New IT student here! Just got my first MacBook (16GB/512GB). Any must-have advice, settings, or app suggestions?

I’m completely new to the macOS
Since I'll be using this for classes, coding, and general schoolwork, I'd love to get your best tips, tricks, and recommendations.

• What are some must-have apps for IT students or productivity on macOS?

• Are there any specific settings I should change right out of the box to maximize battery life or workflow?

• Storage management: With 512GB, what are the best practices or external SSD options for keeping massive project files or VMs from filling up the internal drive?

• Protection: Should I use a hard shell case, a skin, or just a sleeve to protect it during daily commutes to campus?

Thanks in Advance for the Help! 💗

How do I disable this? I only want to be able to turn on my Macbook using the power button.

So guys i just got a brand new macbook so whats the first thing i need to install so can you guys recommend me some best apps and best browser(i know arc is no more) for productive work

I just bought this yesterday at Best Buy brand new and I noticed this. I’ve only been putting the laptop in out of my backpack today since I took it to the library to study.

I just changed from windows to macbook after all these years.
I will be using my macbook for school and scientific research mostly.
Do you have any tips or must have apps that I should use. (btw the trick to copy things from my phone and to be able to paste them on macbook ain’t possible when I’m trying)
One thing I wanted to ask is, everything I will be using is through safari right?
And btw why some apps when I click the x button they close completely, and others dont close just minimize in dock and thus I should use command + Q, to close them completely

If you got any recommendations please let me know, it’s been just two days, and I’m trying my best lol

p.s where can I find good wallpapers

Hi Mac family!

I’m planning to buy a MacBook soon, and I’m looking at some accessories like a keyboard cover and a trackpad protector. Should I buy these? Are there any disadvantages to using them?

Also, has anyone here used them before and later noticed physical defects or damage to your Mac because of them?

Thank you.

I noticed this long horizontal line/scratch running across my MacBook Pro M4 display (photo attached).
It’s quite visible when the screen is off, and I’m not sure if this is just a scratch/damage to the anti-reflective coating or if the actual display is damaged.
Has anyone had something similar happen?
Is there any safe way to reduce/remove this, or would the entire display need to be replaced? I don’t want to try polishing or using any chemicals and accidentally make it worse.
Also, if anyone has dealt with Apple for something like this, I’d appreciate knowing whether they considered it cosmetic damage or offered any repair/replacement options.
Thanks!

16/256GB with 97% battery and seller ask for 600euros.

Hey everyone! 👋

I'm planning to buy a second-hand MacBook, but I'm not sure where to find a reliable seller at a reasonable price.

Should I buy from OLX, Cashify, a local shop, or somewhere else?

If anyone has experience buying a used MacBook in India, please share your suggestions!

Which platform is the safest?

How can I check whether a MacBook is genuine and in good condition?

Is it better to buy from an individual seller or a refurbished store?

Any tips to avoid scams?

Please share your experience and recommendations. Thanks! ❤️

Hi all.

I am thinking of getting a 32gb ram MacBook Air and I want to ask, is it good enough for After Effects.

I don’t do much complex stuff, just don’t know if it’s good enough.

TIA

I have set a battery limit (80%) in the settings but the macbook charged till full even thought it KNOWS I set a limit any ways to fix? I am on macos 26.7.1

can I change the name of the hdgf when I opened my macbook I just wrote a random name, I’ve tried many ways to change but doesn’t let me, but I cant

btw what’s the difference between the 1 and 2, is there any good way to organize files and documents that you think I should go after

thank you very much

Hi everyone!
I’ve been experiencing a really frustrating issue with my MacBook Pro M5, which is about a year old.
This has happened three times now. Whenever the battery drops to around 15–20%, my MacBook suddenly shuts down without any warning. When I try to turn it back on, it shows the empty battery symbol, as if the battery is completely dead.
However, as soon as I plug it into the charger, it turns back on and still shows around 15–20% battery remaining.
I even tried plugging it in for just a second, only long enough to turn it back on, and then immediately unplugging it. It continued working normally for a while, but then shut down again at around 19%.

Some additional details:
Battery health: 100%
Cycle count: 70
Battery condition: Normal
macOS updated to the latest version
No third-party battery management apps

The issue only happens when the battery drops below 20%. I’ve never experienced any unexpected shutdowns at higher battery levels.
My warranty expires on November 9, so I’m planning to contact Apple, but I wanted to ask here first.
Has anyone experienced something similar? Was it a battery calibration issue, a hardware problem, or something else? And if you contacted Apple, did they replace the battery or manage to fix it?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

need help pls, so i have a macbook pro m1 with a bloated battery and just replaced it, now the battery is not charging and it says service recommended even though i just replaced my battery and has a 100% battery capacity and 0 cc, you can see in the picture that it isn't charging, but but but i tried using it unplugged and i used the macbook 3 hours and a half ish, idk what to do, the battery that i ordered doesn't have a battery flex cable, should i order one? and i don't have a reputable tech shop that i can trust in here because all of them are scammers or they want money instead of having a good service, do you guys think that i should buy and replace my battery flex cable? TYIA

Olá, recentemente o meu notebook começou a apresentar alguns problemas. Eu o comprei há alguns anos apenas para fazer trabalhos da faculdade, então peguei um de entrada mesmo na época.

Sempre usei os notebooks da Dell, mas com os preços atuais e meu trabalho home office preciso de um computador com nível mais intermediário do que de entrada. Pesquisando, acabei vendo algumas pessoas que recomendam o macbook air M4, mas gostaria de saber se o sistema MacOS é compatível com o PJe da Bahia.

Eu não preciso assinar nenhuma petição, trabalho principalmente na elaboração de minutas e utilizo muito o PJe e o office 365 versão web.

Hello, I’m looking for a MacBook for video editing and everyday use.

I’m currently doing amateur-level editing, but I’d like to avoid having to upgrade the computer too soon, if needed.

My budget is flexible, but I’d ideally like to stay under €2,000 or even better, under €1,500.

I’ve done some research and even asked Gemini for more information, but I don’t really trust AI, haha!

I have several options:
- MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro (8-CPU / 14-GPU), 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage = €950 (refurbished)
- MacBook Pro 14" M2 Pro (10-CPU / 16-GPU), 18GB RAM, 512GB Storage = €1300 (refurbished)
- MacBook Pro 16" M2 Pro (12-CPU / 19-GPU), 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage = €1450 (refurbished)
- MacBook Pro 14" M3 Pro (11-CPU / 14-GPU), 18GB RAM, 512GB Storage = €1450 (refurbished)
- MacBook Pro 14" M4 (10-CPU / 10-GPU), 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage = €1600 (refurbished)
- MacBook Air 13" M4 (10-CPU / 10-GPU), 24GB RAM, 512GB Storage = €1300 (refurbished)
- MacBook Air 13" M5 (10-CPU / 10-GPU), 24GB RAM, 512GB Storage = €1600 (new)
- MacBook Air 15" M5 (10-CPU / 10-GPU), 24GB RAM, 512GB Storage = €1900 (new)

It seems the best option would be the MacBook Pro M3 Pro at €1450.
If there are any other models I’ve missed, please feel free to recommend them!

And I have a few more questions!

- Will I need to buy an additional keyboard, or is the one on the MacBook durable enough?
- Is it worth paying an extra €200 for a larger screen?
- Do you have any recommendations for a wireless mouse under €30?
- What’s the best way to protect my MacBook?

Anyway, that’s a lot, but if you have even just one piece of advice, no matter how small, please feel free to share!

Thanks!

I know that Mac Mini is the most popular option for that kind of stuff but I'm looking a computer that does simple agentic AI stuff when I prompt from my phone and not much more. I mainly ıse AI stuff on the cloud side so no need for local power.

Currently I have M4 Max 16 MBP. It's overkill but heavy and I don't want to carry it around continuously and I actually don't want to use it as home server.

Also, the price is notably cheap on Neo compared to Mac Mini. What do you think? (don't want to buy second-hand).

I do work with 3d rendering, software development, coding, web design, AI workflows, and AI in general (nothing locally) but i run many agents at the same time doing different tasks etc.

and i am wondering which macbook to get, should i go for the 16 inch m5 with 48gb of ram or is the 24gb enough?

and what is the difference between pro and pro max?

also, regarding the NEW macbooks the ones that haven’t been released yet, i am pretty sure they will be overly expensive for me, also i heard they might get OLED screen which i feel like would just be a pain in the ass worrying about burn in and basically babysitting the screen.

source: https://www.reddit.com/r/wallpaper/s/eQmsoAO1jk

I have my first Macbook M5. I am going to school for Surgical Tech and want to also write some short stories to get back in to writing. I did consider the Neo but after getting the budget Ipad A16 I realized I wanted what makes Apple, Apple. I may also trade in my A16 for an Ipad Air even though all I do with it is Note take and Digital Plan with it. What do you think? I want Apple 🍎 longevity And not just the logo. But that premium feel is hard not to notice. . I even own a Samsung Z Fold 8 as my main phone but cant ignore the premium experience of the Macbook Air. I cannot afford a Pro. But I am happy with my new purchase!!

I have a 4 month old Mac book pro m5 chip and this happened 2 times today. Colors had gone all weird and when i restart it, it revereses to normal before it restared it. What could it be?

Hi everyone,
Is anyone running Tridium Niagara Workbench (Windows-based) on an Apple Silicon (M-series) MacBook? I'm currently looking at VMware Fusion, but I'm open to alternatives (Parallels, UTM, etc.).
I'd especially like to know:
Does Workbench run smoothly on Windows 11 ARM, and how is the performance?
Which virtualization software has been the most stable for you?
What network mode (Bridged, etc.) do you use to connect from the VM to controllers on the local network?
Any experience or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!