Mac Troubleshooting The following sections cover some of the basic features used to navigate and troubleshoot on a Mac. Expand/Collapse All Basic Navigation Spotlight Spotlight is a search feature that can be found in the right-hand corner of the Menu Bar or in the upper right-hand corner of Finder. In both instances, it is represented as a magnifying glass. From the Menu Bar: From Finder: The search results will start to appear as Spotlight scans the system for the file(s) or application you are looking for; these results are displayed by category (such as documents, folders, web searches, etc.). You can also access Spotlight at any time by pressing Command + Spacebar. Dock The Dock is a customizable bar found on the bottom or side of the screen; think of it as the Mac equivalent of the Taskbar on a Windows computer. This bar provides easy access to the most used applications on your Mac, as well as minimized windows and applications currently running. Depending on your version of macOS, currently running applications will have a black dot or a blue light below the icon in the dock. On the Dock, you will find common applications like Finder and Trash. Finder (the blue face on the left) is a way you can locate files and/or open applications, similar to File Explorer on a PC. Trash (the waste bin on the right) serves the same purpose as the Recycle Bin on a PC. The Dock is completely customizable and allows you to easily add or remove your favorite applications. Right Click Mac laptops do not have a conventional right-click option on the trackpad. You have two options to right-click: Hold down the Control key while clicking or Place two fingers on the trackpad while clicking. Installing/Uninstalling Applications To install an application on a Mac, you will first have to download the install file from the Internet. The downloaded file can be located in the Downloads folder (bottom-right section of the Dock) or in Finder on the left-hand side under Downloads. On the Dock: In Finder: Double-click on the file to open the application installer. In some instances, you may need to drag the application into your Applications folder; in others, the application installer will do it for you. Please note when installing an application on a Mac, the Application installer will treat the file as a removable drive and will appear on the desktop. Example: Google Chrome requires you to drag-and-drop the application into the Applications folder. Don’t forget to remove the file image from your computer when the application has been installed. To do this, click-and-drag the Application installer drive from your desktop to the Trash. For assistance removing applications from your Mac, refer to the Uninstalling Programs and Applications section below. Setting Default Programs Some files require a specific application to be seen or utilized properly (i.e. eBooks). eBooks by default will open with Preview (Macs native PDF viewer); however, GCU eBooks are only compatible with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. To make sure the PDF opens with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC instead of Preview, follow the steps to Change the Default Programs Your Files Open With. How to Determine Your Operating System To view important information about your Mac, such as your operating system, simply click on the Apple icon in the upper left-hand corner of the Menu Bar and select About This Mac. A small window will appear displaying the operating system version, processor, and memory on the computer. In the same window, you will also find more detailed information about the system, such as the serial number and hardware specifications. Software Updates Depending on the version of Mac OS you are currently using, the steps required to update will differ. Some updates will notify you that restart is required in order to install the updates. See the steps below for the appropriate process: Mac OS 10.13 and Below To check for updates on a Mac, select the Apple icon in the left-hand corner of the Menu Bar, then select Software Update from the About This Mac window. This option will open the App Store application and search for any available updates for the system. From the Updates tab, you can easily install all available updates. Some updates will notify you that restart is required in order to install the updates. Mac OS 10.14 and Newer Select the Apple icon in the upper left-hand corner and access the System Preferences (Settings). Then, select Software Update. Keyboard Shortcuts On a Mac, the Command key functions just like the Control key on a PC; however, Macs also have a Ctrl key which has a different functionality and is not as frequently used. Some common keyboard shortcuts found on a PC can easily be done on a Mac. Here are a couple examples: The Select All shortcut is done by holding the Command key and pressing the letter A. If an application is not responding or you would like to completely close an application, hold Command and press the letter Q to Quit the application. You can also open Force Quit Applications (the Mac counterpart to Windows Task Manager) by pressing Command + Option + Escape. When the Force Quit window opens, select the application you would like to quit, and then click Force Quit. Be sure to refer to our other articles if you need assistance with Using Copy and Paste or Taking a Screenshot on your Mac! Uninstalling Programs and Applications Click Go from the Menu Bar at the top of the screen and select Applications. In the Applications folder, locate the application you wish to remove and drag it to the Trash. Once placed in the Trash, empty the trash by right clicking the Trash and selecting Empty Trash. If the uninstalled application was added to the Dock, it will need to be removed manually. To do so, click and drag the icon away from the Dock, when a small cloud on the application icon appears, release the mouse button. Another option is to right-click the icon and select Remove from Dock. Restarting the computer is recommended after uninstalling an application. NOTE When you empty the Trash, the application is permanently removed from your computer. If you have any files that you created with the application, you may not be able to open them. Locating Programs and Applications Locate the Finder app on your Dock. Locate Applications from the list of categories on the left-hand side. Allow the list to load, then locate the application. You can also use the search feature, Spotlight, located in the top right-hand corner to search for the application. Windows Troubleshooting You can tell that you’re using a Windows operating system if you see a Window Icon, (four squares that make a Window) somewhere along the bottom of your screen. That icon is also known as the Start button and will be referenced many times in the steps below. How to Determine What Version of Windows You are Using Click the Start Menu, and then select the Settings icon. If you don’t see the settings icon, you can also search for “Settings” from the Start Menu search bar. Within settings, select System, then locate About on the left-hand side. Under Windows Specifications you can find the edition and version of Windows your device is running. How to Update Your Windows Computer Your computer may need to complete a few updates before operating at its best. To update your computer, follow the steps below: Click the Start Menu. Select Settings. Click on Update and Security. Verify that you’re in the Windows Update section. Click Check for Updates. NOTE If you are using a device that's running Windows 8, it will say Update and Recovery instead of Update and Security. Force-Quit a Program with Task Manager If an application is not responding or you would like to completely close an application, hold Alt and press the F4 key to force-quit the application. You can also open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc. When the Task Manager opens, select the application you would like to force-quit, and then click End Task in the top-right corner. Accessing the Control Panel If you need to access the Control panel at any time, this is how you can do so on the different versions of Windows: Windows 8 Accessing the Control Panel in Windows 8 is different from Windows 7, or any version before it. The easiest way to access it is through Desktop Mode: Option 1: Right-click the bottom-left corner and select Control Panel. Option 2: Hover over the bottom right hand corner in Desktop Mode to open the Charms Menu and select Settings Select Control Panel within the Charms Menu Similar to older versions of Windows, you will use the Control Panel to uninstall programs. Windows 10/11 Search for the Control Panel using the internal search menu. This can typically be accessed by clicking the Start Menu. Windows S Mode Windows S is a mode offered for Windows 10 and 11. S mode is streamlined for security and performance. S mode restricts you to only using apps available in the Microsoft store and requires you to use Microsoft Edge as your internet browser when searching the internet. For more information about the Windows S operating system, see Microsoft’s FAQ page about Windows S mode. NOTE Devices running the Windows 10 S operating system are not compatible with GCU’s technical requirements. Students using these types of devices may encounter issues downloading and installing programs such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, which are necessary for most degree programs. GCU Technical Support will not assist in disabling Windows S if you have it enabled, as this will make a permanent change to your device. For more information on unsupported devices, see Device Compatibility. Uninstalling Programs and Applications If you no longer want a program or application on your computer, you can easily remove it. Check out each section for step by step instructions! Windows 8 In Metro mode, move your mouse cursor to the upper right-hand corner of your screen to open the Charms menu and select Search (you can also press the Windows key + S in Desktop or Metro mode). Type Control Panel in the search box and press Enter. From the Control Panel menu, choose Programs and Features or Uninstall a program. A list of programs installed on your computer will begin to populate (in alphabetical order). Once this list has finished updating, locate and select the program you wish to uninstall. Click Uninstall from the options that appear at the top of this list. Windows will guide you through the uninstall process. Once complete, the program will be removed from the programs list. Restarting the computer is recommended after uninstalling a program. NOTE Technical Support cannot assist you with installing or uninstalling programs on a device that you do not own. If you contact us for assistance with a device that is not yours, we will need verbal permission from the owner of the device before changes can be made to it. Windows 10 Click on the Search bar in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen and type in Control Panel. From the Control Panel menu, choose Programs and Features. A list of programs installed on your computer will begin to populate (in alphabetical order). Once this list has finished updating, locate and select the program you wish to uninstall. Click Uninstall from the options that appear at the top of the list. A pop-up window will likely ask if you’re sure you want to uninstall the program. Click Yes and then follow the steps in the Uninstall Wizard, if applicable. Once complete, the program will be removed from the programs list. Restarting the computer is recommended after uninstalling a program. NOTE Technical Support cannot assist you with installing or uninstalling programs on a device that you do not own. If you contact us for assistance with a device that is not yours, we will need verbal permission from the owner of the device before changes can be made to it. Windows 11 Open the Start Menu and select All apps. From the “All Apps” screen, locate the application that you’d like to uninstall. Right click the application icon and select Uninstall. If the app was downloaded from the Windows app store, you’ll see a confirmation window. Click Uninstall to remove the application.If the app was downloaded from somewhere other than the app store, you’ll be directed to the “Programs and Features” page. If that situation applies to you, continue to the next step. Locate the application that you’d like to uninstall and select it. Then click Uninstall from the toolbar above.A pop-up window may ask you to confirm the uninstallation process. Depending on the application, you may also be asked to run an uninstallation wizard. If so, follow the prompts provided to complete the uninstallation process. Repairing Programs and Applications in Windows Sometimes your programs may stop working like they should. Thankfully, Windows provides a handy feature in the control panel that can repair your programs and applications Click on the Search bar in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen and type in Control Panel. From the Control Panel menu, choose Programs and Features. A list of programs installed on your computer will begin to populate (in alphabetical order). Once this list has finished updating, locate and select the program you wish to repair. Right-Click on the program you wish to repair. If it is possible to repair, it will show an option to repair. Some apps do not have a repair option and will instead show an option to change. If this is the case, click the change option and follow the instructions that display on screen. For further assistance, see this Microsoft Support article on the application repair process Locating Programs and Applications Windows 8 Click the Start menu on the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. Click the arrow at the bottom of the Start menu to view a list of applications installed on your device. If you are unable to locate the application, you can start typing and a search bar will automatically open. Windows 10/11 Click the Start menu. Select All Apps, this will show an alphabetical list of applications installed on your device. If you are unable to locate the application, you can use the search feature available at the bottom of the Start menu. June 12, 2025 20:35 Updated Related articles Free Microsoft 365 Apps Installation LopesWrite Microsoft 365 Apps: Mac Password Reset Process Lopes Activity Tracker