Can I customize this keyboard shortcut?

Users running on battery power may prefer to put their Mac to sleep to save power.

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The practical effect is the same preventing others from accessing your Mac , but this latter option saves battery power while the user is away. On the other hand, putting your Mac to sleep will stop all background tasks as it puts the CPU to sleep, so it may not be the ideal option for users who want their Macs to keep working while they grab a coffee or stop for a bathroom break.

Also, it takes longer to wake up from a sleep state than from a display lock state, although on modern Macs with fast SSD storage the time difference between the two sleep options has shrunk considerably. Regardless, having a strong user account password and taking a moment to ensure that your Mac is locked even if you only step away for a few seconds are both crucial steps to protecting your data. Siri on the Mac goes even deeper into your software than it does on iPhone and iPad. It can search for files, check your system settings, and understands contextual language, so you can ask one question and follow it up with a related one right after.

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When you first set up your Mac or update it to a new version of macOS, you will be asked if you want to use Siri on the Mac. If you didn't enable it at that time, you can do so manually at any time from System Preferences. In macOS High Sierra and later, you can type your search query to Siri instead of having to ask it out loud.

So if you're in a meeting and trying to find that spreadsheet your boss just asked you for, you can ask Siri to find it for you without having to interrupt what's being said. You can click on Siri in your app Dock or the Menu bar at the top of the screen. But if you prefer keyboard shortcuts, you're in luck — Siri likes them, too.

Under Keyboard Shortcut, select a keyboard shortcut to use. By default, you hold down Command-Space , but you can also select from Option-Space , Function-Space , or you can customize it with the key combination you prefer. When you have a keyboard shortcut assigned, you can simply press and hold the two assigned keys until Siri pops up. If you have your AirPods or a pair of Beats headphones that support voice-activated Siri currently only the Powerbeats Pro , you can call on Siri for help. Tick the box for Allow Siri when locked if you want to trigger Siri by voice while your Mac is locked.

All of your Siri search results can be pinned right into Notification Center. The Siri search results will be pinned to the Today view of your Notification Center. To remove it, hover over the search section in Notification Center and click on the X. Siri has access to the files and documents on your computer.

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You can search for files based on date, and even narrow the search in a second query. You can also search for emails, contact information, calendar events, directions, Notes, and more. Siri also has access to your System Preferences, storage information, and more. If you need your serial number or want to know how much storage you have, Siri is on the case. Currently, Siri doesn't seem to be able to tell you your screen size, display resolution, or how old it is.

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Siri can dig through your tens-of-thousands of pictures in Photos to find specific content, like your cat, food, or the lake. You can also search for pictures based on location and date. You are not relegated to pictures in your Photos library: You can search the entire online universe for whatever images you want. You just have to add "on the web," so Siri doesn't try looking in your Photos app for it.

You can drag and drop any photo from a search query into any document, which is great for creating presentations. Siri can control many of your Mac's settings, like screen brightness, volume controls, Wi-Fi settings, and more. Siri can open any app on your Mac, including third-party programs. Just say, "Open [name of app]", and you'll be whisked away to your app of choice.

If you want to send a message in Messages, Siri can do more than just open the app: It can also dictate and send the message for you. Just say, "Send a Message" and then dictate the message you want to send. Siri also works with FaceTime.

Ask Siri to "FaceTime [name] and it will connect you automatically. Did you know Siri is a sports fan? Go ahead. Ask it which team will win the next big game. You can ask Siri for the schedule of upcoming games, the current standings of a league, the team roster of tomorrow's match, and player stats. Siri knows about football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, and, as of macOS Here's what Siri knows about sports:.

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If you want to know about a sports team, game, or league, just say, "When do the West Indies play next? Siri has access to Apple Music and your music library. If you want to hear a specific song or album, or just want to relax to any genre of music, Siri can help. Thanks to Shazam integration, Siri can also tell you what song is playing so you don't have to open iTunes to find out.

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