10 Must-Have Free Apps for Mac That You'll Regret Not Installing Sooner
Discover 10 incredible free apps to enhance your Mac experience. Get details on features and customizations to improve workflows.
As a Mac user for over 2-3 Years, I've tested countless apps seeking those special features that make you more productive. These apps help me get things done faster while adding helpful new functionality. I regret not installing them sooner!
1. Today - A Menu Bar Calendar
Calendar apps provide great value but constantly toggling between apps and windows hampers productivity. Today solve that by putting your agenda right in the menu bar.
It connects to your existing calendar and then intelligently displays upcoming events and tasks. Click any event to instantly open it in your main calendar app. Create new events without switching apps via handy keyboard shortcuts.
Customize Today's look and feel for the perfect menu bar calendar. Change the icon, start/end time displays and which calendar sources to show.
I rely on Today to keep my schedule readily available. The convenience keeps me on task without constant app switching.
Anurag Vishwakarma
2. Shottr - Effortless Screenshot Editing
As a writer, I take a lot of screenshots. Seldom do first attempts correctly capture the intent and context. That's where Shottr shines.
It makes easy work of screenshot editing. No need to open separate image editors. Fix, annotate or highlight shots right in Shottr.
Draw arrows, shapes and text to call attention to details. Use the ruler to demonstrate dimensions. Sample colours and dimensions for design work. For privacy, blur or erase sections.
Shottr boosts screenshot productivity with robust capture tools, extensive editing features and easy export options. It eliminates the friction of screenshot management.
Anurag Vishwakarma
3. Quiet Reader - Distraction Free Reading
I do my best to comprehend reading in quiet spaces free from interruption. Unfortunately, most web articles load with distractions that disrupt focus.
Quiet Reader strips articles down to only the core content. Eliminating ads, suggestions and visual clutter lets me digest the information better.
It works anywhere text appears on your Mac. Highlight the target area and open it in Quiet Reader. Customize text size, colours and background hues for the best reading experience.
If I fail to understand something clearly in one pass, I know distractions undermine comprehension. Quiet Reader ensures focused, efficient reading.
Anurag Vishwakarma
4. Command X - Windows Style File Management
After over a decade on Mac, I still miss the Windows keyboard shortcut Command X to cut and paste files. MacOS oddly omits this handy function.
Command X restores this feature bringing faster file management. Now you can quickly and seamlessly cut/paste files between folders.
It runs silently in the background until you need it. No interface or customization is necessary - just old-school Windows cut-and-paste functionality.
As a lifelong keyboard shortcut fan, Command X fills a frustrating Mac gap. All my Windows muscle memory now works again!
Anurag Vishwakarma
5. AltTab - Visually Switch Windows
Every operating system handles window switching and app management differently. MacOS prefers app-level control while Windows focuses on open windows.
AltTab brings native Windows window-switching functionality to Mac. See all open windows organized neatly in one view.
Switch focus between windows faster using handy keyboard shortcuts. Customize shortcuts for window actions like close, minimize and quit.
If you work across Windows and Mac devices, AltTab makes your Mac window management process consistent. No more context-switching mental models!
Anurag Vishwakarma
6. Shazam - Quick Song Identification
As a lifelong music fan, I constantly wonder "What song is this?" In social settings around unfamiliar music, Shazam keeps me in the loop.
The Mac menu bar app listens to room audio and instantly identifies tracks. Click once to activate with results appearing seconds later.
Toggle automatic listening via the menu bar icon to scrub song IDs in real time. Customize keyboard shortcuts for even faster access.
Next time catchy new music grabs your attention, Shazam satisfies curiosity with a quick song ID. No more mystery tracks!
Anurag Vishwakarma
7. MacMouseFix - Use Your Mouse Better
Apple perfected cursor navigation via Multi-Touch trackpads. Unique gestures guide you effortlessly through workflows.
Unfortunately, most third-party mice lack these capabilities. Clunky config programs only provide basics like scroll direction and speed.
MacMouseFix brings full trackpad gesture support to mice. Access Mission Control, LaunchPad, Expose and more via programmable mouse buttons.
Get context menus, dictionary lookups and text manipulation functions on mouse buttons too. Use keyboards for even more custom actions.
MacMouseFix unlocks the true potential of third-party mice. Mimic your favourite Magic Trackpad gestures and shortcuts!
Anurag Vishwakarma
8. PurePaste - Plain Text Pasting
I frequently copy content from websites into documents and emails. However, retained formatting causes headaches requiring meticulous re-styling.
PurePaste simplifies reuse by automatically stripping formatting on paste. No more fixing font properties, sizes and colours!
Configure rules by source and destination. Optionally keep features like hyperlinks when pasting text. Customize keyboard shortcuts to toggle strip formatting on and off.
Paste freely into any application knowing PurePaste has your back. Say goodbye to troublesome retained formatting!
Anurag Vishwakarma
9. OneThing - A Menu Bar Scratchpad
As a writer, inspiration constantly strikes at inopportune times. Without quickly noting ideas, momentary brilliance permanently fades.
OneThing provides instant access to a digital scratchpad via the menu bar. Jot down ideas, to-do items, goals or anything needing capture.
Type directly into OneThing or drag/drop text snippets for easy logging. Customize font styles and colours as needed for your noting process.
OneThing eliminates the friction of taking quick notes on Mac. Critical task tracking happens in seconds without changing apps.
Anurag Vishwakarma
10. Latest - Update All Apps in 1-Click
With a vast app collection, keeping everything updated is tough. MacOS only reminds us about App Store items. The rest you must manage manually.
The Latest app takes the headache out of app maintenance. It checks your entire catalogue and shows available updates in one dashboard.
See which apps have changed and what they are. Flexible filtering options help prioritize updates. And most importantly - update everything in one batch with one click!
Latest saves me hours every month. Now I can keep my apps current effortlessly.
Anurag Vishwakarma
👉🏻 Read More: Top 10 BEST Mac Apps for Productivity in 2023!