In this article we assume that you have the basics of your Mac have mastered

About the basics of Mac OS X is enough to find. Therefore, we focus here on some advanced tips for your Mac, such as keyboard shortcuts from Linux and using Terminal not to snooze your Mac. So you get the most out of OS X.

In this article we assume that you have the basics of your Mac have mastered. We will copy the default actions and paste therefore not explain well. Do you consider yourself a true Mac Power User? Whether you would like to be one? Then these tips will definitely help. Read also: 9 tips to fully secure your Mac.

Tip 1: Music and videos automatically add to iTunes
If your third-party software used to rip or download audio or video files, it can add to iTunes last long. You have to start iTunes, look for the appropriate files in Finder, and then drag them into iTunes to add them. This can be a lot easier.

In Finder, you will find a hidden folder that you can use to add these files directly to iTunes. If you use this folder as store location when ripping or downloading your media, these files are added directly to iTunes. Even if iTunes is not open.


To find the folder, open Finder and use Shift + Command + G to search for the folder. Fill ~ / Music / iTunes / iTunes Media and click Go . In the folder that you see now, there is a folder named Automatically Add to iTunes . As the name suggests, everything is automatically added to iTunes in this folder (assuming iTunes for the most part has kept the default settings).

You can create a shortcut to the folder, for example, can place Desktop to quickly access the folder. Keep this Alt (Option) + Command pressed when you drag the folder to your desktop. If you drag files into this shortcut, they are automatically added to iTunes.

If the folder is empty it can be true that, for files that are already added to iTunes will automatically be removed from the directory.

Tip 2: An alternative shortcut for cut and paste
Users of Unix / Linux , there are perhaps familiar with it: cut and paste with Control + K and Control + Y . In Mac OS X, these shortcuts too. Please note that this is control, and not to command as the default in OS X.

These shortcuts are handy because they only plain text cut and paste. All possible formatting such as italic and bold , is lost. If you Control + K used to cut, it is stored on an alternative clipboard . That is to say that these alternative shortcuts have no effect on the normal way of cut and paste via the Command key.

In most applications does this alternative way fine, but we noticed that it is difficult to exchange text between apps. Each app appears to be a distinct alternative clipboard to have where the text is stored. The only way to figure out which apps work together is to try it out.

Tip 3: Left for apps to add to an email
How to add a link to a web page to an email is familiar: via Edit > Add Link you a text to allow linking a particular URL. With http: // , you can link to a website. http://macworld.nl opens macworld.nl in your browser. But did you know that you can link to certain apps or actions?

These links, add the same way. With iMessage: // you can start a conversation in iMessage with a specific address or phone number. For example, if you iMessage: // 0612345678 used (no spaces and special characters), iMessage will open a new message 0612345678 and you can immediately start typing. If you have set Handoff, you can even send an SMS. You can also specify IM handles if you have configured iMessage with your Yahoo account. For example, you iMessage: // john smith use to send a message to John Smith.


facetime: // start a FaceTime call on FaceTime app. By facetime: //johnsmith@tardis.com to use a FaceTime conversation is started johnsmith@tardis.com. Because FaceTime also works with phone numbers, you can fill it after facetime: //.

Also, the dictionary is so to use. With dict: // Search for a specific word in the dictionary. So looking dict: // gallifrey example the word Gallifrey in the dictionary, the same as when it was entered in the search bar.

You can also share your screen, vnc: // to use. After clicking the link, the user must still accept the session. vnc: // macbook will launch a screen share session with the computer macbook hot.

x-man-page: // open the man page for a certain term in Terminal. For example, x-man-page: // sharing access the man page for sharing command.

You can also use the left without a specification. Ie: iMessage: // instead of iMessage: // 0612345678 . Opens the app, but nothing else happens.

Better known URLs also work on websites, such as mailto: // (to start a new mail), ssh: // and telnet: // , are also usable.

Tip 4: Do not slumber Mac or dim the screen with Terminal
If your Mac for a while just have to leave, but did not want him to sleep mode (standby) switch or dim the screen, you can open a Terminal window and caffeinate -di fill and Enter tapping. As long as the Terminal window is open, your Mac will remain fully active.


You can also specify a time limit, after which the policy feature automatically switches off. So for example you can set your Mac two hours remains active. You have to know here the number of seconds, so we need to work out here. 2 hours x 60 minutes x 60 seconds, 7200 seconds. We fill: caffeinate dt 7200 .

Of course you can stop this command at any time by simply close the Terminal window.

Tip 5: Keep pieces of text for later
If you want to keep a piece of text, you can of course be copied to Notes or a document in Pages or Word . What might be useful is to save the text on your desktop. If, for example, in Safari , select a piece of text, you can drag it to your desktop (or any other arbitrary folder in Finder). Here your Mac stores now text as a file. These files are called text clippings , and base their name on the first few words of the selected text.

If the text is formatted with italic or bold for example, it is retained. You can see easily the stored text by simply open the file or press the space bar if you have selected the file. The text, for example paste a document is quite simple; for this you need to open the file disagree. Put your cursor where you want the text and drag the file into the editor where you are currently making in your document. The text will now be put on the spot where you'd put your cursor.


Text clippings are bits of text that you saved as a file.
If you have the text clippings are used, they are not removed. They can continue to use so just.

Tip 6: Clean the screen of your iPhone or iPad
Since OS X Yosemite you the screen of an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with Quicktime. So there is no hassle with third party software and AirPlay.

Connect your device with the USB cable and open Quicktime. Go to File > New Movie Recording . Quicktime opens a window likely to include with your iSight camera, but next to the red pick-up button you a down arrow; click it. Now select in camera the name of your device, in my case this is Jelle iPhone .


Now you can by clicking on the red pick-button recording from your iDevice screen. You can also choose which microphone you want to use, and how high you want the quality of the video.

Tip 7: Change your Facetime- and alert tone
From OS X Yosemite to incoming calls are forwarded to your iPhone to your Mac. The ringtone you hear, you can change easily, like the sound you hear when you receive notifications.

Just open FaceTime and go to FaceTime > Preferences ... > Settings . At the bottom you will find the option Ringing . Here you can choose any ringtone is also in iOS.

To adjust the alert tone, open Messages and go to Messages > Preferences ... > General . When sound for new messages , you can customize your message tone. All tones are also in iOS.

Tip 8: Sign documents with your Trackpad
For signing a document on your Mac, you have two things: a trackpad and a finger. If you have both, you can sign PFD files in Preview. Admittedly, the signature may be only a representation of the original, but it might be enough.

Open the PDF in Preview, open the toolbar by clicking the tool box , click to the left of the search field. Now you see a plan document signature stand (the sixth option from the left).

Click Trackpad and then click here to get started . Draw your signature on the trackpad, as you would do in real life. You do not have to press the trackpad, your finger over it let go is enough. When you're done, press any key on your keyboard.

If you want to get some more professional, you can always use a stylus, so you can draw more precisely.

Tip 9: Connecting with other Macs or Windows PCs
A tip for anyone using a Mac that shares a network with a Windows PC, or can switch from another Mac's files ( System Preferences > Sharing ).

Since OS X Yosemite, Finder assumes that you want to share files with Windows PCs. In other words, all you have to do to view shared files from another computer's Finder to open and Command + K to enter. Type the server address here and click Connect .


Unlike before, now you do not have to start more with smb: // (if you want to create an AFP connection, you simply start the address with afp: // ).

Tip 10: Switching to Dark mode with a shortcut
Dark Mode makes your menu bar and the Dock dark, so you possibly can focus more on what you're doing. To turn to the dark mode, you must go to System Preferences > General > Use dark menu bar and Dock dark . This can be much easier and faster.

Open Terminal , add the following sentence and press Enter :

defaults write -g _HIEnableThemeSwitchHotKey 1

Please sign out now (  > log [name] off ) and on again. Now you can switch between normal and dark mode by Control + Alt (Option) + Command + T to use.


If you want to disable this, open Terminal again, enter the phrase and press enter: defaults delete -g _HIEnableThemeSwitchHotKey . Please sign out and back in now. The shortcut should not work anymore.

We have tips based on OS X 10:11 El Capitan . Do you have some tips to get more productive to work on your Mac? Let us know in a comment! We update this article regularly.