How to start using the Mac App Store

The App Store on your Mac is your gateway to expanding your program library. Gone are the days of buying computer programs from electronics stores; you can just download whatever you need from the App Store. Some stuff is free; other stuff you'll have to pay for. All it takes is an Apple ID and away you go.

Here's how to get started with the Mac App Store!

How to sign in with your Apple ID

Before you can download any apps, you'll need to sign in with your Apple ID.

  1. Launch the App Store from the Dock or Finder under Applications.
  2. Click Sign In on the right side of the window under Quick Links.
  3. Enter your Apple ID and password.

  4. Click Sign In or hit return on your keyboard.

    Click Sign In, enter your Apple ID and password, click Sign In

Boom. You're in.

How to view and edit your Apple ID account

Before downloading apps, you'll want to make sure you payment and country information are in order so that you don't have to bother with that stuff while you're excitedly downloading apps.

  1. Launch the App Store from the Dock or Finder.
  2. Click Welcome (your name) on the right side of the window under Quick Links.

  3. Enter your password and hit return on your keyboard.

    Click Welcome, enter your password, hit return

  4. Click Edit next to the information you'd like to edit. You can edit your credit card information, billing address, country, and nickname. If you edit your nickname, it'll appear that way in Game Center.
  5. Type the required information into the fields of the item you're editing.

  6. Click the blue Done button.

    Click Edit, type the required information, click Done

How to download an app or game

Whether the goal is productivity or time-wasting, the App Store has the app for you; you just have to download it. Here's how:

  1. Launch the App Store from the Dock or Finder.
  2. Search for the app you want to download. You can view Featured apps or search via category, title, and more.
  3. Click the price if it's a paid app, or click Get if it's a free app.
  4. Click Buy App if it's a paid app, or click Install App if it's free.
  5. Enter your Apple ID password.

  6. Click Buy. (Buy will appear even if the app is free).

    Find an app, click Get or Buy, click Install App or Buy App

How to set up automatic downloads of apps or games on another Mac

If you download apps and games on several different Macs, you can enable automatic downloads so that you have all of your apps with you on all of your Macs!

  1. Launch the App Store from the Dock or Finder.
  2. Click App Store in the menu bar on the top left of your screen.
  3. Click Preferences.

  4. Click the checkbox next to Automatically download apps purchased on other Macs.

    Click App Store, Preferences, click the checkbox next to Automatically download apps purchased on other Macs

How to find an app or game after it's been installed

After you download an app, you obviously want to find it and use it. Here's how!

  1. Open a Finder window.
  2. Click Applications in the folders on the left.
  3. Click the settings button at the top of the window. It looks like a gear.
  4. Click Arrange By.

  5. Click Date Added. This will move your most recently downloaded apps to the top of the list.

    Click Applications in the Finder, click the Settings button, click Arrange By, click Date Added

How to view and re-download your previously purchased apps and games

If you've already paid for an app, you don't need to pay for it again. So if it goes missing, you can just re-download it and you won't have to look far!

  1. Launch the App Store from the Dock or Finder.
  2. Click Purchased at the top of the window.

  3. Click Download next to the app or game you'd like to re-download.

    Click Purchased, click Download next to the app you want to download again

How to check for updates to Mac App Store apps

It's a good idea to make sure you have the most recent version of every app you download. Here's how to check:

  1. Launch the App Store from the Dock or Finder.
  2. Click Updates at the top of the window.
  3. Click Update next to each app you'd like to update, or click Update All.

  4. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.

    Click Updates, click Update next to the apps you want to update or click Update All, enter your Apple ID password if prompted

How to enable automatic updates

If you have many apps, it can be a pain to keep track of them all and constantly check for updates. You can set up automatic updates to do that for you!

  1. Launch the App Store from the Dock or Finder.
  2. Click App Store in the menu bar on the top left of your screen.
  3. Click Preferences.
  4. Click the checkbox next to Automatically check for updates.

  5. Click the checkbox next to each update setting you'd like to enable:

    • Download newly available updates in the background
    • Install app updates
    • Install macOS updates

    • Install system data files and security updates

      Click Preferences, click the checkbox next to Automatically check for updates, click the checkboxes next to each update setting you'd like to enable

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below!

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