macOS Tahoe 26 macOS Sequoia 15 macOS Sonoma 14 macOS Ventura 13 macOS Monterey 12 macOS Big Sur 11.0 macOS Catalina 10.15 macOS Mojave 10.14 macOS High Sierra Select version: macOS Tahoe 26 macOS Sequoia 15 macOS Sonoma 14 macOS Ventura 13 macOS Monterey 12 macOS Big Sur 11.0 macOS Catalina 10.15 macOS Mojave 10.14 macOS High Sierra Modifying this control will update this page automatically Search this guide Clear Search Table of Contents
Mac User Guide
Welcome
About your Mac model
MacBook Air
MacBook Pro
iMac
Mac mini
Mac Studio
Mac Pro
What’s new in macOS Tahoe
Get to know the desktop
Work on the desktop
What’s in the menu bar?
Quickly change settings
What’s in the Apple menu?
Search with Spotlight
How to use Siri
Get notifications
Open apps from the Dock
Organize your files in the Finder
Mac basics
Connect to the internet
Sign in to your Apple Account
Set up iCloud
Browse the web
Preview a file
Take a screenshot
Change your display’s brightness
Adjust the volume
Use trackpad and mouse gestures
Use Touch ID
Print documents
Keyboard shortcuts
Apps
Apps on your Mac
Open apps
Work with app windows
Tile app windows
Use apps in full screen
Use apps in Split View
Use Stage Manager
Get apps from the App Store
Install and reinstall apps from the App Store
Install and uninstall other apps
Files and folders
Create and work with documents
Open documents
Mark up files
Combine files into a PDF
Organize files on your desktop
Organize files with folders
Tag files and folders
Back up files
Restore files
Personalize your Mac
Change System Settings
Choose your desktop picture
Add and customize widgets
Use a screen saver
Add a user or group
Add your email and other accounts
Automate tasks with Shortcuts
Create Memoji
Change your login picture
Change the system language
Increase the size of what’s on your screen
Get to know Siri
Find out what Siri can do
Get information with Siri
Call, text, and email with Siri
Play music and podcasts with Siri
Control your Apple devices and smart home accessories with Siri
Use Siri with apps
Turn on and activate Siri
Customize Siri
Apple Intelligence
Intro to Apple Intelligence
Translate messages and calls
Create original images with Image Playground
Create your own emoji with Genmoji
Use Apple Intelligence with Siri
Find the right words with Writing Tools
Summarize notifications and reduce interruptions
Use Apple Intelligence with apps
Use Apple Intelligence in Mail
Use Apple Intelligence in Messages
Use Apple Intelligence in Notes
Use Apple Intelligence in Phone
Use Apple Intelligence in Photos
Use Apple Intelligence in Reminders
Use Apple Intelligence in Safari
Use Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts
Use ChatGPT with Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence and privacy
Block access to Apple Intelligence features
Beyond Mac basics
Set up a Focus to stay on task
Block pop-ups in Safari
Use Dictation
Perform quick actions with hot corners
Send emails
Send text messages
Make a FaceTime call
Edit photos and videos
Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo
Start a Quick Note
Get directions
Use Apple devices together
Intro to Continuity
Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
Hand off tasks between devices
Control your iPhone from your Mac
Copy and paste between devices
Stream video and audio with AirPlay
Make and receive calls and text messages on your Mac
Use your iPhone internet connection with your Mac
Share your Wi-Fi password with another device
Use iPhone as a webcam
Insert sketches, photos, and scans from iPhone or iPad
Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
Use your iPad as a second display
Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
Sync music, books, and more between devices
Apple Account and iCloud
Manage Apple Account settings
Set your Apple Account picture
What is iCloud?
What is iCloud+?
Store files in iCloud Drive
Share and collaborate on files and folders
Manage iCloud storage
Use iCloud Photos
Screen Time
Get started with Screen Time
Set up Screen Time for yourself
Set up Screen Time for a child
Track app and device usage
Set time limits for apps and websites
Set up content and privacy restrictions
Family Sharing
Set up Family Sharing
Get Family Sharing recommendations
Add family members to a Family Sharing group
Remove family members from a Family Sharing group
Manage sharing and parental settings
Share a Photo Library
Collaborate on projects
Find content shared with you
Find your family and friends
Watch, play, and learn
Play music
Watch and listen together with SharePlay
Listen to podcasts
Watch TV shows and movies
Read and listen to books
Read the news
Write in your journal
Track stocks and the market
Play games on your Mac
Subscribe to Apple services
Apple Music
Apple TV
Apple Arcade
Apple News+
Apple Podcasts
Manage subscriptions in the App Store
View your family subscriptions
Use accessories and hardware
Connect an external display
Use the camera
Connect a wireless accessory
Connect a printer to your Mac
Connect AirPods to your Mac
Optimize your Mac battery life
Optimize storage space
Burn CDs and DVDs
Control accessories in your home
Run Windows on your Mac
Accessibility
Get started
General
Quickly turn accessibility features on or off
Change Shortcut settings for accessibility
Allow accessibility apps to access your Mac
Turn on accessibility options in the login window
Use Accessibility settings while sharing screens
Vision
Accessibility features for vision
Get started with VoiceOver
Zoom in on your surroundings
Zoom in on what’s onscreen
Make text and icons bigger
Adjust the display colors
View a larger version of colors or text
Read or listen to text in apps
Customize onscreen motion
Hearing
Accessibility features for hearing
Get live captions of spoken audio
Use subtitles and closed captions
Use Name Recognition
Use hearing devices with your Mac
Play background sounds
Change Audio settings for accessibility
Mobility
Accessibility features for mobility
Get started with Voice Control
Use the Accessibility Keyboard
Use Full Keyboard Access
Use Switch Control
Use head pointer
Use Dwell
Speech
Accessibility features for speech
Have what you type spoken out loud
Create a Personal Voice
Use Vocal Shortcuts
Have your Mac speak text that’s on the screen
Change Siri settings for accessibility
Privacy and security
Control what you share
Set up your Mac to be secure
Allow apps to see the location of your Mac
Use Private Browsing
Keep your data safe
Understand passwords
Change weak or compromised passwords
Use Mail Privacy Protection
Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites
Find a missing device
Restart, update, reset, and restore
Shut down or restart your Mac
Start up your Mac in safe mode
Keep your Mac up to date
Reinstall macOS
Erase your Mac
Resources for your Mac
Resources for your Apple devices
Copyright and trademarks
Normally you can restart your Mac by choosing Apple menu > Restart. However, in some cases—for example, if your Mac becomes unresponsive—you may need to use a different startup method.
Method
Details
Manually restart
Press and hold the power button on your Mac until it shuts off. After a moment, press the power button again to start your Mac. You may lose unsaved changes in open documents.
Prevent automatic login
When the progress indicator appears, press and hold the left Shift key.
Prevent login items and Finder windows from opening when you log in
After clicking the Log In button in the login window, press and hold the Shift key.
Start up in target disk mode
See Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode.
Use Apple Diagnostics
See Diagnose problems on Mac.
Select a startup disk
See Change your Mac startup disk.
Start up in safe mode
See Start up your Mac in safe mode.
Start up in macOS Recovery
See Use macOS Recovery on an Intel-based Mac or Use macOS Recovery on a Mac with Apple silicon.
For information about keyboard shortcuts you can use to start up an Intel-based Mac, see the Apple Support article Mac startup key combinations.
See alsoShut down or restart your MacDetermine which disk started up your MacApple Support article: Reset NVRAM on your Mac Helpful? Yes No Character limit:250 Please don’t include any personal information in your comment. Maximum character limit is 250. Submit Thanks for your feedback.
> Restart. However, in some cases—for example, if your Mac becomes unresponsive—you may need to use a different startup method.