If you’re a student, your Mac is more than just a computer—it’s your study partner, research assistant, and personal organizer. But are you taking full advantage of its built-in tools? From staying focused during class to keeping your files tidy, macOS offers features that can make your academic life smoother and more productive. Here are five essential Mac tips for students, plus a bonus trick!
1. Set Up Class and Study Focus Modes
Notifications can be distracting when you’re trying to pay attention in class or study for exams. macOS Focus Modes allow you to control what alerts appear on your screen.
- Go to System Settings > Focus.
- Create custom modes—for example, one for “Class” and another for “Study.”
- Choose icons and colors that help you recognize them quickly.
- Allow only essential apps or contacts to notify you during those times.
When you need to concentrate, simply switch to the right Focus Mode from the Control Center. This way, your Mac quietly stores notifications in the Notification Center without disrupting your work.
2. Highlight and Annotate PDFs With Preview
As a student, you’ll work with countless PDFs—lecture notes, e-books, journal articles, and assignments. The built-in Preview app is all you need to mark them up:
- Open any PDF in Preview (no third-party app required).
- Use the highlight tool to mark important passages.
- Open the Highlights & Notes sidebar to quickly jump between your annotations.
- Use the Markup Tool to add arrows, circles, text boxes, or sticky notes.
You can even export a webpage as a PDF and annotate it in Preview—perfect for research and group projects.
3. Add Classes to a Dedicated Calendar
Every semester comes with a new schedule, and trying to remember class times can be overwhelming. Use the Calendar app to create a dedicated calendar just for your classes.
- Go to File > New Calendar and name it after the semester (e.g., “Fall 2025”).
- Add each class as a repeating event (e.g., M/W/F at 11 a.m.).
- Use Custom Repeat settings to match your schedule.
- Delete or adjust individual events for cancellations or rescheduled classes.
By the end of the semester, you can disable the calendar—keeping it archived for reference without cluttering your main schedule.
4. Use Safari Tab Groups for Research
Research projects often mean juggling dozens of browser tabs across multiple subjects. Instead of letting your Safari window turn into chaos, use Tab Groups:
- Select your open research tabs.
- Click the Tab Group button and choose New Tab Group with [x] Tabs.
- Name the group based on your project or class.
Now, you can switch between normal browsing and specific research groups with ease. Create multiple Tab Groups for different assignments, and keep them saved all semester long.
5. Organize Your Files Into Folders
By mid-semester, your Mac can become a dumping ground for assignments, lecture notes, and PDFs. To stay on top of it all, create a logical folder structure:
- Open your Documents folder.
- Create a master folder called Classes.
- Inside, add subfolders for each semester.
- Within each semester folder, create separate folders for each class.
This simple hierarchy ensures you always know where to find assignments, readings, and projects. For quick navigation, use List View in Finder to see everything at a glance.
Bonus Tip: Add Google Docs to Finder
Many students rely heavily on Google Docs for assignments and group projects. While these aren’t stored as local files, you can still keep them organized alongside your other class materials:
- Drag the URL of a Google Doc into your class folder.
- This creates a clickable link file that opens the document in your browser.
- You can use the same trick for online resources, professor-shared materials, or any cloud-based files.
This way, your local folders act as a central hub for all your coursework—both offline and online.
In Conclusion:
Your Mac is packed with features designed to make your academic journey easier. By using Focus Modes, Preview annotations, Calendar scheduling, Safari Tab Groups, and organized folders, you can boost your productivity and cut down on stress.
With these strategies in place, you’ll spend less time managing your digital life and more time focusing on what really matters: learning.
Unlock Free Access to Premium Conversion Tools with Online Convert’s Educational Account
The Online Convert offers a free educational account for students and teachers! Once approved, you’ll get full access to our conversion tools, including premium features.
Learn more in our blog post.