Apps You Should Have On Your Mac for Better Experience

Mac users can explore the massive ecosystem of amazing apps from the house of Apple. Whether you want to boost your work productivity, edit a video, or enhance your device security, there’s an app for everything, and all of them are best-in-class.

Other than the Apple Store apps available exclusively to Mac users, you can also download third-party apps, given they are compatible.

The article enlists some of the best third-party apps you can download on your computer for better work productivity and device optimization.

If you want to change your interface

Some apps keep your Mac from going into sleep mode or auto-dim randomly, and it’s good to install them. Even if you don’t want your screensaver to start automatically when your system is left idle, you have an app for it.

These apps are ideal for users who stream videos or binge-watch, where they don’t touch their keyboard or mouse for longer. Downloading apps like Amphetamine or Alfred can avoid the frustration that screensavers bring along from a few minutes of inactivity.

If you want to edit your photos professionally

Basic photo editing is something that every user needs. If you want pro-level editing without shelling money on high-end apps like Adobe Photoshop, try Affinity Photo. The app is available at a one-time, affordable fee and doesn’t break your bank.

For users who need a time-tested image editor, Microsoft Paint brings some exclusive features at no additional cost. Get the Mac version of paint directly from the Mac Store. If you are looking for an array of features that makes photo editing a breeze, try Pixelmator Pro.

When you have a lot of apps installed on a Mac

Are you a graphics designer, a coder, or a music editor who needs to work with many apps? You must find it challenging to organize and manage all the apps on your computer. If yes, there is software that allows you to rearrange all apps installed on your computer.

Apps like Bartender enable you to arrange apps in the menu bar so that your computer looks more organized. The latest version of the app is compatible to run over M1 Macs running macOS Monterey and later releases.

If you are looking to boost productivity

Regardless of the operating system you use, productivity apps are a must-have. Download CheatSheet, Fantastical, Keyboard Maestro, Hazel, or Notion to manage your tasks and time seamlessly. Some of these are multi-functional apps that allow you to handle tasks efficiently.

Nothing can deliver more convenience for users who often require switching between Mac and Windows computers than an app like Parallels. You can easily copy and paste files between macOS and Windows devices using the app.

When you are looking for gaming and chatting

Several apps allow you to enjoy gameplay while chatting with your friends. For easy organization, users are allowed to create servers for almost everything. We are talking about Discord, the app primarily known for gaming but later extended to text and voice chats. You can enjoy it more when you use the required gaming software.

Also, download Steam if you are looking for some serious gaming. The best thing is that you can enjoy the games you purchased for Windows on your Mac computer. And that means you don’t have to purchase separate versions for both operating systems.

When you want to enhance the security of data and device

With too much digitalization, it has become a norm to have an account for banking, education, social activities, and more. Memorizing the passwords of all the accounts is challenging. Isn’t it amazing to know that there are apps that save your login details in encrypted vaults?

Although Apple offers an in-built Keychain utility that stores login details of all your online accounts locally. You can use third-party password manager apps like 1Password to keep the login credentials of all the accounts safe so that you don’t have to memorize them all.

If you are looking for all-time access to data

When you need to enhance the accessibility of your files beyond the devices and drives, the Cloud is the place to be. Keep all your essential files on a Cloud drive such as Google Drive, DropBox, or OneDrive and view them anywhere using any device, anytime.

You only need to log in to your Cloud account to view your files from anywhere. Apple users get free 5GB storage space on iCloud (native Apple Cloud) drive, but that’s insufficient to store all your data, so signing in to Google Drive is beneficial as it offers 15GB free storage.

So, these were some important app categories you should have on your Mac computer. Some of these apps are free, while some require a minimum investment to use unlimited features for a lifetime. Make sure to download Mac-compatible versions only.