Have some tech questions and want a quick, concise answer? We thought so. That’s why we put together these 10 tech tips to address the most frequent questions we receive from Magnus clients. The beauty is, they benefit the non-Magnus user as well. In fact, my gut tells me that after putting the tips into practice, everyone will be giving them a thumbs up.

1. How to determine what Internet browser and version you’re using.

First off, we recommend using either Google Chrome or Firefox. Magnus can be used in other browsers of course, but Chrome and Firefox are preferred. You’ll want to run the most current version possible – think of it like a car – an older model may work just fine, but a newer model is going to be faster and more efficient. Download the most current versions here: Download Google Chrome or Download Firefox

Once you’ve downloaded the most recent version, you’ll be all set and ready to go. Keep in mind that browsers require updates every now and then. Not to worry though, you’ll be prompted to update your browser when that time comes. Just follow the prompts and you’ll be a-okay.

If you ever need to find out which version of the browser you’re using, you can easily do that with just a couple of clicks.

• Chrome: Go to your menu button in the toolbar – it’s in the top right corner, and looks like three stacked bars. Click the menu button, then click About Google Chrome.
• Firefox: Go to your Help menu, then click About Firefox. 
• Or, skip all the headache and go right to version.mymagnus.com and we’ll tell you exactly what you’re running, and if you have a built-in PDF reader.

2. How to save a document from the browser.

If you want to save a document from a browser to your computer, make sure to follow the instructions below. You do not want to save the webpage – you want to save a copy of the actual document.

• Chrome: Right click on the document, select Save As. Name the document and this will save the document to your computer.
• Firefox: Click the Download button in the toolbar of the document viewer. The download button looks like a sheet of paper with a down arrow on it.

3. How to rotate a document in the browser.

So a parent or student uploads all their documents. Excellent, right? Yes, except that they’re uploaded every direction but upright. You can rotate the document so you can read it. It’s a lot easier this way than picking up your computer and/or standing on your head to read the document.

• Chrome: Right click on the document. Select Rotate clockwise/counterclockwise.
• Firefox: Locate the double arrow in the top right corner of the document – not the webpage. Click that arrow and select Rotate clockwise/counterclockwise.

4. How to use Excel to view and manipulate report data. 

Learn all the Excel basics in 10 minutes or less. We have videos for both Mac and PC, so everyone is covered here.

Download the short videos and get your Excel on.

5. How to set a calendar reminder/alert on your smartphone. 

Want to remember to check on something tomorrow? Or five months from now? Not a problem. Many email providers have built-in calendars, and you can set an alert there. Or, as so many of us do now, you can depend on your smartphone calendar. Here’s how:

• iPhone: Go to your Calendar app. Click + in the top right corner and enter the details – date, time, repeat, etc. You can set the event to have an alert minutes, hours, days, or a week prior to the event time. Click Done to save the event and reminder.
• Android: Very similar to the iPhone. Go to your Calendar app. Click the stacked blocks in the top right corner, and select New Event. Enter the details and then click Done.

6. How to take a screenshot. 

There are a thousand reasons to take a screenshot. There are a lot of ways to actually take the screenshot as well. Here are a few:

• Print Screen: This button is on many keyboards and will allow you to capture the entire screen area. It will not actually print your screen. The Print Screen button is often abbreviated as PrtScr, PrntScrn, or Print Scr. To access what you just captured, open Paint, and select Ctrl+V, or click Edit, and then Paste.
• Snipping Tool: This tool is available on Windows computers, and it looks like a pair of scissors. To find it on your computer, go to the Start menu,  begin typing “Snipping Tool“, and open it from the search results. This tool allows you to select as little or as much of the screen to capture.
• On a Mac:
  • Command+Shift+3: This will capture your entire screen.
  • Command+Shift+4: This will capture a selected area of your screen.

7. How to unleash the power of the Control/Command button. 

It’s a little button, but it has a lot of power. The Control button (for PC) and the Command button (for Mac) allow you to zoom in and out, select multiple items from a list, and perform a search and find – and that’s just the beginning of it. Here’s how:

• Zoom in/out:
  • PC: Press Control, then + or – to zoom in and out. 
  • Mac: Press Command, then Option, then + or – to zoom in and out.
  • If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel: Press Command, then roll the scroll wheel back and forward to zoom in and out.
• Multi-select:
  • PC: Press control, then use your mouse to select (or de-select) multiple items from a list. Using Control instead of Shift, allows you to select individual items, not an entire portion of a list.
  • Mac: This is exactly the same as PC, except you’re using the Command button instead of Control.
• Search and find: 
  • PC: Control+F will perform a search and find function on your current page, spreadsheet, document, etc.
  • Mac: Command+F will allow you to perform the very same search and find process.

Check out the other Control keyboard shortcuts and Command keyboard shutcuts.

8. How to scroll using Page Up or Page Down. 

Yet another handy keyboard shortcut. Page Up and Page Down – keys often located on the right side of the keyboard, near the number pad – allow you to scroll up and down on the page without using your scroll bar or arrows.

9. How to restore recently closed tabs. 

We’ve all been there – you’re clicking around and you accidentally close out the browser tab you’ve been working on so tirelessly. Then your stomach drops to the ground and your eyes begin to well and with the passion of a thousand suns, you beg the computer to go back in time. The good news is, you can. So, dry your eyes and follow these steps.

• Chrome: Right-click in the tab bar and select Reopen closed tab from the menu. Or, press Ctrl+Shift+T. You can also find a list of recently closed tabs by going to the Chrome menu (three stacked bars in the top right), and click on Recent tabs.
• Firefox: Click + in the browser for a new tab. Right click on the new tab, and click Undo closed tab. You can also go to the Firefox menu (also three stacked bars on the right side of the page), and click History. You’ll see previous pages and have the option to restore closed tabs.

Side note: In both browsers, you can right click on a link to open it in a new tab without losing your place on the current page. If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, you can also use the scroll wheel to click on a link, and automatically open that link in a separate tab.

10. How to view PDFs on Macs. 

Many recent versions of Safari (Mac browser) do have built in readers, but if you’re using an older version, you may have issues viewing a PDF. The secret here is to make sure you have Adobe Reader installed.

Click here to install the latest version. 

If you’re working with an updated version of Safari and are still having trouble viewing a PDF, it is likely because Acrobat is installed, and is blocking the Safari viewer. To combat that issue, follow these helpful instructions.

Have any tech tips you use regularly? Share your knowledge in the comments section below so everyone can benefit!