Windows → Mac

Your First Week on Mac

Seven things that trip up almost every Windows switcher, one per day.<div class="tip-card" id="day-1">

Closing ≠ Quitting

The red button closes a window but the app keeps running. Use ⌘+Q to fully quit an app, or ⌘+W to close just the window.

</div><div class="tip-card" id="day-2">

Spotlight is your Start Menu

Press ⌘+Space and start typing to launch apps, do math, convert units, or search files — faster than digging through folders.

</div><div class="tip-card" id="day-3">

The Menu Bar belongs to the app, not the window

Unlike Windows, the top menu bar always shows the frontmost app's menus — even if no window is visible. Click the desktop and app menus vanish.

</div><div class="tip-card" id="day-4">

Right-click still works

Two-finger tap on the trackpad, or Ctrl+click, opens the same context menu you're used to from Windows.

</div><div class="tip-card" id="day-5">

Force Quit for frozen apps

⌘+⌥+Esc opens Force Quit — the Mac equivalent of Ctrl+Alt+Delete's Task Manager.

</div><div class="tip-card" id="day-6">

Trash is Recycle Bin

Drag files to Trash in the Dock, or select and press ⌘+Delete. Empty it via Finder > Empty Trash.

</div><div class="tip-card" id="day-7">

The Dock is part taskbar, part Start Menu

Pin apps by dragging them in; a small dot under an icon means the app is running.

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Related: Keyboard Shortcuts · Trackpad Gestures