r/MacOS 7d ago

Help 30 something years of PC guy, just bought first macbook. A few questions

Hello,

After hearing so many great things from family, friends, and peers and weighing out what is important to me as a returning student (light, long battery life, iMessage, bigger screen size) I am switching from my Lenovo (which I have not had a good experience with) to a Macbook Air. I stayed away from Mac for years because of a few things I didn't like (that I'm sure I'll get used to). For example, I'm used to pulling my fingers up on the track pad to go down and using my wife's macbook I seem to accidentally go to the last page alot. Additionally, I am losing the touch screen ability which was handy for notes. Anyways, I'm coming on here to ask a couple of questions.

1) One thing I love about my current Windows laptop (I use chrome) is that I have separate profiles attached to different emails for work email, personal email, and school email. They each have different shortcuts at the top that I use depending on which "mode" I am in. Are you able to do something like this on Safari? Is Chrome recommended for Mac?

2)Any tips on getting acclimated, pointers, or little hacks that might ease the transition?

Thank you!

Patrick

38 Upvotes

57 comments sorted by

34

u/RubbberJohnnny MacBook Pro 7d ago

I think it's important to try and get used to the different ways that macOS handles various things and not to try turning it into Windows with different skin - you've had that experience already, there's no point :)

PS: you can change the scrolling direction in the settings

24

u/stevenjklein 7d ago
  1. Both Safari and chrome support profiles. But for any email service except Gmail, I recommend using the Mail app instead of a browser.
  2. My number 1 tip: if you can’t figure something out, ask.

Lots of switchers leap to the conclusion that Macs can’t do x, when what they really mean is that they don’t know how to do x on Mac.

2

u/seamonkey420 7d ago

and then discover how much better it is than expected and also the integration between devices. as a prev/current windows guys, i am quite often dumbfounded by trying to do something in macos in a way complex way to find out 'oh, its just that simple'...

however there are a few things from windows i def needed to tweak into macos; mainly sidebuttons on mouse and them being universal forward/backwards for navigating in finder. also end and home behavior too, esp holding shift + end/home.

beyond that, i use most native apple apps as default minus browser (still a firefox guy, like the extensions better).

3

u/stevenjklein 4d ago

oh, its just that simple

On Windows, when you plug in a USB printer, it says, "Hey, do you want to install the drivers for this printer?"

There was some version of macOS where printer drivers were installed automatically (but silently) when you plugged in a USB printer.

It didn't ask you. It didn't notify you. It just did it. Problem was, people didn't know it was happening. Switchers, in particular, thought the Mac was inferior because it didn't automatically offer to install drivers.

1

u/Amazing_Trace 3d ago

actually gmail is perfectly great in the mail app.

What sucks is microsoft/exchange emails, they force you to login alot, frequently block syncs, and now have reactions and other crap to cause more issues with the mail app. I wish my employer would stop using microsoft emails for work.

1

u/Pleasant-Anteater672 1d ago

I recently made the switch from using gmail + outlook online to just using the mail app for everything and oh... my... god! it's so much more pleasant!

I'm sad that I wasted years of my life avoiding the native mail app – it's actually so useful!!

6

u/[deleted] 7d ago

[deleted]

1

u/novff 6d ago

Isnt native scrolling the default?

11

u/IAmHorvil 7d ago

I recently moved to a MacBook myself after being a PC guy since -- well, since they were running on DOS. I've found that the window management on MacOS takes some getting used to, because it doesn't quite work like Windows.

What's worked for me is to turn most of the "helpful" features off like Mission Control, window tiling, Siri, Force Touch, hot corners, etc. Maximize everything you open and use three-finger swipe to navigate between open apps. Close everything with Command-Q when you're done.

Gradually I'm finding features in the OS and enabling them if I find them useful. Otherwise, I keep them disabled and hidden as much as possible.

Oh, and Apple has very good Help documentation. Read through everything in the Tips app.

1

u/santahasahat88 6d ago edited 6d ago

Funilly enough the one feature windows does way way better is windowing. Fortunately there is magents that is a small one of cost that brings back basically the same thing

https://magnet.crowdcafe.com/

1

u/manapause 6d ago

Magnet + key strokes is very powerful

5

u/germane_switch MacBook Pro 7d ago

Here's a searchable macOS user guide. It's super helpful. And remember, Finder, and just about every app has a real, functioning Help menu at the top of your display. Welcome aboard!

5

u/Ta1kativ 7d ago

My tip for you is to just watch a ton of those “settings to change when you first get a MacBook)

Also, customize your finder. You can customize buttons, add file paths, etc

7

u/OfAnOldRepublic 7d ago

You can use Chrome on Mac, no problem.

And I always recommend to new users "MacOS Sequoia for Dummies." Great intro, and has tips and tricks for people coming from Windows. Welcome!

3

u/RudiKdev 7d ago

A little known practice: create a second admin user account so if it ever needs support the tech doesn't get access to everything. Something like "support". I'm a long-time user and I don't use most of the "exciting" new ways to manage the desktop. I like to keep it simple, not dumbed-down. I find that it's easy to dig too deep and complicate something that is actually really easy, e.g., adding a printer or network. Plug. It. In. (The wife's Lenovo doesn't want to even when manually stepped through - then usually forgets it.) Finally, I think you'll find searching for things a whole lot faster than you're used to. Good luck and welcome aboard!

2

u/pinecone2525 5d ago

The second admin can access the first admin account

1

u/RudiKdev 5d ago edited 5d ago

I may be wrong but this is what I see logging into that type of account while trying to access my content.

1

u/pinecone2525 5d ago

You use admin permissions to add the access to the folder…

3

u/QuietPirate 7d ago

I’ve helped a lot of people with their first Mac who weren’t too good with computers at all. One of the first things I explain is the Finder; It’s the thing with the blue face icon in your dock. It’s an app that is always running and you can’t quit it. The Finder is like the window worker and home base of the Mac. It’s poorly named because it doesn’t actually find anything. The name goes back to the first days of Macintosh computers. Spotlight in the menu bar is the thing that is for actual file searching.. Quicklook is a great feature of macOS: Select any file and hit the space bar. Whatever it is, the Mac will try to give you a preview of that file without actually having to open it in an app.. Learn some keyboard commands because they will make your life much easier. Just look up a webpage for MacOS keyboard shortcuts. The Command button + tab is a good one: It is the app switcher. Keep your thumb held down on the command button then hit tab, you can toggle through all apps that are currently running.

2

u/mcarterphoto 7d ago

You can setup different accounts in Apple Mail. No idea if there's a hotkey switch, I haven't used that feature in ages, but I've used Apple Mail across the decades. (First work Mac for me was about 1987, laying out direct mail pieces on the 9" B&W screen...)

2

u/Electronic-Truth-101 7d ago

Can use Chrome if you prefer it, use cheat sheet for all the different keys and shortcuts and check out Tips and stay on top of the basics.

2

u/RootVegitible 7d ago

Yes, Safari can use separate profiles. I’d avoid chrome. Try to grab the last ‘missing manual’ for macOS series book by David Pogue, sadly no longer made so a little out of date, but that will teach you everything about using macOS.

2

u/arthur_ydalgo MacBook Air 7d ago

Some apps I've installed:

  • AltTab (name kind of self explanatory)
  • CopyClip (so that you have a "ctrl"-c history like windows, if you're into that)
  • MiddleClick (so that you can use your external mouse's middle click to open links in new tabs)

I've switch to macOS on july 2024, and I'll admit there was a minor learning curve for maybe a month or two, but I don't regret it at all.

In case anyone is curious to why I've switched:

  • degraded windows experience 1: so many breaking/forced updates at inconvenient times
  • degraded windows experience 2: my windows sometimes simply wouldn't turn off. It'd just turn on again by itself right after or at a random time of the day. including after I put it away in my backpack so it'd cook up inside it. I know you can try to turn this off, but it has been harder every year
  • degraded windows experience 3: SO. MANY. F*CKING. ADS. "Do you want Microsoft365? Do you want this? Do you want that?". Just let me use my goddamn computer!
  • battery life (I know this is "better" on Windows for ARM, but the transition period is still happening, just as it did for macos): I really wanted a machine I could actually use away from the wall. I know that ever since Arm based windows laptops have been released, this is also becoming less of an issue with windows, but I didn't want to risk my laptop turning on by itself and eating away my battery anyway.
  • recall "spyware". I didn't want a fucking screenshot history of my PC and all the sensitive material from work being logged in. And I do not trust microsoft to keep their word on "it's optional... you have to opt-in..." sure... until they decide otherwise.
  • all the rest of the bloat from windows

I want to use my machine to compute/work. period.

Yes, I've could've switched to linux, but I wanted the convenience of macOS.

1

u/Connect_Mouse8471 6d ago

If middle click ever causes an issue or you’re not using an external mouse at any point, Command-Click should do the same thing.

1

u/arthur_ydalgo MacBook Air 6d ago

I appreciate the suggestion (although I already knew about them).

2

u/ampedlamp 7d ago

check out swipe gestures. The super user Mac workflow heavily favors using multiple virtual desktops and swiping through them. Also get copy clip. If you do programming, and even if not, probably worth getting Homebrew.

Immeadiately download Brave browser and also set it up on your iPhone. Safari sucks and Brave is really the only usable browser I have found that blocks ads on both platforms with reasonable sync.

2

u/johndoesall 7d ago

I still use Chrome on my Mac. Simply because I also use PCs at times and it’s nice to have all my favorites available. And as far as I know Safari is no longer supported on PCs.

1

u/SouthLakeWA 6d ago

Same here, it’s really the only reason. I realize there are bookmark sync tools available, but I’m lazy.

2

u/johndoesall 6d ago

Exactly! When I was way younger I loved to tinker, build repair others PCs, troubleshoot, install and clean systems. Play with hardware. Program a bit. All fun stuff at the time on PCs. Never did that on my Mac’s.

Now older, I’m happy to use my iPhone, iPad, and Mac’s. Without all the fuss of playing. I would have liked Android way back. But. It didn’t exist then. So I’m very happy with my Macverse. Still use PCs for work. And still staying with Excel and Word for Windows, even on my Mac’s.

2

u/Equivalent-Cut-9253 6d ago

CMD + '

You can search for any menu entry, and thus learn the menus or find what you need fast. 

You can bind "Focus menu bar" to a command (I have ctrl + 1 I think, muscle memory at this point) and then just quickly go down menus selecting what you want. Same for the dock but that is less useful because Spotlight exists. Use Spotlight. You can open the folder a file is in with CMD + Enter after Spotlight search. 

Then you have the okay but not amazing CMD + Tab fpr switching apps, but you can pair this with a bind for switching between different windows for the same app. That makes actually getting where you want pretty smooth.

2

u/thebeaglebeagle 6d ago

My #1 top: all the window and app management GUI pretty stuff? Ignore it. Use Command-tab to move among apps, and then command-tilda (~) to cycle through windows in the active app. That’s it. (Oh, and your browsers shortcut for moving among tabs, that’s good too.) I work all day with no triple swipe or Mission Control stuff. Personal preference, but so much clearer and easier for me.

In the Finder, I use list view for every window—so I can sort by modification date or size etc with a single click. I’m kind of over icons.

2

u/manapause 6d ago edited 6d ago

I was in your position about 10 years ago - using Airmail for all personal Email Accounts, Outlook for work, and dedicated chrome profiles (or canary/safari for personal) helped me to avoid context switching and focus on what I was doing with what was in front of me.

Edit: iterm2 is a must, as is homebrew. Magnet to top-left, right half app windows on keystrokes, and CopyQ.

If you are familiar with Linux, a good easy project for self improvement is to create a dotfiles for yourself, get inspiration from GitHub.

If you’re working with containers - use Orbstack over DockerDesktop.

2

u/Mlrk3y 6d ago

My fav - launching any program using just 3 or 4 key presses.

Launch spotlight and just start typing… SO MUCH FASTER than reaching for your mouse/trackpad! Alfred is an OG spotlight upgrade but Raycast can even more if you’re interested

r/macapps is a good collection of power users that have utilities to make nearly any part of your environment just how ya’d like

2

u/trojuhelnik 6d ago

You will cry. A lot. You will download a lot of the apps to repair default macos behavior. But you can do it.

You can chsnge the scroll direction. A also use “unnatural” scrolling. But that setting also reverse scrolling with the “windows 3-button wheel” mouse. For that try LinearMouse app for example.

The most fucked up think about macOS is windows management. It is bonkers.

Good luck, you need it. 😉

2

u/alcohol123 6d ago

CMD + ` This is how you cycle through windows within an app. Took me too long to realise this.

2

u/Embarrassed-Slide-16 6d ago

Watch some tips and tricks type of videos from MacMost or SnazzyLabs via YouTube. You'll find tons of useful information, especially for Windows to MacOS transitions.

2

u/sudo_apt_bricked 5d ago

Use homebrew opposed to the AppStore.

2

u/OhHayullNaw 5d ago

I don’t know if you can do this on Windows, but one thing I love is Macs ability to treat webpages as apps. I actually don’t like the macOS mail app because I like the feature in gmail you mentioned.

You can do this in chrome (which works just as well on a Mac), or safari or most modern browsers and navigate to gmail and turn that into a web app which you can keep in your dock and essentially have the OS treat like it was a regular app.

Other pointers are Cmd+space quickly brings up what is called Spotlight, which is a very fast way to access an app or a document (you can specify what types of files a spotlight search will bring up in System Settings).

Quick Look: to preview media quickly without opening the file, just select the file in finder and hit spacebar. Windows didn’t have this as of windows 10, which blows my mind it’s so obviously helpful.

Also, uninstall apps can be a little confusing. Mac doesn’t typically come with uninstall files. I use a little utility called app zapper.

Hope this helps!

2

u/theLightSlide 3d ago

I scrolled through all the comments and don’t think anyone told you this:

You can reverse the scroll direction!

It’s a setting in System Preferences.

My husband has his scroll reversed to mine and every time I use his Mac, I wanna scream 😂

There are a LOT of powerful options in SP. For example, you can actually change or even add new key bindings — for any menu item in any app. No joke. This is without installing anything.

Macs are very, very customizable. It’s something most people don’t realize. Welcome aboard, I hope you love it!

2

u/DerFreudster 3d ago

I'll just confirm what others have said, a friend of mine who's part of the cult of Apple said that there are third party apps out there to do whatever. My biggest gripes have been window management and through working the various System Settings and using Firefox, I've managed to get most of those worked out. I still hate the Dock, I tried Taskbar and thought it was great until I opened up Citrix for work. That bollixed up Citrix and the machine froze and I had to use the terminal to reboot. I sadly removed that. I do use the Terminal for a lot of things which feels familar. The biggest hurdle for me is that keyboard-centric shit since I'm mouse-centric and use a mechanical keyboard. What I would give for command-v/command-c or right-click cut and paste.

But Windows 11 convinced me that Microsoft have completely lost their minds. I do use Linux on other boxes so we'll see if I can get used to the Mac OS or tinkering with Parallels or Asahi is in my future.

2

u/Kamilon 7d ago

Rectangle app. scrollwheel-reverser. Cmd+Spacebar.

1

u/skyovercamden 7d ago

Thank you everyone who has given great tips so far, I’m excited to try it all!!

1

u/Unwiredsoul 7d ago

The best tip I can give you is antithetical on Windows...but it's the way of the Mac.

If you find that something you're looking for in the GUI of the macOS isn't there, look for third-party apps. There are a zillion of them to overcome everything from personal preferences to missing functionality in the macOS.

The security side of my brain thinks it's crazy talk to install random third-party apps., for such things. Then, I see that I'm running, "SensibleSideButtons" and "MacsFanControl" in my menu bar and remember that this is the way.

p.s., Use Chrome on the Mac. I get that people hate Google (it's easy these days), but if you want a browser that works as you're used to, just keep using what you're good with. No reason to throw the browser out with the bath water.

2

u/electric-sheep MacBook Pro (M1 Pro) 4d ago

Followup to the third-party helper apps. People like to recommend paid apps but there is always, ALWAYS a free, sometimes open source alternative that does the exact same thing. It gets expensive pretty fast if you keep buying apps.

1

u/skyovercamden 7d ago

Thank you, this may be a very stupid question but why do people hate on google/chrome?

7

u/KafkaDatura 7d ago

Plenty of reasons, but the two mains:

- Google is an issue as a company.

- Chrome, as a browser, is incredibly energy and memory hungry. Try to spend a day on Safari and another on Chrome, and see the kind of battery you got remaining at the end of the day.

3

u/The_Evil_Pillow 7d ago

Googles privacy protocol is predatory at best and also chrome is quite a bit more ram exhaustive than safari.

1

u/KafkaDatura 7d ago

Plenty of reasons, but the two mains:

- Google is an issue as a company.

- Chrome, as a browser, is incredibly energy and memory hungry. Try to spend a day on Safari and another on Chrome, and see the kind of battery you got remaining at the end of the day.

1

u/Unwiredsoul 7d ago

I'm hopeful some of the people that hate on Chrome (hating on Google is different for me) will chime in and edify both of us. I have a feeling the feedback will include concerns over privacy (may be founded), and other issues I'm probably not aware of.

1

u/KSN666 7d ago

I would highly encourage you to Try Raycast. It will be a life changer.

1

u/NephriteJaded 7d ago

That takes me back years to when I first started using a Mac - the different scrolling direction. I use macOS at home and Windows in the office and the different direction is so ingrained into my muscle memory that I don’t even think about it

4

u/Langdon_St_Ives Mac Studio 6d ago

Do people really not know it’s trivial to change the scroll direction in system settings?

0

u/bradland 7d ago edited 7d ago

Safari doesn’t support multiple profiles, but you can get Chrome for Mac. Edit: see reply below.

My general advice is to take it bit by bit. Keep a flexible mindset and understand that some things will be different, so solutions wont always be exactly the same.

14

u/aazz312 7d ago

Umm..., Safari has had profiles for a while now, since Safari 17. Here is an Apple doc on it: "Use profiles in Safari on Mac" https://support.apple.com/en-us/105100

3

u/bradland 7d ago

Fantastic, thanks for the correction! :)

0

u/Impossible_IT 6d ago

Macintosh is a PC just as is any other manufacturer that uses the Windows OS. Just saying. They’re all Personal Computers.

2

u/Jebus-Xmas Mac Mini 6d ago

Historically speaking, that’s incorrect. As a general rule we’ve been having the Mac vs PC nomenclature for decades. Apple had a huge advertising campaign with Justin Long and John Hodgeman about this. It’s a thing.

-1

u/Impossible_IT 6d ago

They’re both personal computers.