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More tips for students

By BY GEORGE GORDON, Computer Guru - | Oct 15, 2020

For all you kids back in school, I have a couple of tips to help you get straight A’s.

As I mentioned in my last article, you should use iCloud Drive as a backup of all your school data. To do this, go into System Preferences, go into your Apple ID on the top right, then click on iCloud on the lefthand side. Click on iCloud Drive and Options. Make sure that DESKTOP $ DOCUMENTS FOLDERS are checked. What that does is allow you to sign into iCloud on another computer to see all your files if your computer gets lost or the hard drive crashes.

Another awesome thing is that you can access all your MacBook Pro files on your iPhone or iPad by going into the Files App and to see them under the Desktop folder.

You can use the Calendar App for all your schedules and events (like “Mondays 9:00 go to Basket Weaving 101”).

You can also take notes using the Notes App, Text Edit and the Pages App. Pages is my favorite, and when you open it up, click on NEW, then under Basic choose Note Taking, and you’re automatically in Outline mode. Your Mac also has a Voice Memo App where you can record a lecture.

If you want to print out a page, you can also save it as a PDF. Just click on Print, and on the lower left side choose PDF. Don’t go out and buy a scanner. Your iPhone can scan. Open up Notes, and on the bottom right, choose the square icon to start a new note. A menu pops up; choose the Camera Icon then Scan Document. Guess what? You can scan on your Mac, too. Bring up any page, hold down on the Control key and left-click your mouse. A menu pops up allowing you to choose Scan Document. A menu pops up: “Scan a document with an iPhone.” Now pick up your iPhone, and your phone camera comes on. You can center it on the MacBook Pro screen and take a picture or scan it.

Want to send a file or photo to the girl sitting next to you? Use AirDrop as long as they have an iPhone, iPad or MacBook. Just Control Click on a file or photo, choose share, then select AirDrop or even Notes, Message or e-mail.

Now I’m going to show you how to copy a file to another location. Click on the Finder on the bottom left, and when it opens up, click on File at the top left and choose NEW FINDER WINDOW. Two windows appear next to each other. You can choose a file from one window and drag it over to the next window, or you can click on a file on one of the windows, click on Edit at the top, chose Copy, place your mouse on the other window where you want to paste the file, click on Edit on the top, then choose Paste file. Another way is to right-click on the file, choose Copy file, move over to the next window, click where you want it, then right-click and choose Paste Item.

But a really cool way is to drag the file to your desktop. Next, open up Finder, choose a place where you want to place it, then drag the file from your desktop over to that place.

Send your computer-related questions to MauiMist@aol.com.