Using Applications in macOS 11 Big Sur

Name: Using Applications in macOS 11 Big Sur
Author: Nizar Dajani

Learn how to use the App store and manage apps in macOS

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Course: On-Demand

In this lesson, we will learn about the App Store. The App Store is Apple's primary marketplace for safe and trusted apps. The apps offered on the App Store, go through a rigorous approval process before it becomes available on the App Store. And Apple does that, to ensure their apps add value to consumers, while upholding a high standard of security and privacy. The App Store is actually an app on macOS. So you can open it using the traditional ways, when opening any app. For this one, I'll go to Finder, then applications and then double click on App Store. On the left side, we see different categories and the App Store opens to the last category you were on the last time you had the App Store opened. And starting from the top, the Discover category displays new apps or apps that Apple is heavily advertising on this main page. You can also scroll left or right, to see more apps. Then we have the Arcade category, which contains gaming apps. There's actually another gaming category called, Play. But the main difference, is that Arcade is a monthly subscription-based option. You pay a monthly fee and you have access to all the games in the Arcade category. Now, the games in the Play category, come in different flavors. Or some are free to play, while others need to be purchased. We also have a Create category. Which, as the name implies, contains creativity apps, like photo editing and design apps. Next, is the Work category. Which contains business and office apps, like Microsoft Office. And the Develop category, includes apps for programming, like Xcode and TestFlight. We then have categories which organizes the apps in another criteria, like music, social networking, news, medical, travel and so on. And the last category on the left, is updates. This lets you know which of your current apps need to be updated. I currently don't have any apps that need to be updated but if I did, then there will be an option to update them one by one individually. And there also would be an option to update all of them at once. If I click on my username at the bottom left, I get apps that I purchased over time. You can re-download them or you can also hover over the app and when the three dots appear, this will give you options, including hiding this app from this current view. This is a good option to use if you have many apps purchased and you only want to see the active ones. Now, I briefly mentioned that some apps are free, while others must be purchased. To learn how to identify which apps are free, versus which apps are for money, we look at the button next to the app icon. So, let me go back to the Discover category. And from here, you can see some apps have the, get button. This means that the app is free to download. Then other apps here have a dollar value, so that is the price you pay to purchase the app. Also, some apps have a get button and right under it, we might see the words, in-app purchases. This means that the app is free to download but to use the full or extra functionality, you may need to pay something else later, as a, use the app. I can also search for any app using the search field. For example, I can type spreadsheet and I get results that match. I then can click on an app to get more information about it. From the top view, I can get quick information about the app, like it's star rating, how long has the app been on the App Store, it's chart ranking, who developed the app, what languages it's available in and the size of the app. Then, just below that, I can see preview images of what the app looks like. And I can scroll these images as well, to see more. So it's always a good idea to review an app information, to make sure that it's the right one for you. One final note about the App Store. If you purchase an app, it becomes available to you on any of your other devices that use the same Apple ID. So you can buy a game, for example, on your iPhone and you can also install it on your iPad or MacBook Pro, without having to purchase it again. And if you also have family share, then anyone in your family share, can also download and play that purchased game, without paying for it themselves. So, in this lesson, we learned about the App Store. Thanks for watching.

Beginner Provider : Nizar Dajani 3 Lessons · 15m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

Anytime you want a new app for your Mac, the first place to look is the Apple App Store. Why? Because before apps can make it onto the App Store, they go through an arduous vetting process by Apple to ensure the apps are secure and add value. You may also download apps off any web site, but please be careful that you trust this web site. Only use official web sites.

In this module, you will learn about the App Store, the applications folder and Launchpad, as well as how to install and delete apps. Apps are a huge part of macOS, and learning where and how to find them, research them, use them, and eventually delete them, is a common daily task of every Mac user. Once you install an app, it will appear in multiple locations including the Applications folder and LaunchPad. Between these two locations, you can also delete apps as part of your app management approach.

What You'll Learn

Describe the Apple App Store and the benefits of its app vetting process
Recognize the Applications folder and how to access it
Install and delete apps in macOS 11 Big Sur
Identify Launchpad and how to use it
Manage your installed apps across the Applications folder and Launchpad

Key Takeaways

The Apple App Store is the recommended first place to look for new Mac apps because apps go through Apple's vetting process for security and value before being listed.
Apps can also be downloaded from websites, but only official, trusted sites should be used.
Once installed, an app appears in multiple locations, including the Applications folder and Launchpad.
Apps can be deleted from either the Applications folder or Launchpad as part of app management.
Finding, researching, using, and deleting apps is a common daily task for every Mac user.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this course cover?

It covers the Apple App Store, the Applications folder, and Launchpad, along with how to install and delete apps in macOS 11 Big Sur.

Who is this course for?

It is for Mac users who want to learn where and how to find, research, use, and delete apps as part of everyday Mac use.

Why does the course recommend the Apple App Store for new apps?

Because before apps can appear on the App Store, they go through Apple's vetting process to help ensure they are secure and add value.

Where will an app appear after I install it?

After installation, an app appears in multiple locations, including the Applications folder and Launchpad, and you can also delete apps from these locations.

What lessons are included?

The course includes three lessons: App Store; Applications Folder and Launchpad; and Install and Delete Apps.