How to Collaborate in Default Mac Apps

Collaborate by Sharing Notes on Mac

The Notes app is an excellent tool for taking notes and creating lists. And since it’s available across Apple devices, you can sync and access it whenever you need it. If you and your coworkers need to put your heads together on a project and keep your thoughts organized, you can share both folders and notes on Mac.

To share a folder in Notes, make sure that the folder sidebar is open. You can click the Show Folders button in the toolbar or View > Show Folders from the menu bar if it’s not already.

Select the folder and then use one of these methods to share it:

1. Right-click and pick Add People.
2. Click More (three dots) next to the name and pick Add People.
3. Choose File from the menu bar, pick Add People To, and select Folder [folder name].
4. Click the Add People button in the toolbar and pick Folder [folder name].

To only share a note within a folder, select the note and then use one of these methods to share it:

1. Choose File from the menu bar, pick Add People Too, and select Note [note name].
2. Click the Add People button from the toolbar and pick Note [note name].

A small popup window will appear with the sharing methods you have available and the permissions you want to allow. For those Permissions, you can allow those you invite to make changes or simply view the item(s).

Choose your sharing method, add email addresses or phone numbers if applicable, and click Share. Then follow the prompts to share an invitation to your folder or note. Once your recipient accepts the invitation and starts making changes, you’ll see those edits in real-time.

Collaborate by Sharing Reminders on Mac

The Reminders app on Mac is terrific for creating lists of tasks, setting up priorities and due dates, and of course, receiving reminders. And like Notes, you can sync Reminders with iPhone and iPad.

To share a list in Reminders, make sure that the sidebar is open. Click View > Show Sidebar from the menu bar to reveal it.

Then, select the list you want to share and click the Share button next to the name, or right-click the list and pick Add People.

Collaborate by Sharing a Calendar on Mac

The Calendar app on macOS lets you use different calendars per the accounts you have set up. So you can use it for iCloud, Gmail, Exchange, and other account types. And by sharing a calendar, you and your team can stay up to date on work-related events, meetings, conferences, and similar.

To share a calendar, make sure that the Calendars sidebar is open. You can click the Calendars button in the toolbar or View > Show Calendar List from the menu bar to bring it up.

Select the calendar and then use one of these methods to share it:

1. Right-click and pick Share Calendar.
2. Choose Edit from the menu bar and pick Share Calendar.
3. Click the Share button to the right of the calendar name.

Click inside the Share With the area of the small window and enter those you want to share the calendar with. In most cases, you’ll see suggestions from your contacts that you can pick from.

After you add those you want to share the calendar with, you can click the dropdown box for each person’s name. Then choose the permission you want to allow: View Only or View & Edit. Click Done when you finish.

Once your calendar invitations reach the recipients and they accept, those you’re sharing with will have checkmarks next to their names.

Collaborate by Sharing Photos or Images

The Photos app on Mac is useful for more than pictures of your pets and family. If you’re in a business where you regularly work with photos and other images, take advantage of the Shared Album feature in the Photos app.

To create a shared album in Photos, follow these steps:

1. Click the plus sign next to Shared Albums in the sidebar.
2. Give your album a name and optionally a comment, such as a description.
3. You can invite others to the album right away by clicking the plus sign and choosing them from your contacts.
4. Click Create and you’re set.

If you want to create the shared album first and share it later, that’s easy to do. Select the shared album in the sidebar and then click the People button in the toolbar. Click the plus sign and choose a contact to invite.