WHILE MOST OF us stick with what we know, Apple has packed the Mac with lots of alternative ways to use it. This extends to such basic principles as how to navigate the desktop, organize applications and their windows, and switch between them.
With a cluttered desktop, it can become a headache to navigate and find the app window you want. The Dock is fine for opening favorite apps and switching to them, while the Launchpad is good for viewing all your apps and searching for one. There are some extra tools to help you, however, which we'll explore here.
Switching between running apps is made simpler and quicker with theApp Switcher. If your desktop is becoming cluttered, you can create extra spaces (desktops) from Mission Control and switch between them. Finally, Stage Manager offers an alternative way to organize apps without cluttering the desktop.
HOW TO Switch apps quickly
1 Open App Switcher
Instead of switching between apps via the Dock, there's another way. Hold Cmd and press Tab to open App Switcher.Appearing in the middle of the screen, the App Switcher shows icons for all the apps currently running on your Mac.
2 Select an app
With the Cmd key still held, select an app by moving the mouse pointer or use the Left/Right arrow keys, or Tab. When you then release the keys, the App Switcher will disappear and you'll switch to the chosen app.
3 Switch back and forth
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro
Get your iPhone to follow your every move
Death Stranding Director's Cut
An outstanding horror tale
AirPods 4 with ANC
A new design and Active Noise Cancellation
iPhone 16 Pro
Bigger and better in almost every way
Apple, AirPods & your hearing health
Can AirPods Pro really be an effective alternative to traditional hearing aids?
What's next?
More Apple product releases and upgrades to come
KIT OUT YOUR HOME OFFICE
Create the perfect working environment in your own space
Create great movies now!
Turn your video clips into slickly edited stories with pro production values
Say hello to...macOS Sequoia
What’s new in macOS 15? What is Apple Intelligence, and what can it do for you: Will my Mac be able to run it? We tell you all this and more
Philips VoiceTracer Pen
Capture recordings and convert speech to text