5 apps you should be using instead of the defaults on macOS

macOS Sequoia, and earlier variations of macOS, include a set of default apps that provide help to with productiveness, note-taking, and way more. Nice first-party apps are one of many higher causes to select up a high-end Mac over a comparable Home windows PC. Actually, I feel some default macOS apps are underutilized, just like the Preview app. One other big perk of utilizing the macOS defaults is that they are free, eternally. In the meantime, on different working techniques similar to Windows 11 and ChromeOS, issues like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace can require subscriptions.

With that being mentioned, there are actually areas the place third-party builders and open-source initiatives present a greater expertise than Apple’s personal apps. When you’re a Mac consumer, we strongly advocate you take into account changing 5 macOS apps with these third-party replacements. You may get extra customization, higher options, and enhance your productiveness because of this.

5

iTerm2

This can be a customizable terminal emulator that’ll put the macOS Terminal to disgrace

We’ll begin off with a distinct segment app that may assist macOS energy customers needing command-line instruments usually. For these packages and instructions, there’s the default macOS Terminal app. Whereas it is a respectable choice for customers that solely want the Terminal often, we advocate changing it with a terminal emulator if you end up utilizing it regularly, or if you happen to really feel restricted by the default choices. iTerm2 is a implausible terminal emulator that provides a number of further options on prime of what Terminal offers, plus a ton of customization instruments.

There’s loads to love about iTerm2, from cut up panes that allow you to arrange your console to customizable hotkeys and built-in assist for separate shells. The hotkeys are nice as a result of they allow you to instantly carry iTerm2 to the foreground, which is essential for whenever you’re referencing guides or documentation whereas working in a console on the identical monitor.

A replica mode helps you to freeze the contents of your display screen, and that is one thing you most likely did not know you wanted. That is simply the tip of the iceberg — iTerm2 is full of options and customization choices, and higher but, it is free and open-source.

4

Adobe Acrobat Reader

It is a cross-platform PDF and file viewer that may very well be higher than Preview

The most important knock in opposition to macOS default apps is that they usually do not play good with third-party units. Many people use Android or Home windows units that do not have entry to Apple’s first-party apps, making a disjointed expertise. That is why, as a lot as I really like Preview, I exploit Adobe Acrobat Reader as my default PDF viewer on macOS. It really works nice in a browser, as a standalone Mac app, and is on the market on loads of different platforms. It is also one of many few Adobe instruments that can be utilized and not using a subscription, at the least in primary mode.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is superior to Preview for PDF viewing, enhancing, and markup for a number of causes. For starters, quite a lot of official paperwork and contracts it’s possible you’ll run into are Adobe Interactive PDFs, which you will want Adobe Acrobat for with a purpose to fill and signal. It is also wonderful for collaboration. You may add your PDFs and information to the cloud with 15GB of free file storage.

From there, you possibly can entry information on different units, share them with others, and even create shareable hyperlinks for straightforward and fast collaboration. Better of all, there are extra highly effective instruments for annotation and marking up paperwork, plus built-in file conversion choices.

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Adobe Acrobat is likely one of the greatest PDF viewers out there for macOS, and it is even higher for these with a Inventive Cloud subscription.

3

Chrome

Or any third-party browser that can provide help to out when Safari would not reduce it

I primarily use Safari as my macOS browser, however Chrome remains to be one of many first packages I set up after organising a brand new Mac. Though the Safari Tab Teams are important to my day by day workflow, there are some web sites and providers that nonetheless do not play good with Safari. It’s going to solely take a number of occasions of scuffling with bugs or misplaced work to make you wish to attempt a third-party browser, and Chrome is a good begin. I exploit Chrome in tandem with Safari, however if you happen to’re a consumer that relies on web sites that advocate Chrome, you would possibly wish to set it as your default browser outright.

Like Adobe Acrobat Reader, one of many advantages of utilizing Google Chrome is cross-platform assist. It has cross-device sync and options loads of generative AI and ML options, from Gemini to Circle to Search. There’s additionally a wealthy marketplace for Chrome Extensions that would improve your shopping in a manner that will not be potential on Safari.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is, in some circumstances, a extra versatile browser than macOS’ native Safari. Fortunately, you possibly can set up it in your Mac.

2

Path Finder

This do-it-all Mac app is the Finder substitute you did not know you wanted

It’s normal for Mac and Home windows energy customers to turn out to be annoyed with the native file techniques, like Finder and File Explorer. On macOS, if you happen to’re trying to exchange Finder, the highest choice is actually Path Finder. There are quite a lot of causes to go along with this app, however most significantly, it makes it simpler to trace the file paths and data structure of paperwork and information in your Mac. When you’ve used a Mac for any period of time, you’ve got most likely observed that neither macOS nor Finder do that properly. On prime of that, you will get higher sorting, faster transferring and copying, and animated visualizers in your information by changing Finder with Path Finder.

Sadly, it is not free. Path Finder prices $3 per 30 days, or $30 per 12 months, however the app is likely to be definitely worth the cash if it improves your productiveness, makes your life simpler, and saves you time.

Path Finder

Path Finder is like utilizing the macOS Finder app on steroids. It is a wonderful technique to discover the precise file path and construction of information in your Mac.

1

CleanShotX

It is a way more helpful and succesful app than the macOS Screenshot app

If macOS Sequoia wasn’t set for launch this week, I would most likely let you know to put in Higher Snap Software as a substitute of the native macOS window-snapping utility. Nonetheless, Apple mounted that with this 12 months’s OS replace, so my consideration turns to the default Screenshot app. Sure, it is an app, and yow will discover it in each the Purposes folder and the Launchpad. However with out auto-copying screenshots and superior markup instruments, it lags behind Home windows’ Snipping Software and third-party choices.

That is why it is best to take into account changing the default Screenshot app with CleanShot X. It is a sophisticated screenshot instrument and screen-recorder that you simply most likely did not know you wanted. My favourite function helps you to report your display screen, robotically turning the output right into a GIF. There’s additionally a menu bar module that provides you flexible and superior instruments wherever you might be on macOS. You may depart these clunky keyboard instructions behind.

As I already talked about, CleanShot X may be set to do quite a lot of issues after a screenshot is taken, like copy it to a clipboard. It is also tougher to lose CleanShot X screenshots in comparison with macOS’ Screenshot app. They keep put within the bottom-left nook of the display screen till you work together with or dismiss them, and even after that, they keep out there in a drawer you possibly can name up at any time. Markup instruments are extra highly effective than what each Screenshot and Preview supply, too. It is $29 for a lifetime license, however I feel it is properly value it.

CleanShot X

CleanShot X is a premier screenshot and display screen recording utility for macOS. It is out there for $29 as a one-time buy, or it may be bought as a subscription from CleanShot or Setapp.

What apps do you have to set up subsequent?

Including these implausible apps to your macOS arsenal is a good begin to enhancing your productiveness, and can provide help to customise your Mac. Nonetheless, this listing ought to be a launchpad in your third-party app journey, as a result of there are many locations you possibly can go from right here.

Microsoft’s productiveness suite, together with Phrase, Excel, and PowerPoint, may very well be a stable substitute for iWork’s defaults of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. We did not spotlight Microsoft 365 on this listing as a result of these apps require a dear subscription, whereas the iWork suite is free, so it is best to attempt to see if Apple’s productiveness apps give you the results you want earlier than upgrading.

When you want some inspiration, we have a listing of 10 must-have Mac apps you possibly can set up so as to add much more options to your laptop.