Roundup of 3 Fast & Clever Mac Tips and Tricks

Roundup of 3 Fast & Clever Mac Tips and Tricks


Here are three macOS 10 tips, tricks and shortcuts to help you keep be productive and keep your Mac running well.

Change System Preferences with Siri


Before you go searching for your system preferences, try using Siri instead for simple changes. Talking to your Mac may feel a bit strange at first, but you’d be surprised how much Siri’s grown in the past two years alone!

Press + SPACE and Siri will pop right up.

For example, see how much storage you have left. “How much space is left?” results in a fast Siri response.

Free Up Space


Are your programs running more slowly or even quitting and crashing? You may be facing a memory problem. After you have checked how much space you have with Siri’s help (tip 1 above), you can quickly free up space using MacOS Sierra’s new built-in storage help.

Move your mouse over the Apple logo on the upper left of your toolbar and then scroll down to About This Mac. Clicking on About this Mac, open up Storage and go to the Manage setting. Here you will get tips about how to store files and photos, whether you want to keep files you have recently opened. You will also have an option for Optimized Storage that removes iTunes movies and TV shows, retaining only email attachments. You can also select the option to empty your trash periodically.

Copy and Paste from one Mac device to another


This feature is huge when you are working and using more than one device. Items you have copied on to your Universal Clipboard now will appear on another device that has macOS Sierra installed and the same Apple ID on both devices in use.

For example, if you need to transfer word documents, images, photos and video between devices, you can copy them over without using AirDrop, a flash drive, email or a cloud sharing platform. It is easy and swift to use. This is one of the most useful features in Sierra and employs peer-to-peer sharing via Bluetooth.

Press Ctrl + C, hold down and select Paste on your iPhone or other device.

QuickType on your Mac


This is one of the most popular features on the iPhone and super handy whether you are crafting an email or sending a quick text. This feature prompts you with new words to fill in. It also adapts to you, based on prior words you have used before.

You can enjoy this same functionality now on your desktop, laptop or tablet with the QuickType function available through macOS Sierra.

This functionality works within Mac programs such as TextEdit and Notes as well as certain third-party apps.

Press Esc Alt when you type in a word and immediately a list of suggestions will show for possible words you can use. You can select any word by clicking on it.

AI Usage Transparency Report

Pre-AI Era · Written before widespread use of generative AI tools

AI Signal Composition

Rep Tone Struct List Instr
Repetition: 52%
Tone: 59%
Structure: 55%
List: 11%
Instructional: 27%
Emoji: 0%

Score: 0.06 · Low AI Influence

Summary

This article provides three macOS tips and tricks to help users stay productive and keep their Mac running well.

Related Posts

Leaving Flickr: Migrating 20,000+ Photos to Synology and Taking Back Control

There’s a certain kind of friction you start to notice when you’ve been using a service for a long time. Not enough to make you leave immediately, but enough to make you pause. Flickr had been that kind of service for me. It quietly held years of photos, uploads from old phones, albums I hadn’t looked at in ages, and a massive "Auto Upload" collection that had grown into something I didn’t fully understand anymore.

Read more

How I Finally Passed the PMP Exam (After 12 Years of Waiting)

Back in 2013, I registered for a PMI membership with every intention of pursuing my PMP certification. I downloaded the handbook, bookmarked the eligibility requirements, and even told a few friends that I was going to do it "soon." At the time, I thought getting certified would be a straightforward process, but little did I know what lay ahead in terms of studying and preparation.

Read more

The Evolution of Apple Certification: A Journey Through Versions, Challenges & Growth

When I recently passed the Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) exam again, I paused to reflect — not just on this milestone, but on the long path I’ve walked through Apple’s certification landscape. My first certification dates back to macOS 10.5, and over the years, I’ve earned credentials across nearly every version since. In that time, the exams — and Apple itself — have transformed significantly.

Read more

Secure Software, Secure Career: How I Passed the CSSLP

After passing the CISSP earlier this year, I decided to follow it up with the **Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP)** certification. For those unfamiliar, CSSLP is an ISC2 certification that focuses specifically on secure software development practices across the full SDLC—from requirements and design to coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance. My goal in pursuing this certification was to further develop my skills in ensuring the security of software throughout its entire lifecycle.

Read more

Managing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) for Android with Microsoft Intune

Alright, so today we're going to be talking about the management of bring your own device BYOD for Android devices. There's a lot of information out there for the management of iOS devices and you can do that with pretty much any Apple MDM on the market. We just happen to use Jamf where I work, but you could use anything from Braavos to SimpleMDM to Kanji or JumpCloud. Mosyle is also a great option.

Read more

BYO with me in 2025: iOS with User Enrollment in JAMF Pro

It really depends on your company's needs. For example, many companies need to hire 1099 contractors and in such a case they come with their own devices but not the correct security settings or enforcements. Remember BYOD is a security construct. The idea here is that you should be securing the company's sensitive data in all forms. This may involve implementing policies for contractor-owned devices, ensuring that all devices accessing company data meet minimum security standards, and regularly reviewing and updating these standards to stay ahead of emerging threats.

Read more

Securing BYOD Email Access: Exploring Strategies in Microsoft 365

In today’s mobile-first world, organizations increasingly rely on Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs to empower employees while optimizing costs. However, this flexibility introduces unique challenges, particularly around securing email access. To mitigate risks, we are implementing a comprehensive strategy to block email access on non-company devices by default and ensure only sanctioned apps can access organizational email accounts. This approach will help prevent unauthorized access and data breaches, aligning with our commitment to maintaining the security and integrity of company communications.

Read more

How I Conquered the CISSP Exam: 9 Months, Top Resources, and Proven Strategies

Passing the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) exam is no small feat. It’s known for its breadth, depth, and ability to test not just your knowledge but your practical understanding of cybersecurity. After nine months of intense preparation, I’m thrilled to say I’ve joined the ranks of CISSP-certified professionals! Here's a detailed account of my experience, including the resources I used, some tips that helped me along the way, and what I learned from the process itself.

Read more

Get more out of scripting than you may expect

Expect is an extension to the Tcl scripting language written by Don Libes. The program automates interactions with programs that expose a text terminal interface. Expect, originally written in 1990 for the Unix platform, has since become available for Microsoft Windows and other systems. Its functionality allows users to interact with these programs through scripted commands, eliminating the need for manual input.

Read more