OPENING APPS ON YOUR MAC
Explore the many ways to open your favourite software
Find out about the various ways you can launch apps in macOS High Sierra
Your Mac offers a number of ways to run software, and not just by browsing the Applications folder or adding the icons of your favourite apps to the Dock.
In this guide, we’ll explore the different methods that are available, starting with the aforementioned Applications folder in Finder and the Dock, and then move on to more immediate ways to call upon an app at a moment’s notice, such as using Spotlight or Siri to do the hard work of finding apps for you, and without having to move a hand from the keyboard to the mouse or trackpad.
We’ll also look at Launchpad, which presents super-large app icons in a grid that’ll be instantly familiar if you’ve come to own a Mac after using an iPhone. And if you’re joining us from years of being a Windows or Linux user, you’ll be pleased to learn how to create desktop shortcuts to your apps as well.
Shortcut options
You’ll also discover how to use the Terminal utility to launch apps from the command line, or even to open files with a specific app.
If you’re a keyboard fan but don’t feel ready for Terminal commands, consider setting up app shortcuts to open your chosen items using a key combination instead of your mouse or trackpad. This is done by creating a Service using Automator, another tool that comes free with your Mac. You can then set up a keyboard shortcut for the Service in System Preferences. You can also configure your Mac to open apps automatically when you log in to your user account.