27 January 2025
College life can be chaotic. Assignments, deadlines, and endless research make it essential to have the right tools. If you have a MacBook, you’re in for a treat. macOS comes packed with built-in tools that help you work more smoothly and efficiently.
Whether you’re managing notes, organizing tasks, or focusing on deep work, these features can make student life much easier. Here are some of the best features to make your life easier.
It’s easy to get distracted—notifications, messages, and social media can quickly take your focus away. macOS has a built-in Focus Mode to help.
You can customize different Focus profiles, like “Study” or “Lecture,” to block unnecessary notifications. This ensures that you stay on track while researching, using a writing service, or writing essay for me. To enable it:
This is a great way to minimize interruptions and stay productive.
If you’re the type of student who always has 20 tabs and apps open, Stage Manager is a game-changer. It organizes your open windows into a single view, keeping your main work front and center while other apps sit neatly on the side.
Here’s how to activate it:
This feature helps you switch between apps without cluttering your screen. It’s great for multitasking while researching or writing papers.
Ever need to jot something down quickly? Quick Notes lets you do that without switching apps. Just swipe up from the bottom-right corner of your screen (or use Command + Shift + N) to open a floating note.
You can use Quick Notes to:
It syncs with the Notes app, so you can access your notes on any Apple device. Whether you’re brainstorming ideas for an assignment or considering a writing service for your “write my essay” tasks, this feature keeps everything in one place.
Spotlight isn’t just for searching—it’s a powerful tool for getting things done faster. You can use Command + Spacebar to open it instantly and find:
It even lets you search through lecture notes and emails in seconds. If you haven’t tried Spotlight yet, you’re overlooking a powerful time-saving tool.
Typing can be slow, especially during lectures. macOS includes a Dictation feature that turns your spoken words into text.
To enable it:
Just press the Fn (Globe) key twice, and you can start dictating instead of typing. It’s a fantastic tool for lecture notes and brainstorming essays without lifting a finger.
Working across multiple Apple devices? Universal Clipboard lets you copy text or images from your Mac and paste them on your iPhone or iPad (and vice versa).
This is incredibly useful when transferring research notes, email drafts, or sections of your essay between devices. To use it, just:
No extra steps, no apps—just a seamless workflow.
When researching, webpages can be filled with ads and distractions. Safari Reader Mode removes all the clutter, leaving only the main content.
To activate it:
This makes reading much easier, especially for long academic articles.
Need to compare two documents or take notes while watching a lecture? Split View lets you use two apps side by side without needing to resize them yourself.
To enable Split View:
This makes multitasking more efficient, whether you’re summarizing a lecture or drafting an essay.
The Shortcuts App lets you automate repetitive tasks. You can:
It saves time and keeps everything streamlined.
Losing important files is every student’s nightmare. macOS has Time Machine, a built-in feature that automatically backs up your files.
To set it up:
Now, if anything goes wrong, you can restore lost files in seconds.
macOS is packed with features designed to make student life easier. With focus modes, automatic backups, and other handy tools, macOS helps you stay organized, save time, and boost productivity.
Start exploring these features and see which ones fit your study habits best. With the right setup, your MacBook can become the ultimate study companion.
Digital Content Specialist
Nick deCourville is a Digital Content Specialist dedicated to the Apple ecosystem. He believes that fixing something can be just as straightforward as breaking it, which fuels his exploration of iPhone and iOS settings. As the owner of an iPhone 15 Pro, Apple Watch SE, and MacBook Pro, Nick is constantly honing his expertise in Apple’s products. With a Master’s degree in English Literature and Composition from The University of Akron, he has a strong foundation in writing and communication.