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If you’ve just acquired your first Mac, there are a few things that you should do to have a great experience with your new computer. Here’s what you should consider doing with your new Mac.
Over the holidays, a number of people become first-time Mac owners. Be it from generous loved ones providing an exceptional gift, or simply taking advantage of some great deals to get their own, there’s a collection of people who’ve taken their first steps in Mac ownership.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably part of that small group starting their Mac adventure. Congratulations! You’ve got your iMac, Mac mini, MacBook Air, or other hardware in the box, so you’re at the very start.
Aside from unboxing everything, here’s what you may want to do with your new computing appliance.
Learn your ports and hook it up
It seems like an obvious thing to do, but not everyone knows their way around the physical Mac or MacBook. Getting it out of the box is a perfect time to become familiar with the device before placing it wherever it’s mainly going to be used.
Using the documentation that comes with it, have a look at the ports. They’re on the sides on a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, while the iMac range and the Mac mini put them to the rear.
For the most part, Apple use very common ports that you will probably be familiar with, including HDMI for video, USB-A, and USB-C, and for the desktop Macs, Ethernet. Bear in mind that the USB-C ports are also used for Thunderbolt connections, more than just USB.
Taking the time to look at what ports are available will help you know exactly what you can connect up to your Mac, and how best to arrange cables in your workspace. It may also help you work out if you should invest in an extra dock to expand your port selection a bit.
Initial Mac setup
Once you’ve got your Mac or MacBook in place and connected up, the next thing is to set up the Mac itself.
While it may seem daunting and many things will be asked of you at first, remember that this is a one-time thing that you won’t have to go through again until you get a new Mac. Mercifully, Apple also made it relatively easy to go through the entire process, with it guiding you through every step of the way.
Though you could go through all of the elements in one sitting, there’s usually the option to skip some parts. Any skipped sections can always be completed later, or selections changed at a later time.
It all starts by turning the Mac on, selecting your country or region, and enabling any accessibility options, if required. You then need to set up your connection to the network, which may require you to enter a Wi-Fi hotspot password.
Once you can access the network and the Internet, you’re asked if you want to transfer data to your new Mac. While you may not …….
Source: https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/12/28/what-to-do-first-with-your-new-mac