If you aren’t familiar with how MacBooks work, there are a few things to know for new MacBook users that might take a while to get used to. As a trusted repair company, we understand that transitioning from a Windows PC to a MacBook can be daunting for first-time users.
This guide will cover essential tips and tricks to help you get comfortable with your new MacBook, blending our expertise in tech repairs with practical advice to ensure a smooth and confident switch.
We want you to skip the frustration and jump right into enjoying your new product. That’s why we like to make sure you have all the information you need at your fingertips on not only MacBooks, but a range of topics – including phone unlocking and dealing with water damage on iPads and iPhones.
MacBooks Can be Difficult to Get Used to
If you have spent years using Windows products – whether they have been laptops or PCs, making the switch to a MacBook is no simple feat. There are all kinds of new rules you need to learn, and getting your head around it isn’t always easy.
Since MacBooks are part of the wider Apple ecosystem, you can expect some incredible things, as well as some limitations. While MacBooks are fantastic for iMessage, iCloud, and integrating with other Apple products, they are generally more expensive and software is typically not as readily available.
With that being said, MacBooks are reliable products and offer a lot of stability. They can also help you save money long-term compared to some Windows products – just remember that customisation options are limited.
How to Factory Reset MacBook
Factory resetting your MacBook is simple enough, but the steps you take depend on the MacBook you have. We will go through what you need to do below.
Using Erase All Content and Settings
This option is only available on a Mac with Apple Silicon or a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip on macOS Monterey or later. If your MacBook doesn’t meet the requirements, we will go through another way to reset your device to factory settings.
On macOS Monterey, follow these steps to start:
- Select ‘System Preferences’ from the Apple menu found in the corner of the screen
- Select ‘Erase All Content and Settings’ from the menu bar
On macOS Ventura or later, follow these steps to start:
- Select ‘System Settings’ from the Apple menu found in the corner of the screen
- Select ‘General’ from the sidebar
- Select ‘Transfer’ or ‘Reset’ on the right-hand side
- Select ‘Erase All Content and Settings’
From the above steps, an erase assistant will open. All you need to do is follow the instructions shown on the screen to restore your MacBook to factory settings. You will be shown a summary of all the data, media, and settings on the device that are going to be turned off or erased.
A few key things to mention here:
- Use your password that you log into your Mac with when asked to sign in with admin credentials
- To sign out of ‘Find My’, you might be asked to input your Apple ID password
- If you want to back up your MacBook before resetting it, you can do this via Time Machine. You might get asked if you would like to do this prior to resetting it
- To proceed with resetting your device, you will be asked to select ‘Erase All Content & Settings’ to confirm your choice
After this, your device will restart and either a progress bar or black screen will show. You may need to reconnect your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth accessories or devices. For keyboards, you will be asked to select a language.
To select Wi-Fi, simply attach the correct network cable to select the network and follow the instructions, and your MacBook will reactivate. Select ‘restart’, and your device will move onto a setup assistant to walk you through the setup process.
If you plan to sell your MacBook or give it to someone else, do not use the setup assistant or link any previously attached Bluetooth devices. Turn the Mac off by holding down the power button until it turns off.
If You Can’t Use Erase All Content and Settings
If you can’t use the ‘Erase All Content and Settings’ feature because you have a different MacBook, don’t worry. Simply follow the below steps to reset your device to factory settings:
- Transfer or back up your files
- Sign out of iTunes, iCloud, and iMessage
- Unpair all Bluetooth devices
- Erase your MacBook
- Shut the device down
- From macOS Recovery, use Disk Utility to erase everything from your device
- Once done, do not restart your device, but close Disk Utility
- Reinstall macOS
- Still in macOS Recovery, select ‘Reinstall macOS’ and follow the instructions on the screen
- Once macOS has been reinstalled, the device will restart with setup assistant
- Instead of starting up, selection Command-Q to shut the device down
- Reset the NVRAM for Intel-Based MacBooks (not needed for Mac with Apple Silicon)
- With the device shut down, turn it back on
- Press and hold the ‘Option’, ‘Command’, ‘P’, and ‘R’ keys immediately
- After 20 seconds, release the keys. The device might look like it’s restarting as you do this
- Once the device has restarted, you will need to make changes to the reset system settings
Other Useful Things to Know for New MacBook Users
Below, we will go through some other useful things to know for new MacBook users, from screenshotting to copying and pasting.
How to Screenshot on MacBook
Press down and hold the ‘Shift’, ‘Command’, and ‘3’ keys, and a thumbnail will appear in the corner of the screen. You can edit the screenshot by clicking it, or simply wait for it to save to your device.
How to Screencap on MacBook
Screencap is the same as a screenshot. To do this, press down and hold the ‘Shift’, ‘Command’, and ‘3’ keys, and a thumbnail will appear in the corner of the screen. You can edit the screenshot by clicking it, or simply wait for it to save to your device.
How to Screen Capture on MacBook
To screen capture (record) your MacBook screen, you can use QuickTime Player:
- From your ‘Applications’ folder, select and open ‘QuickTime Player’
- Select ‘File’ → New Screen Recording
- For onscreen controls, you can select the arrow beside the ‘Record Button’ to after recording settings
- Select a microphone and adjust audio with the volume slider
- Begin recording by selecting the ‘Record’ button
- Record the whole screen by clicking anywhere
- Record a particular area by dragging to select that area of the screen
- End recording by selecting the ‘Stop’ button, or by pressing ‘Command’-’Control’-Esc’
- The recording will automatically be saved by QuickTime Player for you to watch, share, or edit as you like
How to Do a Hashtag on MacBook
- Press down the ‘Option (⌥)’ and ‘3’ shortcut keys
OR
- Hold ‘Shift (⇧)’, ‘Option (⌥)’ and ‘3’ keys down
How to Right-Click on MacBook
On MacBooks, a right click is known as a Control-click or secondary click. To right-click on a Mac device, simply hold down the Control key as you click the object/item with the trackpad or mouse.
How to Copy and Paste on MacBook
Copying and pasting is simple on MacBook, and only requires a few steps:
- Select what you want to copy
- Press and hold down the ‘Command’ (⌘) key, and press ‘C’
- Where you want to paste the information/object, press and hold down the ‘Command’ (⌘) key and press ‘V’
imFixed is Here to Help
At imFixed, we deal with tech repairs, selling phones and other devices and accessories, and much more. Our wide collections feature only the best quality products, and our professional business repair service helps keep companies going.
Now that we’ve covered the important things to know for new MacBook users, hopefully you feel a bit more comfortable in your PC to MacBook transition.
