You’ve just purchased one of the best computers out there, the Macbook Pro.

It’s beautiful, minimalist, and easy on the eyes. It’s a great choice, with many preferring Macs over PCs. But once you create a sign-in account, what do you do next? If you’re new to Apple, you may be a bit unsure how to use a Macbook Pro for beginners.

First, don’t be afraid to experiment and get to know your new computer. It’s jam-packed with incredible features that will make your life a lot simpler. To get started learning about what it can do, read on to learn some top tips for becoming a Pro with your new Macbook Pro.

Save Time With Siri

Siri is Apple’s virtual assistant. You may already be familiar with her from your smartphone, but if not, take some time to get to know her.

Siri is voice-activated and can save you a lot of time by answering your questions or giving recommendations. Siri can be quickly set up by going to your Apple menu on the top left of your screen, followed by System Preferences. Select Siri from the menu and then follow the instructions to set it up.

Siri, what’s the weather today? Can you open my ‘Vacation’ folder? What time is my next meeting? Turn your Macbook Pro into an intelligent virtual assistance with the eyas-to-use Siri.

Curious How to Use a Macbook Pro for Beginners? First, Learn Mac Shortcuts

One of the top tips for using Macbook Pros is to get to know some of the Mac shortcuts, which can save a lot of time when using your computer.

Shortcuts are a sequence of keys that are programmed to perform commands. Once you memorize some of the most useful, it can increase productivity. Here are a few great ones to know:

• Save (Command + S)
• Screenshot (Command + Shift + 3)
• Quit (Command + Q)
• Open the Spotlight Search Bar (Command + Spacebar)
• Paste (Command + V)

Utilize Split Screen and Screen Sharing

With Split View, you can temporarily turn your Mac into a split screen, letting you see two sets of screens at once. This is useful in a business setting for comparing data or working on side by side documents.

To access Split View, this will depend on what version of Operating System (OS) you’re using. Generally, you’ll need to click your mouse over the full screen button of your window, then select ‘Tile Window to Right of Screen’ (or left, depending which window you want on each side). This can also be easily switched off when you’re finished.

Another useful tip, especially for using your Macbook Pro in the office, is to share your screen. If you’re in a meeting or presenting via video conference, sharing your screen with colleagues is an effective way of communicating and displaying materials.

Understand the Touch Bar

The top of your Macbook Pro keyboard has a unique feature called the Touch Bar. The Touch Bar is a long strip, and you’ll notice it’s where you would normally expect the F1-F12 control keys to be found. Don’t worry, they are still there, but will now appear on your screen instead.

The Touch Bar gives you quick access to lots of features on your Mac, including the Launchpad, to open folders and apps, adjust volume and brightness, or play media. You can also personalize your Touch Bar, showing only the icons and shortcuts you’ll use most often.

Get to Know the Mac Versions of Office

If you’ve just moved over from a PC and Microsoft, you’re probably very used to the Microsoft Office suite of resources. Although you can set up Office for Mac, it’s not necessary, as your Mac comes built-in with several similar features.

Instead of Microsoft Word, give Pages a try. Numbers will replace Excel, and Keynote is similar to PowerPoint. These features are known as the iWork Suite. Conveniently, you can save documents you create on iWork in formats that make them compatible to be opened on a PC.

If some of your colleagues use PCs and some Macs, this is a really helpful option.

Download Apps From the App Store

The App Store that you may know from your iPhone also works for your Macbook Pro. Open the App to find thousands of apps at your fingertips that can be quickly downloaded. Some are free while some have a small charge.
There are apps for productivity, creativity, learning a new language — anything you might be looking for can probably be found. Just note that some apps may take up large amounts of memory space on your computer.

Give Safari a Try

If you’re new to Macs, you may be new to Safari, which is Apple’s web browser. Although you can download other browsers, take some time to get to learn Safari, as it has some great features.

With Safari, you can customize your toolbar, pin frequently used tabs, save pages as PDF, and share links and pages with others via AirDop.

Save Documents to iCloud

When you set up your new Macbook Pro, you’ll create a free Apple account and Apple ID, if you don’t already have one. With this, you can use iCloud, Apple’s cloud-based storage system. Each account comes with 5GB of storage, although you can purchase additional space.

Storing on iCloud can be a good way to free up storage space on your Mac. Also, because it’s saved to the cloud and not directly to your computer, you can access your files and documents from other devices, such as your phone or iPad.

Get Started Today With Your New Macbook Pro

After trying out the above tips, we hope you have a better understanding of how to use a Macbook Pro for beginners. Although there can be a steep learning curve at first, especially if you’re coming from a PC, you’ll quickly pick it up.

The Macbook Pro can blow you away with its fast processing, stylish and sleek look, and useful apps and functions. Once you make the switch, you won’t look back!

Did you find this article useful? If so, please browse some of our other great content and articles.