L4E PD: Day 1 of your new device

This section explains some of the newest features of your new L4E laptop. Please read and complete each step before getting your new laptop. You can find instructions and more information by clicking on the links under each section.

Day 1 of your new device

Touch ID

Your new MacBook has Touch ID in the upper right corner of the keyboard, and you can use it to unlock your MacBook, instead of typing your password. For security, you will always need to enter your password when you start your MacBook after shutting it down, and sometimes you will also need to enter your password to continue using Touch ID. For example, you will have to re-enter your password every 48 hours. Some websites can also use Touch ID for logging in, as a way to verify that you are the person who should have access to your account.

If Touch ID doesn’t recognize your fingerprint, make sure your finger is clean and dry, then try again. Moisture, lotions, cuts, or dry skin can affect fingerprint recognition. After five incorrect fingerprint attempts, you will be asked to enter your password instead.

A note about privacy (from Apple): Only logged-in users can access their own Touch ID information. An administrator cannot change or view anyone's Touch ID settings or fingerprints.

Use Touch ID on MacBook

Add printers

You'll need to re-add any printers that you want to use. You can add most district printers, such as an office copier, by connecting to SFUSD wifi and choosing it from the list. However, you can also add printers by entering the IP address or by connecting to the printer via USB. If you listed out your installed printers from your last L4E device, you can use that list to help you know which printers to add to your new MacBook.

Add a printer to your printer list so that you can use it on MacBook

What is USB-C?

New MacBooks now use USB-C ports for both charging and connecting to flash drives and external displays. The blue icon for this USB-C section has a picture of what the port looks like on the side of your L4E laptop, and you can see more images in the resources linked under this heading.

You'll receive a charger, but you'll need adapters to connect anything else to your MacBook, such as projectors, monitors, document cameras, and more. You can purchase additional adapters from Apple and from many other retailers, both in person and online.

Gmail vs Apple's Mail app

Your MacBook automatically comes with Apple's Mail app (blue square with a white envelope) installed. Although you may have used Apple's app in the past for SFUSD email, the SFUSD Department of Technology strongly recommends using the Gmail website (mail.sfusd.edu) for reading, searching, and sending emails. Your district email account runs through Gmail, and Apple's Mail and Gmail don't always work well together. Most of the time, when people are having trouble with sending or receiving emails, it's because they are using Apple's Mail app instead of the Gmail website.

Using Gmail yourself will also help you feel more confident supporting students with questions about email, who only have access to Gmail on their Chromebooks.

SFUSD Self Service

The app store may not work if you've logged in with your SFUSD Apple ID, but SFUSD has its own version of the App Store called Self Service. It comes pre-installed on your L4E laptop, and it houses some of the most commonly requested apps, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

You can find the Self Service app in the dock and in the Applications folder.