Customize Your Mac: Introduction

Macs can have just about as much personality as the people who use them; all you need to do is customize your computer for the way you work and think. In this section, we'll show you the many different ways you can change the way your computer's interface looks, as well as how it operates. We'll also show you how to change settings for your work and play preferences.

Gigantic icons, picture windows, custom desktops, relocated Dock, colorful labels, modified sidebars and toolbars...
You can make your interface as clean or as kooky as you like.

Lesson 1: Change Your Desktop—Nothing wrong with keeping that same Leopard default image as your Desktop picture, but if you care to change it, we'll show you how to swap it for another of ours or one of your own.

Lesson 2: Change Your Screen Saver—Your Mac comes with a few screen savers. We'll show you how to change the default one, create your own from your photo collection, and add third-party savers.

Lesson 3: Modify Your Windows—Want to add your own stuff to the sidebar or more commands to the toolbar? Do you hate boring white windows? Wish you could add some color to your files? Find out how to do these things and more.

Lesson 4: Set Your Preferences—From sound effects to hot keys to sleepy time, we'll show you how to set your Mac preferences for your tastes and needs.

Lesson 5: Customize the Dock—The Dock isn't permanently anchored to the bottom of your screen. Not only can you change where it appears, you can alter how it looks and reacts, and modify its contents as well.

Lesson 6: Change Your Icons—If you want certain files and folders to stand out from others, give them a custom stamp of approval. You can change your user account image icon too.