Widgets in Your Notification Center

Just like on iOS 8, you can now add widgets to the Notification Center on your computer. Some of the currently compatible third-party apps include Wunderlist (pictured below), 1Password, and Pocket. Stock widgets include Weather, Stocks, Calendar, Reminders, Social, World Clock, and Calculator.

Add a widget by opening the Notification Center (the list-looking icon in the top right of the menu bar, next to the Spotlight icon), clicking on "Edit" at the bottom, then adding each widget manually by clicking on the green plus sign (+) next to it. To remove one, use the red minus sign (-).

Dark Mode


Yosemite now has a Dark Mode for when you're working late at night. Just head to System Preferences > General and click the "Use dark menu bar and Dock" button. Both will go dark and be a little easier on your eyes.

Share Your Screen from Messages


Screen sharing is even easier in Yosemite. If both users have Messages, you can click the Details button and select the screen sharing icon to instantly share your screen with someone. This should make tech support a little easier for everyone.

Input Signatures via Trackpad in Mail


On top of the old ability to input your signature using your iSight camera, you can now use the trackpad on your MacBook to sign documents. Just load up any document in Preview (or using Markup on Mail), click the signature button, and choose the trackpad option.

Use Shift Key to Move Dock



Speaking of the Dock, if you want to reposition it on your screen without going into System Preferences, hover over the Dock's divider on the far right until your cursor turns into a two sided arrow. Then, hold down the Shift key and drag it where you want.

Record iOS Screens


You can now record your iOS device's screen. While not particularly useful for most of us, it is a cool feature if you want to make videos of whatever you're doing on your iPhone. Unfortunately, you'll need to connect your iOS device to your Mac with a cable, then load up any recording program to find your iOS device listed as a camera.

Enable Finder's Preview Pane



Are your Finder windows looking a little plain? For some users, Yosemite hid some features like Preview. If you want the Preview pane back, go to View in the menu bar and click on Show Preview.

Shift-Click the Dock to Move It



Don't like the dock on the bottom of the screen? Shift-click the divider bar on the dock to move it to one of the other sides of your screen.

Take a 3D Tour of Your Favorite City


Enter a popular city name in the Maps app in Yosemite and you can take a 3D tour that flies you over the city, showing you the sites. Just tap on Start next to the "3D Flyover Tour" box that appears at the bottom. New York, Paris, Tokyo, and London are just a few of the cities that currently work with the feature.

Remotely Close Tabs on Your iOS Device


Accidentally leave an embarrassing tab open on your iPad and need to close it remotely before someone sees it? Just load up Safari on your Mac, hit the new tab page, and click the X next to any tabs you want to close.

Quickly Connect to Hotspot



If your device (with cellular data) is running iOS 8.1, you can use the Personal Hotspot feature to connect it to your Mac, where you can then use it as an available network, as well as view battery life and connection strength.

QuickType Anywhere


Yosemite has a iOS 8-like QuickType feature. When you're writing in any Apple app, just press the ESC key to bring up suggestions for the next word. 

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