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https://github.com/madelena/awesome-os-tweaks

How to make Mac behave like Windows, vice versa.
https://github.com/madelena/awesome-os-tweaks

List: awesome-os-tweaks

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How to make Mac behave like Windows, vice versa.

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# Awesome OS Tweaks



Here's a definitive list of software that I use often for the best of both worlds.



## To make Mac work more like Windows

#### Keyboard and Input:

* [Karabiner](https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/): Reconfigure key combos to match Windows, e.g. hold Win for LaunchPad, Ctrl+Shift+Esc for Activity Monitor, swap Command and Control keys. (Or if you're really committed, use a keycap puller to swap the two keys on your MacBook like I do.)

* [BetterTouchTool](https://folivora.ai/downloads): Custom gestures, etc for Mac.

* [Synergy](https://symless.com/synergy) / [Sharemouse](https://www.sharemouse.com/) / [Barrier](https://github.com/debauchee/barrier): Use the same keyboard and mouse across a PC and a Mac.

* [PasteNow](https://pastenow.app/) / [Paste](https://pasteapp.io/): Clipboard history for Mac.

* [Unlox](https://unlox.it/): Unlock a Mac using a fingerprint sensor... on your iDevice. Also adds Win+L to lock computer.

#### Taskbar and Dock:

* [uBar](https://brawersoftware.com/products/ubar): Bring the Windows Taskbar to the Mac.

* [HyperDock](https://bahoom.com/hyperdock/): Window previews on the Dock.

* [Pock](https://pock.dev/): Use the MacBook touch bar as a taskbar!

* [cDock](https://www.macenhance.com/cdock.html): Customize the appearance of the Dock. (Note: [System Integrity Protection](https://www.macenhance.com/blog/2020/sip.html) must be disabled.)

#### Menu Bar:

* [Bartender](https://www.macbartender.com/): Hide Mac Menu Bar icons like the Windows System Tray.

* [iStat Menus](https://bjango.com/mac/istatmenus/): Show system stats on Menu Bar.

* [BitBar](https://github.com/matryer/bitbar-plugins): Show anything on Menu Bar.

#### Alt+Tab:

* [Alt+Tab](https://alt-tab-macos.netlify.app/): Alt+Tab for Mac. (Thanks /u/borna761!)

* [HyperSwitch](https://bahoom.com/hyperswitch): Alt+Tab for Mac.

* [TouchSwitcher](https://hazeover.com/touchswitcher.html): Use the MacBook touch bar for Alt+Tab.

#### Window Management:

* [Rectangle](https://rectangleapp.com/) / [Magnet](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnet/id441258766?mt=12) / [SizeUp](https://www.irradiatedsoftware.com/sizeup/): AeroSnap (Win+left/right to position windows) for Mac.

* [HiddenMe](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hiddenme/id467040476?mt=12): Hide desktop icons.

#### Widgets:

* [Übersicht](http://tracesof.net/uebersicht/): Place widgets on desktop.

* [Todeska](https://www.macenhance.com/todeska.html): Place widgets from Notifications Center on desktop.

#### Productivity Software:

* Microsoft OneDrive: Superior to iCloud.

* Microsoft Edge: Superior to Safari and Chrome. Also Edge Dev now supports tab sync, which is awesome.

* Microsoft Visual Studio Code: Much better text editor than Textedit.

* Microsoft To-Do: Better than Reminders app.

* Microsoft OneNote: Amazing.

* Microsoft Outlook: Superior to Mail app on Mac. Superior to Mail app on Windows, too.

* Microsoft Office for Mac: Obviously.

* Microsoft Remote Desktop

* Microsoft!!!

* [NTFS for Mac](https://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/): Read and write to a shared NTFS drive.

* [Reflector](https://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector): Cast your phone screen to Mac or Windows through AirPlay, Google Cast, or Miracast, similar to the Connect app on Windows.

#### Screen Savers:

* [Aerial](https://aerialscreensaver.github.io/) screensaver for Mac: Port of the screensaver seen on AppleTV.

#### Misc:

* [Mousecape](https://github.com/alexzielenski/Mousecape): Invert the mouse cursor or customize it to match Windows.

* [ColorSlurp](https://colorslurp.com/): Copy color of a pixel, similar to the color picker PowerToy.

* [MacForge](https://www.macenhance.com/macforge.html): A store with dozens more customizations for Mac. (Note: [System Integrity Protection](https://www.macenhance.com/blog/2020/sip.html) must be disabled.*)*

* Notifica: Align notifications at the bottom right corner like Windows.

* [Flashlight](https://github.com/w0lfschild/Flashlight): Add plugins to Spotlight search.

 

## To make Windows work more like Mac

#### Keyboard and Trackpad:

* [AutoHotKey](https://www.autohotkey.com/): Reconfigure some key combos to make it easier to memorize, e.g. Win+Space -> Win+Q for Search

* [PureText](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/puretext/9pkjv6319qtl): Allows pasting as plain text using Ctrl+Shift+V

* [Multiplicity](https://www.stardock.com/products/multiplicity/) / [Synergy](https://symless.com/synergy) / [Sharemouse](https://www.sharemouse.com/) / [Barrier](https://github.com/debauchee/barrier): Use the same keyboard and mouse for multiple machines. The latter two works on both Mac and PC. (Thanks /u/tencents123!)

* [GestureSign](https://gesturesign.win/): Custom gestures for your trackpad or touch screen.

#### File Explorer Management:

* [QuickLook](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/quicklook/9nv4bs3l1h4s): Spacebar to preview files in File Explorer.

* [PowerToys](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys): PowerToys Run for Win+Space search.

* [ShellExView](https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html) and ShellMenuView: Clean up your File Explorer right-click menus.

* [FastPictureViewer Codec Pack](http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/): Thumbnails for rarer picture file types.

* [Icaros](https://www.videohelp.com/software/Icaros): Thumbnails for video file types.

* [Groupy](https://www.stardock.com/products/groupy/): Tabs for File Explorer.

* [Mountain Duck](https://mountainduck.io/) / [InSync](https://www.insynchq.com/): Mounts server and cloud storage as a drive (works for both Windows and Mac).

#### Taskbar tweaks:

* [TaskbarX](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/taskbarx/9pcmz6bxk8gh): Center Windows Taskbar like the Dock.

* [T-Clock Redux](https://github.com/White-Tiger/T-Clock): Change the layout and font of the Windows Taskbar clock.

* [StartIsBack](https://startisback.com/): Change the Start Button logo. Or use an older Start Menu if you prefer (I love my Live Tiles).

* [ObjectDock](https://www.stardock.com/products/objectdock/): Replace the Taskbar with a Dock, if that's your thing. (I don't use it because I like the taskbar.)

* [SmartTaskbar](https://github.com/ChanpleCai/SmartTaskbar): Hides taskbar automatically when a window is maximized like Mac's fullscreen mode.* System Tray stuff:

* [Twinkle Tray](https://twinkletray.com/): Easily adjust screen brightness like Control Center

* [Caffeinated](http://desmondbrand.com/caffeinated/): Keep screen always on.

* [EarTrumpet](https://eartrumpet.app/): A more granular per-device and per-app volume control.

* [Modern Flyouts](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/modernflyouts-preview/9mt60qv066rp): New look for volume control, Caps/Num Lock indicators, airplane mode, and more.

#### Widgets:

* [Rainmeter](https://www.rainmeter.net/): Place widgets on desktop.

* [Win10 Widgets for Rainmeter](https://win10widgets.com/): Live Tile lookalikes for your desktop.

#### Theming:

* [Accent Applicator](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/accent-applicator/9mv99lwl2hk5): Use accent color in more classic shell locations.

* [Curtains](https://www.stardock.com/products/curtains/) / [ShadowFX](https://www.stardock.com/products/shadowfx/): Skin windows to look like Mac. (I don't use that.)

* [TileIconifier](https://github.com/Jonno12345/TileIconifier/releases): Change the icons of some Start Menu tiles, although you'll lose the "live" aspect of the tiles.

* [WinDynamicDesktop](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windynamicdesktop/9nm8n7dq3z5f): Time-based dynamic wallpapers like Mac.

#### Command Line:

* [Windows Terminal](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-terminal/9n0dx20hk701): Finally something that works like Mac Terminal.

* [WinGet](https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli) / [Chocolatey](https://chocolatey.org/): Command Line based app installer like Brew. (Also [Winstall.app](https://winstall.app/) for GUI.)

* [WSL](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/) (Windows Subsystem for Linux): Allows you to magically use and install Linux commands (e.g. curl, ruby, wpm, docker) with a Linux virtual machine on Windows.

#### Screen Savers:

* [Lively](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/lively-wallpaper/9ntm2qc6qws7?activetab=pivot:overviewtab&atc=true): Lightweight animated wallpaper, alternative to Wallpaper Engine.

* [Aerial](https://github.com/cDima/Aerial/) screensaver for Windows: Port of the screensaver seen on AppleTV.

#### Misc:

* [PantherBar](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/pantherbar/9npz2tvkjvt7?atc=true): Contextual menus for any highlightable words in a window, e.g. double click on a word and search dictionary.

* iCloud and iTunes for Windows: Do you really have to torture yourself?



### Specifically for Windows installed on a Mac with Boot Camp:

* [Trackpad++](http://trackpad.forbootcamp.org/): Driver for Apple touchpads.

* [MacBook / Magic Trackpad driver for Windows](https://github.com/imbushuo/mac-precision-touchpad): This guy is a genius and he's resurrecting the Lumix 950XL too.

* More here: [http://www.forbootcamp.org/](http://www.forbootcamp.org/)



Some of these software are not free. If you can, please support the developers for their efforts to make your life slightly better, especially during this economy!