Guide · 3 minutes
Having a few things ready makes setup go smoothly.
Make sure you have your home Wi-Fi password handy. Without an internet connection you can’t continue setup.
Already have an Apple Account, the account that used to be called Apple ID? Make sure you know the password. Don’t have an account yet? You can create one for free during setup.
Plug your Mac into its charger. Setup can take a while and you don’t want to run out of power halfway through.
Already had a Mac? Make a Time Machine backup first, so you can use it later to transfer everything.
As soon as you start your Mac for the first time, the Setup Assistant walks you through it step by step.
You’ll use these parts of the desktop throughout the day.
Your file manager, similar to Explorer on Windows. Here you’ll find all your documents, downloads and folders.
The bar at the bottom of your screen with your favorite apps and open programs. Click an icon once to open an app.
An overview of all your installed apps on one screen, similar to an iPhone’s home screen.
Swipe up with three fingers on the trackpad to see all your open windows and desktops at a glance.
Scroll with two fingers, pinch to zoom, and tap with two fingers to right-click. Adjust these gestures in System Settings > Trackpad.
Press Cmd + Space to instantly search for apps, files or do a calculation, without taking your hands off the keyboard.
A few things that make everyday use easier right away.
Go to System Settings > your name > iCloud and turn on iCloud Drive, so your files are always safely stored.
Connect an external drive and set up Time Machine for automatic local backups of your entire Mac.
Work seamlessly across your Mac, iPhone and iPad: copy on one device and paste on the other, or take a phone call through your Mac.
Handy for yourself or your kids: set limits for apps and screen time via System Settings > Screen Time.
Check in the Find My app that your Mac shows up. That way you can quickly locate it if you lose it.
Adjust your wallpaper via System Settings > Wallpaper and Screen Saver, or set up Stacks to keep your desktop automatically tidy.
With this foundation you have everything you need to confidently get started with your new Mac. Coming from Windows and want to dive deeper into the differences? Check out our Switch to Mac guide. Still stuck, or have a specific question? Feel free to get in touch.