How to change basic settings on a MacBook


Change basic settings

You can access the many ways to customize your MacBook from the System Preferences pane, which you can access through the Apple menu. The basic settings of your MacBook mostly relate to the system itself, such as changing the time and date or changing the sound effect that your computer uses to get your attention.

You can also access System Preferences by clicking its icon on the Dock. ctrl-click the icon to access the submenu and select which Preferences pane you want to go to directly.

Set the date and time

You probably already set the time and date when you first booted up your MacBook, but if you need or want to change the settings, you can do so by choosing Apple > System Preferences > Date & Time to open the Date & Time pane.

If you want your MacBook to automatically set the time and date, click the check box at the top of the screen and select the server nearest to your location from the dropdown list. Your MacBook will periodically check with the server to ensure that the time and date are correct.

To manually set your computer’s date and time, you need to use the calendar and clock in the pane. Click on the calendar to set the date (or type it in) and use the clock to set the time. Some countries have a different date format than the United States, so if you prefer to show the date in another way, click the Open Language & Text button to access these options.

Change how the MacBook clock looks

Well, you can do that too. Click the Clock tab to access the clock display options. You can choose a 12- or 24-hour clock, digital or analog format, and whether to show or hide the seconds and AM/PM. You can even have your MacBook announce the time with a customizable voice by checking the Announce the Time box.

Click the Time Zone tab to select the time zone that you live in. This will help your MacBook keep the correct time even when seasonal events like Daylight Saving Time take effect. Click the map near your location and then select the nearest city from the pull-down menu.

To keep the time and date automatically, your MacBook needs to connect to outside sources like servers or a Wi-Fi positioning service. These features will only work properly when AirPort is turned on.

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