After decades of using Windows, I had to change these 5 macOS settings immediately

I’ve talked about this a number of occasions over the previous few weeks, however my total life I have been a Home windows person, and solely just lately did I make the leap to macOS as a part of my Mac Mini review. And whereas I’ve completely beloved the {hardware} Apple has created right here, macOS nonetheless requires a giant adjustment interval, and in addition a whole lot of modifications.




A few weeks in the past, I talked about 5 apps I put in to make the transition from Home windows simpler, however now, I wish to spotlight among the settings I’ve modified on macOS itself to make it behave extra like Home windows 11. These do not require putting in something, simply altering the precise settings in your pc, and mixed with that earlier listing, you could have an excellent handful of how to really feel at dwelling on macOS.

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This should not even be an issue

One of the crucial offensive issues I seen as quickly as I began establishing my Mac Mini was that Apple units the scrolling route for the mouse wheel to be the other of how it’s on Home windows. It behaves extra like a touchpad, the place swiping down strikes the web page up, and vice versa. And it makes some sense as a result of Apple’s personal Magic Mouse makes use of a touchpad-like floor for scrolling.

However on an actual mouse, this feels fully unnatural, in order that was the very first thing I needed to change. To repair this, you’ll be able to observe these steps:

  1. Click on the Apple menu button on the highest left nook of the display screen and select System settings.
    Screenshot of a macOS desktop showing the Apple menu with the System settings option highlighted
  2. Scroll down the left-side pane of the settings window and open the Mouse part.
  3. Set the Pure scrolling toggle to Off.
    Screenshot of the System settings app on macOS showing the natural scrolling option disabled


That is all it takes, and modifications are saved immediately, so you’ll be able to safely shut out of the window.

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Activate the Launchpad shortcut

Faster entry to your apps

I will be fully trustworthy, I ended up not counting on this one almost as a lot as I assumed I’d, however that does not imply it isn’t helpful. On Home windows, opening the Start menu could be very simple utilizing simply the Home windows key in your keyboard, however macOS would not actually have an equal for its app launcher by default. The Launchpad, because it’s referred to as, is just accessible by the dock.

Nicely, fortunately, that may be fastened fairly simply. Within the macOS settings, you’ll be able to allow a keyboard shortcut for opening the launchpad, which is not fairly the identical, however goes a good distance. Here is the way you allow it:

  1. Open the Apple menu and select System settings.
  2. Scroll down the left-side pane and click on Keyboard close to the top of the listing.
  3. On the principle pane, click on Keyboard shortcuts.
    Screenshot of macOS System settings with the Keyboard shortcuts button highlighted
  4. Allow the Present Launchpad shortcut.
  5. Optionally, you’ll be able to change the shortcut by double-clicking the important thing mixture, then getting into the keys you wish to use.
    Screenshot of keyboard shortcut settings on macOS showing the Launchpad shortcut is active


That is all there may be to it. As to why I do not really use this that a lot — it is largely as a result of I simply use Highlight search to launch something I need. It is my substitute for Flow Launcher on Windows, so I haven’t got a lot of a necessity for the Launchpad.

Change the window decrease animation

The Genie impact is ridiculously sluggish

I legitimately do not know the way any fashionable working system that is supposed to assist individuals work can exist with animations as sluggish because the default Genie animation on macOS. Minimizing and restoring apps with this animation feels extremely tedious, and it isn’t even a cool impact. It is sluggish and would not actually really feel all that pure or enjoyable.

Fortunately, Apple nearly realizes how dangerous it’s, and there is an possibility to simply repair it. Here is how:

  1. Open the Apple menu and select System settings.
  2. Go to the Desktop & Dock part on the left-side pane.
  3. Use the Reduce home windows utilizing possibility to vary to the Scale impact.
    Screenshot of macOS system settings showing the window minimize effect set to the Scale effect


Minimizing your apps will now look much more like the way it does on Home windows 11, and it will likely be loads quicker too. This actually ought to be the default habits, or if Apple desires to be distinctive, it must craft an animation that does not hinder customers as a lot as this present one does.

Save screenshots the place they belong

Why are these on the desktop?

Screenshot of the macOS Finder showing a folder containing multiple screenshots

One other one of many massive complaints I had once I first wrote in regards to the 10 issues that drove me mad about macOS was the truth that screenshots are saved on the desktop by default. Now, somebody identified to me on the time that if you happen to browse to the desktop folder in Finder, screenshots are literally in their very own folder, however that makes no distinction in the event that they’re nonetheless cluttering your display screen by default.


Screenshots belong in their very own folder extra hidden away, just because we take so many screenshots of little issues to share right here and there and a whole lot of them are form of ineffective after that preliminary second. Having them on the desktop is mindless. If you wish to change the default location for screenshots, you are able to do this:

  1. Press Command + House in your keyboard to open Highlight search
  2. Seek for Screenshot and select the default search end result

    Alternatively, you’ll be able to open the screenshot instrument with Command + Shift + 5.

  3. Click on Choices and underneath Save to, click on Different location…
    Screenshot of the macOS screenshot UI showing the options menu with the Other location button highlighted
  4. Browse to the folder the place you need screenshots to be saved and click on Select.

Screenshots will likely be saved in that new folder by default.

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Repair the Dock

As a lot as doable, at the least

Lastly, now we have the macOS Dock, which could be very complicated to get used to whenever you’re coming from Home windows. There are a number of totally different sections and apps decrease to separate icons than their normal icons on the Dock, which is mindless. Fortunately, you may make issues behave a bit extra like Home windows 11 with two main tweaks. Specifically, you may make it in order that home windows decrease into their respective app icon, after which it’s also possible to disable advised and up to date apps on the Dock.

Each of those settings are in the identical place, so here is the way you do it:


  1. Open the Apple menu and select System settings.
  2. Select Desktop & Dock from the pane on the left aspect.
  3. Set the Reduce home windows into software icon toggle to the On place.
    Screenshot of Desktop & Dock settings in macOS with the option to minimize windows to app icons enabled and the option to show recent and suggested apps in the Dock disabled
  4. On the flip aspect, set the Present advised and up to date apps in Dock toggle to Off.

Adjustments are saved immediately, so you’ll be able to shut the Settings app. Sadly, the dock nonetheless will not absolutely match the habits of Home windows 11 as a result of you’ll be able to’t mouse over an software icon to see its open window as you’ll on Home windows. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to right-click an app icon to see them. Alternatively, an app like AltTab might enable you to get an analogous habits to Home windows when it comes to window administration.

macOS is not so dangerous

In case you’ve made it this far, you’ve got in all probability seen a reasonably large omission — altering the net browser. I might have undoubtedly included that as a result of I did change my browser to Vivaldi, however I even have to try this on Home windows, so it is probably not far to assert that is a macOS subject.


Transitioning from Home windows to macOS can really feel like a frightening course of, however between the apps I’ve highlighted previously and these settings, I’ve to say transferring over to macOS has been method simpler than I’d have anticipated. Positive, among the issues Apple does by default shocked me, however as soon as I modified these behaviors, it was easy crusing.

In case you’re somebody who’s been afraid to change from Home windows to macOS, all I can say is there’s nothing to worry. You may undoubtedly modify to this new method of doing issues.

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