10 Weird macOS Features That Are Somewhat Useful

[@Sergesouszero]

After more than 20 years using a Mac, I’ve never heard of the last tip. Same for the one about getting an app icon by dragging it in Preview. Thanks Gary!

[@pqsk]

I wonder if that’s a bug. Perhaps no one ever thought someone would rename a directory to those 2 and so they just hard coded the 2 names

[@nealtguidry]

Same here. More than 25 years on a Mac! Never heard of the last two.

[@meeluanistyn1644]

Absolutely amazing. How you know about these weird things defeats me. Yet again, a lot of things I want to try for myself.

[@CescoCDN]

Timely video as I just started an antibiotic regimen for 14 days taking 4 different meds 4 x day 😳. Reminders has come a long way packed with features. Thanks, Gary.

[@Nutwigg1]

Thank you, Professor. It’s kind of you, as always, for taking the time to make these videos and all of us better Mac users.

[@zilinhuang8949]

i thought I knew lots of things about Mac BUT THIS VIDEO IS A NEW WORLD TO ME

[@carpii]

I think the Finder background picture is intended for installer dmg's, so they can show some text and an image of the icon being dragged into Applications folder. All seems a bit quirky and half baked though

[@LacklusterOfficial]

yeah would've been amazing to get colours into List view instead of Icon view only.

[@ASTMA193]

I never cease to be amazed at this guys knowledge and the simple way he explains things. Always worth watching. Thank you, sir.

[@raedbilbessi4397]

I love the summarize feature. I’m sure I’ll be using that frequently.

[@pgVeritas]

I like your delivery because you are not only informative, but concise too. Keep it up!

[@garyackers1469]

Excellent video today Gary …..very handy to know about calendar for public holidays..😉😉😉

[@harryhellerman474]

I like the summarize feature. Thanks for pointing that out!

[@patchso]

Well, I knew exactly half of those! Been using Macs since OS9. Useful stuff, thanks.

[@GreenBake]

The Duration-Dimensions trick also appears to work even if the folder just STARTS WITH the word “Movies” (Capital M, followed by ovies)-The work “movies” does not appear to work. “Movies” appears to work, at least for Big Sur. So if the folder Example Files gets changed to Movies Example Files.. and you forget to change it back.. leaving “Example Files” at the end of the folder name will remind you to remove the word Movies and the extra space.

[@macmost]

Excellent!

[@Toschez]

System Preference > Accessibility > Display > Increase Contrast. It makes the interface look a little more like classic MacOS and I love it.

[@robinandthedog]

Woot love this, thanks for sharing. Even the new Safari tabs are more useful now.

[@KuhiChr]

4:40 starts speaking action, shortcut: option + esc combination. I personally use this when translating something. It is helping the fluent language switch when you also hearing the translated text.

[@robinandthedog]

I study like this, select parts of PDFs and let it read instead of me reading all, got my CISSP like this :)

[@davehugstrees]

That feature where you can sort by duration is extremely useful!

[@robinandthedog]

very nice video sir, also much underrated are the folder actions which I recently rediscovered.

[@CassKMac]

I work with graphics and images so the tip to force the dimensions property in Finder is heaven-sent!

[@henriqueaugustus1761]

The duration and dimensions tag is very useful to me. Thank you very much!

[@roshaan]

The summarise feature is amazing. Thanks!

[@qwincyq6412]

It’s amazing what you find when you poke around. I found the time speak feature very useful but I had to turn it off because it didn’t stop when I wasn’t using the computer; ie late at night. Is there some way to silence it when the Mac is set to “do not disturb”?

[@macmost]

No, you'd think it would though.

[@THE_HMRC]

It is funny you brought up the clock speaking out loud the time.....I remember this scaring the daylights out of me when I had my Powerbook G4 (Snow Leopard OS) and I accidentally set this on!! I remembered this feature ever since....

[@Larry77777]

Hey Gary: You're very clever to have discovered these anomalies. Thanks for sharing.

[@MasterK50326]

I did not know about the finder features. They are pretty cool.

[@ateljeavesaltus]

Thank you, excellent, happy to have found you!

[@skkrawczyk]

I have been using a Mac for more than 10 years and it still astonishes me ;)

[@dogcowrph]

Thanks Gary. Always good information easily accessible from your site.

[@chintan132]

Wow!! Never thought of those things!! But summary can be a very useful.....

[@ong1]

These are the RREEAALL hidden features! Cool

[@roxammon5858]

Speaking the selected text is useful to me. Thanks Gary

[@misterhoeflak]

The novelty voices were already around in System 7 (my first Mac ran on System 7), from memory!

[@ralfns730]

nice, maybe u also wanna show how to place apps on the finder window toolbar, cause then u not have to move all the way down to the dock.. the trick with putting apps like iMovie onto the preview-app was surprisingly new to me.. I wonder that your Mac is still running haha..

[@juliesmith7993]

Another good video:) You’re the best!

[@adielveras]

Hello Gary! Thanks…nice video. ✌️

[@johningham1880]

Novelty voices also useful for ransom demands

[@karenm2669]

Deranged voice. When your ransom demand is just that little bit more urgent 🤣

[@barbazarr]

the 5th one is gonna help me sooooo much omg

[@LibraryOfParadise]

is the summarize feature under services after highlighting and right clicking a selection only for modern macs? i have a 2016 macbook pro and that feature isn;t showing... under services theres a bunch of "Open PGP:decrypt selection to Open PGP: Import Key from Selection to Open PGP:Verify signature to "show in finder. But no summarize.... first what are these PGP options and second is the summarize option only for newer macs?

[@LibraryOfParadise]

and i commented too early... i see that you explain how to add options under system preferences...thank you so much

[@Slurkz]

Wow… this is golden! Thanks, Gary!

[@davidfuchs97]

The visualizer Coucke actually be useful to deaf people. To get some of the feelings of the song. However it should include the lyrics.

[@dylan.t180]

Super useful thanks for this video

[@alecwhatshisname5170]

The visualizer is still my fav way to listen to apple music, lol. Yeaaaaahh maaaan

[@garudasomanna]

Thanks Gary for this new loads of info. I have followed your tip and set the clock to announce the time every half hour. This frequent announcement has been extremely useful for me: it helps me to jerk out of any complacency or straying of my mind, helps me to focus more sharply on the tasks ahead of me, helps me to plan out my schedule, helps me to thank God for the time He is extending to me to stay alive by the minute, BUT, it may have this drawback: when I am recording vocals in GarageBand, will this feature be muted? I have done some recording yesterday but I haven't been disturbed by this announcement if any. I guess that this has been because I had selected my Scarlet Focusrite interface as the input and output device. Your thoughts on this matter are appreciated.

[@blinddudedc]

Here’s an interesting fact the novelty voices were used back when outspoken. Was in os 4 and up. So is the ability to change the finder color and apply a background image

[@robinandthedog]

Finder Big Sur tip: control click in the top bar of finder and select icon/text only

[@ci3008]

Wow, who knew..? Well, I guess, you did, lol. Good info. Thanks

[@aveerajsharma]

Ohhk, by the way I watch most of your videos. But I don't even have a Mac 😅 We were planning to buy the m1 Mac But now we are waiting for m1x mac to be launched in October end. And this will be the first Mac computer I have ever had. Though I learnt how to use a Mac before in this year, and now watch tips and tricks etc

[@vocalead]

3:48 Tip 6 brings back PS1 memories, playing CD's with your PS1.

[@karmaduq]

It's interesting to see when people just find stuff that's been in there since 8, 7, or sometimes earlier. It'll be a cold day in hell if/when they take the legacy voices out (btw some of them sing). Here's a few more things regarding interface: - Clicking the close button on a background window "clicks through" without bringing it to the front, but you can also drag background windows by the title bar without bringing them forward by holding command. - Dunno if this still works after Big Sur design changes, but command-clicking a Finder window's title would open a menu that allowed traversal up through containing folders. - Option-clicking on another app or the desktop hides the app you're switching away from. - Holding option while resizing a pane in column view will equally resize all panes to the right.

[@Greg-fg1rd]

WOW! Fun video...Thank you!

[@richgolfs]

And find her on the Mac can you still open up get info for the folder and create a picture by dragging a photo over the folder icon? I used to do that all the time and help me find things a lot easier

[@macmost]

Yes. Well, the way to do it is to copy an image (the image, not the file containing the image) and paste into that icon slot in the Info window.

[@pqsk]

Cool. I knew a bunch of these and a bunch of these I learned

[@isitwitha]

Good grief! Amazing!! Thanks!

[@RobertWardDavidson]

Great video!

[@raheem201231]

Another great video

[@marklsimonson]

Pretty sure the whole reason for the Finder window background feature is for developers who want to include branding images or colors to be used with distribution disks (virtual or physical). I've seen it used quite often.

[@macmost]

Yes, that is where I usually see it too.

[@basilbcf]

When you add a picture to the Icon view of a folder, is there a way to have the picture stretch to fill the window? As it is it seems to just put the image in the upper-left corner of the rider window and most of the window is just white.

[@macmost]

No options like that. So maybe take the image into an image editing app an resize as you need, then export and use the new version.

[@tonytfuntek3262]

Always enlightening.... thank you

[@wardausman2795]

Thanks for sharing. That was most useful!

[@AdelmoGalindo]

Could you tell me a way to record the screen and get a lighter file? I recorded my screen at a one-hour meeting and the file got very heavy. When I do this with Zoom the final file is quite light and with good quality.

[@ashisharky]

Watching this in preparation for the MacBook I'm planning to get

[@amphreded]

As a graphic designer, the last one is super useful!

[@jeff1982]

Very cool. Thank you!!

[@dancewithpianosteve]

We all want the data of the LOTR callender makes perfect sense

[@georgevrontakis1106]

Wow !!! Great Tips !!! Thanks !!!

[@oldtimer7635]

Thank you! : )

[@Ded-Ede]

I love summarized and used it a lot. Wish for it on iOS

[@IzzyMariel]

I accidentally discovered another way of how to get dimensions and resolutions on images. If the folder was ever in your Pictures folder, and dimensions/resolution columns were set, when you move them into Documents, it retains the column(s).

[@moritzh6876]

Some nice weird features, especially the LOTR calendar :D Have you ever played Tetris through terminal? The first time I found out about that is when I really understood, how many little quirks are hidden here and there :D

[@TuxMan20]

This one is actually part of the Emacs text editor, which is pretty much an entire operating system by itself :D Some people use it for their email, calendar and even Twitter feed 😜 I think since Catalina or Big Sur it’s no longer installed by default, like telnet… so no more ASCII Star Wars from a fresh install 😂

[@moritzh6876]

@@TuxMan20 Oh no! :D have not used it for some years, so I only remembered using terminal to open it :D

[@Edd-zh6ql]

Good tutorial, but I tried several times to change the background color of the documents folder, but it didn’t work. What might be the problem?

[@macmost]

Are you in icon view? What happens when you try?

[@Edd-zh6ql]

@@macmost Hi Gary. I really appreciate your valuable time to reply. When I click on View, Show view Options in Icon View the three options below Background are greyed out, so there is no way to click the Color option. Without a doubt this must be the problem, but I have no idea how to solve it. Thank you again for any input.

[@macmost]

@@Edd-zh6ql Sorry, no idea why that would be the case for you. Try other folders and see where it works and where it doesn't.

[@essentialindigo9796]

Thank you

[@romanieo]

STARTING at 0:27, I would call everything starting at this timestamp and all that follows, "The Lords' Work", because that's what you're doing. I'm certain, Mac Geniuses come here to learn.

[@pineappleroad]

Hopefully i will be able to get my first mac within the next 8 or 9 months (thinking of getting an apple silicone mac mini, and maxing out the specs (minus the 10 gig ethernet upgrade, as i only have 1 gig switches), so if apple havent released a new model by the time i get it, then that will mean 16GB RAM and 2TB SSD)

[@AdelmoGalindo]

Very interesting features!

[@karenm2669]

Deranged voice. Yep, that’s just want I want speaking to me when I’m alone in my apartment 😱😂. Otherwise great tips! Love the text summary one. Can think of lots of ways I can use that.

[@olivertwigger4892]

Very interesting!

[@wallaceschling257]

Can you edit calendar holidays?

[@macmost]

The Holidays calendar in the Calendar app? There are many different ones, depending on the country. But they are calendars you subscribe to, not ones you can edit. You can always create your own though.

[@tobiasromanowski3552]

8:50 is so nice

[@desertpatient]

Thanks bunches

[@Mega_Casual]

I've searched all over google and not getting an exact answer. Is the only way to use an external Mic on a new M1 iMac, by using a USB Mic? Or can the audio jack be used for a microphone as well as headphones?

[@macmost]

There are some hacks to allow you to make your Mic work like it was really some EarPods. But that will never work as well as USB. Just do it with USB Mic or get a USB audio adapter to use an non-USB mic.

[@Mega_Casual]

@@macmost Awesome. Thanks for your assistance. I'll try a USB Mic. I've seen some videos where people say if you use a converter connector from ring/tip to ring/ring/tip it works fine. But I'll stick with easy and go USB. Thanks again.

[@TRACTATUS123]

Dear Garry, at 75; so many parentheses so little time left. Not out of despair, but with thanks…

[@jeremytravis360]

I'm still struggling to understand my new iMac 2017 27" I have gone up to Catalina and already feel out of my depth. I don't know if going to Big Sur I'm a disabled pensioner and I am beginning to struggle have cloned a drive onto a new computer already. Now that I can't do that should I buy a new computer.

[@guidewired]

my fave "weird" feature is batch renaming ;-)

[@SoNowWhat]

Wow! Somebody got lost down a rabbit hole in the Mac User Manual!

[@macmost]

What user manual? LOL

[@GarryBurgess]

I keep #receipts in notes, #obits of people I know, hardware serial numbers, KZbin video cards - better than KZbin saving videos, better than bookmarks by sharing to Note. Notes about things that I'm learning.

[@djr3386]

Macmost Rocks

[@shiremore]

My event repeat feature available after update to OS 15.01

[@CarProR]

Very very cool!!

[@bruceswinford4901]

Photo booth works with my Sony a7r external camera set up..

[@mojoblues66]

#1 Is useful for disk image files (.dmg)

[@careydunn8227]

Can I edit a calendar_holiday file so I don't have to see some holidays?

[@macmost]

No, because you aren't the creator of that calendar, just a subscriber to it. You can create your own calendar for anything you want instead.

[@marketingscarborough]

You do come up with some very interesting finds Gary. I had a go at finding the calendar for UK but for some reason, this is not in the folder?

[@CM_Marquez008]

Coolest channel ever!

[@loisskiathitis8926]

I’m sorry I’m late. Great informative video tutorial today! As always thanks for showing us how. Thank you, Gary! 👍🏻👏❤️

[@WillPierceMN]

Photo Booth works with USB Cameras as well eh!

[@macmost]

Some, maybe? Doesn't work with mine.

[@arthurmow262]

@@macmost I’ve managed to get all the ones I’ve tried to work ok. Just wish I knew how to flip the image live (useful with an inspection camera)

[@gordonbrooks13]

Photo Booth will work with webcams that are not built in.

[@napoledsl]

rename any folder to music get deration open another tap and go to the folder that you changed to music change it back to the other name the music with Movies Music

[@HowieD1975]

I really wish Apple would bring back color labels… hate the color dots

[@macmost]

The "color dots" are tags, which are far far more useful than labels. With labels you just had 7 and could only apply one at a time to a file. You can have as many tags as you want and apply multiple ones to a file to create a whole organizational system if you like. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/fV6WdH1obMyIjtU

[@Teluric2]

The 2 face drawing is also a copy.

[@ernstoud]

Actually macOS is based on BSD, not on Unix.

[@IvanSavin]

Really cool! Круто!