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# Useful Mac Applications

A curated collection of tools and websites for Mac users to enhance their user experience and make it more enjoyable.

# Window Management & Menu Bar Tools

  • Rectangle
    • Rectangle is a free and open source app that lets you move and resize windows on macOS using keyboard shortcuts or snap areas. It brings the convenience of Windows-like snapping functionality to macOS, which allows you to quickly arrange your windows into different layouts by dragging them to the edges or corners of the screen. This solves the problem of the terrible split screen implementation of macOS.
  • Magnet
    • Alternative to Rectangle. Another windows snapper.
  • Alt-Tab
    • Alt-Tab for macOS is a tool that allows you to switch between windows on your Mac with a keyboard shortcut. It is inspired by the Alt-Tab feature on Windows, which lets you cycle through all the open applications and windows on your screen.
  • Hidden Bar
    • A Mac app that lets you hide or show your desktop icons with one click. You can also customize the app’s appearance, behavior, and hotkeys to suit your preferences. Hidden helps you declutter your desktop and focus on your work.
  • Hand Mirror
    • Check your camera with one click from the menu bar. You can use it to preview your appearance, surroundings, and audio before joining a video call, or to adjust your camera view for streaming or recording. Highly useful for those zoom sessions.
  • OneThing
    • A reminder in your top bar to keep your next task visible. It's like having a personal coach, gently nudging you to stay on track and maintain focus.
  • MacGPT
    • It allows you to access ChatGPT directly from your desktop and menubar for quick answers.
  • Bartender 5
    • Take control of your menu bar. You can use it to hide, show, reorder, and customize your menu bar items. You can also access them quickly with hotkeys, keywords, or mouse gestures.
  • Yabai
    • A tiling window manager for macOS based on binary space partitioning.

A Crash Course In Mac OS

# Video Players & Encoding

  • PiP
    • Picture in Picture literally anything on your Mac. It lets you create and view a small window that shows the content of another window / application or an AirPlay stream. You can use it to watch videos, browse the web, or do anything else while keeping an eye on another window or device. It also allows cropping the preview for fine control.
  • Infuse
    • Nothing comes close to this video player. It is a video player app that lets you watch almost any video format on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac. You can stream videos from various sources, such as your computer, NAS, media servers, or cloud services. You can also download metadata and artwork for your videos automatically, and organize them into categories and collections. It has a sleek and elegant interface that supports 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision playback. You can also customize your viewing experience with themes, plugins, subtitles, and more.
  • IINA
    • A modern media player for macOS that can play almost any video format and stream online videos. It has a sleek and elegant interface that supports 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision playback. Use it if you don't want the extra features of Infuse.
  • HandBrake
    • An open-source tool for converting media files and encoding videos. It also includes video-editing tools for splicing, adjusting frame rate, and adding subtitles.

# File Compression & Transfer

  • Keka
    • A neat file archiver for macOS. It allows you to compress and decompress files and folders in various formats, such as 7Z, ZIP, RAR, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2, XZ, LZIP, DMG, ISO, BROTLI, ZSTD, LRZIP, and more. You can also encrypt your files with a password and split them into smaller pieces if they are too large.
  • Motrix
    • Download files and torrents from the internet with ease. It supports downloading HTTP, FTP, BitTorrent, Magnet, and other protocols. It has a clean and simple interface that lets you drag and drop links, manage your downloads, and customize your settings.
  • Downie
    • Ever wished you could save a video from the Internet? Search no more, Downie is what you're looking for. Easily download videos from thousands of different sites.
  • Transmission
    • A fast, easy and free BitTorrent client. It is designed for easy, powerful use, with a simple and intuitive user interface, a low memory and resource footprint, and a native integration with your operating system. It supports various features such as privacy protection, a web interface, full peer communications, tracker editing, speed limits, and more.

# File Management

  • DaisyDisk
    • Visualizes your disk usage in a beautiful manner, and helps you free up disk space by quickly finding and deleting big, useless files.
  • Path Finder
    • A file browser for Mac. It provides a variety of tools and features to help you manage your files more efficiently.
  • ForkLift
    • More than just an FTP client, ForkLift is a powerful file manager for macOS that offers a range of features for managing and organizing your files.
  • Disk Inventory X
    • A disk usage utility. It shows the sizes of files and folders in a special graphical way called "treemaps".

# App Management & Security

  • AppCleaner
    • Uninstall unwanted apps thoroughly from your Mac. It is a small application that finds and deletes all the files related to an app, such as preferences, caches, logs, etc. AppCleaner helps you free up space on your hard drive and keep your system clean.
  • CleanMyMac X
    • A versatile application that manages a range of tasks from fully uninstalling apps (including associated folders) to tracking internet speeds and managing storage.
  • ReiKey
    • A security tool for macOS that monitors your system for keyloggers and other malware.
  • OnyX
    • A multifunction utility that you can use to verify the structure of the system files; run miscellaneous maintenance and cleaning tasks; configure parameters in the Finder, Dock, Safari, and some Apple applications; delete caches; remove certain problematic folders and files; rebuild various databases and indexes; and more.
  • Brew
    • A free and open-source software package management system that simplifies the installation of software on Apple's macOS operating system.
  • MacPass
    • A free, open-source, KeePass-compatible password manager for macOS.

# Note Taking, Writing & eBooks

  • Obsidian
    • A writing app that helps you sharpen your thinking and organize your knowledge. You can create and link notes, visualize the connections between them, and customize your workspace with plugins and themes. Obsidian is private, flexible, and open. You can store your notes on your device, sync them securely across devices, and access them offline.
  • Craft
    • A document and notes app that helps you create, organize, and share your work. You can use it to write essays, reports, code, or any other kind of content. You can also collaborate with others in real-time, and sync your documents across devices. It has a beautiful and intuitive interface that lets you customize your workspace with themes and plugins. You can also use Craft AI Assistant to improve your writing with smart suggestions and corrections. Free version offers 1 GB free which is more than enough for personal note taking.
  • Ulysses
    • A writing app with a minimalistic interface that helps you focus on your writing. It uses its own version of Markdown to let you format text easily and export your work in various styles.
  • Zotero
    • A free and open-source reference manager that helps you collect, organize, and cite your research sources.
  • SideNotes
    • This app offers quick note-taking and instant access to files, links, etc., on the side of your screen. It's excellent for keeping important information at your fingertips.
  • MindNode
    • An intuitive mind-mapping tool that creates visually stunning mind maps with ease. It helps you visualize complex ideas and simplify problem-solving.
  • Calibre
    • A powerful and easy-to-use e-book manager. It can convert between many e-book formats, sync with a variety of e-book readers, and fetch news from the web and convert it into e-book form.

# Calendars & Planning

  • Things
    • A premium personal task manager that helps you plan your day, manage your projects, and make real progress toward your goals. It is highly praised for its seamless integration with Calendar and unique task features.
  • Fantastical
    • A calendar and tasks app that lets you manage your schedule with natural language input, beautiful views, and powerful features. You can sync your calendars and tasks across your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
  • Itsycal
    • A tiny menu bar calendar app. If you want, it will display your events as a companion to the Mac Calendar app.
  • Trello
    • A popular project management tool that uses Kanban boards to organize tasks. The free version offers unlimited boards, cards, and lists.

# Email & RSS

  • Spark
    • An email app that helps you manage your inbox and collaborate with your team. You can use Spark to filter out the noise, prioritize important messages, and delegate tasks. You can also compose emails faster with the AI-powered writing assistant, and chat with your team using private comments. It works across all your devices, and supports various email providers.
  • Mimestream
    • A native macOS email client for Gmail. It supports Gmail-specific features and operates with more speed and efficiency than the web app.
  • Shift
    • An app that consolidates all your email, workflow, and social media accounts into one app window, reducing clutter and increasing efficiency.
  • Reeder
    • Reeder is a news reader and read later client which makes it easy to stay on top of the news without being sucked into dopamine-driven social networks. It supports multiple services and sync options. You can use Reeder’s built-in RSS/Feeds and Read Later services, which store your data securely in iCloud, or choose from a variety of third-party services like Feedly, Instapaper, and Pocket. It also offers a unique feature called Bionic Reading, which enhances your reading experience with more focus and awareness.

# Productivity & Workflow Automation

  • Alfred
    • A productivity app for macOS that helps you search your Mac and the web, launch apps and files, perform actions, and automate tasks. You can use hotkeys, keywords, text expansion, and custom workflows to boost your efficiency and save time.
  • Raycast
    • A launcher and search bar for power users that lets you control just about every aspect of your Mac with a few keystrokes. You can launch apps, do basic math calculations, search the web, search for files, and more with Raycast’s core features. You can also extend Raycast’s functionality with extensions that integrate with various services and tools, such as Spotify, Figma, Notion, and more.
  • Keyboard Maestro
    • A powerful macro creation and automation app for Mac that lets you perform a variety of tasks with simple keystrokes. You can launch apps, switch windows, manipulate text and images, control web sites, run AppleScripts, and more with Keyboard Maestro’s hundreds of built-in actions. You can also create custom menus and palettes to trigger your macros with a click of a button, or use the Keyboard Maestro API to build your own extensions.
  • BetterTouchTool
    • It lets you customize your gestures, keyboard shortcuts, touch bar, and more. You can create your own actions, menus, and triggers, or use the built-in ones. You can also integrate with various services and tools.
  • Hazel
    • It helps you automate file organization. You specify which folders to watch, and it sorts new files by name, date, type, etc.
  • Meeter
    • Manage and join your online meetings with ease. You can see all your upcoming meetings from various platforms, such as Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, and more, in one place. You can also join any meeting with a single click or a keyboard shortcut. Meeter is a convenient app for staying on top of your busy schedule.

# Power Toys

  • Amphetamine
    • It prevents your computer from going to sleep, useful when running processes that you don't want to get interrupted or if you want your MacBook to keep running while the laptop is closed.
  • Dropzone
    • It makes it faster and easier to move and copy files, launch applications, upload to many different services, and more. It has a simple and intuitive interface that lets you drag and drop files onto customizable destinations. You can also extend Dropzone with add-on actions that you can download from their website.
  • MonitorControl
    • Control the brightness, volume and contrast of your external displays as if they were native Apple displays. The app supports multiple protocols to adjust the brightness, such as DDC, native Apple protocol, gamma table control and shade control. The app also shows the native macOS OSDs for brightness and volume, and supports custom keyboard shortcuts as well as standard Apple keys.
  • KeepingYouAwake
    • A small menu bar utility for macOS that can prevent your Mac from entering sleep mode for a predefined duration or as long as it is activated. The app is a small wrapper around Apple’s caffeinate command line utility, which is built into macOS by default.
  • SoundSource
    • A menu bar utility for Mac that gives you powerful control over your audio settings and devices. You can adjust the volume, output, and effects for each app individually, or for the system as a whole. You can also use SoundSource to make your volume keys work with any output device, monitor the audio coming from any input device, and access hundreds of built-in and third-party audio effects.
  • Rocket
    • It provides a launcher overlay with emoji search, for when you need the perfect emoji but can't remember the exact name.
  • FlyCut
    • A clipboard manager that keeps a history of your clipboard.
  • PurePaste
    • A handy utility with a simple purpose - it strips formatting out of any copied text and pastes straight into plain text. If you find yourself using multiple web forms or content management systems it can save you precious seconds.
  • PDF Squeezer
    • It allows you to compress your PDF files quickly and easily. Simply click on the file you need compressed, and drag-and-drop it into the app – easy as that!

# Time Management

  • RescueTime
    • It helps you track and improve your productivity and focus. It automatically records the time you spend on different apps, websites, and files, and gives you insights and feedback on how you can optimize your work habits. You can also use it to block distracting sites, set daily goals, and monitor your progress.
  • Horo
    • A simple but powerful timer. It places onto the menu bar so you can see remaining time very easily. It can be used for tracking productivity, timing meditations, and even helping to cook.
  • Flow
    • A minimalistic pomodoro based focus timer. Increase your productivity and reduce stress at the same time.

# Battery Management

  • AlDente
    • An all-in-one charge limiter app specifically designed for MacBooks. Its primary goal is to extend the lifespan of your MacBook battery by providing a suite of battery management tools.
  • Caffeinated
    • It helps you keep your computer awake and prevent it from going to sleep. You can customize the duration and the mode of the app, such as normal, aggressive, or indefinite. You can also activate the app with a simple click on the menu bar icon or a keyboard shortcut.
  • CoconutBattery
    • It lets you monitor the health and performance of your Mac’s battery. You can see the current charge, capacity, cycle count, temperature, and more. You can also compare your battery data with the original factory values and check the battery status of your iOS devices.

# AI Tools

  • DiffusionBee
    • Create amazing images using AI. DiffusionBee is based on Stable Diffusion, a state-of-the-art generative model that can produce realistic and diverse images from text prompts. You can use DiffusionBee to generate any image in any style, modify existing images, add or remove objects, change the resolution, and more. DiffusionBee is completely free of charge, runs offline, and has no limits. Quality is close to midjourney level if you use the right model.
  • Private LLM
    • A private AI chatbot designed for privacy, convenience, and creativity. It runs on Apple devices without an internet connection, offering a one-time purchase for unlimited access. Your data is secure and confidential, with features like AI-powered summarization, idea generation, and a learning chatbot. It has an option to download WizardLM 13B v1.2 model, comes with Luna-AI-Llama2-Uncensored by default.
  • Upscayl
    • Enlarge and enhance low-resolution images using advanced AI algorithms. Enlarge images without losing quality. It's almost like magic!
  • chaiNNer
    • An open source tool which supports image upscaling, face restoration, inpainting, background removal and other useful features.

# System Monitoring

  • iStat Menus
    • Monitor your system right from the menubar, including CPU usage, GPUs, memory, disks, network, sensors, battery, power and more.
  • Stats
    • A system monitoring app for Mac that displays real-time CPU, GPU, and network usage.
  • Little Snitch
    • It informs you whenever a program attempts to establish an outgoing Internet connection. You can then choose to allow or deny this connection, or define a rule how to handle similar, future connection attempts.

# Keyboard Shortcuts & Hotkeys

  • CheatSheet
    • By pressing and holding the Command key, CheatSheet reveals available commands in any active app. It's like having a secret cheat code for your Mac, unlocking hidden productivity potential.
  • KeyClu
    • A free alternative to CheatSheet.
  • Hyperkey
    • Put an unused key to work. Convert the caps lock key or any modifier key to the hyper key, all four modifiers combined: (⌃⌥⌘⇧). The hyper key acts as an additional modifier key that you can use in any app with keyboard shortcuts.
  • Unclack
    • A small but mighty Mac utility that mutes your microphone while you type. No more getting called out for clacking your way through a Zoom meeting on your clicky keyboard!
  • Shortcat
    • Control your Mac with keyboard shortcuts. You can use simple commands to interact with any visible element on the screen, such as buttons, menus, links, and more. You can also create custom shortcuts for your favorite apps and actions.

# Mouse

  • Mos
    • A lightweight tool used to smooth scrolling and set scroll direction independently for your mouse on MacOS.
  • Scroll Reverser
    • Reverse the direction of scrolling, with independent settings for trackpads and mice.
  • Mac Mouse Fix
    • Another alternative for reversing the scrolling.

# Terminal

  • iTerm2
    • It enhances your terminal experience with features like split panes, hotkeys, search, autocomplete, and more. You can customize the appearance and behavior of iTerm2 to suit your preferences and workflow. You can also integrate it with other tools and services, such as tmux, shell integration, triggers, and badges.
  • SpotX
    • Adblock for the Spotify desktop client. Blocks all audio, video and banner ads plus enable experimental features.

# Icons & App Lists

Safari Extensions
/before-you-begin/browser-extensions/#mac-os-safari
Mac Piracy
../../software/#mac-specific