Apple has a knack for layout and design that is unparalleled across the industry, and has been widely regarded as the best in the business when it comes to systems that are straightforward and useful right out of the box.
However, there’s an obvious sense in the newer versions of OS X that some things are missing, and a LOT of things are different. Having talked to a number of frustrated customers, I’ve come up with a list of common tweaks that might help both personalize and optimize your system. Though I really have been impressed and relieved by the new developments, Apple might have overstepped the line between functionality and beauty in a few places in Yosemite. That’s not to say the same functionality isn’t present – it’s actually readily available – but in my work I see plenty of users who would not know to look for it themselves.
I’ve noticed that with each upgrade of OS X, the sidebar in Finder has changed in its focus. In the past, things were based on a hierarchical system that began with Macintosh HD, followed subfolders, and left space for smart folders and other links below. In Yosemite, Apple approaches file management in a revolutionary yet sometimes confusing way. You can easily revert to the tried-and-true sidebar or customize it exactly to your specifications within Finder’s preferences – just look for the sidebar tab and you can pick and choose a layout that works for you!
There are similar settings for almost all of the built-in apps on your Mac. For example:
- Don’t like the Dock on the bottom of your screen? Switch it up! A lot of customers prefer to have their dock auto-hide or on the left side of their screen: System Preferences > Dock
- You can get fancy and organize your desktop by a wide range of sorting options in the View Options menu: Command-J
- Try setting up some Automator workflows for common tasks every day! You can even use voice commands to trigger a script. Here’s a great article from Apple on Automator.
- Color-code your files and folders! Pull up a contextual menu on any item in Finder (by right- or Control-clicking on it) and you’ll see the Label section available. It’s a great way to differentiate between projects that have multiple directories or as a progress indicator.
- Remember that you can easily create Smart Folders in Finder to automatically run filter searches on your directories: File > New Smart Folder
- You can hold the Command key and drag around menu items in multiple applications, as well as the System Menu bar (right side only).
Remember: it’s YOUR Mac. YOU are the one who uses it every day. Why not make it work with your own style? There’s so much customization at your fingertips; don’t just settle for the default. The most common problems for computer users are issues of competency and understanding how the system is laid out. Explore your Mac – it’s not some archaic maze of technological gibberish – and just as with any other appliance or valuable piece of equipment it is IMPERATIVE that you make the effort to learn basic maintenance and usage techniques that are beneficial to the life-cycle of that system.