When I switched from Windows to Mac, I was frustrated by the lack of basic features I was used to. But after months of testing, I found an app that filled those gaps perfectly, and now my Mac works the way I want it to.
1 AltTab
Instead of using the Dock, I prefer to switch between apps by pressing on macOS. command + tabI find it very convenient because I don’t have to take my hands off the keyboard. However, if you have used the Windows equivalent, Alt+Tabyou’ve probably noticed how limited Apple’s implementation is.
First, macOS only shows app icons, without a preview of what’s happening in each app. Another big annoyance is that if you have two separate windows of the same app open, you can’t choose which specific window to switch to.
AltTab solves all of these problems on macOS by introducing an app switcher that is very similar to the one in Windows but with even more customization options. Adjust thumbnail size and tweak other settings to suit your workflow.
You can also assign a custom shortcut to trigger AltTab. But my favorite feature is the ability to drag and drop files onto thumbnails in the window. It’s a small but extremely useful feature that I can’t imagine working without now.
download:AltTab (free)
2 massy
One of the most frustrating things about both macOS and iOS is the lack of a built-in clipboard manager. Luckily, you can take advantage of this feature on your Mac with Maccy. You can access it from the menu bar or by pressing . Command + Shift + CClick to open a pop-up window that displays all your recently copied history.
Maccy doesn’t just work with text, it also works with files and displays the file path of copied items. You can also pin frequently used items for quick access. Maccy lets you search your entire clipboard history by simply typing what you’re looking for.
Best of all, Maccy runs entirely on your device and does not send any data to third-party servers. This way, everything you copy remains on your Mac, so you don’t have to worry about privacy.
download:Mushy (free)
In Windows, I like to use Task Manager to monitor important system metrics like CPU and GPU usage, how much RAM I’m using, and even system temperature. If you’re on a Mac, you can see similar statistics in Activity Monitor, but they’re not as robust.
That’s why I use iStat menus. You’ll see a detailed breakdown of everything, including CPU, GPU, memory, and battery usage, as well as the temperature of each component.
One of my favorite things about iStat Menus is that you can see which apps are hogging your resources, and all that information is displayed in the menu bar. Great for a quick check when you don’t want to open another app just to monitor your system.
That being said, I do have one complaint. It can feel a bit bloated at times, with extra features like calendar integration and weather information that don’t really fit into the app’s main purpose. You can disable these features, but I’d prefer not to have them enabled by default.
download:iStat Menu ($11.99, free trial available)
4 background music
Windows has allowed users to adjust the volume of individual apps for years, so it’s always baffling to find this basic functionality missing when using a Mac. macOS only lets you control system-wide volume, which can be frustrating, especially since you often listen to music while gaming.
That’s where background music comes into play. This handy app adds the ability to manage volume for each application individually in macOS. You can also easily adjust the volume for different apps and control the balance between left and right speakers right from the menu bar.
The app also lets you switch audio output devices and enable the auto-pause feature for music streaming apps. This means your music will automatically pause when it detects audio from another app.
download:BGM (free)
5 crossover
Gaming on Mac is certainly not on par with Windows, but that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of options if games aren’t available on macOS. One great solution is to use CrossOver, which allows you to install and play Windows games on your Mac.
The best part? Unlike running a virtual machine to access Windows, CrossOver takes full advantage of your Mac’s hardware. This means you no longer have to dedicate a portion of your system resources, improving overall performance.
While CrossOver’s performance is excellent, it’s important to note that game compatibility can be a bit hit or miss. Most single-player titles without invasive DRM will work fine. However, multiplayer games like Valorant are a different story. These games often have strict anti-cheat features that CrossOver can’t get around, making them unplayable on Mac.
Still, if you’re primarily interested in single-player games, CrossOver can be a great way to expand your game library on macOS.
download:CrossOver ($24, free trial available)
It’s certainly frustrating to have to install so many apps just to take advantage of basic functionality that Windows PCs have had for years. However, macOS has its own advantages that make it difficult to switch to Windows. Luckily, these third-party apps let you tailor the experience to your needs.
