DEV Community

Angela Swift
Angela Swift

Posted on

My colleagues are envious of how quickly I get things done—it's all thanks to these productivity tools!

Mac laptops are certainly user-friendly, but there are still some pain points when using them. Here are 10 commonly used software tools to enhance your Mac experience.

Magnet - Window Size and Layout Control

This software allows your Mac to manage window sizes and positions like Windows, enabling features such as maximizing windows, splitting screens vertically or horizontally, and resizing to 1/4 or 1/3 of the screen. You can also control window sizes and layouts using keyboard shortcuts.

Image description

[Dowload]

Snipaste - Screenshot Tools

Snipaste is a screenshot tool, simple but useful.

Image description

[Download]

ServBay - All-in-One Development Tool

This all-in-one development tool allows you to seamlessly switch between PHP and Node.js, as well as MySQL and NoSQL databases with just one click, seamlessly integrated. Super convenient!

Image description

[Download]

One Switch - Control Your Mac's Settings

Some settings on Mac are frequently used but are buried deep in the menu, making them hard to find. One Switch solves this problem by allowing you to toggle various features directly from the menu bar, such as showing hidden files, ejecting all disks, and connecting AirPods. You can customize which quick switches to use in One Switch.

Image description

[Download]

Mission Control Plus - Enhanced App Switching

When using a Mac, we often switch between different applications using Mission Control. However, if you have many applications open, it can be inconvenient to close them one by one. Mission Control Plus lets you exit applications directly from Mission Control by clicking the close button in the top left corner of a window. Additionally, you can quickly quit an app by hovering over its preview window and using the Command + Q shortcut, as well as Command + W to close windows and Command + M to minimize.

Image description

[Download]

CleanMyMac X - Disk Cleanup and Antivirus Tool:

Both CleanMyMac and Lemon are popular tools among Mac users. CleanMyMac is well-designed with a full set of features, while Lemon focuses on being lightweight and free.

Image description

[Download]

Bartender - Menu Bar Manager

When you install many applications, your menu bar can become cluttered with icons, making it hard to manage. Bartender helps you manage these icons by allowing you to decide which icons to hide and which to place in a secondary menu bar that only appears when you click on the empty space in the menu bar. It also lets you adjust the spacing between icons, keeping your menu bar functional and tidy.

Image description

[Download]

Parallels Desktop for Mac - Run Windows on Your Mac

This virtualization software allows you to run Windows on your Mac, enabling seamless switching between Windows and macOS. It also supports a mode where Windows and macOS applications can interact, allowing for smooth software transitions. Most software is highly compatible and can run without issues.

Image description

[Download]

PlayCover - Play iOS Games on Your Mac

PlayCover is an open-source tool that allows you to run iOS applications on your Mac, primarily used for gaming. Since there aren't many games available on Mac, this software lets you enjoy mobile games like Genshin Impact and others on your Mac.

Image description

[Download]

These are the nine must-have software tools for your Mac, and you can choose the ones you need to install.

Top comments (0)