you get to choose whether to take advantage of iCloud Keychain, a method of storing your passwords. I have more to say on this feature later.
Another security option follows: You get to consider FileVault Disk Encryption, which secures and locks up your data behind a password. Among the options presented here is one that allows you to unlock your disk with your iCloud account.
In the next section, you can choose to share Diagnostics & Usage data on your Mac with Apple and with third-party app developers. In theory, this can help Apple and its partners improve their products and services. You can also select a box to share crash data with app developers. Apple says that all this information is collected anonymously. Choose the options you feel comfortable with. For what it is worth, I’m okay with sharing such data.
Depending on how you set things up, you may see a welcome screen listing all the people who have user accounts on the computer, each with a personal mug shot or other graphical thumbnail next to his or her name. Click the name or picture next to your thumbnail. You’re asked to enter your password (assuming that you have one). Type it properly, and you’re transported to the main working area, or desktop.
The desktop I’m referring to here is the interface that you see on the computer display, not to be confused with a desktop-type machine.
I begin this chapter with a noble discussion of how to turn on the Mac. (Humor me if you don’t think the discussion is even remotely noble.) So even though you barely have your feet wet, I’m going to tell you how to turn off the dang thing. Don’t you just hate people who not only give away the ending (it’s the butler), but also tell you to do something and then tell you why you shouldn’t have done it?
Okay. Ready? Sayonara time:
Choose 
⇒ Shut Down.
Using the arrow-shaped cursor, which you control with your mouse or trackpad, stab the small logo in the top-left corner of the screen. Click once, and a drop-down Apple menu appears. Move the cursor down until the Shut Down entry is highlighted. You know when a command or an entry is highlighted because a blue strip appears over its name.
Pressing Enter on the keyboard or clicking Shut Down brings up what’s called a dialog (see Figure 2-1). I’m no shrink, but it’s obvious, based on the question the computer asks inside this dialog, that it suffers from separation anxiety (“Are you sure you want to shut down your computer now?”).
When the dialog box appears, you can
If you hold down the Option key when choosing Shut Down, this dialog is bypassed. If you want the computer to reopen the same windows that are open when you shut the machine down, check the box that presents this option.
FIGURE 2-1: Are you sure you want to shut down?
Apart from guilt, why not shut down? The main reason is that you can let the computer catch a few Zs without turning it off. A sleeping Mac consumes far less energy than one that’s in a conscious state. Macs don’t snore, but you know they’re alive because a dim light keeps blinking. As it turns out, your machine is a light sleeper. You can wake it up quickly by pressing any key on the keyboard. Best of all, whatever you happened to be working on is just where you left it. That’s also the case when you restart a Mac running Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks, Yosemite, or El Capitan that you’ve completely shut down, as all your open apps and documents get restored on restart by default.
If you’re going to leave the Mac on for an extended period of time, make sure that it’s plugged into a surge protector that can protect the machine from lightning. More-expensive surge protectors have backup batteries and are often referred to as UPSs, short for Uninterruptible Power Supplies.
You can make a Mac laptop go to sleep immediately by shutting its cover. Lift the cover to wake it up. To make a desktop machine go to sleep, click the Sleep command on the menu — you know, that menu at the top-left corner of the screen bearing the logo.
As part of Mountain Lion, Mavericks, Yosemite, or El Capitan, some Mac notebooks (those with built-in flash storage) can exploit a feature known as Power Nap. Though you may think your Mac is in dreamland, it still periodically updates Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, Notes, Photo Stream, Find My Mac, and an iCloud feature known as Documents in the Cloud. Don’t worry if you don’t know what all these features are; I get to them throughout the book. Just take comfort in the fact that your Mac may be sleeping, but it’s not sleeping on the job.
With Mavericks, Apple introduced a new power-saving feature called App Nap. If an open app isn’t otherwise engaged by, say, playing music or fetching a file on your behalf, your Mac can automatically put it into a drowsy state, at least until you must summon said app back to work.