THE GIANT APP SWITCHER DOES MORE THAN JUST SWITCH

THE GIANT APP SWITCHER DOES MORE THAN JUST SWITCH

In a previous tip, I mentioned that holding the Command key, then pressing the Tab key, brings up a giant Dock-like window with huge icons in the center of your screen, where you can cycle through your open apps (using the tab key, the Arrow keys or clicking with your mouse). But, there’s more to it than that-you can quit any currently running app by cycling to it, then pressing the letter “q” (don’t let go of the Command key; keep holding it while you press the letter “q”). Still holding the Command key, press “h” to hide the highlighted app.

THE HIDDEN DOCK PREFERENCES SHORTCUT

A quick way to get to the Dock’s preferences is to go under the Apple menu, under Dock, and choose Dock Preferences, but I think you’re ready for the absolute fastest way there is to access the Dock prefs. This tip is so shrouded in Dock secrecy, I don’t think even Apple knows it exists (of course they do, but I doubt they’d admit it without administering some sort of “truth serum”). Just Control-click on the divider line on the right side of the Dock and a pop-up list of Dock preferences is right there, just once click away.

INSTANT DOCK RESIZE

If you want to make the Dock larger o smaller, there’s a slider in the Dock preference pane, nut you don’t have to use it. Ever. That’s because you can simply put your cursor right over the divider line on the right side of the Dock (the one that separate your apps from your folders and Trash) and your cursor changes  to a horizontal bar with two arrows: one facing up and once facing down. When it does that just click-and-drag your cursor upward to make the Dock bigger or downward to shrink it.

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T WANT TO “HIDE”

If the Dock seems to be in your way a lot but you don’t like the whole “hiding –the –Dock” thing try setting the Dock to its smallest size (so you can barely notice it’s there at all). Then, turn on Magnification and set it to a pretty large size, so when you scroll your mouse over the tiny Dock, the icons jump up in size so you can see what’s what. You can turn Magnification on by going under the Apple menu under Dock and choosing Turn Magnification On.