macOS Monterey For Dummies. Bob LeVitus

must be interesting or informative, or I wouldn’t have wasted your time with it.

      

Read these notes very, very, very carefully. (Did I say very?) Warning icons flag important cautionary information. The author and publisher won’t be responsible if your Mac explodes or spews flaming parts because you ignored a Warning icon. Just kidding. Macs don’t explode or spew these days. But I got your attention, didn’t I?

      

Well, now, what could this icon possibly be about? Named by famous editorial consultant Mr. Obvious, this icon highlights things new and different in macOS Monterey.

Beyond the Book

      In addition to what you’re reading right now, this product also comes with a free access-anywhere cheat sheet that provides handy shortcuts for use with macOS Monterey, offers my backup recommendations, and more. To get this cheat sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type macOS Monterey For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.

Where to Go from Here

      The first few chapters of this book are where I describe the basic things that you need to understand to operate your Mac effectively. If you’re new to Macs and macOS Monterey, start there.

      Although macOS Monterey looks slightly different from previous versions, it works the same as always (for the most part). So, the first part of the book presents concepts so basic that if you’ve been using a Mac for long, you might think you know it all — and okay, you might know some (or most) of it. But remember that not-so-old-timers need a solid foundation, too. So here’s my advice: Skim through stuff you already know and you’ll get to the better stuff sooner.

      I would love to hear how this book worked for you. As mentioned, sending me your thoughts, platitudes, likes, dislikes, and comments will make me a happy author. Did this book work for you? What did you like? What didn’t you like? What questions were unanswered? Did you want to know more (or less) about something?

      I have received more than 100 suggestions about previous editions, many of which are incorporated here. So please (please!) keep the tradition alive and email me at [email protected] with your suggestions.

      I appreciate your feedback, and I try to respond to all reasonably polite email within a few days.

      So what are you waiting for? Go on and enjoy the book!

Part 1

      macOS Basics

IN THIS PART …

      Find the most basic of basics, including how to turn on your Mac.

      Make the dock work harder for you.

      Get a gentle introduction to Finder and its desktop.

      Find everything you need to know about Monterey’s windows, icons, and menus (oh my)!

      Get all the bad puns and wisecracks you’ve come to expect.

      Discover a plethora of Finder tips and tricks to make life with Monterey even easier (and more fulfilling).

Chapter 1

      macOS Monterey 101 (Prerequisites: None)

      IN THIS CHAPTER

      

Understanding what an operating system is and is not

      

Turning your Mac on and off

      

Getting to know the start-up process

      

Avoiding major Mac mistakes

      

Pointing, clicking, dragging, and other uses for your mouse

      

Getting help from your Mac

      Congratulate yourself on choosing macOS Monterey version 12.0, also known as the 18th release of the venerable operating system formerly known as OS X (which was pronounced “oh-ess-ten”). Now, congratulate yourself again for making your Mac even easier to use, with hundreds of tweaks to help you do more work in less time, plus a user interface overhaul that once again affects almost every pixel on the screen.

      In this chapter, I start at the very beginning and talk about macOS in mostly abstract terms; then I move on to explain what you need to know to use macOS Monterey successfully. A number of features I describe haven’t changed in years (other than adopting the updated Monterey graphic look), so if you’ve been using macOS for a while, much of the information in this chapter may seem hauntingly familiar.

      But if you decide to skip this chapter because you think you have all the new stuff figured out, I assure you that you’ll miss at least a couple of things that Apple didn’t bother to tell you.

      Tantalized? Let’s rock.

Gnawing to the Core of macOS

      The operating system (that is, the OS part of macOS) is what makes your Mac a Mac. Without it, your Mac is nothing but a pile of silicon and circuits — no smarter than a toaster.

      “So what does an operating system do?” you ask. Good question. The simple answer is that an OS controls the basic and most important functions of your computer. In the case of macOS and your Mac, the operating system

       Manages memory

       Controls how windows, icons, and menus work

       Keeps track of files

       Manages networking and security

       Does housekeeping (No kidding!)

      Other forms of software, such as word processors and web browsers, rely on the OS to create and maintain the environment in which they work their magic. When you create a memo, for example, the word processor provides the tools for you to type and format the information and save it in a file. In the background, the OS is the muscle for the word processor, performing the following crucial functions:

       Providing the mechanism for drawing and moving the onscreen window in which you write the memo

       Keeping track of the file when you save it

       Helping the word processor create drop-down menus and dialogs for you to interact with

       Communicating with other programs

       And much, much more (stuff that only geeks could care about)

      So, armed with a little background in operating systems, take a gander at the next section before you do anything else with your Mac.

One last thing: As I