As a tool enthusiast, I’d like to share some applications I’ve collected that I frequently use. Some are classics recommended by others, while others I stumbled upon and found incredibly useful. Check them out to see if they can address your productivity needs.
Karabiner
I recommend this software because my mechanical keyboard’s key layout didn’t match the standard Mac layout when I connected it. Karabiner allows me to remap keys to my preferred layout (for instance, the Control and Option keys on my ikbc C87 are swapped). Additionally, I can map unused keys to functions I actually use, making it a great keyboard remapping tool.
I swapped the left Control and Option keys and changed the rarely used Print Screen key to the Mission Control key, while Scroll Lock became the Mute key — both of which I use frequently.
This software is free and can be downloaded from the official website; it’s also open-source, so you can find it on GitHub Releases.
TotalFinder
When I first started using Mac, I found Finder quite cumbersome compared to the file manager in Windows. For example, in Windows, you can quickly open a new file explorer with Win + E, but Finder doesn't offer that convenience, nor does it allow easy folder creation or file cut/paste.
TotalFinder is a useful Finder enhancement for Mac, offering several great features:
- Cut, copy, and paste files with added keyboard shortcuts.
- A tabbed browsing experience similar to web browsers, with adjustable column widths.
- Color labels that set the label color as the background color for items.
- Copy various file path formats. You can download it from the official website for a permanent license.
Dozer
As I installed more software on my Mac, the number of icons in the menu bar increased, eventually cluttering it. I recommend Dozer, a free and open-source menu bar management tool that keeps your menu bar clean and organized.
Simply hold the Command key to drag a dot ("·") to the desired position, and click to hide the icons to the left of it. Click again to show them. It's simple yet practical.
Dozer is open-source and free; you can download it from the official website or GitHub Releases, or install it via brew cask install dozer.
Cold Turkey Blocker
Do you often find yourself scrolling through Tiktok, checking group chats, or browsing ins while working? One hour can pass without accomplishing anything. You need Cold Turkey Blocker 🦃️.
To help users stay focused, Cold Turkey blocks all distracting websites during your set time, and once the timer starts, you can’t access those sites through any means. You can also set break periods, similar to the Pomodoro technique, allowing access to distracting sites during breaks. If you attempt to visit a blocked site, Cold Turkey will display an inspiring quote to motivate you.
You can download it from the official website; the free version is sufficient for blocking websites, while the paid version can also block distracting applications.
IINA
IINA is arguably the best media player for Mac — beautiful, open-source, user-friendly, and free, with excellent compatibility and performance. It can play nearly all mainstream video formats and supports online streaming. For subtitles, it can load local files and search online.
When watching educational videos, I use Command + Shift + V to open the control panel for speed adjustments. Importantly, IINA maintains smooth audio playback even at increased speeds.
IINA is free and open-source, available for download from the official website.
FinderGo
If you frequently use the terminal, FinderGo can help you quickly open the terminal and navigate to the current folder. It’s a handy tool for everyday use.
You can find specific download and setup instructions online; there are many tutorials available. It’s free and can be downloaded from GitHub.
GIF Brewery 3
After trying multiple GIF recording tools, I finally settled on this powerful software and highly recommend it!It allows you to adjust various aspects of your GIF after recording, including:
- Animation playback speed
- Frame rate duration
- Cropping specific sections of the animation
- Adding text or images at certain frames
- Adding watermarks or subtitles
- Resizing the video
- Adjusting color counts
It essentially offers most of the functionalities you’d expect from a video editing software.
Sometimes, after recording a longer GIF, I find that the file size is too large. In such cases, I can speed up the playback a bit, reduce the color count, and resize the GIF, which often allows me to cut the file size by more than half. This is why many GIFs you see online are relatively small in size; a larger file can lead to slow loading times.
You can download GIF Brewery 3 for free from the App Store, or find it elsewhere.
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