macOS on MacBooks offers a variety of customization, control, and security options, and you can take advantage of these options on your MacBook to enhance your user experience.
So, in this guide, we have gathered some settings and options that allow you to customize and manage your MacBook effectively, whether it is how to change wallpapers, manage applications, or even security and privacy settings to get the most out of your device.
Appearance settings
You can choose the look you want for your wallpaper, from a simple color background to your favorite photo. When you choose a landscape, the background also becomes your screen saver. You can also change the image displayed on your desktop by choosing from a variety of images or colors provided by Apple or using your own images by following these steps:
1. Go to “System Settings”, then tap “Wallpaper” in the side menu.
2. Choose the background you prefer from the available backgrounds.
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3. You can control the background appearance settings such as the number of times the images are mixed, etc.
You can also use a “Light” or “Dark” appearance for the menu bar, dock, windows, and apps on your MacBook, or you can automatically set the appearance from light to dark during the day, by following these steps:
1. Go to System Settings, then tap Appearance in the side menu.
2. Choose from Light, Dark, or Auto.
In the Appearance Settings section, you have the opportunity to customize your experience by choosing a secondary color for buttons, pop-ups, and UI controls. Additionally, you can choose an accent color that is used to highlight selected text.
Application Management
Your MacBook comes with a variety of pre-installed apps, and to see which apps are available on your device, tap the Dock icon in the dock. To open any app you want, tap its icon in the dock or inside the Dock.
You can download apps from the App Store, you can install third-party apps either from a website or from an external drive, and if you no longer need a particular app you can remove it.
After downloading the applications from the Internet, you will find them in the Downloads folder, then double-click on the disk image or package file (it looks like an open box), and then follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
You can remove applications that you have downloaded and installed from the Internet or from an external drive by clicking the Finder icon in the icons bar, then selecting Applications in the sidebar.
If there is an app in a folder, you can open the app folder to check for an uninstaller. If you see the “Uninstall” option, double-click it, then follow the on-screen instructions. If you don’t see the “Uninstall” option, drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash.
The Dock on MacBooks is also a central location where you can easily view and open all your apps, and organize them. For example, you can move an app on a page by dragging it to a new location on the same page. Or you can create an app folder by dragging an app on top of another app to put them in a single folder. To rename a folder, click on its name and enter a new name. To add an app to a folder, drag the app on top of the folder to add it, or drag it out of the folder to remove it.
You can also use the Stage Manager to organize the apps you use and keep your desktop organized. Recently used apps are arranged along the right side of the screen for quick access, while the app window you’re using opens in the middle of the screen. You can use the Stage Manager to switch apps by tapping on one on the right side of the screen, or to organize windows by repositioning and resizing them to suit your work tasks.
You can quickly move between the interface organizer and traditional windows to use the method that suits you best, and you can enable or disable the interface organizer by:
- Press menu Apple Then choose System Settings.
- Select Desktop & Dock from the side menu.
- Click on the Stage Manager option to enable or disable it.
- Control center.
Control Center provides quick access to essential settings like Instant Cast, Wi-Fi, and Focus Mode. You can also customize Control Center to include more options like Accessibility shortcuts, battery status, and quick user switching, and you’ll find its icon in the menu bar.
On the left side of the Control Center, you’ll see privacy indicators, either dots or arrows. An orange dot next to the Control Center icon alerts you to microphone use, a green dot tells you to turn on the camera, a purple dot announces audio recording, and an arrow indicates when apps are using your location.
The system shows one privacy indicator at a time, for example, if both the camera and microphone are in use, only the green dot will appear. When you open Control Center, the top of the window may show a list of apps that are using the microphone, location, camera, or system audio.
Security settings
To better protect your MacBook, Apple recommends following some basic steps, the first of which is using strong and complex passwords. Passwords should contain a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to make them difficult for anyone to guess.
You can also take advantage of PassKeys, which provide an easy and secure way to log in to apps and websites without having to remember your account passwords. These keys rely on your fingerprint or face to identify you. If your Mac has a fingerprint, you can log in using it. You can also log in using your iPhone or iPad by scanning a QR code and using Face ID to verify your identity.
If more than one person uses your MacBook, it is important to create separate user accounts for each person. Each user must log in with their own account, which prevents unauthorized access and keeps each user’s files and settings private.
You can allow any user to log in without giving them access to other users’ files or settings. You can also create groups and set automatic login options. However, your account must be an Admin account to perform these tasks.
It’s best to limit the number of users who have administrator privileges on your MacBook. The person who first sets up the device is usually the administrator by default. Administrators have the ability to create and manage user accounts, install and remove software, and modify device settings. So it’s best to use a regular user account for day-to-day business, and use the administrator account only when necessary. This reduces the risk if the regular account is compromised, the company recommends.
You can also set up your Mac to log out the user after a period of inactivity. Also, you must set a password when you open the Mac from the screen saver.
