Helpful Hints & Hacks Part 2
Last month we offered some tips and tricks to help you get the most from your Mac and Apple devices. This month we’re adding to the list with part two of what will be a continuing series of insider information and easy Mac hacks you may find useful. For all your Mac and Apple needs, contact CranstonIT at 888-813-5558 or send an email to support@cranstonIT.com.
Rip Music from Video Files
Sometimes you just want the killer beats without the video that goes along with it. Your Mac has built-in tools that let you extract the audio from a movie clip or video so you can listen to it on your iPod or iPhone. Just open the clip in QuickTime Player (in the Applications list in Finder), then click File > Export and select Audio Only from the Format drop-down list. This will create an .m4a file that you can use with all Apple devices and computers. You can then import it into iTunes by double- clicking the new file.
Keeping with the music theme, you can use iTunes to print a high quality jewel case for your homemade CD. Select the Playlist, then click File > Print on the main menu. In the dialog box that appears, select whatever style you want from the Theme dropdown list. The “single cover” option produces something akin to a commercial CD’s jewel case, using the album art from the music files.
Find Forgotten Passwords
If you follow the advice of security experts, you should be using a different password for every site that requires one. With so many sites requiring registration, this can add up to quite a few passwords; and that’s a lot to remember. Unless you’ve got Sheldon Cooper’s eidetic memory, your Mac’s ability to remember login details can be a real lifesaver.
But what if you need to access your login information and don’t remember what it is? Let the Keychain Access program eliminate the guesswork for you. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities and select Keychain Access. When the program starts, ensure All Items is selected under the Category heading on the left, and then type the name of the web site or application into the search field at the top right of the program window. Double-click the entry you want in the list of results. In the dialog box that appears, put a check in the Show Password box. You’ll need to type your login password to authorize this, but once you’re done, it will appear in plain text. Your login name will be listed above in the Account text field.
Put a Spotlight on the App You Need
Starting apps and finding files doesn’t have to mean searching through lots of little icons or subfolders in search of what you need. Spotlight is an easy way to find and start an app without using the mouse. Simply hit Cmd+Space to open the Spotlight search bar, then start typing the name of the app. As soon as you type just a few characters, the app will be highlighted in the list and you can run it by hitting Return. Alternatively, try typing the app’s initial letters. For example, to start Google Chrome, you might type gc. You can also narrow your results by type of file. To do this, type the word “kind:” followed by the file type (music, email, document, or pdf, for example).