Hey apple enthusiasts! im a windows/android user so dont be too mean to me, but i got a macbook pro recently because my laptop kicked the bucket and im a graphic designer looking for a reliable and relatively powerful machine.
ive been reading about macbook stuff and trying to figure out the macOS.
Are there any things you would have hoped you’d known before getting into the macbook game? Or just any apps/ things these computers can do that are unique and cool? basically tips for an apple newb
thanks!
(unrelated but how are more people not mad about 60hz screens for 1700 bucks lol)
I think the big things are getting used to CMD+Space for opening applications and search, and getting used to the fact that you have an actual terminal instead of a command window.
Also, after getting used to the whole spotlight thing, I strongly recommend getting Raycast, or maybe other alternative, but Raycast is my favourite.
It has a lot of customisation options, including plugins, and really neat clipboard history. This will absolutely make you more productive.
ill look into it! i did some googling im not exactly sure what it is still but people keep saying its life changing
It has a learning curve… but it’s awesome. Replaces spotlight and does so much. I use a plug-in that allows direct search of my Arc web browser and/or arc open tabs. Awesome to jump straight to a specific tab from anywhere on computer. Also… highly recommend Arc browser… built on chrome so super compatible… but revamps and modernizes the ui… adds spaces which are awesome
I have a note saved in Obsidian with every app I install on a new Mac. Unfortunately many of these are paid apps:
- AltTab: switch windows instead of apps (useful for apps with multiple windows open)
- Bartender 4: let’s you hide icons on your menubar
- BetterMouse: lots of control over mouse. Ability to inverse scroll on mouse only and leave natural on touchpad. The right click pan scrolling is great too.
- DisplayLink Manager: let’s you use more than one external monitor on non-pro machines if you have a compatible dock.
- Fantastical: great calendar app if you manage multiple calendars and need to send your availability to people external of your company.
- Greenshot: I take a ton of screenshots
- iStat Menus: puts cpu, memory, network, etc graphs on your menu bar.
- Jump Desktop: best RDP client I’ve found.
- Obsidian: not Mac specific, but an amazing note taking client.
- Raycast: expands your cmd+space with many plugins available. Probably my most used app.
- Rectangle Pro: Better window management including snapping windows to sides of screens.
- iTerm2: Much better terminal app than the stock one.
I want to also shout out Bartender, Obsidian, and ITerm2. Great apps.
I used to love Fantastical - but since they went to a subscription model I’ve ditched them. I refuse to rent software. I’m using BusyCal in it’s place and it’s almost as good. I ditched 1Password for the same reason.
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE an app called Moom. Which allows much more control over the layout and placement of onscreen windows (which sounds like maybe similar to Rectangle Pro on your list).
I’d say the first rule about using a new OS is to not try to do everything like the old one. 80-90% is the same or similar and the rest needs to be learned or discovered. Aside from installing the apps you need for your graphic design work (like Adobe or whatever you use), I’d suggest giving it an honest try rather than installing a bunch of stuff to make it work like Windows. Of course, if you’re needing something modified or need something the native apps can’t provide, the other posters in this thread have listed a bunch of great suggestions.
As another poster mentioned, using Spotlight is a great way to finding things quickly; it’s much faster than Windows search.
Using Help from the File menu can be useful; it does a good job with built in apps and features. There are also a lot of keyboard shortcuts, so it can be useful to learn them for efficiency.
It sounds like you’re using a laptop, so I’d recommend configuring gestures as they work wonderfully with the trackpad (there’s also an option for three-finger drag which is great for moving files and windows). You can also setup hot corners for different functions. If you loose the cursor, there’s a “Shake mouse pointer to locate” option enabled by default that makes the cursor larger temporarily.
Setting up FileVault (disk encryption) and Time Machine (backups) are good ideas too. Rule of thumb for Time Machine is to get double your disk size for your backup drive- use a 2 TB backup drive if your machine has a 1 TB hard drive.
There’s a transfer utility you can use to bring stuff from your Windows machine to the Mac.
You might check out the Affinity suite of graphic design apps. They are well supported on the Mac but of course it depends on what your needs are.
- In case you haven’t heard about it yet, VLC is both a media player and a video re-encoder in one app. Basically essential for Macs.
- Homebrew is a terminal utility that allows you to download many apps that otherwise have difficult setup processes.
- Speaking of things that can be installed through homebrew, Wineskin Winery is a tool that allows you to run Windows apps on a Mac. Very very janky at times and requires hours of googling and digging through stuff sometimes, but runs amazingly once you do that.
- Ryujinx is a Nintendo Switch emulator available on Mac. Not too good for games like BoTW or ToTK, but runs basic visual novels just fine. Oh and if you don’t have a Switch already be willing to do some sailing on the high seas.
Learn some keyboard shortcuts.
Every email I’ve sent for the last forever has been done with Command + shift + D. It’s a small thing but man it is convenient once you memorise some stuff like that.
Screen shots , Command + shift + 3 for the whole screen. Command + shift + 4 is for screen shotting an individual window or drawing a box around any area of the screen , press the space bar to cycle through them.
So many of the shortcuts I use I don’t even know what I’m pressing because it’s just become muscle memory at this point.
