Whether you’re new to computers or just new to the macOS operating system, it’s important to learn the basics of using your computer. If it all seems a little overwhelming right now, don’t worry! We’ll take you through it step by step and show you some of the most fundamental things you’ll need to know, like how to work with the desktop, open and close windows, and turn off your computer.

The desktop

Once your computer has finished starting up, the first thing you’ll see is the desktop. You can think of the desktop as the main workspace for your computer. From here, you can view and manage your files, open applications, and access the Internet, among other tasks.

Working with applications

An application—also known as a program—is a type of software that allows you to complete tasks on your computer. macOS comes with many applications you can use. For example, if you want to browse the Internet, you can use Safari, the built-in web browser for macOS. One of the easiest ways to open an application is to click its icon on the Dock.

To open an application:

1. Using your mouse, click an application icon on the Dock. In our example, we’ll open Safari.
2. The application will appear in a new window.

If you don’t see the application you want, click the Spotlight icon in the top-right corner of the screen and type the name of the application with your keyboard to search for it.

Working with windows

Whenever you open a file, folder, or application, it will appear in a new window. You can have multiple items open at the same time in different windows. You’ll use windows all the time, so it’s important to know how to switch among open windows, move and resize windows, and close windows when you’re done using them.

Parts of a window

You’ll see the same three buttons in the upper-left corner of almost every window.

Clicking the red button will close the window.

Clicking the yellow button will minimize the window, hiding it from view. It will be minimized to the Dock. You can then click the icon for that window on the Dock to make it reappear.

Clicking the green button will maximize the window, making it larger. You can click it again to return the window to its original size.

To move a window:

1. Click and drag the top of the window to move it to the desired location on the screen. When you’re done, release the mouse.
2. The window will appear in the new location.

To resize a window:

1. Hover the mouse over the lower-right corner of the window, then click and drag the mouse to make the window larger or smaller. When you’re done, release the mouse.
2. The window will be resized.

Quitting applications

Unlike Microsoft Windows, closing a window in macOS does not automatically quit an application. The application will continue running in the background even if it doesn’t have a window open. To see whether an application is running, look for a small black dot below the icon on the Dock. In the image below, you can see that there are four open applications (Finder, Safari, Notes, and Calendar).

To keep your computer running smoothly, you may want to quit an application when you’re done using it. To do this, click the icon on the Dock to switch to the application, then click the application name in the top-left corner of the screen and select Quit from the menu that appears. Note: You won’t be able to quit Finder because macOS requires Finder to run continuously.