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Ahh! Where’s my stuff?!
There are built-in backup systems in Apple’s OSX that allow you to keep track of different files and versions.
This tutorial will help you find files that you may have mis-named or mis-placed on your MacBook Air. We went with Pages, Numbers and Keynote because of a lot of the backup features Apple builds into its products.
Sometimes, we get so invested in our work that we just can’t file it away with a good filename or a good organizing method.
Once we need to return to that good work, we just can’t find it.
This video will show you how to quickly find files anywhere on your Mac in no time.
Each of these methods takes you less than three clicks to search and find missing files.
Method 1: Spotlight Did you know you can find any file or folder by holding Command and tapping the Space bar? This method works a lot like the Start Menu in Windows 7.
This method works well when you know the name of the file but not the location.
Method 2: Recent Items If you just worked on a project or file in the last period, but don’t remember the name, you can find it usually in the Recent Items folder.
Click on Apple and highlight Recent Items to see what’s been open recently. Pay particular attention to the Documents list.
Method 3: Pages (same in Keynote and Numbers) Any of the iWorks programs - Pages, Keynote and Numbers - keep track of your documents in versions, but they can also be hard to locate in iCloud.
iCloud is a great place to move files back and forth between two Macs, but it can get in the way of submitting files to Edmodo, for example.
So, let’s go through the places you might find your documents in any of the iWorks programs.
iCloud When you first open an iWorks program (I’ll do that in Pages), I will want to go to the File menu and then Open. You’ll see two tabs - iCloud and On my Mac.
If you have an Apple ID set up, things may be in your iCloud. I’ve got an Untitled document in iCloud, but I need to rename it and send it to my teacher... but how? I can’t find it in Finder.
Check out this little drop-down next to my file’s name. Here, I can rename it.
Then, because I need it on my Mac to send it to my teacher through Edmodo, I will use the Move to.. drop-down to put it in my Documents folder or get myself re-organized.
I can use the same drop-down to check it back to iCloud...just remember that you won’t see it in Finder any longer.
If I know that I’ve got the right file, but I just know I had more work in there, I can use the Browse all versions to look for all the times I saved it.
Once I find that spot, I can use Restore to bring that version back. This is a feature that does not exist in Microsoft Word at all, and users often forget about it until they really need it.
Method 4: Check the Trash This final method...This is the easiest! If you empty your Trash bin regularly, this may not be the best place to look, but it is often the simplest.
When in doubt, open the Trash an tap the space bar on files to preview them.
Don’t worry, this simple goof up can be easily fixed by dragging that file back where it belongs.
That’s it, folks. Thanks for watching this video tutorial. For more help and tips, check out 7Ignites.com or contact your building’s technology specialist.