1.6 - macOS features and tools

CompTIA A+ Core 2 objective 1.6 covers the built-in macOS features and tools a technician should know. Time Machine performs full system backups to an external drive, and FileVault encrypts the entire startup disk. Keychain securely stores account passwords and certificates. Gatekeeper blocks apps from unidentified developers by default, protecting against untrusted software. When an application stops responding, you force quit it with Cmd+Option+Esc. You should match a described macOS need - back up, encrypt, store credentials, block untrusted apps, close a frozen app - to the correct feature. Expect scenario questions that describe the goal and ask which macOS tool delivers it, often contrasting it with the Windows equivalent. These built-in tools mean a technician rarely needs third-party software to back up, encrypt or troubleshoot a Mac.

Memory hook
Backups = Time Machine. Full-disk encryption = FileVault. Store passwords/certs = Keychain. Block unidentified-developer apps = Gatekeeper. Force quit a frozen app = Cmd+Option+Esc.

Practice questions

1. On macOS, which built-in tool performs full system backups to an external drive?

  • Spotlight
  • Time Machine (correct answer)
  • Mission Control
  • Keychain

Time Machine is macOS's backup utility. Spotlight=search, Mission Control=window mgmt, Keychain=password store.

2. Which macOS feature stores account passwords and certificates securely?

  • Spotlight
  • Keychain (correct answer)
  • Dock
  • Finder

Keychain securely stores passwords, keys and certificates on macOS (and iCloud Keychain syncs them).

3. On macOS, which feature encrypts the entire startup disk?

  • Spotlight
  • FileVault (correct answer)
  • Mission Control
  • Dock

FileVault is macOS full-disk encryption (like BitLocker on Windows). Keep the recovery key safe.

4. On macOS, how do you force quit an unresponsive application?

  • Press the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys
  • Press Cmd+Option+Esc (Force Quit) (correct answer)
  • Press the F5 page-refresh key
  • Press the Alt+F4 close combo

Cmd+Option+Esc opens Force Quit on macOS (like Task Manager's End Task on Windows).

5. On macOS, which feature blocks apps from unidentified developers by default?

  • Spotlight
  • Gatekeeper (correct answer)
  • The Dock
  • Finder

Gatekeeper checks app signatures/notarization and blocks unidentified apps unless the user allows them.

6. On Linux, what does chmod 755 grant to the file owner?

  • Read-only file access
  • Read, write, and execute (7) (correct answer)
  • No access whatsoever
  • Write-only file access

In 755, the owner digit 7 = read(4)+write(2)+execute(1); group and others get 5 = read+execute.

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