Getting started
Apps to install on a new Mac: our first-day list
The apps we install first on a fresh Mac, from window snapping and clipboard history to a password manager, and what each one fixes.
· 4 min read
Read guideGuides
Roundups, walkthroughs and tips for getting more out of your Mac.
Getting started
The best free Mac apps worth installing
Free Mac apps that are good enough to keep: window management, menu bar tools, passwords, notes and more, with what the free version actually includes.
· 4 min read
Roundups
The best menu bar apps for Mac
Menu bar apps that are worth the space: calendar and time zones, keep-awake switches, camera checks, quick notes and tools to hide the rest.
· 4 min read
Comparisons
Best clipboard managers for Mac, compared
Paste, Raycast, Unclutter and the built-in Spotlight clipboard compared: history, sync, pinned snippets, privacy and price.
· 4 min read
Comparisons
Window management on Mac: Magnet vs Rectangle vs tiling
How macOS window tiling compares with Magnet, Rectangle and Raycast, and which window manager to use for your screen and habits.
· 4 min read
Roundups
The best note-taking apps for Mac
Bear, Craft, Drafts, Tot and Apple Notes compared for everyday notes on a Mac: formatting, organisation, sync, privacy and price.
· 4 min read
Roundups
The best open-source Mac apps
Open-source Mac apps that are as good as paid ones: window management, menu bar tools, passwords and archives, plus a few well-known extras.
· 4 min read
Workflows
Mac apps for developers: a practical setup
The Mac apps developers actually use day to day: a launcher, window shortcuts, clipboard history, text automation and a few utilities.
· 4 min read
How-to
How to keep your Mac awake (with and without an app)
Stop your Mac sleeping during downloads, builds and presentations: System Settings, the caffeinate command, and apps like Amphetamine and Lungo.
· 4 min read
How-to
How to hide menu bar icons on a Mac
Clean up a crowded Mac menu bar: built-in settings in macOS Tahoe, Command-drag, and free apps like Hidden Bar and Ice for icons hidden by the notch.
· 4 min read
Privacy & security
Privacy apps for Mac, and what is already built in
Protect your data on a Mac with the right settings and a few apps: a password manager, an encrypted journal, encrypted archives and a firewall.
· 4 min read
Workflows
Focus apps for Mac that help you get work done
Focus timers, app blockers and quiet writing tools for Mac, plus the built-in Focus settings, and how to combine them without adding more noise.
· 4 min read
Roundups
The best writing apps for Mac, by kind of writing
Writing apps for Mac matched to the job: Ulysses for long-form, Drafts for capture, Bear and Craft for notes that grow, Day One for journaling.
· 4 min read