7 settings to change on your new MacBook Neo that will get it up and running in record time

Date:
Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:12:24 +0000

Description:
Learn all the key settings you should change the moment you get your new MacBook Neo

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Youve just got a shiny new MacBook Neo and youre keen to see what it can do. But before you go racing off to browse the internet or play some games, there are a few things its worth doing first.

Here, well show you 7 of the best changes you can make to your Mac, from strengthening your privacy to customizing it to your liking. These quick
fixes and adjustments will make all the difference to your macOS experience, and these tips are great for anyone new to macOS, no matter what Mac or MacBook you have. Secure your Mac (Image credit: Apple) The last thing you want to happen to your new Mac is for it to be compromised. Luckily, privacy and security are two of Apple s core strengths, and macOS is well equipped to keep your digital life safe and sound. Article continues below You may like Are you a new MacBook Neo user? Heres how to use the macOS menu bar MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M5 which should you buy? Six easy ways to maximize your Windows laptops battery life when youre working on the go First, youll want
to enable automatic updates to ensure your Mac always has the latest security patches and new features. To do so, open the System Settings app and head to General > Software Update in the left-hand sidebar. From there, click the i button next to Automatic Updates and switch all the toggles on .

While the entry-level MacBook Neo lacks Touch ID, the more expensive model comes with Apples fingerprint recognition system. To register your
fingerprint with macOS, go to the Touch ID & Password section of the System Settings app and click Add Fingerprint , then follow the instructions.

If your MacBook Neo model doesnt have Touch ID, you can still protect your login details with Apples Passwords app . This is the free, built-in password manager that comes with macOS, and youll find it in your Macs Applications folder thats accessed using the Finder . Just open it up and follow the on-screen instructions. Make sure you click Passwords > Get Browser Extensio
n in the apps menu bar to install it in your favorite web browser. That way, you can save and fill passwords on the web without needing to leave your browser.

Its also a good idea to turn on FileVault. This encrypts your files so that even if you lose your laptop, no one else can access your private documents and information. To set it up, open System Settings and go to Privacy & Security > FileVault in the sidebar, then enable the toggle to start protecting your files. Just make sure you make a note of your Macs password
so you dont get locked out. Your Recovery Key is also synced to every Apple device you own with iCloud Keychain enabled. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. All about apps (Image credit: Apple) While
iOS is very restrictive about where you get your apps (although thats beginning to change ), Mac users have long been able to install apps from anywhere they like. But in order to do that, youve got to change a simple setting first.

Go to the Privacy & Security section of the System Settings app, then scroll to the bottom of the page. Under the Security header, youll see Allow applications from. Click the pop-up menu and select App Store & Known Developers . This gives you wider access to apps from outside the App Store while maintaining the security of your device.

Once youve installed a few new apps, its a good idea to change which ones are used to open certain files. After all, you might not always want videos to open using QuickTime, for example. There are a few ways to change your
default apps. What to read next 5 hidden macOS settings that can improve your Macs gaming performance macOS 26.4 has a new feature that may help your
laptop battery last longer 7 settings I change on every Apple Watch for a 'calmer, clearer, and more useful' experience

Firstly, lets say you want to change the app thats used to open JPG images. Right-click a JPG file, click Get Info , then expand the Open with section
and pick an app from the pop-up menu. Click Change All to make sure every JPG file opens with this app rather than just the one you selected.

To switch to a different default web browser , open System Settings , click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar, then scroll down to the Widgets section.
There, next to Default web browser, click the pop-up menu and pick a new app.

Finally, you can change your default email client by opening the Mail app and clicking Mail > Settings in the menu bar. Now click the General tab and
choose a new app from the Default email reader pop-up menu at the top of the page. Customize your Dock (Image credit: Future) The macOS Dock permanently houses all your favorite apps, shows recently opened apps, and has spots for downloaded items and the trash. Its a pretty powerful tool when you know how to use it.

To rearrange app icons in the Dock, just drag them to a new position. You can add new apps by dragging them onto the Dock and remove apps by dragging them out until the word Remove appears, then letting go.

By default, the Dock shows recent apps on the right-hand side. That can be handy, but can also clutter the Dock. To change this, open System Settings
and navigate to Desktop & Dock in the sidebar, then disable the toggle next
to Show suggested and recent apps in Dock.

You can also hide the Dock itself by adjusting the Automatically hide and
show the Dock toggle. It disappears by default and will reappear if you move your mouse pointer to the bottom of your Macs screen.

Finally, Apples standard configuration has apps use a Genie effect when
theyre minimized. This sucks them down into the Dock at an angle, but its not to everyones taste. If you dont like it, change Genie Effect to Scale Effect next to Minimized window animation in the same System Settings window.

Ive written about the Dock in more detail , including highlighting some
clever tricks to help you get even more out of it. Check that guide out if
you want to learn a bit more about this macOS feature. Set up Time Machine If anything was to go wrong with your Mac, you dont want to find out youve lost all your files. One way you can prevent that is by using Time Machine to back up your Mac . For this, youll need an external storage drive with enough
space to hold your Macs files.

Now, ensure your drive is connected to your Mac, then open System Settings
and go to General > Time Machine > Add Backup Disk . Choose your external drive from the list and click Set Up Disk . Once youve followed the on-screen instructions, you should be good to go. Your Mac will now automatically back up as long as your drive is connected. Make full use of your trackpad (Image credit: Apple) Apples MacBook trackpads are some of the best in the business, and even though the MacBook Neo doesnt use a Force Touch trackpad, its offering is still incredibly well refined. Youll find a range of intuitive gestures are enabled by default, like pinching your fingers together to open the Applications pane or moving four fingers upwards to show all your open
app windows.

But you can unlock extra trackpad gestures that are hidden in your Macs settings. The first one can be found in System Settings by scrolling to the bottom of the sidebar and clicking Trackpad . From there, click More Gestures , then click the pop-up menu next to App Expos and choose a gesture. App
Expos shows all the open windows of just the foremost app rather than those of all currently open apps allowing you to quickly flick between them.

The second secret gesture relates to dragging and dropping files. Sometimes, you might find you run out of space on your trackpad when moving a file. But if you go to System Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad Options , youll find some handy ways to fix that. At the bottom, enable the toggle next to Use trackpad for dragging, then pick one of the options from the pop-up menu. These choices let you do things like let go of the trackpad to reposition your fingers as you move a file, all without dropping it,
making the process a lot easier. Keep your battery going for longer The
better you look after your MacBook Neos battery, the longer itll serve you. Apples laptop batteries are already some of the most effective in the industry, but a few quick tweaks could help you get even more out of them.

The first thing to do is head to System Settings > Battery . Next to Charging , click the i button, then enable Optimized Battery Charging . This learns your daily usage routine and charges at optimal times to prevent
overcharging.

Back in the Battery section, scroll to the bottom and click Options , then enable Slightly dim the display on battery to make sure your screen isnt eating into your battery too much while youre not using a charger.

If you really want to eke as much juice out of your laptop as you can, click the pop-up menu next to Low Power Mode and select a scenario. This disables certain features to prolong your battery as much as possible. Tune up your display (Image credit: Apple) MacBooks have beautiful displays, and the MacBook Neo is no different. A few little changes here and there, though, can make it even better.

If you tend to use your laptop at night, you know how painful it can be to have your eyes blasted by a bright screen. To put that right, go to S ystem Settings > Displays > Night Shift , then click the pop-up menu next to Schedule . Night Shift automatically changes your screens color temperature, which helps ease the strain on your eyes. You can either set up a custom schedule or use Apples Sunset to Sunrise option.

Back on the Displays pane, enable the toggle next to Automatically adjust brightness. As the name suggests, this detects the brightness of your surroundings, then changes your display to match. It can help ensure your screen is never too bright or too dark for your needs. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too. Today's best Apple MacBook Neo deals Apple MacBook Neo 569.97 View Deal See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/macs/7-settings-to-change-on-your-new-macb ook-neo-that-will-get-it-up-and-running-in-record-time


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