And the rest…

Top tips for four more apps that can save you time and help you to be more productive

1. TextEdit

Apple’s text editor may seem basic, but it’s surprisingly feature-rich. Do you want to format to a specific page size? Choose Format > Wrap to Page, and then pick a paper size in File > Page Setup. Need to export to a PDF file? Easy: choose File > Export as PDF.

It’s well worth visiting the app’s preferences, too. In the Open and Save tab, you can dictate how web pages open; by default, drag an HTML file onto TextEdit’s icon and it’ll open as formatted text rather than code – handy for quickly copying and pasting content. Change the HTML setting in the top group to see the code behind web pages, if that’s what you prefer.

In the New Document tab, the Format section dictates the default format for TextEdit itself: rich text or plain text. When editing a file, you can subsequently switch between these from the Format menu.

2. Calculator

On opening Calculator, you might dismiss it as a basic analogue of a physical model, but the app has power lurking within. It has two alternative views: click the green Zoom button or press ç+2 to enter Scientific mode.

ç+3 opens Programmer mode, and ç+1 returns to the default.

You can also use Calculator for conversions. To do so, first select a measurement type from the Convert menu, then pick units you want to go from and to. Previous conversions are kept in Convert > Recent Conversions. You can assign a keyboard shortcut to any of those in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts. Be mindful, though, as only the last 20 conversion types are stored. Shortcuts work fine if you frequently only use a few different conversions, though.

3. Stickies

The Stickies app can be a handy way of placing a temporary reminder on your display without getting it gunky from the glue of a real sticky note. Text in your sticky notes can be styled, such as big fonts to draw attention, and notes can be collapsed/expanded by pressing ç+m. Collapsed notes show their first line of text, so make sure that’s informative.

If you have lots of notes, you can quickly organise and collapse them by choosing Window > Arrange. Also, use the Note menu’s options to fine-tune reminders you keep open on your screen – you can have sticky notes float over other windows, and make them semi-transparent so other content isn’t entirely ‘blocked’. Use the Color menu’s yellow and gray options for best results, and largish text to ensure notes are easy to read.