10 Mac tricks to boost your productivity

From smartphones to tablets to desktops, we love our tech gadgets. And no matter how long you’ve used yours, there’s always something new to learn thanks to advancing technology and rolling updates.

Apple’s iPad is among the most popular tablets out there. If you use one, we’re willing to bet there are tricks you’ve never tried, like the split keyboard or Focus mode. Tap or click here for more iPad tips to help you get the most out of the mighty little tablet.

If you’re more of a MacBook or Mac desktop fan, we’ve gathered useful 10 tips and tricks to help you get more done.

1. Command-Space to open Spotlight

Spotlight lets you search for apps, documents, emails, contacts and other items on your Mac. Want to find things even faster? Press Command-Space on your keyboard to instantly open Spotlight. Type in what you’re looking for and a list of relevant searches, folders, maps, images, messages and other files will appear. Use your mouse or arrow keys to find what you’re looking for.

Once you have your results, you have many options including preview, open, copy and show location.

Related: 10 secret keyboard tricks to save you time every single day

2. Notification Center widgets

Widgets let you view reminders, appointments, birthdays, the weather, top headlines, notes and more right from the desktop — available on macOS Big Sur and later.

Scroll to the bottom of the Notification Center and click Edit Widgets then click the add button in the corner of any widget. If the widget is available in different sizes, click the small, medium or large button before adding it.

You can drag widgets around to reorder them and click the remove button to remove a widget if you no longer want to use it.

3. Split view

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Tech tip: How to see multiple windows on the same computer screen

Whether you’re working at home or at the office, there’s always a way to increase productivity. From limiting distractions to organizing your files, there is no definitive list on how to get more done in less time.

A second monitor can have a large effect on productivity. Not everyone has the space for this, but a vertically-oriented monitor can solve that issue. Not only that, but a vertical monitor is ideal for scrolling through websites and text. Tap or click here for tips on setting up a second monitor for vertical orientation.

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iPad modes to get more done: Split view lets you open two apps side by side. To try it, drag an app to the left or right side of the screen. Watching a video? Tap the PiP icon (two small rectangles) to minimize it into a corner of your screen.

5 pro tips to get more out of your Mac

Apple’s Mac is a powerful machine that is more than capable of performing complex and resource-intensive actions. But underneath all that circuitry and chrome is a softer side that will allow you to change folder icons to pictures of puppies.

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Dominate the multitasking game: Use an iPad? Drag an app out of the dock and place it alongside another open app. They’ll run side by side in Split View. Slide down to convert it to Slide Over mode.