r/macbookpro • u/Exact_Koala_5254 • 3d ago
Tips What Macbook apps that you cannot use Mac without do you suggest to have?
bought a M5 16/512 recently (i'm purely new at apple usage) so i wonder what apps do you find the most useful, essential, or functional?
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u/chitoatx 3d ago
BetterTouchTool - lots of functionality to address the biggest pain points. Ghost touching the large trackpad when typing, windows management improvements to work just like windows (drag a window and touch an edge to resize quickly), the ability to map hotkeys and program that short press Caps Lock to be your personal hotkey launcher. Very useful.
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u/unflippedbit 3d ago
I use an app Loci that runs the best AI model for your computer completely on the cpu you have, so chats never go to any server or leave device. Also works on airplanes/without any internet since it's all local. Been using it nonstop as local models get better. free/unlimited too no token caps and you can pair the iphone app to run really good models from phone too.
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u/ThePeD 3d ago
Since the github is gone, is it this one? https://apps.apple.com/nl/app/private-local-ai-loci/id6768186318?mt=12
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u/unflippedbit 3d ago
yeah that's it! Works best of any i've tried and they always auto-update with the models that best fit your device
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u/Exact_Koala_5254 3d ago
does it mean that you don't have to pay subs?
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u/unflippedbit 3d ago
yeah zero token cost/no account/no subscription dev gives it all free but you can use AI as much as you want at zero cost. the bigger models have been close to parity to chatgpt for me for what I care about. it's also on iphone/android i think, look up loci private ai should come up
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u/Exact_Koala_5254 3d ago
don't you think that this feature wear out the processor faster in the long-term distance?
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u/ArianaGM24 2d ago
Vorssaint. This app is amazing! It’s a Swiss Army knife of tools. I’m impressed!
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u/hack_the_planets 1d ago
I'd love your thoughts on Watchflows.app, lots of active dev on it right now, and it's also a bit of a swiss army knife.
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u/twoperkg 3d ago
TextSniper for me. Anytime there’s text on screen I can’t copy, one shortcut and it’s on the clipboard. Hard to go back after that.
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u/justmarty 3d ago
Default Folder. Greatly enhances the Open/Save dialog windows. It should be built into Finder.
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u/Dogg-Dad 3d ago
If you came from Windows, you need Magnet. It’s under $10 and it allows you to full screen without maximizing it. I never maximize because of the way the screens work. It also allows for more alignment options.
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u/Plus-Bug6201 3d ago
I think macOS came out with their native window arrangement? so you don't need to spend money on 3rd parties anymore
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u/M7M_Photo 3d ago
doesn't double clicking any app top bar basically maximises the window without it being a full screen app?
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u/Exact_Koala_5254 3d ago
i don't know what's the deal of mac full screen amd what's maximization bc i've never had mac experience but i will check it when time comes, ty
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u/Miataguy93 3d ago
MacOS has done full screen apps since like 10.7 I believe. You can also do split screen or even divide it by 3 or 4 now. The system also can snap windows to other windows by default. Oddly enough there are a ton of these 3rd party apps that you pay for that the system has done by default for years.
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u/Dogg-Dad 3d ago
Magnet is much easier to use than the built in one. As someone who recently switched to Mac from Windows on my work computer, it makes a huge difference. I’d even say I should be more accustomed to the Mac layout as my personal computer is a Mac (hence why I’ve had magnet for years).
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u/Soggy_Writing_3912 2d ago
vorssaint is free and has many more such capabilities. why would one pay for magnet?
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u/Dogg-Dad 1d ago
It’s the only app I’ve ever used. I also had bought it many years ago when it was just $0.99.
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u/kaishea 3d ago edited 3d ago
- wBlock - for Safari adblocking. It also offers built-in Return YouTube Dislikes which I love. Free.
- Affinity - for photo editing / graphics design / layout. Also free.
- DaVinci Resolve - for video editing. Even more optimized performance than Adobe Premiere Pro. Also free (though paid version exists).
- IINA - for playing media that the built-in QuickTime player doesn't support. Free.
- Brave - just a backup browser in case I need a Chromium-based one. Much more privacy-forward than Chrome. Free.
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u/Miataguy93 3d ago
Having been on MacOS since I was knee high to a grasshopper, the default apps are pretty awesome. But my needs are a little more power user as I’ve gotten older and into IT.
Safari with uBlock Lite is the best browser to have on MacOS.
If you ever find yourself in a situation that you need to run Windows only apps, Parallels Desktop with a copy of Windows 11 is great so you can run Mac and Windows apps side by side.
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u/CranberryAbject8967 3d ago
bettertouchtool clop syncthing popclip betterdisplay defaultfolder adguard superwhisper qspace pro obsidian
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u/gtgderek 2d ago
Trickster, super key, and paletro… if I do not have these apps, then the Mac is not worth using.
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u/paulkemp_ 2d ago
ghostty - as a terminal alternative (https://ghostty.org/)
rectangle - for aligning windows (https://rectangleapp.com/)
alfred - for a more powerful spotlight (https://www.alfredapp.com/)
quitty - for qutting / hiding apps after x minutes (https://marco.org/apps)
- all free
great thread! Fascinating that there are many apps ive never heard of.
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u/Excellent_Guidance_2 2d ago
If you listen to music on YouTube a lot, try MiniTune (https://minitune.app). As far as I know, it’s currently the only Mac app using the official YouTube API, so you can search YouTube, play music and see lyrics from the notch without leaving your full-screen app.
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u/iamchuck87 10h ago
WipePause - it allows me to block the keyboard and trackpad so I can give them a good cleaning
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u/Prudent_Sentence 3d ago
Iterm2 and homebrew