Apple Macbook Air 13 Early2016 Essentials Manual

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Get an Apple ID. Your Apple ID is the account you use for everything you do with Apple—
including using the App Store, the iTunes Store, iCloud, iMessage, and more. Your Apple ID 
consists of an email address and a password. You need only one Apple ID to use any Apple 
service, on any device—whether it’s your computer, iOS device, or Apple Watch. It’s best to have 
your own Apple ID and not share it—create separate Apple IDs for each family member.
If you don’t already have an Apple ID, you can create one (it’s free). Go to appleid.apple.com.
Important:  If you forget your Apple ID password, you don’t need to create a new Apple ID. Just 
click the Forgot link in the login window to retrieve your password.
Set up iCloud on your MacBook Air. With iCloud, you can store all of your content—documents, 
movies, music, photos, and more—in the cloud, and access it anywhere you go. 
To set up iCloud, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud. In the window that 
appears, enter your Apple ID and password. Then select the features you want to use. To find out 
more, see Access your content anywhere with iCloud .
Important:  Be sure to use the same Apple ID for iCloud on all your devices.
For information about setting up and using Siri on your MacBook Air, see Siri.
Find your way around
The desktop
The first thing you see on your MacBook Air is the desktop, where you can quickly open apps, 
search for anything on your MacBook Air and the web, organize your files, and more.
Help menuMenu bar
System Preferences \fconF\fnder \fcon\bock
W\f-F\f \fconApple menu
F\fnder w\fndowThe desktop
Ask S\fr\f.
 Tip: Can’t find the pointer? To magnify it temporarily, move your finger rapidly back and forth 
on the trackpad. Or if you’re using a mouse, slide it back and forth quickly.
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Finder
The Finder  is an app that’s always open. Use the Finder to organize and locate your files.
Open a Finder window. Click the Finder icon  in the Dock at the bottom of the screen.
The Dock
The Dock, at the bottom of the screen, is a convenient place to keep the apps and documents 
you use frequently.
Go to the Finder.Open System Pre\ferences.
Apps go on the \be\ft side o\f the \bine; \fi\bes and \fo\bders go on the right.
Open an app or file. Click its icon in the Dock.
Add an item to the Dock. Drag the item and drop it where you want it. Place apps to the left of 
the line in the Dock, and files or folders to the right.
Remove an item from the Dock. Drag it out of the Dock. The item isn’t removed from your 
MacBook Air—just from the Dock.
 Tip: You can make the Dock larger or smaller, add or remove items, move it to the left or right 
side of the screen, or even set it to hide when you’re not using it. To change how the Dock looks, 
click the System Preferences icon  in the Dock, or choose Apple menu > System Preferences. 
Then click Dock.
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System Preferences
System Preferences is where you personalize your MacBook Air settings. For example, use  
Energy Saver preferences to change sleep settings. Or use Desktop & Screen Saver preferences  
to add a desktop picture or choose a screen saver.
Customize your MacBook Air. Click the System Preferences icon  in the Dock, or choose  
Apple menu > System Preferences. Then click the type of preference you want to set. 
Menu bar
Use the menus and icons along the top of the screen to open new windows, connect to a Wi-Fi 
network, check your Wi-Fi status , change the volume , check your battery charge , and 
more. The menu items change, depending on which app you’re using.
For more information about using Siri, see Siri.
Search Mac Help.Open Spotlight.
A\fk Siri.
View \botification\f.
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Spotlight
Spotlight  is an easy way to find anything on your MacBook Air, such as documents, contacts, 
calendar events, and email messages. Spotlight Suggestions offer info from Wikipedia articles, 
Bing search results, news, sports, weather, stocks, movies, and other sources. 
When you search with Spotlight, the preview area on the right provides search results you can 
interact with—make a call, send an email message, play a song, get directions, even convert 
currencies. Spotlight can provide answers to math questions or define words, all on your desktop.
Search for anything. Click 
 at the top right of the screen, then start typing.
 Tip: Type Command–Space bar to show or hide the Spotlight search field.
Interact with the preview in Spotlight.Get weather\f stocks\f sports\f transit info\f an\b more.
Fin\b your files quickly.
Preview your results. Click a search result and view it in the preview on the right. Sometimes 
that’s all you need to do—click items or links directly in the preview. You can also double-click a 
result to open it.
Open an app. Type the app name in Spotlight, then press Return.
Turn off Spotlight Suggestions. If you want Spotlight to search only for items on your 
MacBook Air, you can turn off Spotlight Suggestions in Spotlight preferences. Click the System 
Preferences icon  in the Dock, click Spotlight, then click to deselect Spotlight Suggestions. 
Make any other changes you want to the list of categories Spotlight searches.
Note:  Not all features of Spotlight Suggestions are available in all languages or regions, and 
some features may vary by region.
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Siri
Now you can talk to Siri on your MacBook Air, just as you do on your iOS devices and 
Apple Watch, and use your voice for many tasks. For example, you can find files, schedule 
meetings, change preferences, get answers, send messages, place calls, and add items to your 
calendar. Siri can give you directions (“How do I get home from here?”), information (“How high 
is Mount Whitney?”), perform basic tasks (“Create a new list called Groceries”), and much more.
Note:  Siri may not be available in all languages or in all areas, and features may vary by area.
Enable Siri. Click the Siri icon 
 in the menu bar or in the Dock, then click Enable when 
prompted. Or click the System Preferences icon  in the Dock, click Siri, then select Enable Siri. 
You can also set other options, such as Language.
Note:  To use Siri, your MacBook Air must be connected to the Internet.
When you first open Siri on your Mac, you’ll see a list of suggestions about how to use Siri to save 
time and typing.
Speak to Siri. Click Siri  in the menu bar or the Dock and start speaking. Or press and hold the 
Command key and the Space bar, and speak to Siri.
Find and open files. Ask Siri to find files and open them right from the Siri window. You can ask 
by file name, by tags, or by description. For example, “Search for files Ursula sent last week,” or 
“Open the spreadsheet I created last night.”
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Drag and drop. Drag and drop images and locations from the Siri window into an email, text 
message, or document. You can also copy and paste text.
Save Siri results. Save results from sporting events, Reminders, Clock, Stocks, Notes, Finder, 
and general knowledge ( Wikipedia, for example) to the Today view in Notifications. Click the 
plus sign  in the top right of a Siri result to pin it to the Today View. To see it later, click the 
Notification Center icon , then click Today. If you’re checking a sports score, for example, results 
stay up to date.
Adjust the volume. 
Use the volume buttons on your MacBook Air to increase or decrease the 
volume while you’re interacting with Siri.
Change the voice. 
Click the System Preferences icon  in the Dock, click Siri, then choose an 
option from the Siri Voice menu.
You’ll find suggestions for things you can ask Siri throughout this guide—they look like this:
 Ask Siri. Say something like:
 •“Open the Keynote presentation I was working on last night.”
 •“What time is it in Paris?”
 •“What kinds of things can I ask you?”
Notification Center
Use Notification Center to view details about your day (calendar, stocks, weather, and more) and 
catch up on notifications you might have missed (email, reminders, app notifications, and more). 
Open Notification Center. Click the Notification Center icon  at the top right of the screen. Tap 
Today to see what’s coming up or Notifications to review what’s come in.
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Help
Help for your MacBook Air and macOS apps is always available. 
Get help. Click the Finder icon , then click the Help menu and choose Mac Help. Or type in the 
search field and choose a suggestion.
To learn more, see Mac Help.
Unlock your MacBook Air with Apple Watch
Use your authenticated Apple Watch to automatically unlock your sleeping MacBook Air when 
you’re within about three meters of your computer. Just wake your Mac and start using it—  
no need to enter a password. Auto Unlock uses strong encryption to provide secure 
communication between your Apple Watch and MacBook Air.
Note:  Auto Unlock is a feature for Macs (mid-2013 and later) running macOS Sierra, and 
Apple Watch running watchOS 3.
Set up two-factor authentication for your Apple ID. Auto Unlock works when your Apple ID 
has two-factor authentication turned on. Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > 
Account Details, click Security, then select Set Up Two-Factor Authentication. For more 
information, see the Apple Support article  support.apple.com/HT204915 .
Make sure “Disable automatic login” is also selected. (You won’t see this option if you’re using 
FileVault, but you can still use the Auto Unlock feature.)
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Set up Auto Unlock. Sign in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all your devices, then click 
the System Preferences icon  in the Dock, or choose Apple menu > System Preferences. Click 
Security & Privacy, then select “Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac.”
Note:  Auto Unlock works only when your Apple Watch is authenticated with a passcode. You 
authenticate your Apple Watch each time you put it on, so no extra steps are required after you 
enter your passcode.
Skip the sign-in. 
Walk up to your sleeping MacBook Air wearing your authenticated Apple Watch 
on your wrist, and lift the cover or press a key to wake your Mac. Apple Watch unlocks your Mac 
so you can get right to work.
Quickly open apps
Your MacBook Air comes with apps for all the things you love to do—browse the web, check 
email, share photos, enjoy movies, and more. 
Launchpad arranges your apps in a grid. Clic\f an app ic\lon to open it.
Launchpad icon
Folder containing apps
App \btore icon
Open an app. Click an app icon in the Dock, or click the Launchpad icon  in the Dock and click 
the app you want. You can also search for an app using Spotlight, then open the app directly 
from your Spotlight search results.
 Ask Siri. Say something like: “Open Calculator.”
Organize apps in Launchpad. Launchpad organizes your apps in a grid, similar to iPhone, iPad, 
and iPod touch. Drag an app to a new location to rearrange apps. Drag an app onto another 
app to create a folder. Drag more apps to the new folder to add them. To remove an app from a 
folder, drag it out.
Get more apps. Click the App Store icon 
 in the Dock and search for apps you want. Apps 
you download from the App Store appear automatically in Launchpad. To quickly get updates to 
apps and macOS, click Updates in the App Store.
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Multitask on your desktop
The Tabs feature is available in most apps that support multiple windows, such as Pages, 
Numbers, Maps, and more. And while you’re browsing multiple tabs, you can watch a video using 
Picture in Picture.
Note:  Picture in Picture is not available in all regions.
Work in multiple files at once.Float a video over another app.
Browse content with tabs. Open multiple tabs in an app to compare content, for example—
Numbers spreadsheets or Pages documents. Or copy and paste content from one tab to another. 
Tabs also work with third-party apps.
To set tab preferences, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Dock. Choose an 
option for “Prefer tabs when opening documents.”
Watch while you work. Click the Picture in Picture button 
 in a Safari or iTunes video and drag 
it to any corner of your desktop. Your video stays put while you switch between apps and spaces.
Access your content anywhere with iCloud
iCloud is the easiest way to make sure all your important content is everywhere you are. iCloud 
stores your documents, photos, music, apps, contacts, and calendars, so you can access them any 
time you’re connected to Wi-Fi.
An iCloud account is free, and it comes with 5 GB of free storage space. Purchases you make from 
the iTunes Store, App Store, or iBooks Store don’t count toward your available space.
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iCloud also keeps everything up to date on your devices. So if you have an iPhone, iPad, or 
iPod touch, just sign in to iCloud using the same account and you’ll have everything you need, 
everywhere.
Here are some of the things you can do with iCloud.
Automatically store your desktop and Documents folder in iCloud Drive. Save files in your 
Documents folder or on your desktop, and they’re automatically available on iCloud Drive and 
accessible wherever you are. Working with iCloud Drive, you have access to files on your iPhone 
or iPad in the iCloud Drive app, on the web at iCloud.com, or on a Windows PC in the iCloud app. 
When you change your file in iCloud Drive, you’ll see your edits wherever you view the file.
To get started, click the System Preferences icon  in the Dock, click iCloud, select iCloud Drive, 
click Options, then select “Desktop & Documents Folders.”
Share purchases with Family Sharing. Up to six members of your family can share their 
purchases from the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBooks Store—even if they use different iCloud 
accounts. Pay for family purchases with one credit card, and approve kids’ spending right from 
your MacBook Air or iOS device. Plus, share photos, a family calendar, reminders, and locations. 
To set up Family Sharing if you didn’t when you set up your Mac, click the System Preferences 
icon  in the Dock, click iCloud, then click Set Up Family.
Share photos using iCloud Photo Library and iCloud Photo Sharing. Store your photo library 
in iCloud and see your photos and videos on all your devices. Share photos and videos with 
only the people you choose, and let them add their own photos, videos, and comments. To 
get started, click the System Preferences icon  in the Dock, click iCloud, select Photos, then 
click Options.
Enjoy your purchases anywhere. When you’re signed in to iCloud, purchases you’ve made 
from the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBooks Store are available at any time, no matter which 
computer or device you used to purchase them. So all your music, movies, books, and games are 
available wherever you go.
Locate your MacBook Air with Find My Mac. If your MacBook Air is stolen, you can easily locate 
it on a map, lock its screen, or erase its data remotely if you have Find My Mac turned on. To turn 
on Find My Mac, click the System Preferences icon  in the Dock, click iCloud, then select  
Find My Mac.
For more information about what you can do with iCloud, go to Mac Help (see  Mac Help) and 
search for “iCloud,” or go to www.apple.com/icloud .
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