Mac how-to guides
Clear steps to get common jobs done on your Mac, without uploading your files anywhere.
How to Merge PDF Files on Mac (Free, No Upload)
Combine several PDFs into one on your Mac without uploading them. Use Preview for a quick merge, or Rivet to reorder, split and clean them too.
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How to Compress a PDF on Mac (and Keep It Readable)
Make a PDF smaller on your Mac with Preview’s Reduce File Size filter or with Rivet, which shows the final size before you save and keeps text selectable.
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How to Sign a PDF on Mac Without Printing It
Sign a PDF on your Mac with Preview or Rivet: draw your signature on the trackpad or import a photo, drag it into place and save a signed copy.
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How to Remove a Password from a PDF on Mac
Remove the password from a PDF you have the password for, using Preview or Rivet, and save an unprotected copy on your Mac. Step by step.
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How to OCR a PDF on Mac (Make a Scan Searchable)
Turn a scanned PDF into searchable, copyable text on your Mac, offline. What macOS already does, and how Rivet’s OCR makes a searchable PDF.
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How to Split a PDF on Mac (Extract Pages)
Split a PDF into parts or pull out just some pages on your Mac, with Preview or Rivet, by page range, every N pages or one page per file.
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How to Redact a PDF Properly (A Black Box Is Not Enough)
Why covering text with a black box does not delete it, how to test a redaction, and how to remove sensitive information from a PDF for real on your Mac.
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How to Fill Out a PDF Form on Mac
Fill in a PDF form on your Mac: click the fields in Preview, add text anywhere when there are no fields, or use Rivet’s Forms tool, and save a copy.
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How to Convert Images to PDF on Mac
Turn photos, screenshots and scans into one PDF on your Mac with a Finder Quick Action, Preview or Rivet, choosing page order and size.
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How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF on Mac
Preview cannot number the pages of a PDF. Here are the options on a Mac: add them in the original document, or use Rivet’s Number tool with formats and position.
How to Add Captions to a Video on Mac (Offline)
Add captions to any video on your Mac without uploading it. Pick a style, check it on your own video and export an MP4 with captions or an SRT file.
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How to Add Subtitles to Videos for TikTok (and Reels, Shorts)
Make clear, readable subtitles for TikTok, Reels and Shorts on your Mac: burned-in captions, styles that read on a phone, and tips for placement.
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How to Make Automatic Subtitles on Mac
Generate subtitles for a video automatically on your Mac, offline: what macOS offers, and how Offcaps writes captions with word-level timing.
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How to Create an SRT File from a Video
What an SRT subtitle file is, how it is built, and how to create one from your video on a Mac, with VTT and plain text as other exports.
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How to Burn Subtitles into a Video on Mac
Burn subtitles into a video so they are part of the picture: what “burned-in” means, when to use it, and how to export an MP4 with captions on your Mac.
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How to Transcribe a Video on Mac (Offline)
Turn the speech in a video into text on your Mac without uploading it: export plain text, or SRT and VTT with timing, using Offcaps.
How to Turn a Long Video into Short Clips for TikTok, Reels & Shorts
Cut a long video into vertical clips for TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts on your Mac. Find the best moments, add captions and export in batch with Offcuts.
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How to Turn a YouTube Video into Shorts
Turn a long YouTube video of yours into vertical Shorts: find the best moments, cut at the end of a sentence, add captions and export in batch on your Mac.
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How to Clip a Podcast for TikTok and Reels
Turn a video podcast into short, captioned clips for TikTok and Reels on your Mac: find the strongest moments, cut at sentence ends and export in batch.
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How to Cut a Video into Parts with AI on Mac
Cut a long video into parts on your Mac: QuickTime’s Split and Trim for manual cuts, or Offcuts to find the best moments and cut at sentence ends with AI.
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How to Make Vertical Clips from a Horizontal Video
Turn a widescreen video into vertical 9:16 clips for TikTok, Reels and Shorts on your Mac, with captions and batch export.
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How to Find the Best Moments in a Video
How to find the moments in a long video worth turning into clips, what makes a moment strong, and how Offcuts scores every second and picks them for you.
How to Use the Pomodoro Technique (Step by Step)
A clear guide to the Pomodoro Technique: 25-minute focus blocks, short breaks, a longer break after four, and how to make it stick on a Mac.
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How to Study with the Pomodoro Technique
A practical way to study with Pomodoro: one topic per block, a plan before you start, real breaks, and a way to see how much you actually studied.
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How to Block Websites on Mac (While You Work)
Block distracting websites on your Mac with Screen Time, or only during focus sessions with Pomorito, which also hides distracting apps.
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How to Avoid Distractions When Working from Home
Practical ways to cut distractions when you work from home: set up your space, plan your day in blocks, silence what you can and block the rest on your Mac.
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How to Stay Focused While Studying
Simple, practical ways to concentrate when you study: remove the easy distractions, work in short blocks and track what you actually did.
How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac (Free, Up to 4K)
Download YouTube videos and playlists on your Mac for free: MP4 up to 4K, no account, no ads. A step-by-step guide with SuDown, plus what not to download.
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YouTube to MP3 on Mac: Free, No Ads, Any Audio Format
Save the audio of a YouTube video as MP3, M4A, Opus or WAV on your Mac, free and without ads. Step by step, plus which format to choose.
How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac (One File or Hundreds)
Convert iPhone HEIC photos to JPG on your Mac with Preview, Finder or a batch converter. Three methods, step by step, and when to use each.
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How to Batch Convert Photos on Mac (Many at Once)
Convert many photos at once on your Mac: Finder’s Convert Image action and Preview for small batches, or Simple Archive Converter for big folders.
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How to Convert WAV to MP3 on Mac
Convert WAV audio to MP3 on your Mac using the Music app’s import settings (free), or Simple Archive Converter for a quick drop-and-convert.
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How to Convert a PDF to Word on Mac
There is no one-click PDF to Word in macOS. Your real options on a Mac, plus how Simple Archive Converter turns a scanned PDF into an editable DOCX with local OCR.
Best EPUB & PDF Reader for Mac: Apple Books vs ReadVanced
How to read EPUB, PDF, MOBI and FB2 books on a Mac. Apple Books vs ReadVanced: formats, offline reading, privacy and AI study, compared honestly.
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How to Study a Book with AI on Your Mac, Privately (Ollama)
Turn any book into lessons, flashcards and quizzes with AI, and keep it private by running the model on your own Mac with Ollama. Setup guide with ReadVanced.
An iPod Click Wheel Music Player for Mac: Meet Rewavo
Miss the iPod? Rewavo puts a real click wheel and a classic LCD on your Mac desktop. Play your library or Apple Music, shrink it to a mini player, one-time purchase.
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Mac Apps With No Subscription: What to Pay For Once
Mac apps you pay for once, with no monthly subscription. What to check before you buy, and which NUR apps charge a single price.
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Private Mac Apps That Work Offline
Mac apps that keep your files on your Mac and work without internet: reading, PDFs, captions and focus timers. What to check, and which NUR apps fit.
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Productivity Apps for Mac, One-Time Purchase
Mac productivity apps you buy once: pomodoro focus, PDF tools and bulk file conversion. What each one includes and what it costs.