The question mark app on Mac, also known as the Help Viewer app, is an application that provides access to the built-in help documentation for macOS and other Apple apps. When users encounter unfamiliar features or need troubleshooting advice, the question mark app allows them to quickly find relevant help content without having to search the web or contact Apple support.
What does the question mark app do?
The main function of the question mark app is to open the macOS help documentation. This documentation includes user guides, technical descriptions, and troubleshooting advice for macOS itself and other pre-installed Apple apps like Safari, Mail, Calendar, Photos, and more.
When users click the question mark menu bar icon and select a topic, the Help Viewer app opens the relevant help page. From there, users can browse related help content by clicking links or using the table of contents. The app allows searching the help documentation as well, making it easy to find solutions for specific issues.
In addition to helping users with Apple apps, the question mark app provides access to general macOS help like keyboard shortcuts, multi-touch trackpad gestures, and accessibility features. It covers basic system functions users may need assistance with.
What help content is included?
The question mark app contains the complete official help documentation for macOS and all default apps from Apple. This includes:
- User guides – In-depth manuals for macOS and each Apple app
- Setup instructions – How to configure settings and preferences
- Technical specifications – Details on technologies, file formats, etc.
- Step-by-step tutorials – How to accomplish common tasks
- Troubleshooting guides – Solutions for problems and error messages
- Safety warnings – Important safety information for hardware
The help documentation is written by Apple’s technical writers and is designed to provide detailed, accurate information to cover anything users might need to know. The content is constantly updated whenever new versions of macOS and Apple apps are released.
How do I access the question mark app?
There are a few ways to open the question mark app on Mac:
- Click the question mark menu bar icon in the top right corner of the screen. The menu provides shortcuts to help for macOS and default apps.
- Go to Finder > Applications > Help Viewer. The app will open to the macOS help library.
- Type a query into Spotlight search and click the Help Topics suggestion. This takes you directly to relevant help content.
- Use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Command + ? to open Help Viewer and bring up macOS help.
Once the app is open, you can browse help content, search for specific help topics, or access help for different Apple apps from the application menu.
What are some key features of the app?
Here are some useful features and capabilities provided by the question mark help app on Mac:
- Search box – Quickly find help pages relating to your search query or issue.
- Table of contents – Expand and browse sections in the help library.
- Links – Jump between related help topics.
- Bookmarks – Mark pages you want to reference later.
- Printing – Print help pages for easy reference.
- Full-screen mode – Focus on help content by entering full screen.
- Multiple help libraries – Access help for different Apple apps from one place.
These features allow users to efficiently navigate through help documentation, gain deeper understanding of topics, and obtain answers to specific questions.
What are some common ways to use the question mark app?
Here are some examples of common scenarios in which users access the question mark app for assistance:
- Looking up unfamiliar commands, shortcuts, or gestures for macOS or apps
- Troubleshooting issues like error messages, crashes, or performance problems
- Learning how to use key features of Apple apps like Photos, Mail, Calendar etc.
- Understanding terminology or technical concepts referenced in apps
- Completing multi-step processes like installing hardware, migrating data, burning discs etc.
- Setting up new systems, accounts, privacy controls, parental controls etc.
- Downloading software updates and patches
- Finding compatibility information for external devices, formats, standards etc.
- Looking up safety handling instructions for Apple hardware
Having quick access to in-depth official help documentation via the question mark app enables users to become power users and truly master their Apple devices.
What are the main help libraries?
There are distinct help libraries available in Help Viewer providing documentation for different aspects of Apple devices:
- macOS User Guide – Covers all functionality of the macOS operating system.
- Mac Help – Instructions focused exclusively on Mac hardware like MacBook laptops and iMac desktops.
- iPad User Guide – Documentation for Apple’s iPad tablet devices.
- iPhone User Guide – Help for iPhone smartphone models.
- iPod Help – Assistance focused on iPod media player devices.
- App Help – Contains help for default apps like Safari, Mail, Photos, Calendar, Music and more.
Each library is structured and written to provide the most relevant information to users of those devices and software.
Is the question mark app preinstalled on Macs?
Yes, the Help Viewer app comes preinstalled on all new Mac computers. It is included automatically as part of macOS. Users do not need to manually download it.
To verify it is present, go to Finder > Applications and look for an app called Help Viewer, which displays the question mark icon.
If for some reason Help Viewer is missing, it can be redownloaded for free from the App Store. Just search for “Help Viewer” and install it.
Does it work offline?
The question mark help app is able to work offline without an internet connection. All of the help documentation is stored locally on the Mac hard drive, allowing users to access it any time.
There are some features like links to web-based support content that will not work offline. But the core help libraries and search functionality will remain accessible even without internet.
This makes the question mark app useful for troubleshooting issues that may be preventing internet access, as the help content is still available.
Can I access help on my iPhone or iPad?
Apple provides a similar help app for iOS devices like iPhones and iPads. To access it:
- Open the Settings app, scroll down and tap Tips.
- Alternatively, open the Safari app and tap the bookmark icon to find Tips guides saved there.
This will open the Apple Tips app, which contains help documentation tailored specifically for the iOS version you are running. It provides access to user guides, technical articles, and instructions just like the Mac help app.
Is there a web version?
Apple provides online access to much of the same help content available in Help Viewer at https://support.apple.com.
There you can browse and search the Apple support site for help articles, user manuals, technical documents, and troubleshooting advice for all Apple products.
However, the web version is organized differently and lacks some of the navigation features of the native help app. The Help Viewer application provides the most optimized user experience for accessing Apple’s official help documentation.
What troubleshooting content is included?
The question mark app provides extensive troubleshooting assistance for macOS issues including:
| Display and monitor problems | App crashes and freezes |
| Start-up and shut-down errors | Slow performance |
| Login and account issues | Network connectivity problems |
| Battery and power problems | Printing and scanner issues |
| Disk utility help | Backup and Time Machine errors |
| Keyboard and mouse help | Problems with Continuity |
Each troubleshooting guide walks users through identifying issues, understanding error messages, and trying different solutions. The content is designed to help users resolve common problems themselves without needing to contact Apple support.
How do I search for help topics?
The easiest way to find help on a specific issue in the question mark app is using the search box in the top right corner.
Simply type a few keywords related to your issue and press return. Relevant help pages containing those words will automatically appear.
For example, searching for “Wi-Fi connection” would display help articles related to Wi-Fi issues. Searching for “error 1067” would show solutions for that specific error code.
You can refine and filter search results using keywords, troubleshooting topic tags, or by selecting the relevant Apple product like Mac, iPhone, Pages app, etc.
What languages is help available in?
Apple provides help documentation in a wide range of languages. The exact languages supported depends on the hardware and software:
- macOS help is translated into 16 languages including Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Russian.
- iOS help supports around 30 languages.
- Hardware help like MacBook manuals are available in 10-12 languages.
- Apple app help generally covers English plus 5-10 other major languages.
Users can change the language of help content in Help Viewer by going to Help > Languages and selecting their preferred language.
Can I get help for older macOS versions?
For older macOS versions that are now unsupported, like OS X Mountain Lion or OS X Mavericks, the associated help content is sometimes no longer included in the Help Viewer app.
However, Apple still hosts help documentation for legacy operating systems on their support site at https://support.apple.com. You can find it by searching for the name and version of your OS.
This legacy help content can provide useful assistance if you still need to troubleshoot issues on older Macs. Just know that it will not be as comprehensive or up-to-date as current macOS help.
Are instructional videos included?
Currently, the question mark help app itself does not contain embedded instructional videos for macOS or Apple apps.
However, it does link out to relevant tutorial videos hosted on Apple’s support site and YouTube channel. These videos demonstrate how to use features, step through workflows, and resolve common issues.
Some help articles also reference Apple’s paid self-paced video courses available on their learning portal, which offer in-depth training tailored to different Apple products and software.
Can I ask questions if I can’t find the help I need?
If you are unable to resolve your issue using the documentation and troubleshooting guides in Help Viewer, there are a few ways to get additional help directly from Apple:
- Apple Support App – Message Apple advisors or schedule a phone call for 1-on-1 help.
- Apple Discussion Forums – Community support from other Apple users and staff.
- Genius Bar – In-person help at Apple Stores for complex issues.
- Paid AppleCare support – 24/7 phone and chat support with priority access.
Apple also monitors discussions on social media channels like Twitter for unresolved support questions and may provide assistance there.
Can I contribute to or edit the help documentation?
The official help content published in Apple’s question mark Help Viewer app is created solely by Apple’s technical writing teams. There is no public editing or contribution.
However, users can submit feedback to Apple on the quality and effectiveness of help topics by using the “Was this article helpful?” buttons shown at the bottom of pages.
Apple product managers and writers review this user feedback to identify areas of documentation that need improvement or additional clarity when updating the help for future software releases.
Conclusion
The question mark app provides Mac users with an invaluable on-device help resource. It makes Apple’s extensive official documentation readily accessible so users can quickly answer questions, learn how to maximize their devices, and resolve issues.
Whether you simply need a refresher on macOS basics or are troubleshooting complex problems, the insights and solutions provided in the Help Viewer app can help you get more out of your Mac.
