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Apple's desktop operating software, macOS, is one of the best on the market, with great security, no bloatware, and high speed without stutters. Even then, users can improve it in certain ways by adding some features that are not available out of the box.
There are many free third-party applications available for macOS that can highly upgrade the user's experience by increasing functionality. This article will list some of the best apps you can get for free on your Apple desktop.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer
Bitwarden, DarkTable, and 8 other free macOS apps that will improve your desktop experience
1) IINA
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IINA is a modern video player for Apple's operating software. It has a beautiful design with dark mode, picture-in-picture mode, touch bar integration, customizable UI, plugin system, and more features.
IINA supports all video formats and runs without any stutter as it does not use up many system resources. It is better than the in-built video player on macOS because of the extra features it has to offer. It is best suited for users who consume a lot of media.
2) Itsycal
Having more control over the calendar in the menu bar is helpful. Itsycal is a replacement for the menu bar clock that adds a calendar. Users can add appointments, schedule meetings, and have all the basic features one would expect a calendar to have.
Itsycal is also customizable, so users can change the way it looks and personalize it according to their desktop style.
3) OnyX
OnyX is one of the most helpful free applications for macOS. It is important to keep your operating system running fast and stable, and OnyX has a lot of features that help in this regard.
Users can verify system files, run miscellaneous maintenance, configure parameters in other apps such as Safari and Finder, rebuild databases, indexes, and much more.
This advanced tool has a simple user interface. However, it also has intricate functions that should be used with caution as it can delete important system files.
4) Simplenote
For easy note-taking, Simplenote is the best app for Mac. All the notes that the user makes are synced with other devices and can be accessed at any time.
Simplenote has a simple interface and useful features that make it a great app. Users can search for the notes they've made through the title or add tags to notes to make them easier to find.
This free app is useful for those who love to jot down random notes and thoughts from time to time.
5) Bitwarden
Password management is a task that is overlooked by a lot of people, and Bitwarden is the best free app for storing passwords. It is available on all Apple devices. Users can access their passwords across their devices, and the auto-fill function makes the job easier.
The app has zero-knowledge encryption, which means that all the stored passwords are completely safe, and even the company cannot access them.
6) Rectangle
Rectangle is the best app to make your workflow faster and organize multiple open windows quickly and easily. macOS does not have the best window management function, and the help of third-party apps is needed.
Users can assign commands to switch the window to wherever they want, including snapping it to the center, to the right half, top-left, and more.
7) Skitch
The screenshot feature of macOS is missing some basic functions, such as blurring sensitive information, marking, and more.
Skitch is a screenshotting app that makes it easier for users to take a screenshot, edit it, and share it in an instant.
It also has all the basic functions, such as saving the image in local storage and resizing the image.
8) DarkTable
While there aren't many free photo editing apps for macOS, DarkTable is a great one with features that rival those of a pro-level photo editor. Although it has a learning curve, some may argue it is better than some paid software on the market.
DarkTable has many intricate functions that can be used to completely change the appearance of an image and edit it as per the user's needs. It runs fast as it does not use many resources.
9) HiddenMe
When making a presentation or sharing your screen with others on a Zoom call, having a messy desktop is not the greatest feeling.
HiddenMe has a simple function that quickly hides everything on your desktop, making it completely clean. It adds to the menu bar and comes in handy when you need to organize your desktop at the click of a button.
10) AppCleaner
AppCleaner is an app remover that completely deletes any software without leaving behind any residual files. When deleting an application from macOS, some residual files are always left out that take up space on your hard disk without serving any function. AppCleaner ensures this does not happen.
To uninstall an app, the user will have to simply drag and drop it into AppCleaner, and it will be fully deleted from macOS.
