Have you dropped the scary blue screen for a glowing Apple logo? You might have switched from Windows to Mac for better productivity or the Apple ecosystem. Arguably, Windows is better at certain things like grouping windows and keyboard shortcuts. It’s natural to miss those things on Mac. If you also prefer the Windows style of doing such tasks like me, here are a few Mac apps that I use to make it behave more like Windows.
1. AltTab
On a Mac, switching between apps with the Command + Tab keyboard shortcut only shows app icons but not their previews. Also, you won’t see multiple open windows of the same app. That’s not helpful when you have a few Chrome windows open. There’s no indication of which window will open upon clicking the icon.
AltTab app brings back the familiar Alt + Tab keyboard shortcut behavior on Windows. With that, you can see all the open windows and switch to the exact one.
Download: AltTab
2. MiddleClick
Clicking the scroll wheel (middle click) on your mouse lets you close tabs or open links in new tabs on Windows. Mac’s trackpad and Magic Mouse lack this functionality. To replicate that on Mac, you can use the MiddleClick app. It lets you se a three-finger tap gesture to mimic middle-click using a trackpad.
Download: MiddleClick
3. Maccy
Unlike Windows, which has a built-in clipboard history, Mac doesn’t show a clipboard history of text and things you’ve copied. Apparently, macOS replaces the last item in the clipboard. Fortunately, there’s a way to view everything you copied earlier with Maccy.
Maccy shows your clipboard history with a simple keyboard shortcut. Thus you can copy multiple items without the fear of losing older ones. It can store up to 50 items including images. The app costs $9.99 from the App Store, but you can install it free from the Maccy website.
Download: Maccy
4. Rectangle
To snap windows on Mac, you need to press and hold Option button, hover over the green button, and select the desired position. There are no keyboard shortcuts or trackpad gestures that lat you do that minimal effort.
Rectangle lets you snap windows just like a Windows computer. Select and move the window to a corner of the screen, and it’ll snap into place. You can even set keyboard shortcuts for faster snapping.
Download: Rectangle
Magnet is another alternative and it costs $4.99.
5. RedQuits
Clicking the red button on Mac only closes the window, not the app. To really quit, go to the app menu or use Command + Q keyboard shortcut.
Want it to quit like on Windows? Install RedQuits. It makes the red button quit the app, but only when it’s the last open window. With multiple windows, it just closes that specific window. Basically, RedQuits turns the red x button on windows to close an app or window entirely instead of minimizing it.
Download: RedQuits
6. Command X
Cutting and pasting files on a Mac is confusing. Unlike text, you cannot cut files with Command + X keyboard shortcut. Instead, you need to copy (Command + C) and then paste (Option + Command + V) using a three-button shortcut to move the file.
The Command X app removes this confusion. Once installed, you can simply cut the file with the Command + X keyboard shortcutand then paste it with a familiar Command + V keyboard shortcut.
Download: Command X
7. Linear Mouse
Your mouse doesn’t move exactly the same distance on the screen as your hand. Moving your mouse quickly makes the cursor jump further away. This is because of Mouse acceleration is enabled Windows and Mac by default. However, this can be an issue for tasks like designing and gaming.
While you can turn it off on Windows from the Control Panel, Mac does not offer such an option. You either have to turn off mouse acceleration using Terminal or you can do it with the help of the Linear Mouse app.
Download: Linear Mouse
You can also check out the Mos app for more mouse customization.
8. Better Touch Tool
Want your Mac to work even more like Windows? Better Touch Tool can help. This app lets you customize everything from keyboard shortcuts and trackpad gestures to window snapping and navigation controls.
Here’s what you can do with BTT:
- Make the close button actually quit the application completely (like Windows).
- Change keyboard shortcuts to match what you’re used to on Windows.
- Set up trackpad gestures you already know.
- Snap windows to the sides of your screen for easy multitasking (ditch that Rectangle app).
- Manage your clipboard history (no need for Maccy).
Better Touch Tool isn’t free, but it’s a one-time purchase. Get a standard license with 2 years of updates for $10, or a lifetime license for $21. Also, the app needs a learning curve to get started.
Download: Better Touch Tool
Windows Experience on Mac
While the switch from Windows to Mac can be drastics, there are plenty of apps that make you feel like home again. However, those features may not emit the exact behavior as on Windows. The above apps helped me to get back on track while using Mac. Let me know which apps you use to make the switch to Mac easier.
You can also check out these Mac tips for the Windows Switchers to make your Mac feel like home.
