I lately switched from macOS to Home windows after utilizing the previous for 5 lengthy years. Effectively, no less than after I’m working from my desk. I made some changes to my home office, together with constructing a brand new gaming PC, which suggests my MacBook is reserved for after I’m touring or sometimes working in a café. Whereas the transition was smoother than I anticipated, there are some options on macOS that utterly spoiled me. Issues like Highlight Search and Fast Look are extraordinarily useful, saving a ton of problem every day.
After I realized Home windows did not have these options inbuilt, I knew I needed to search for options. Fortunately, it did not take me lengthy to search out equal apps on Home windows to duplicate my favourite macOS options. So, when you too have lately switched to Home windows, otherwise you’re pressured to the OS in your work laptop computer – or maybe you even love Home windows however have a little bit of FOMO – here is how one can get one of the best macOS options and capabilities in your Home windows PC.
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Home windows 11 would not need to be that completely different
6
QuickLook
Even though Windows Explorer on Home windows 11 is miles forward of Finder on macOS, each when it comes to options and usefulness, there’s one characteristic natively lacking from the file explorer that is part of macOS: QuickLook. Because the title suggests, QuickLook helps you to shortly preview a doc, picture, or video with out opening it. This protects you a ton of time if you’re trying to find a selected file with a number of iterations or variations.
To get the performance in your Home windows PC, all you need to do is obtain the app referred to as QuickLook. When you run the app, be certain to allow auto-start so it robotically opens at startup. Then, merely click on on the file you need to preview and hit the area bar in your keyboard. The most effective half is that QuickLook not solely helps you to preview the file but additionally lets you work together with components within the file. For instance, you’ll be able to play and pause a video or choose the textual content inside a Phrase doc.
There are occasions when I’ve a number of screenshots so as to add to an article. QuickLook permits me to shortly peruse them with out double-clicking and opening each single file. You may solely understand how a lot time the characteristic saves you when you begin utilizing it regularly.
QuickLook
QuickLook lets you shortly preview any file with out opening it. You can too work together with information inside QuickLook, saving you a ton of time when working with a number of information of the identical type.
5
Highlight Search
Search from wherever
Together with QuickLook, one among my most-used instruments on macOS is Highlight Search. The truth that I can press a key combo and hearth up a common search bar from wherever makes discovering issues extraordinarily fast and easy. Furthermore, Highlight would not simply seek for apps or information. It even appears to be like for related ends in your images and notes. In truth, it additionally searches the online for outcomes and might even be a fast method to search for a phrase within the dictionary.
If that sounds attention-grabbing to you, and also you need related performance in your Home windows PC, all you need to do is allow a toggle inside PowerToys. For the unaware, PowerToys is a set of instruments and utilities geared toward energy customers. You possibly can allow sure options or enhance your expertise of utilizing Home windows with the assistance of those instruments. Whereas PowerToys is developed by Microsoft, it is sadly not a part of Home windows 11 by default. It is fairly easy to put in although. This is the way to get PowerToys in your PC and allow Highlight Search.
- Download PowerToys from the Microsoft Retailer and open the app.
- Choose PowerToys Run within the left pane and click on on Launch PowerToys Run.
The characteristic will then be enabled in your PC. Each time you need to entry the search bar, all you need to do is hit Alt + House and begin typing.
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Microsoft PowerToys
PowerToys helps you to allow sure options and capabilities in your laptop that may enhance the consumer expertise or unlock higher usability, like with Highlight Search.
4
AirDrop (however higher)
Switch information throughout gadgets
Everyone knows how fashionable AirDrop is for sending and receiving information throughout gadgets within the Apple ecosystem. However, what if I instructed you there’s an app that’s higher than AirDrop and is out there on all main platforms? I am speaking about LocalSend. Now, I do know Nearby Share is available on Windows, and it is a good software for transferring information between Home windows and Android. However, when you’re additionally coping with different platforms, LocalSend is an absolute godsend.
The app is out there throughout ecosystems for Home windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. It is faster than AirDrop, has a clear UI with out advertisements, and is open-source. I extremely suggest utilizing the app for all of your file switch wants throughout platforms. As a matter of reality, it is so good that I exploit it even when transferring information between my Apple gadgets as a substitute of AirDrop.
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Struggling to switch information out of your PC to an iPhone or from a Mac to your PC? LocalSend is the answer you are in search of!
LocalSend
LocalSend is a multi-platform file switch app that is open-source, safe, and quick.
3
File Converter
Change file codecs with a click on
My job includes coping with various kinds of file codecs on a regular basis. The screenshots I seize for articles are in PNG, whereas pictures taken by way of my digicam are in JPG. Equally, I work with audio information which can be both in MP3 or WAV. Working with a variety of completely different codecs can get tough, which is why I like changing all my information of the same sort to a single format. macOS lets me do that straight by way of the contextual menu. Nevertheless, Home windows 11 would not have this selection.
Simply after I was about to persuade myself to manually convert every file by way of an internet service, I got here throughout the File Converter app on GitHub. Putting in the app does precisely what my Mac did. I can choose all of the information of the identical sort, right-click on them, and convert them with a single click on. It is utterly free to make use of and helps all kinds of codecs. An absolute time-saver when you ask me! Undecided why Microsoft hasn’t added the characteristic natively.
Why is it so janky?
The very first thing I did after organising my PC, like all regular individual, was open Edge to obtain Chrome. When scrolling via the search outcomes on Edge, I noticed the scrolling was extraordinarily janky. It appeared nearly like my PC was dropping frames. I believed it was most likely a problem with the browser, so I examined the identical as soon as Chrome was downloaded. Sadly, the outcomes had been the identical. That is after I realized scrolling on macOS is a lot smoother in comparison with Home windows. Fortunately, I discovered an app that replicated the identical scrolling movement from macOS on my Home windows PC.
Aptly referred to as SmoothScroll, the app makes the scrolling expertise buttery {smooth} when utilizing the scroll wheel on an exterior mouse. All you need to do is set up the app, and it’ll robotically begin operating. In case you’re utilizing Chrome, the developer suggests disabling Chrome’s {smooth} scrolling characteristic by going to chrome://flags/#smooth-scrolling. Belief me, this would possibly sound paltry, however you will fall in love with how {smooth} the scrolling feels in your PC after utilizing this app!
The SmoothScoll icon at all times lives in your taskbar, so when you want to disable it for sure apps like Notepad, you’ll be able to. Some use-cases might require exact scrolling, during which case I like to recommend turning it off.
SmoothScroll
SmoothScroll helps you to scroll easily in your Home windows PC — identical to a Mac. It replaces these janky scrolling animations and makes scrolling via lengthy paperwork and webpages buttery {smooth}.
1
Sizzling Corners
Carry out duties with a mouse swipe
Mac computer systems have a reasonably helpful characteristic baked into macOS referred to as Sizzling Corners. Primarily, it lets you assign duties or apps to the 4 corners of the display screen. Then, you’ll be able to shortly launch these shortcuts if you hover your mouse on any of those corners. For instance, hovering my mouse within the bottom-right nook of my Mac launches the Notes app. This fashion, I can shortly jot down vital notes. Equally, I’ve assigned the top-right nook to point out my notification tray. When you get used to this characteristic, there isn’t any going again.
On Home windows 11, Microsoft does give you the choice to point out the desktop if you hover your mouse within the bottom-right nook. However, that is that. The remainder of the corners do not serve any goal. Effectively, WinXcorners is right here to unravel that. Identical to Sizzling Corners on Mac, WinXcorners lets you assign duties or apps to every nook of your Home windows PC. Then, all you need to do is take your mouse pointer to these corners to set off the corresponding perform.
I like to recommend including your continuously used apps or fast shortcuts like placing your laptop to sleep or mentioning the screensaver each time you need to head out for a brief break.
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Positive, Macs will not sport like a PC, and the OS is fairly limiting for energy customers. Nevertheless, there are a number of options on macOS that may really enhance your computing expertise or make life so much simpler when working for lengthy hours. Personally, each QuickLook and Highlight Search are amongst my favorites and are two options I completely can’t dwell with out. Thank goodness I can use them on Home windows now.
