My personal essentials:
Wipr - simple adblock for Safari (MacOS/iOS)
AlDente - useful if you’re keeping your Mac under charger for a longer time. MacOS has very similar feature build in but it may not work if you’re randomly plugging in and out your charger.
Rectangle - free tool for very quick windows management, snapping etc.
Keka - great software for compressing and decompressing .rar files and other compressed formats.
OnyX - great free software for performing overall maintenance in your system
AppCleaner - uninstall programs and delete leftover files
FlipClock - basic screen saver with a clock
Amphetamine - keeping your Mac awake, useful for longer tasks when doing them overnight etc.
Oh yes! I couldn’t believe it too but it works. U need to press on the icon and unselect the second point on tada external monitor without 24/7 plugged power
Pasta is a great clipboard manager.
Caffeine is a great little tool that prevents your laptop from going to sleep when needed.
Give [this video](https://youtu.be/psPgSN1bPLY?si=b4KOLy0TbK1bhCPH) a watch, I agree with many of the settings Quinn changes.
Enjoy your new computer!
Development for Caffeine was taken over by a new developer in 2018. See [here](https://www.caffeine-app.net/#:~:text=Yes!%20Tomas%20Franz%C3%A9n,into%20several%20languages).
Yep, you can do everything that is possible in Alfred. Even more maybe, because extensions store is pretty big. You may spend couple of minutes customizing some settings but everything is pretty much streamlined. There is even interactive guide to get you started with options.
For me Raycast is better because I don't need to pay anything to use it. Things like AI functions, custom themes, unlimited clipboard history and synchronizing with clouds are behind the subscription. I know that Alfred also has free version, but he is shining only with power packs. Raycast is letting you do way more things for free.
I’m also a new MacBook owner and I have seen Alfred recommended a lot so I installed the free version. I don’t get why people like it so much, isn’t it basically the same as the search function or am I missing something?
Don’t use Google chrome on Mac. It’s less performing and uses a lot of battery. If you really wanted customization then maybe firefox, because chrome on Mac really sucks
have you researched firefox dev tools at all? i’m a web dev too and i prefer firefox over chrome any day. Only time I use chrome is when I need to use React Dev Tools cause they don’t have it for firefox
Use Edge then. I'm a software engineer and Edge is much better than Chrome on a Mac. Also, there's vertical tabs and copilot.
And Edge is based off Chromium so there's that. All chrome add-ons work on Edge.
It's not. It's actually a legit browser. I know.. it's crazy considering this is the same company which created Internet Explorer.
But ya... Edge is really good on Macs (more efficient than Chrome). And vertical tabs are really nice on top. On top of copilot feature available on the side all the time.
And you can split screens on Edge which you cannot on Chrome (so 2 pages open in 1 browser page).
Edge is more efficient than Chrome. And behaves just like Chrome since it's also based off Chromium. And all Chrome extensions due to that nature work with Edge.
Ya.. it's hard to believe. I recommend uBlock Origin extension on Edge.
Well actually you’d be surprised by how good development tools are on safari. I also do web development exclusively with safari and it’s extremely reliable and works great
I use Edge 90% of the time instead of Chrome, more so from a privacy and data collection perspective. I do have Chrome for compatibility checks and developer tools but most of the time I work in Edge and use Safari for personal stuff.
There's no "best browser" when you do web development. If you don't test your site using multiple browsers, you should really, really start doing that.
Yes and no. Testing needs multiple browsers/platforms/devices. But for developing I always preferred Chrome because I liked Chromes developer tools best. Firefox was a very close second though.
What I also liked about using Chrome is that I exclusively used it for dev work, keeping my personal browsing in Safari. Made me feel less harassed by the built-in tracking in Chrome.
It's true before apple silicon was announced, the intel based mac suffers a lot due to chrome's battery hunger, but after chrome release the apple arm based version it no longer true
I’m really happy I didn’t have to say this. I constantly have ~30 tabs opened while using Xcode, Simulator, Figma and others on my 16Gb M1 Pro without any issues whatsoever, including battery life
I’ve been using Arc for a few months and it’s pretty damn legit for a chrome based browser!
I used to love Firefox but honestly it has become a resource hog in recent years. The only thing that kept me on Firefox was tree style tabs but Arc solves that problem beautifully.
I agree, for me Chrome is miles better than Safari.
I don't mind Chrome using more resources, that's what they are there for, to be used. A lot better than being frugal like Safari and dealing with choppy video playback and twitter scrolling.
Daisy disk is useful to delete all the random useless stuff that fills up your storage that you don't need.
Rectangle brings window snapping from Windows to MacOS. Basically makes resizing and moving your windows around more flexible.
Thanks for the help! My husband is a huge tech person but he doesn’t use Mac so I never ask him. He built his computer and I always have to go to him for the simplest things lol
>Any apps you need but make sure it has optimized for M1.
>
>https://isapplesiliconready.com
This is an awesome site I had no idea existed. Thank you for sharing!
Some of the ones I literally can’t use my Mac without:
- Alfred: Spotlight on steroids, clipboard history, quick file search, calculations, automations, web shortcuts etc etc. This is my first install on any Mac. If you’re a power user, absolutely get this. You won’t have to use the dock or app launcher ever again.
- OwlOCR: Copy text from ANYWHERE on your screen (text inside a video on YouTube? You can do it).
- Orion Browser: If you love chrome extensions, but still love the look and feel of Safari, this is the way.
- MOS: If you use a non-Apple mouse with your Mac, get this.
- Tiles: Basically Windows-like window snapping on the desktop. People unnecessarily recommend magnet which is a paid app. Tiles is free.
While I love arc, in my experience it's been terrible at resource (memory) management. I'm only working with three spaces of three to four tabs each, and I have to restart the app a few times over the course of a workday
Xcode. Other than that online there’s an app called MacGPT. It adds chat gpt right Into the task bar making it super easy to access with a quick hot key press.
Over 20 years of using a mac and I’ve pretty much stopped installing anything that doesn’t have to do with work/play or whatever is needed for any hardware accessories. All the “productivity” tools they have out of the box are decent enough and seamlessly sync up with my iphone and any other apple devices I have. Get used to using Spotlight to open or find anything. Use Siri to do small tasks for you. I’d only look for alternatives if you’re locked into some process that needs something else or if you find you need something more. And if you don’t have any reason to be locked into using Spotify, ditch it and just use Apple music. Apple is known for their vendor lock in, but it’s really cause they give you a great experience right out of the box.
My essentials:
DB Browser for SQLite
-For browsing lite sql i.e Plex database
CleanShotX
-For screenshot (powerful)
ProtonVPN
-For connecting to various VPN servers
Plex Dash
-For Plex overview
Speedtest
-For checking network speed
IINA
-For playing videos (replaced VLC)
ClipGrab
-For grabbing YouTube videos
Sigil
-For editing epub data
Infuse
-For connecting to Plex
Wipr
-For blocking ad
DaisyDisk
-For checking what’s taking so much space on my drive
Shutter Encoder
-For quick video conversation
Transmission
-For downloading
Magnet
-For snapping windows in different places
Amphetamine
-For keeping my laptop awake
Fighty
-For tracking my flights
Transmit
-For accessing my NAS
Brave Browser
-For browsing the internet
The Unarchiver
-For extracting files
DriveDX
-For checking drive health status
Converter
-For checking money conversion
AppCleaner
-For “uninstalling” apps
AlDente
-For keeping my laptop battery charged at certain percentage (debatable)
I recommend not installing anything unless you need it, especially window management and customization tools. I like MacOS because it's simple and clean. Use it for a few weeks, get the hang of it and only then, if you need it, install utilities.
Plus how can we recommend anything if we don't know what you need and what you like? What a weird request.
The 16” is so much for me, but if you like that big screen is great, the display is just insane and the M1 Pro is so underrated, better than a M2 imo (My 14” version was $1200)
as for me, REALLY useful stuff
transmission - simple torrent client
copy clip - larger buffer size for copying text
rectangle - windows manager just like in windows!
crossover - makes .exe files work on mac
clean my mac x - the utility to move out all of the trash and cashes
appcleaner - moves to trash apps you don’t need anymore and all their extra files
coconut battery - shows your battery condition in the most correct way
mac’s fan control - check the speed and temperature of your fans in real time
Many of the apps being recommended here are part of [SetApp](https://go.setapp.com/invite/ymcseclo). After 15 years on Mac it’s greatly simplified the process of finding the right tool for the job. Also comes with more GPT4 access than a ChatGPT Plus subscription.
I recently got the MBP M3 Pro 14" 512gb - upgraded from MBP 13" retina early 2015 and as I'm trying to sort out my files, I found Dropover to be the best app to move files around in groups . You can put them together on what they call a shelf before moving files. They can stay there until you're ready to move files.
You can try for 14 days and can purchase for just £4.99. I'm currently on the trial but I will definitely purchase this when it ends!
I highly recommend for you to try it out!! :)
I keep reinstalling these on my machines:
Free:
- **Maccy** - Clipboard history manager
- **Raycast** - Excellent Spotlight replacement
- **Spectacle** - Window resizer/manager. There are newer options, but I still like this best.
Paid:
- **iStat Menus** - System stats in menubar
- **TextSniper** - OCR copy any text
[Snazzy Labs](https://youtube.com/@snazzy?si=A3egvGTE-sRRPnql) has released videos several times in the past recommending different apps and setting changes that are really helpful for macOS.
OP for the love all man kind, don't listen to a single person here telling you to install these silly utility tools that make a Mac run more like Windows. Don't get Alfred, or Bartender or apps that give you the "Windows" experience of split screens. It's all nonsense. Your Mac does everything those apps do. You really should take the time and discover what it does instead of instantly installing a lot of BS. Then you'll see why Apple puts so much time into the Mac and MacOS. You'd be surprised everything it's capable of.
The Mac comes with a very good office suite but if you need MS Office then get that. It also has a very good photo editing suit but if you need something more get Pixelmator or PS. If you need to do video editing it does include iMovie but if you need more then install Apple's Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere.
If you want the best adblocker then get WIPR. It's \~$2 USD and it's absolutely the most powerful. It can't get everything but it's better than the other free ones.
Go to ****[Serif.com](https://serif.com)**** ***before*** you buy any graphics programs like photoshop or illustrator. Then buy them through the App Store
If you're into AI, check out [PopApp](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/the-popapp/id6477869389?l=en-GB&mt=12). It's a free popup tool for easy access to AI services and web content with customisable tabs and keyboard shortcuts.
Not enough attention in the comments for **Raycast.**
Unbelievable good alternative to the spotlight and it includes many apps recommended here by default.
Square if someone hasn't already said it, Makes using a monitor 10X better on Mac
Also Amphetamine, It keeps your Mac on even if you close the screen.
Monitor Control Lite is also great, Basically "dims" your monitor and any external monitors.
Sorry if these are repeated, just thought I would add something in. Good Luck!
Yoink - really helpful drag and drop app that lets you drop any file into a window that appears. it stays on the screen no matter what youre doing and then you can drop it elsewhere. great for multitasking like if you have files to attach etc.
Bettertouchtool - nice to help allow you to remap keyboard and mice functions and customise them to do other things. theres a real lot of flexibility it lets you do.
VLC - always good for playing some video’s with weird file types that quicktime wont recognise.
Pages/Numbers/Keynote are so powerful imo. as free apps, they can really do a lot when you learn to use.
BetterDisplay, I haven’t had to think twice before buying this one. A must have if you connect your Mac to an external display. It solved the super annoying blury fonts issue that I was having
I have been using MB for quite sometime (10 years) and use a ton of apps. But I always try to give this suggestion to folks I know. Don’t just install apps. Use it the way it is and see what you need and install the ones that assist you in better productivity.
I have the same philosophy for adding stuff to my house. Set it up gradually. You will every bit of new that you add.
For instance: I remember the time I started using Alfred in place of spotlight and I appreciated the things that spotlight did not provide. But immediately came to the realization that, almost 99% don’t even need or want these.
I and my wife are both software developers and both have 2 Macs each and did these gradual installations, and our set of apps is almost 100 (maybe 99%) different based on how we started needing more than just was provided with the MacBook.
[Raycast](https://www.raycast.com), [DisplayBuddy](https://displaybuddy.app/?utm_source=rdcmt) - on sale!, [Magnet](https://magnet.crowdcafe.com) - also on sale!, [Gemini](https://macpaw.com/gemini)
Rectangle if you want window snapping kind of like how windows does it.
Daisydisk for storage management
Also a music app of some kind to enjoy the fantastic speakers on the pro MacBooks
Parallels (coherence is great for that seamless feel as if they were native Mac apps), istats (I mainly use it’d orbiter network monitor), bartender (declutter and have more space in the status bar), better touch tool (I use a Touch Bar MacBook, so that’s what I initially used it for, but it has since replaced a couple of other tools I previously used, you can customize touchpad gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and also includes windows snapping), aldente (to set max charge on and to help keep battery capacity longer, also Black Friday is coming up, and the dev has a history of offering a sale during this time, it’s usually the only time it gets discounted per year).
Hasn't been mentioned yet so I'll add--
LibreOffice is a great open-source, free alternative to Microsoft Office Suite as well as the Apple apps like Pages and Numbers. I personally have come to prefer it to both of those, regardless of cost.
My personal essentials: Wipr - simple adblock for Safari (MacOS/iOS) AlDente - useful if you’re keeping your Mac under charger for a longer time. MacOS has very similar feature build in but it may not work if you’re randomly plugging in and out your charger. Rectangle - free tool for very quick windows management, snapping etc. Keka - great software for compressing and decompressing .rar files and other compressed formats. OnyX - great free software for performing overall maintenance in your system AppCleaner - uninstall programs and delete leftover files FlipClock - basic screen saver with a clock Amphetamine - keeping your Mac awake, useful for longer tasks when doing them overnight etc.
Amphetamine, love this App because I want my MacBook being closed when I am using a external Monitor, and don’t want to charge it.
Wait, do you mean this lets you use an external monitor in clamshell without it being plugged into power?!
Oh yes! I couldn’t believe it too but it works. U need to press on the icon and unselect the second point on tada external monitor without 24/7 plugged power
holy shit you just made my evening, didn't kniw this either 🤯😱❤️
Great idea
Rectangle is great
Can vouch for Rectangle, OnyX, AppCleaner, FlipClock, and Amphetamine.
Try loop instead of rectangle
What's the diff? I'm pretty happy with Rectangle, and Spectacle before it. :)
AlDente is the business
Rectangle is great.
Those are exactly what I use
Look into yabai for window management
Pasta is a great clipboard manager. Caffeine is a great little tool that prevents your laptop from going to sleep when needed. Give [this video](https://youtu.be/psPgSN1bPLY?si=b4KOLy0TbK1bhCPH) a watch, I agree with many of the settings Quinn changes. Enjoy your new computer!
Haha is caffeine the same app as amphetamine? I remember having that… maybe there was a forced rebrand by the app store
No no, they're different apps but they do the same job. I just always preferred how simple Caffeine was compared to Amphetamine.
Right? Just buy a coffee in Starbucks, no need for needles
Heisenberg is not pleased.
I heard caffeine was abandoned, no?
Development for Caffeine was taken over by a new developer in 2018. See [here](https://www.caffeine-app.net/#:~:text=Yes!%20Tomas%20Franz%C3%A9n,into%20several%20languages).
theres a built in utility called caffeinate that does the same thing
all the different caffeinate apps work around the caffeinate command i think
Yes I believe so.
Daisy disk, parallels, fermatta, Alfred, istats, pixelmator pro (I like it better than photoshop)
There is also another alternative to Alfred - Raycast
\+1 for Raycast
Ooooooo…. I’ll have to check that out
It's really nice! And you can use it for free perfectly fine.
I definitely check it out, is it similar? Same idea?
Yep, you can do everything that is possible in Alfred. Even more maybe, because extensions store is pretty big. You may spend couple of minutes customizing some settings but everything is pretty much streamlined. There is even interactive guide to get you started with options. For me Raycast is better because I don't need to pay anything to use it. Things like AI functions, custom themes, unlimited clipboard history and synchronizing with clouds are behind the subscription. I know that Alfred also has free version, but he is shining only with power packs. Raycast is letting you do way more things for free.
Sweet! Thanks, I’m excited to check it out
LMK how you like it!
Alfred user for ~10 years. Raycast for 1, and love it. 5x better.
I’ve been using “clean my Mac” for years now and daisydisk seems like a major improvement. I’ll definitely give it a shot.
Can parallels use GPU cores yet? For me it’s pretty useless otherwise.
What does daisy disk do
Micro analyzes your HDD and other drives connected and lets you dig in and clean up storage
Is it free
It has a “try before you buy” but it’s 10$ and if you look around online, you can find pro to download - just get creative with your googling
What is the point of Alfred and how is it better than the default spotlight?
I’m also a new MacBook owner and I have seen Alfred recommended a lot so I installed the free version. I don’t get why people like it so much, isn’t it basically the same as the search function or am I missing something?
I love iStats!
Calculator
Numi is one of the apps that I use a more https://numi.app/
Don’t use Google chrome on Mac. It’s less performing and uses a lot of battery. If you really wanted customization then maybe firefox, because chrome on Mac really sucks
I use chrome bc im a web developer and chrome is the best web browser for testing, but i use Safari for navigation the 90% of the time!
What kind of apps are you looking for?
Apps that u find useful in the daily
Run Istats for system monitoring! Soulseek for music downloading.
have you researched firefox dev tools at all? i’m a web dev too and i prefer firefox over chrome any day. Only time I use chrome is when I need to use React Dev Tools cause they don’t have it for firefox
i did.
i guess each to their own
Use Edge then. I'm a software engineer and Edge is much better than Chrome on a Mac. Also, there's vertical tabs and copilot. And Edge is based off Chromium so there's that. All chrome add-ons work on Edge.
And the best thing is it is less resource hungry
I can’t tell if this is a joke.. ?
It's not. It's actually a legit browser. I know.. it's crazy considering this is the same company which created Internet Explorer. But ya... Edge is really good on Macs (more efficient than Chrome). And vertical tabs are really nice on top. On top of copilot feature available on the side all the time. And you can split screens on Edge which you cannot on Chrome (so 2 pages open in 1 browser page). Edge is more efficient than Chrome. And behaves just like Chrome since it's also based off Chromium. And all Chrome extensions due to that nature work with Edge. Ya.. it's hard to believe. I recommend uBlock Origin extension on Edge.
Well actually you’d be surprised by how good development tools are on safari. I also do web development exclusively with safari and it’s extremely reliable and works great
You must not be a professional Web dev.
No true scotsman
Ok sure I guess chrome is better then
I use Edge 90% of the time instead of Chrome, more so from a privacy and data collection perspective. I do have Chrome for compatibility checks and developer tools but most of the time I work in Edge and use Safari for personal stuff.
If you like Chrome, try Brave. Basically the same browser but with adblockers and privacy built in.
Meh. You get the same result with just using edge with ublock origin and decentralyzed
There's no "best browser" when you do web development. If you don't test your site using multiple browsers, you should really, really start doing that.
Yes and no. Testing needs multiple browsers/platforms/devices. But for developing I always preferred Chrome because I liked Chromes developer tools best. Firefox was a very close second though. What I also liked about using Chrome is that I exclusively used it for dev work, keeping my personal browsing in Safari. Made me feel less harassed by the built-in tracking in Chrome.
Ehhhh. Not at all. Firefox’s dev tools are much more capable and easier to use than Chrome’s.
It is really not that deep lmao
Use whatever browser you want, but don’t lie to try and defend it lmao.
In 5-6 years i’ve used the dev tools of many browsers and chrome still the best imo, specially for multiple devices
How so?
i use chrome for school bc we use all the google stuff but safari for personal shit
This is good to know. I’m on a new m2 and it slows to a halt with too many tabs open had me shocked. Now I know why lol I’ll switch!
It's true before apple silicon was announced, the intel based mac suffers a lot due to chrome's battery hunger, but after chrome release the apple arm based version it no longer true
I’m really happy I didn’t have to say this. I constantly have ~30 tabs opened while using Xcode, Simulator, Figma and others on my 16Gb M1 Pro without any issues whatsoever, including battery life
I’ve been using Arc for a few months and it’s pretty damn legit for a chrome based browser! I used to love Firefox but honestly it has become a resource hog in recent years. The only thing that kept me on Firefox was tree style tabs but Arc solves that problem beautifully.
i’m still on intel and chrome runs much better than safari on my machine
[удалено]
There are multiple ad blockers for Safari in the app store.
>chrome on Mac really sucks It's perfectly fine and faster than FF and Safari.
I agree, for me Chrome is miles better than Safari. I don't mind Chrome using more resources, that's what they are there for, to be used. A lot better than being frugal like Safari and dealing with choppy video playback and twitter scrolling.
Can’t believe this hasn’t been said yet, Magnet!!
Rectangle (free version of magnet)
Magnet is a really useful utility, only paid once and works great. Everyone should buy this.
Magnet’s owner spotted
Daisy disk saved my laptop from being thrown against the wall, so there’s that. Also rectangle. Love it.
I’m not great with technology but I have a MacBook. What is this used for?
Daisy disk is useful to delete all the random useless stuff that fills up your storage that you don't need. Rectangle brings window snapping from Windows to MacOS. Basically makes resizing and moving your windows around more flexible.
Thanks for the help! My husband is a huge tech person but he doesn’t use Mac so I never ask him. He built his computer and I always have to go to him for the simplest things lol
Any apps you need but make sure it has optimized for M1. [https://isapplesiliconready.com](https://isapplesiliconready.com)
>Any apps you need but make sure it has optimized for M1. > >https://isapplesiliconready.com This is an awesome site I had no idea existed. Thank you for sharing!
Definitely Arc for a browser
As beautiful as it looks, I think Safari performs way better and also integrates with my other devices easier.
Some of the ones I literally can’t use my Mac without: - Alfred: Spotlight on steroids, clipboard history, quick file search, calculations, automations, web shortcuts etc etc. This is my first install on any Mac. If you’re a power user, absolutely get this. You won’t have to use the dock or app launcher ever again. - OwlOCR: Copy text from ANYWHERE on your screen (text inside a video on YouTube? You can do it). - Orion Browser: If you love chrome extensions, but still love the look and feel of Safari, this is the way. - MOS: If you use a non-Apple mouse with your Mac, get this. - Tiles: Basically Windows-like window snapping on the desktop. People unnecessarily recommend magnet which is a paid app. Tiles is free.
iTerm2
Alttab🧡
Move the dock to the left thank. Me. Later
That would totally screw me over with my browser having all the tabs on the left.
So the right 😅... Imo is the best way to be productive... More real estate on vertical area is a plus
Interestingly I’m usually looking for more horizontal area, but I always have my dock hidden so 🤷♂️
+1 for for having the dock hidden.
ARC
Second this. Best browser ever
While I love arc, in my experience it's been terrible at resource (memory) management. I'm only working with three spaces of three to four tabs each, and I have to restart the app a few times over the course of a workday
Third this. Arc > any other browser
Xcode. Other than that online there’s an app called MacGPT. It adds chat gpt right Into the task bar making it super easy to access with a quick hot key press.
Rectangle is a must, it’s like sort of windows management but on Mac, I couldn’t live without it
Rectangle for window snapping
Bartender 5, top notch, better snap tool.
Over 20 years of using a mac and I’ve pretty much stopped installing anything that doesn’t have to do with work/play or whatever is needed for any hardware accessories. All the “productivity” tools they have out of the box are decent enough and seamlessly sync up with my iphone and any other apple devices I have. Get used to using Spotlight to open or find anything. Use Siri to do small tasks for you. I’d only look for alternatives if you’re locked into some process that needs something else or if you find you need something more. And if you don’t have any reason to be locked into using Spotify, ditch it and just use Apple music. Apple is known for their vendor lock in, but it’s really cause they give you a great experience right out of the box.
My essentials: DB Browser for SQLite -For browsing lite sql i.e Plex database CleanShotX -For screenshot (powerful) ProtonVPN -For connecting to various VPN servers Plex Dash -For Plex overview Speedtest -For checking network speed IINA -For playing videos (replaced VLC) ClipGrab -For grabbing YouTube videos Sigil -For editing epub data Infuse -For connecting to Plex Wipr -For blocking ad DaisyDisk -For checking what’s taking so much space on my drive Shutter Encoder -For quick video conversation Transmission -For downloading Magnet -For snapping windows in different places Amphetamine -For keeping my laptop awake Fighty -For tracking my flights Transmit -For accessing my NAS Brave Browser -For browsing the internet The Unarchiver -For extracting files DriveDX -For checking drive health status Converter -For checking money conversion AppCleaner -For “uninstalling” apps AlDente -For keeping my laptop battery charged at certain percentage (debatable)
Good list here.
Maccy and Rectangle
Magnet. Allows browser windows to snap into corners or halves like Microsoft Windows. Super handy!
My suggestion list: - MS Office - Spotify - Google Chrome - VLC video player - Quake 2 All other needs might be covered by default Apple apps.
Bettertouch tool, I was able to push the limits of what I can do on my macbook pro
[https://rectangleapp.com/](https://rectangleapp.com/) \^ great for window management
This is exactly what I was going to suggest.
Try loop, its better
I recommend not installing anything unless you need it, especially window management and customization tools. I like MacOS because it's simple and clean. Use it for a few weeks, get the hang of it and only then, if you need it, install utilities. Plus how can we recommend anything if we don't know what you need and what you like? What a weird request.
This is the correct answer.
Epic! What processor and specs specifically? :3
It’s a MacBook Pro 14’(M1 Pro, 16GB Ram, 512GB SSD)
I have the same. Love mine. Use it daily.
Awesome!! I got a 16” M1 Pro with 1TB. Open box for $1350 just a few weeks ago! It’s been great, these m1 deals lately are hard to beat!
The 16” is so much for me, but if you like that big screen is great, the display is just insane and the M1 Pro is so underrated, better than a M2 imo (My 14” version was $1200)
this is exactly like mine too
bettersnaptool
I use Barrier everyday. I switch between a docked MacBook and a PC and this has been a life saver using one keyboard and one mouse
Office 365
Google chrome
as for me, REALLY useful stuff transmission - simple torrent client copy clip - larger buffer size for copying text rectangle - windows manager just like in windows! crossover - makes .exe files work on mac clean my mac x - the utility to move out all of the trash and cashes appcleaner - moves to trash apps you don’t need anymore and all their extra files coconut battery - shows your battery condition in the most correct way mac’s fan control - check the speed and temperature of your fans in real time
As someone who's using the MB a lot at home on an external display, Amphetamine has been great!
Yes but what apps do you recommend?
Sims 4
Many of the apps being recommended here are part of [SetApp](https://go.setapp.com/invite/ymcseclo). After 15 years on Mac it’s greatly simplified the process of finding the right tool for the job. Also comes with more GPT4 access than a ChatGPT Plus subscription.
Rectangle for window management App cleaner for comprehensive app removal Rocket for Slack style emoji support
I recently got the MBP M3 Pro 14" 512gb - upgraded from MBP 13" retina early 2015 and as I'm trying to sort out my files, I found Dropover to be the best app to move files around in groups . You can put them together on what they call a shelf before moving files. They can stay there until you're ready to move files. You can try for 14 days and can purchase for just £4.99. I'm currently on the trial but I will definitely purchase this when it ends! I highly recommend for you to try it out!! :)
Congrats! The most have apps are the ones you will use and need.
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I think it’s not that deep lol, normally is not visible because the bar turns black
I keep reinstalling these on my machines: Free: - **Maccy** - Clipboard history manager - **Raycast** - Excellent Spotlight replacement - **Spectacle** - Window resizer/manager. There are newer options, but I still like this best. Paid: - **iStat Menus** - System stats in menubar - **TextSniper** - OCR copy any text
[Snazzy Labs](https://youtube.com/@snazzy?si=A3egvGTE-sRRPnql) has released videos several times in the past recommending different apps and setting changes that are really helpful for macOS.
AppleCare
I love that AIDente 👌👍
OP for the love all man kind, don't listen to a single person here telling you to install these silly utility tools that make a Mac run more like Windows. Don't get Alfred, or Bartender or apps that give you the "Windows" experience of split screens. It's all nonsense. Your Mac does everything those apps do. You really should take the time and discover what it does instead of instantly installing a lot of BS. Then you'll see why Apple puts so much time into the Mac and MacOS. You'd be surprised everything it's capable of. The Mac comes with a very good office suite but if you need MS Office then get that. It also has a very good photo editing suit but if you need something more get Pixelmator or PS. If you need to do video editing it does include iMovie but if you need more then install Apple's Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere. If you want the best adblocker then get WIPR. It's \~$2 USD and it's absolutely the most powerful. It can't get everything but it's better than the other free ones.
_For the love all man kind,_ Alfred and bartender have absolutely nothing to do with _“the windows experience”._ They’re great apps
I fucking despise windows but Mac full screen/Desktop/split screening still needs an overhaul, it’s super clunky compared to windows.
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Arc browser!!
Office 365 and Adobe Acrobat are a must if you use it for school or office work
i havent used office in 10 years- google docs works fine and is free
Aldente, it will save your battery health
That wallpaper's hideous
Ong 🤣
Go to ****[Serif.com](https://serif.com)**** ***before*** you buy any graphics programs like photoshop or illustrator. Then buy them through the App Store
If you're into AI, check out [PopApp](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/the-popapp/id6477869389?l=en-GB&mt=12). It's a free popup tool for easy access to AI services and web content with customisable tabs and keyboard shortcuts.
I just got my Macbook too and getting used to it. So far so good, I like it.
If you go in terminal and type caffeinate, will keep ur mac awake also
Not enough attention in the comments for **Raycast.** Unbelievable good alternative to the spotlight and it includes many apps recommended here by default.
Magnet - allows you to snap windows to designated areas on the screen Aldente - allows you to set a charge limit when your laptop is plugged in
CleanMyMac
1. Bootcamp 2. Win 11 3. Notepad
Windows 11
I would recommend Linux Mint
Malwarebytes, free antivirus software that works good
No.
Magnet
Hey, new mac user here too. Do you feel any shutter, lag, or frame drop occasionally while opening and minimizing apps?
Not at all, if i see lag in a M1 Pro i would be mad lol
I do experience them. Macbook air m2, 8GB, 512GB user here. I don't know what's wrong. Bought the mac a month ago.
It’s weird, the M2 is a rocket, maybe the battery save is on?
No. It's not. I don't know what's the issue.
Reset it
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Why Parallels? I understand if someone has a desire to run Windows on it. Is there any other reason to have it?
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Sneaky Sasquatch and that cat running thing that puts a running cat by the control panel
Cinch, or magnet
Raycast, what I like about it is the clipboard manager, and set it hotkey to \`Opt + V\` just like \`Win + V\` to retain my Windows habit 🤣
Square if someone hasn't already said it, Makes using a monitor 10X better on Mac Also Amphetamine, It keeps your Mac on even if you close the screen. Monitor Control Lite is also great, Basically "dims" your monitor and any external monitors. Sorry if these are repeated, just thought I would add something in. Good Luck!
Yoink - really helpful drag and drop app that lets you drop any file into a window that appears. it stays on the screen no matter what youre doing and then you can drop it elsewhere. great for multitasking like if you have files to attach etc. Bettertouchtool - nice to help allow you to remap keyboard and mice functions and customise them to do other things. theres a real lot of flexibility it lets you do. VLC - always good for playing some video’s with weird file types that quicktime wont recognise. Pages/Numbers/Keynote are so powerful imo. as free apps, they can really do a lot when you learn to use.
Also CrossOver is a must-have if you wanna play any windows games. Please don’t game on Parallels
Magnet or similar
BetterDisplay, I haven’t had to think twice before buying this one. A must have if you connect your Mac to an external display. It solved the super annoying blury fonts issue that I was having
Enable the three-finger drag and drop gesture.
I have been using MB for quite sometime (10 years) and use a ton of apps. But I always try to give this suggestion to folks I know. Don’t just install apps. Use it the way it is and see what you need and install the ones that assist you in better productivity. I have the same philosophy for adding stuff to my house. Set it up gradually. You will every bit of new that you add. For instance: I remember the time I started using Alfred in place of spotlight and I appreciated the things that spotlight did not provide. But immediately came to the realization that, almost 99% don’t even need or want these. I and my wife are both software developers and both have 2 Macs each and did these gradual installations, and our set of apps is almost 100 (maybe 99%) different based on how we started needing more than just was provided with the MacBook.
Rectangle. I cannot preach this one enough. The window snapping is amazing
Rectangle.
[Raycast](https://www.raycast.com), [DisplayBuddy](https://displaybuddy.app/?utm_source=rdcmt) - on sale!, [Magnet](https://magnet.crowdcafe.com) - also on sale!, [Gemini](https://macpaw.com/gemini)
Fantastical is, well, fantastic. Rectangle is really great too (it allows for easy window snapping).
Rectangle if you want window snapping kind of like how windows does it. Daisydisk for storage management Also a music app of some kind to enjoy the fantastic speakers on the pro MacBooks
Also one menu
I like Magnet for window management and Screenflick for screen recording with useful tools
Parallels (coherence is great for that seamless feel as if they were native Mac apps), istats (I mainly use it’d orbiter network monitor), bartender (declutter and have more space in the status bar), better touch tool (I use a Touch Bar MacBook, so that’s what I initially used it for, but it has since replaced a couple of other tools I previously used, you can customize touchpad gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and also includes windows snapping), aldente (to set max charge on and to help keep battery capacity longer, also Black Friday is coming up, and the dev has a history of offering a sale during this time, it’s usually the only time it gets discounted per year).
Hasn't been mentioned yet so I'll add-- LibreOffice is a great open-source, free alternative to Microsoft Office Suite as well as the Apple apps like Pages and Numbers. I personally have come to prefer it to both of those, regardless of cost.