MacBook

Keep reading this article if you have been wondering how to delete files off a flash drive on a Mac. A while back I was completely baffled as to why my USB had very little storage space, but no files were appearing. I was convinced I had enough tech knowledge to be able to delete files off a flash drive on Mac but there was obviously an issue somewhere.

There are two things that we have to consider. Data storage is essential today as we are using it more than ever. From movies to photos and music, they all have to be stored somewhere safe.

USBs might seem a bit old school, but they are still one of the most important ways to transfer and/or store files. You know that your data is safe and at the same time, your Mac can perform better.

On the other hand, we don’t want to just start carelessly deleting files off a flash drive. Unless you want to start using data recovery software (often at a cost), once you press delete, it’s gone!

We are going to look at two ways to delete files off a flash drive on MacBook. Both are quick and easy, so you can choose the method that suits you.

How to delete files off a flash drive on a Mac

The easiest way to show you how, is by using one of my USBs as an example – but no laughing at my music! I also have a photo folder, a PDF, and a video. The total storage capacity is 4GB and the drive has 2.91GB available. To find this information, insert your USB, click on it to get the menu, and choose “Get Info”.

Delete directly from the USB

The fastest way you can delete a file off a flash drive on a Mac is to open your USB, select the file you want to delete, and click to open the menu.

Choose “Move to Bin” and the file will disappear from your USB list and goes directly to your bin. You can also use the drag and drop method.

If you have some files that you want to delete, you can select the files together and either move them to the bin or drag them. To select all of your files on the USB, press “Command + A”.

At this point, you may want to check that the additional storage is freed up on your USB drive. Depending on your USB brand and Mac version, you might need to empty the bin to see the space on your USB.

Use Disk Utility

Using the Disk Utility to delete files off a flash drive is perfect if you want to clear the drive completely. Begin by locating the Launchpad in your Dock and look for the Disk Utility icon.

Click to open Disk Utility and a new window opens with “Internal” and “External” options in the toolbar to the left. Under “External”, you will find the name of your USB. Click it to see all of the information.

In the top right-hand corner, there is a menu. The “Erase” button is what will delete all of your files. But first, it will open a new window.

If you want to, you can rename the USB before clicking on the “Erase” button. It might take a few minutes, depending on how much data is on your USB. When it is complete, click “Done” and your USB will be empty.

With this method, you should be aware that the files don’t go into your bin. So, if you accidentally erase a flash drive using Disk Utility, you won’t be able to drag them back out of your bin.

Troubleshooting

If you are running into problems deleting files off a flash drive, you might have to format it. Don’t worry, it’s easier than you think. First, you need to go back to Disk Utility, choose your USB, and click “Erase”.

Under “Format”, you have different options. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is the format for Mac use only. If you switch to MS-DOS (FAT), you can add and delete files from both Windows and Mac. It will still delete all of your files on the USB, so ensure you have a backup before you hit “Erase”.

Wrap Up

Deleting files from a flash drive is the type of job we tend to put off for another day. Before we know it, there are hundreds of files, most of which we probably will never need. If you want to delete individual files or a selection of files, it is best to drag and drop them into the bin.

This way you can double-check you are about to delete the right ones before emptying your bin. If you need to wipe a flash drive completely clean, using Disk Utility takes a few seconds and even fewer clicks.

In this article, we’ll focus on how to free up RAM on MacBooks. RAM stands for Random Access Memory and it is the amount of memory your MacBook has to carry out day to day tasks. It’s not the same as, for example, the storage needed to save photos, documents, or other stuff.

The RAM is specifically designed to store working data, speeding up the way you use your Mac. If you have noticed that your computer has started to slow down, you’ve come to the right place.

How much RAM does my MacBook have?

Most of the newer models come from the factory with 8GB of RAM. To check the RAM, click on the apple in the top left-hand corner and select “About this Mac”. A small window will pop-up, and the third line down indicates the amount of RAM:

If you notice that the spinning rainbow wheel lasts for a while, applications take a long time to load, or if they are crashing, you may need to free up RAM on your MacBook. Another sure sign is the message telling you that you are low on memory.

How to free up RAM on MacBooks

The simplest way to free up a big amount of RAM is to restart your MacBook. Switching your Mac off and on again will automatically empty the RAM and disk caches.

However, if your computer has frozen in the middle of an important task, you do risk not saving the progress you have made. So, the following steps on how to free up RAM on Mac are better solutions for continuous maintenance.

Upgrade your system

Keeping your software up to date is essential for a healthy Mac with optimal features. Remember that notifications on app updates aren’t the same as updating the software.

If you open the “About this Mac” window, there is a button for “Software Update”. By clicking on this, you will be able to see if there is a new software version and you can follow the steps to update it.

Use the Activity Monitor

From the Launchpad in your Dock, open Utilities and look for “Activity Monitor”. Open this and select the tab “Memory”. This is a great way to see how much memory is being used and also some of the activities you carry out that eat away at your RAM:

Notice that after restarting the computer, the memory is significantly freed up:

By selecting one of the processes in the list it will be highlighted. You can then click on the “X” above “Process name” and this will close the activity, further saving your RAM.

Remember to only close those activities or processes that you know. If there is something unknown it is best to leave it running in case your MacBook requires it.

You can repeat the same process to help the CPU usage because this will help reduce the overall processing power that is being taken. Again, only stop the processes that you know of.

Close apps that aren’t needed

It’s normal to have a ton of apps open and not even realize. You should close these because even though not in use, they will take up RAM. Scroll over your Dock. All of the apps that have a dot under them are open. Right-click on the app you wish to close and select “Quit”:

Try to get into the habit of either closing apps once you have finished using them or checking your open apps regularly as this will help to free up RAM on your MacBook.

Check the apps that open at startup

There will be some apps that you want to open automatically when you start your MacBook as it will save you time. Still, if your MacBook opens apps that aren’t necessary, you will notice a strain on your RAM.

Open “System Preferences” and then “Users & Groups”. Select the right tab that says “Login Items”.  The apps that open automatically will appear in the list. You may choose not to automatically open any apps on startup.

Keep your desktop tidy

It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but your MacBook will treat every icon on your desktop as an active window. Create folders for as many things as possible as it is far better to have one folder with 20 items instead of 20 items on the desktop.

We absolutely love Stacks. Stacks groups together the various files you have on your desktop and group them into one icon. Choosing Stacks means you will have one icon for documents, one for PDFs, another for spreadsheets, etc.

To turn Stacks on, click anywhere on your screen so that Finder appears on the top left-hand side. Select “View” and then “Use Stacks”. It’s the type of thing that once you start using you will never want to stop.

Free up disk space

When you are running low on RAM, your MacBook will look for virtual memory which is the available space on your Mac’s drive. For optimal Mac running, you should try to leave about 20% of your disk space free. To check your available disk space, open the Launchpad and then Disk Utility:

You can choose to run First Aid that will help to find issues and fix them. Depending on your system this can take a few minutes or even hours.

Delete all of the larger files that you don’t need. You can open individual files and sort them by size. This will help you to quickly identify and delete those files that will free up more space on your Mac’s drive.

Wrap Up

As bizarre as this may sound, learning how to free up RAM on your MacBook is like having a good declutter of your home – it’s good for the soul. MacBooks are notorious for their durability but when you take care of your RAM, you will be able to enjoy a faster Mac for years to come.

How to eject a USB drive from a MacBook? USBs offer a great way to store precious memories and larger files that may slow your MacBook down. Like everything with Apple, you will notice it is a smooth, sleek process. On top of that, there is more than one way to eject a USB drive correctly.

Regardless of those people who tell you to just pull your USB drive out, this isn’t recommended. Let’s look at why you should take a moment to discover how to eject USB from Mac properly.

Do I really need to eject a USB drive before removing it?

The simple answer is yes! And we will give you three very good reasons for doing so. You should never force eject external hard drive on Mac.

You may corrupt your data

When you insert a USB there is a massive amount of data transfer. The same can be said for any action you carry out while it is inserted. When you eject a USB first, you are stopping that data transfer and therefore data won’t be corrupted when you take it out.

You can damage the logical file system

A USB has cells that store internal drive data and not ejecting it can destroy these cells. If this happens, you might not be able to access the data that you have saved to your USB.

You can lose data

It’s a bit of a hassle having to try and restore USBs that have been removed without ejecting them. In some cases, you might not even be able to recover the data and you will have lost the file for good.

This might not be the end of the world for music and movies, but it’s pretty heartbreaking for photos and your home videos.

How to eject a USB drive from a MacBook

It’s a personal preference as to which method you choose. Neither is faster or does a better job so really it’s about which is easier for you.

Right-click

When you right-click on your USB drive from the desktop, a window will open in the same way it does with any other file. The second option will safely eject your USB.

Quick tip, you can also use this window to rename your USB which is very handy if you have various different ones.

From Finder

Click anywhere on your desktop so that Finder appears in the top left-hand corner. Choose “File” and “New Finder Window”.

Under “Locations”, you will see all of the USB drives or hard drives that are connected to your MacBook. Choose the name of the one you want to eject and click on the eject button to the right of the name.

Drag and drop

For those who love to drag and drop, you can select your USB on the desktop and drag it straight into the bin on the right-hand side of your dock.

Use the shortcut

Make sure your USB is highlighted by clicking on it once. You can either go to “File” and click on Eject “your USB name” or you can press Command + E together.

How do I know if my USB has been ejected correctly?

If your USB has a light indicator it will flash when you carry out any action. This could be adding or removing files, or inserting and ejecting.

Using either of the four methods above will cause the light to flash and when it stops, you know it is safe to remove it. You will also notice that your USB icon will have disappeared from the desktop and/or the sidebar in your Finder window.

Wrap Up

Learning how to safely remove USB from Mac is incredibly useful and it is the same process for all other hard disks or storage devices you want to connect to your MacBook.

External hard drives and USBs are a great way to store important documents, images, and videos that you don’t want to take up storage space on your Mac.

It only takes seconds to eject a USB drive correctly and safely. Trust us, it will take a lot longer to try and recover data lost by just pulling your USB drive out.

How to add Desktop to Favorites on a MacBook? When you get a sparkling new Mac, one of the first things you will probably do is look at your Dock. You will see awesome icons pop up and want to personalize them so that you have easy access to all of your favorites.

Knowing how to add the Desktop folder to your Mac Dock is quite a high priority as it’s one of the quickest ways to get an overview of your contents. If you are struggling with the Mac lingo, you might also be asking how to do it on a MacBook, but we will clear that up later on.

What Is a Mac Dock?

The Mac Dock is a bar that appears at the bottom of your screen (by default). It may come up when you scroll down, or it can be permanently displayed. The first apps in the Dock are Finder, Siri, Launchpad, Safari, and Calendar.

Not only can you customize the icons that appear in your Dock, but you can also customize the Dock itself. Click on the Apple Icon in the top left-hand corner of your screen and choose “System Preferences”, then select “Dock”.

You will see that you can change the size of the icons and the position of the Dock as well as plenty of other options.

How to add Desktop to Favorites on a MacBook

If you are wondering how your desktop can be a folder when you are looking at the whole screen as a desktop, you came to the right place. You will also be able to find the desktop as a file and all of the contents of your desktop inside this file. It is very convenient if your Desktop Folder is in the Dock.

In the first place, you should click anywhere on the desktop so that Finder appears at the top. Click on “File” and then select “New Finder Window”.

Once your new Finder window appears, you will see on the left-hand side your list of favorites. The Desktop Folder is here by default, as well as other common folders.

Select Desktop and scroll down to Add to Dock.

Now, you will see that your Desktop Folder appears next to the Bin. You can repeat the same process with any of the folders from the list of favorites. You can also drag and drop other folders into the window to appear as a favorite, or straight into the Dock itself.

How to remove the Desktop folder from Mac Dock

If your Dock is getting a little too full, you can easily remove the Desktop Folder. Scroll down until you Dock appears and click on the Desktop Folder.

When the cursor scrolls over “Options”, you will have two choices: “Remove from Dock” and “Show in Finder”. By choosing “Show in Finder”, you will add Desktop to favorites, as it will reappear in the sidebar in your Finder window.

What are Favorites for a Mac user?

The favorites you see in Finder is what is called the Sidebar. Normally, when a Mac user hears the word favorites, they assume this relates to internet searches and the pages they like to save as favorites. This is what is known as Bookmarks.

When you open Safari and click on Bookmarks, you will see the last option as “Favorites”. Any website page that you frequently visit can be saved here so that you can open it straight away. When you are on the page you want to save, open Bookmarks and choose “Add Bookmark”. You can also use the shortcut “Command + D”.

Wrap Up

If you are new to the Mac operating system, all these new functions may seem strange at first. Luckily, knowing how to add the Desktop Folder to your Mac Dock and how to add favorites are all very simple to do. It won’t be long until you have personalized your Mac desktop to your liking.

How to clear Recents in Finder? The Recents folder in your Mac isn’t a typical folder that stores files. You can’t add to it because it automatically updates by itself. Recents don’t clutter your computer, however, it is still handy to know how to clear it, especially for privacy reasons, if you share your Mac with other people.

In Recents, you will find a list of the last 10 apps you used and the last 10 documents you opened. More than anything, it can be used as a shortcut to find files that you have been working on recently rather than having to keep them all open.

Let’s look at a step by step guide on how to clear Recents, including apps, documents, and folders.

How to clear Recents in Finder

Clearing Documents

To clear documents, follow the steps below:

• Begin by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left-hand corner;

• When you scroll down to Recents, a second window will pop up with your last 10 apps and documents. If you want to open one of them from here, place the cursor on it and click;
• If you want to clear your Recents, scroll down to the bottom where it says “Clear Menu” and click it. This won’t remove any of the files or apps from your Mac;

• Once you have pressed “Clear Menu”, you can go back to recent items and all of your options will appear in light gray. This indicates that the Recents have been cleared.

Clearing Apps

• Click anywhere on your desktop so that Finder appears next to the Apple Icon. Click on “Go”;

• You will see an option for Recents. This will take you to another window with a far more extensive list of your recent documents. You can also see the Option + Command + F for the shortcut;

• When you scroll down to Recent Folders, a list of the 10 last folders you opened. Scroll down and select “Clear Menu”. You will notice that Recents appears as one of the folders. This is because when you open Recents from Finder, it will open a Recents folder. Using the first method with the Apple icon only shows you a Recents list.

How to prevent files from appearing in the Recents

If you would prefer for certain files to not appear in Finder, you can adjust your privacy settings. We promise it is much easier than you are thinking! Take a look at the steps below:

• Go back to the Apple icon in the top left-hand corner and click on “System Preferences”;

• Once in “System Preferences”, look for “Spotlight”. It’s usually on the top row, third from the right. Click on Spotlight and a new window will open;

• There are two tabs in Spotlight: “Search Results” and “Privacy”. Choose “Privacy”;

• Now you can drag and drop your folders that you don’t want to appear in Finder. Alternatively, you can add them by using the + button. You will be prompted to click on the lock to prevent further changes.

Wrap Up

It might seem that you want to learn how to clear your Recents folder because you are trying to hide what you have been doing. Essentially, this is true and very sensible. Many of our folders and files will have generic names that don’t give away any personal pieces of information, i.e. Photos.

On the other hand, people may save files based on the clients they are working for or other personal details. Some of which you may not want others to see if they open your Finder on Mac.

How to create a folder on a MacBook is the doubt you’ll solve with this article. The feeling you get when you look at someone’s chaotic desk and it makes you feel all nervous is exactly how others feel when looking at an unorganized desktop. The explosion of files and icons as your screen wakes up can be stressful and even more so when you can’t find the document you need.

Keeping your desktop tidy is essential for organization and efficiency. Not only this but having such a beautiful piece of Apple technology deserves an equally beautiful desktop. Creating proper folders is a crucial part of that organization.

That being said, we have some answers and tips on how to create folders on Mac.

How to create a folder on a MacBook

What can you do with folders on Mac?

Let’s say you have Excel documents for work. Then your kids have saved their Word documents and you have a few songs that you have just downloaded. More often than not, there will be a few PDFs and photos in there as well. By creating different folders you can store a range of files in one place.

The number of folders you create will depend on the uses of your Mac. If it is only for personal use, you might choose a folder for photos, for music, and for videos, etc. Here are some example folders that you can create:

• Personal – photos and PDFs of scanned documents, passport, driving license, birth certificates;
• Finance – 2020 bills, receipts, work invoices;
• Finance – folders from 2017,2018, and 2019;
• Current work – the tasks you have to do this week;
• Work – folders with different projects.

How to create folders

It is a very simple process, as with most things on Mac:

• Click anywhere on your desktop so that in the top right-hand corner you can see “Finder”;
• Next to Finder, you have the tab “File”, click here;
• The second option is “Create New Folder”, select this;

• On your desktop, you will see a new blue folder called “Untitled Folder”.

You now know how to create folders, but you will have to learn how to name your folders so that you can easily identify what is in each one:

• Right-click on “Untitled Folder” and it will turn blue;
• Press “delete” and type the name you want to appear under the folder;
• Click anywhere on the desktop to save the change.

If you want to tag a folder you can choose a color to easily identify it. Click once on the file you wish to tag. Open File and scroll down to the bottom to choose a color.

Manage your created folders

It will depend on how you have your trackpad set up, but normally, one-click will select a folder while a double click will open it. On the top, left-hand side of the folder, you will have four different ways you can choose to view the files in your folder. For example, you can have them as icons or in a list. You can play around here and choose the one you like best.

To move items into a folder you can select a file and drop and drag it into the folder. The folder will shrink a fraction and you will hear the file drop in. The file will no longer appear on the desktop.

If you open a particular file, you can also select a file to drag and drop back onto the desktop. By pressing the command button, you can select multiple files. You can also select one or multiple folders to drag and drop into your new folder.

What is the difference between a folder and a smart folder?

Smart Folders will automatically update themselves by finding and moving files into itself based on the criteria you set. Smart folders are great time savers. If you look back at the previous image, you will see that under “File”, there is the option to create a “New Smart Folder”.

To select the search criteria for your folder, click on the “+” button on the right-hand side of your new Smart folder.

You will find “kind” and “any”. When you click on “kind”, then “other”, you have a very extensive list of criteria you can select. “Any” will let you choose more general criteria such as app, movie, document, etc.

Another way to manage your desktop

One thing that I recently discovered is Stacks. When you choose to use stacks, your files will group themselves on the desktop while remaining visible.

All of your documents will appear in on stack which you can click once on to show all of your documents on your desktop. Your Mac will organize spreadsheets, images, screenshots, PDFs, and more into separate stacks. If you download a lot of files, it will help you to keep your desktop clean until you organize them.

• Again, click anywhere on your desktop for the file to appear at the top;
• Select “View”;
• Choose “Use Stacks”.

You can organize your stacks as you prefer, by kind of file, date, or tag.

Wrap Up

Learning how to create a folder on Mac, Smart folders, and stacks is not only time-saving, it will also reduce the amount of stress you feel when your screen comes to life. When someone calls you asking to send a file urgently, it can be quite tense scanning your desktop, especially when you can’t remember the name of the file.

Managing folders and smart folders is the same, and the drag and drop feature makes it quick and easy. And, if you add the use of stacks, files and folders will all be neatly organized on the right-hand side of your desktop.