If you do n’t write all the prison term , then you probably do n’t postulate a full - featured word processor , such asMicrosoft Word ( ) orApple Pages ( ) . But you still may desire a flexile cock for handling textual matter that lets you draw up résumés and formula , letter and broadside . You have intercourse what ? You already have one : Apple ’s TextEdit .
This textual matter app derive as part of OS X , and can meet many of your writing demand . It does n’t put up advanced pageboy layout features such as columns and icon wrapper , but it does provide most of the fundamentals . simpleness comes with benefits , too . TextEdit is sleek and tight . It take a half - second to launch , and it does n’t jail even if you have a papers containing hundreds of page . On top of that , TextEdit can save documents to Apple’siCloud , so if you have a desktop Mac and a laptop , you could work on your document at menage and jazz they ’ll still be at hand when you ’re on the road .
Still need convincing ? Here are six TextEdit tips that show off what this devoid , easygoing - to - function program can do .
1. Get better zoom
TextEdit offers a zoom characteristic with two sizes : tiny and vast . Not very practical when you need to write something and see other window on your Mac . you’re able to access it from the View computer menu : Actual sizeis the sizing of the page jell inFile > Page Setup . you could also choose toZoom In(Command - Shift- . [ period ] ) orZoom out(Command - Shift- , [ comma ] ) , but unlike most word processors , you ca n’t pick a zoom percentage .
There ’s a top - orphic gesture , however , that let you hunky-dory - melodic line TextEdit ’s zoom . Just abstract on a trackpad , either inward or outward , to zoom in small increments . ( Sorry , there ’s no way to do this with a mouse . ) With a bit of practice , you ’ll find the right size , and it will be a spate easy to play with your TextEdit documents .
2. Make quick lists
If you need to make a listing — a to - do leaning , or an outline — you’re able to choose from a number of list style from theFormat > Listmenu . you’re able to also choose list styles from the List bullet and enumeration button in the toolbar . ( observe : You need to be in Rich Text style to make lists . If you do n’t see a toolbar with formatting buttons , chooseFormat > Make Rich Text , or press Command - T. )
But if you just want a mere list that uses hyphens , or if you want to do some quick brainstorming and then format your lean later , here ’s a tip that will save you a heap of prison term . Press Option - Tab , either at the beginning of a lineage , or at any location in a paragraph , and that school text will change to an indented list paragraph preceded by a dash . When you ’ve finished brainstorming , select all your listing items , then chooseFormat > Listto prefer another type of hummer or enumeration .
3. Add active links
If you ’re write a document that has links to webpages in it , it ’s often best that these data link be combat-ready ; when the reader get through them , you need the webpage to open in a browser app . But , if you paste a link in TextEdit , it wo n’t be combat-ready .
To make an fighting link , paste the tie and click or select it . Then right - click or control - click and chooseMake Link . TextEdit will know that you ’ve clicked a link , and will convert it into a racy , underlined , dynamic link .
This influence for link in any of the following formats : macworld.com , www.macworld.com , or http://www.macworld.com .
If you need to change a link , just justly - click or controller - click it , chooseEdit Link , and make your changes .
you may also make a link from any text . Select one or more Scripture , chooseEdit > Add Link , then type or paste the universal resource locator that the data link will go to , and clickOK .
4. Save TextEdit documents in Word format
TextEdit can read and compose Word document ; sort of . You ’ll be capable to edit Word text file without any complex formatting , but conditional data formatting , such as textual matter boxes , columns or image wrapping will be lost . However , you may save up your TextEdit documents so people using Word — for exemplar , on a microcomputer — can read them .
There are two ways to do this . If your document is in Rich Text Format , then it ’s an RTF text file , which Word , or just about any other word processor , can record . But you could also lay aside a file in a specific Word format . ChooseSave , then , from the Save dialogue box , fall into place theFile Formatmenu and choose one of the Word formats . If you ’re not sure which to pick out , Word 97 — as sometime as it is — is probably the safest .
If you ’ve already save an RTF papers , you ’ll need to twin it before changing the format . ChooseFile > Duplicate , and thenFile > Saveand prefer the data formatting .
5. Embed files
TextEdit ’s default RTF format is a special Indian file format called Rich Text Format Directory , which is abundle , or a eccentric of folder that can contain textbook and data file . That means you may add together photos , television , music file , and even applications .
get ’s say you ’re create a written document with a recipe . You might want to sum up photos you ’ve taken to prompt you of what the final dish should look like . Just drag a pic into your TextEdit written document , where you ’d like it to be . When you do this , TextEdit will demand if you want to convert the file to RTFD formatting ; accept this change .
Unlike in most give-and-take processors , you wo n’t be able-bodied to tweak your image : You ca n’t crop it , resize it , rotate it , or apply dark or borders . So if you desire to do any of these , you demand to do so before adding the photo .
But you could also add videos , medicine files , and more . Just drop behind any file into a TextEdit text file . Bear in mind that any item you summate to a TextEdit file micturate the file prominent , so if you want to send it by email , be careful not to put in too much .
6. Type faster with auto-complete
Tired of typing out farsighted word ? Do you have doubts about how a long word is spelled ? Save time using OS X ’s motorcar - complete feature film in TextEdit .
get ’s say you need to typecast the word “ transcendence . ” set about typing the first few letters , such as “ tran . ” Press Option - Escape , and an car - stark menu show . apply the Down Arrow keystone to find the word you desire , then press Return to have TextEdit discharge the Christian Bible for you . This can be quicker than looking up a intelligence in a dictionary .
Alas , the OS X dictionary does n’t containfacinerious , so you ’ll have to look that one up yourself .
TextEdit ’s got plenty of tricks up its sleeves . Check the app ’s Help menu for more about creating tables , initialise text and other great feature . You may find that TextEdit is all you demand to get your writing done .
