MacMost: Video Podcast

You can change how the Command, Control, Shift, Option and FN keys work on your Mac. If you need, you can remap one to the other. You can also assign special functions to left or right versions of the keys if you only need one. The third-party app Karabiner allows you to remap any key on your keyboard to any other key and some special functions.

While most Mac users know how to use the basic Undo function while working with text, there are many other ways to use Undo on a Mac. There are also ways to undo or restore things to a previous state that don't use the Undo command at all.

Automatic text substitutions let you type curly quotes and em dashes without worrying about remember the correct keyboard sequence to use. There are also a variety of other options for URLs, addresses, copy and paste and other things to help you be more productive and consistent when typing.

When using percentages in Mac Numbers, keep in mind that what you are using are really decimal fractions, and not the whole number shown as a percentage. Use formatting to properly show a value as a percent. Also learn how to use percents for sales tax and other things.

Take a look at all fo the markup tools you can use in Mac Preview to annotate PDF documents, including the new redaction tool. You can use these to edit documents, leave notes for yourself, or fill in PDF forms without set form fields.

You can drag and drop on the iPad like you can on a Mac to move files and perform other actions. The trick is to use Split View or Slide Over so you can see the origin and destination at the same time.

While many apps come with your Mac, and Apple provides others for free, you can also find great third-party apps that don't cost anything. Take a look at five: a video player and converter, an audio editor, an image editor, a text editor and a full office suite.

The new AirTag from Apple allows you to track items in the Find My app on your iPhone or Mac. You can also locate nearby AirTags with a special feature of the most recent iPhones. A lot of security and privacy features are built in to the AirTags system.

When you buy a new Mac, how long can you expect it to last before you need a new one? The answer depends on how you use the Mac, your needs and how they change, and a variety of other factors.

If you need to grab a single frame from a video and turn it into a still image or add it to your Photos library, you can do it using a few steps even though a direct function for that doesn't exist in the current Photos app. Here are two methods you can use.

In the Music app on your Mac you can create playlists containing any songs from your library. You can arrange these songs inside the playlist, and also organize your playlists. You can also create Smart Playlists that select songs based on search criteria and automatically update as you add new music.

This update to Big Sur brings new Emoji characters and new features in Reminders, Safari, News, Podcasts, Music and more. On M1 Macs you have new options for using iOS and iPadOS apps.

Drag and drop is one of the most basic skills you need to master to get the most from your Mac. You can use drag and drop to move files, rearrange items, move content from one app to another, and much more.

The Mac Calculator app seems simple at first, but it includes some pretty advanced features. It has a scientific and programmer mode, paper tape, a library of conversions and much more.

Multitasking on an iPad in iOS 14 is done using either Split View or Slide Over. The first allows you to split your screen between two apps. The second will palce a small vertical window over the main app. But activiating these features takes some complicated gestures.

Your Mac comes with many small apps in addition to the main ones you use every day. Take a look at 10 fun and useful apps to see if any of them can help you get the most from your Mac.

In today's special Spring Forward announcement, Apple debuted a new M1 iMac with a new design, a new iPad Pro with a Mini-LED screen, and the AirTag tracking device.

You can easily create password-protected encrypted documents using apps like Pages, Numbers, Keynote and Microsoft Word. Youc an also create a password-protected PDF file from just about any app. There are good reasons to sometimes need encrypted documents, but often it isn't necessary.

The Mac Photos app has some deep functionality and even regular users may not know some of these tips. Learn how to search by photo contents, convert Live Photos to long exposure pictures, export contact sheet PDFs, adjust and filter videos, create multiple libraries and much more.

If you use your Mac to create or work on documents and projects, you'll occasionally want to archive old files to free up space on your Mac's internal drive and iCloud. You can do with with a basic external drive. But you may also want to consider other types of external storage, backups and more.