A MacBook Setup Guide: This is Everything to Know and Do

Are you trying to understand how to use your MacBook computer? If yes, you should check out our MacBook setup guide right here. In this article, you will know about A MacBook Setup Guide: This is Everything to Know and Do.

Apple is one of the top computer brands in the world for a reason. With complete control of both the hardware and software, Apple is able to offer top-notch user experience and intuitive design. 

Over the past few decades, the tech-savvy brand has grown its cult following to include computer users from all backgrounds. If you’re new to Apple products, check out this MacBook setup guide.

The MacBook Setup Wizard

One of the perks of having an Apple computer is the simplicity of the operating system. You don’t need to be computer savvy to master the MacBook.

As soon as you start your new computer, a startup wizard guides you through setting up an account with Apple. If you’re already an Apple user, you simply log in to your account and the remaining details populate into the setup wizard.

New Apple users will be required to set up an iCloud account in order to gain access to basic operating system features. An iCloud account is free to set up and includes an email address from Apple.

There are options to upgrade your iCloud account if you want to increase your cloud storage. In this case, you would be charged monthly storage fees for documents you choose to store. 

Apple also requests payment information for your iCloud account. The credit card you offer can be used for Apple Pay, app store purchases, or subscription fees like with an iCloud storage account.

Choose your preference for things like using Siri or automatic software updates when moving through the new MacBook prompts. 

Get To Know The Apple Menu

The most important hardware needs are handled using the Apple menu. Get to know this menu right away so you can quickly access the safest ways to turn off your computer.

The Apple menu contains the option to restart, log out, shut down and force quit. Force quit is the same as using control + alt + delete on a PC.

It quickly ends any open frozen programs so you can regain control of your computer.  The Apple menu is also where you’ll find your computer’s system preferences and the App Store. 

System Preferences

The system preferences menu is where you go to set up how you want your operating system to behave. You can change most details about the computer’s display and external devices here. 

For example, the system preferences menu is your go-to if you want to add a new keyboard or printer. System preferences also have details on your iCloud account and help you add or delete users from your computer. 

You can access a remote desktop on a Mac if you’re looking for options to work remotely. Go to the system preferences menu and select ‘sharing’ to get started. You can access a remote desktop on a Mac if you’re looking for options to work remotely. Go to the system preferences menu and select ‘sharing’ to get started. 

This feature means logging in to your computer from another device when you don’t have physical access to your laptop. 

Time Machine

Don’t use your new MacBook without setting up Time Machine. Time Machine is Apple’s proprietary backup software.

It comes standard with every Mac to allow you the convenience of safeguarding important files in case they are accidentally deleted. As the name implies, Time Machine keeps a snapshot of what’s on your Mac at any given time so you can retrieve saved information by date. 

If you ever get a new Apple computer, Time Machine makes it easy for you to transfer all your documents to the new computer instantly. Set up Time Machine to backup automatically so you don’t have to worry about keeping the latest version of your files.

You’ll need an external drive to use Time Machine. Apple offers a device called an AirPort Time Capsule that can be connected wirelessly for time capsule backups, but you can use any external drive to get started. 

To set up your Time Machine backups, go to the System Preferences menu and click ‘Time Machine.’ Attach your external hard drive to the computer and it will appear on this menu.

Select the frequency you want your automatic updates to occur. Common time frames are hourly, daily, weekly or monthly. 

Set Default Browser

Not every Mac user is sold on Apple’s web browsing software. If you prefer a web browser that isn’t Safari, you’ll need to download and add your preferred web browser to the system preferences menu.

To change, go to system preferences, then ‘general.’ Scroll between web browser options to select your internet tool of choice. 

Keep a shortcut to your browser on the dock menu. You can do this by dragging the browser icon to the dock menu when you first download the software. 

Battery Life

A helpful tweak to know when setting up your MacBook is how to show battery life. Knowing the battery life of your MacBook can be a lifesaver when you’re planning to use the computer without access to power.

You can plan out your remaining time without fear of the computer losing power in the middle of an important task. To show the battery life by a percentage, click on the battery icon in the top right corner.

Click ‘show percentage’ and a number will appear next to the battery icon so you can track how much battery you have left. You can also make this change on the energy saver menu in system preferences. 

Navigating A MacBook

The MacBook setup process is extremely easy for new Apple users. The basic tasks you’ll need to get your computer set up will be asked when you first power up your laptop.

From there, you can gradually customize the way your computer responds to your prompts. For more information and tech tips, visit our blog for updates.