OS X Tips and Tricks : Features You Might Not Know

OS X Tips and Tricks lists some of the hidden features, less known features covering both of UNIX origin or added by Apple for their need or forgot to remove. Previously, we published another quite related article named TextEdit. Any level of readers will enjoy these OS X Tips and Tricks for sure.

OS X Tips and Tricks : Disclaimer

As like we said in our previous article on TextEdit tips and tricks, it is obvious that, it is not possible to discover all these tricks and tips by one person. Unless mentioned, author has no claim over these tips and tricks, these runs within user circles, some website published; some are not published. Although this guide, OS X Tips and Tricks is intended for the basic users, advanced users might find some forgotten or less known features.

OS X Tips and Tricks

If you hold the buttons [3] and [2] during boot you will boot into 32 bit mode and the same goes for 64 bit, when holding the [6] and [4] keys during boot.

Within any Application or while only finder is running, obviously there will be the Apple icon. Click that and click “About this Mac”. Click the text saying the version, below OS X and see it to change to Build number and Serial Number.

While browsing in Safari, if there is need to select a file for uploading, instead of clicking “browse”, you can usually just drag a file directly to the “browse” button.

[Option] + [Command] + [Space] brings up the search in a new window.

Apple logo ? in text can be inserted by pressing [Option] + [Shift] + [K] keys.

Apart from files, you can drag and drop text, like from this webpage to your desktop.

If you are not sure that there are Emacs Games inside your Mac, you can read this guide.

[Command] + [Tab] switches between running Apps in a mini Expose overlay. You can press Q before you release ? to close the app as [Command] is actually being on hold.

While holding the [Option] key and mouse over / clicking on the Finder bar menus / icons shows additional information and settings. Like you can see more info if you click on the Sound icon.

Scrolling actually does not matter in OS X for the fact – Which window is active. Scrolling happens where your mouse cursor is. For example, if this browser window is maximized on your Mac, open any window (like Preview), it will be active window. If you move the mouse pointer to the scroll bar of the out of focus inactive browser window’s scroll bars and scroll, it will scroll. It probably works on all applications.

OS X has lot of secrets for taking screenshots. Here is a bigger article :

It is quite advanced tip, never do without knowing what you are doing. In /System/Library/CoreServices/ ; there are the icons, scripts etc. for the core GUI. You can open the right click and selecting “Show Package Contents” and editing them. Like you can edit the look of dock.

Last one for today. Hit [Control] + [Alt] / [Option] + [Delete] in OS X to see whether it has to do something in Mac ! It will make the cursor inactive and hidden. A simple click or moving the mouse will reveal it.