
This post is the seventh in a series focusing on the basic background knowledge you need to feel confident when using your Mac laptop or computer. You can find the others in the series at https://boomertechadventures.com/. Each post includes an overview and a link to download a PDF document (will open on any digital device) with instructions that include illustrations.
Boomers and Seniors often join groups—book clubs, political action alliances, model railroad enthusiasts, or Krazy Kayakers associations. Or…they belong to committees in their towns, churches, or alumni associations. If you are the one emailing folks to remind them of a meeting or alert them to a situation, wouldn’t it be nice to just type in one name instead of all 25 on your list?
You can by creating an email group in your Apple Contacts app.
Of course, it is possible to create email groups in your email program. However, because there are so many different email providers (gmail. Yahoo, HotMail, every cable company, etc.) we couldn’t begin to show all of the different processes for each provider.
By choosing to use your Mac’s Contact app, you can create a group that will work with whatever email provider you use. Another benefit is that is you have multiple email accounts, you only have to form the groups once.
Find your Contacts app (application). It should be in the dock on the bottom or right or left hand side of your screen where all of those other icons are. It will look similar to one or the other of the images above.
Open the app by clicking on it. You should see a screen that looks something like the one below.
This screen shows all of your contacts. You have to individually add the names and emails of the people you want in your group. This is a time consuming chore that will save time later!
Notice that the yellow arrow is pointing to a plus (+) sign. Click on it.
From here on the instructions include multiple steps and multiple images. Therefore it makes sense for you to now download the complete set of directions so you can have them right at your elbow as you create your first email group. The many steps may seem a bit intimidating. But, once you work your way through the instructions and have created a group, you will be able to easily duplicate the task and teach someone else the process—a good thing to do unless you want to be club secretary for life. Click here for the instructions: Create Group in Contacts copy
Tomorrow’s post: Using Bookmarks function in Safari