7 Mac Software Alternatives To Windows Software

Have you recently joined the macOS clan from Windows? One problem that you might be facing is appropriate alternatives to Windows settings and programs on Mac.

Statista’s survey reveals that Windows is still the dominating desktop OS in 2021; with a market share of just under 73%, most businesses continue to rely on Windows for their daily operations. So, knowing some of the alternatives to Windows programs will help you work faster because most companies continue to use Windows programs. Take a look below to know some of the Mac alternatives. 

1. Paint for Mac – Paintbrush 

Unfortunately, there isn’t any in-built or bundled app in macOS that serves as an MS Paint alternative. However, third-party developers have come up with third-party alternatives that are similar or even better. 

One of those third-party alternatives is Paintbrush. It has enjoyed a reputation as the Paint for macOS due to its features and UI resembling the original Paint application. Paintbrush is a free alternative, and you can master using this app by clicking here https://setapp.com/.

2. Sticky notes for macOS – Stickies

Do you love using post-it notes? Did you use Sticky Notes found on your Windows desktop to stay organized or remember important dates and meetings? Now that you’re using Mac, you can rely on Stickies. It is pretty similar to Sticky Notes, and you can pin Stickies on the desktop of your Mac device and place all the crucial information on them. Stickies can also be used as reminders, even though Mac has a separate app to set reminders. 

3. Time Machine – the restore and backup solution for Mac 

For creating full backups of hard disks, Windows come with a native data backup solution. However, you don’t have to miss this feature when you switch to Mac because macOS also offers a similar backup solution known as Time Machine. 

4. MS Office alternative for Mac – iWork

The MS Office Suite includes Excel (spreadsheet manager), Word (word processor) and PowerPoint (slideshow creator & viewer). It is undoubtedly one of the most used and popular software packages. It is heavily used in the IT industry. 

You don’t have to miss MS Office when you switch to macOS because Mac has its version of Office Suite known as iWork. You can use it for free, and it consists of Numbers (MS Excel alternative), Pages (MS Word alternative) and Keynote (MS PowerPoint alternative). 

5. QuickTime – the sound recorder alternative for macOS

Windows comes with a small yet powerful program that allows you to record audio using a mic or Line-in. You can save the recordings as WAV files. You don’t need to look further than QuickTime player if you wish to use similar recording software on Mac. This software is Apple’s own, and it is effortless to record audio with a QuickTime player. All you have to do is choose the option of New Audio Recording from the file menu and select the recording source by clicking on the arrow found next to the record button. Click the Record button to start recording and click the same button to stop recording. The file that you’ve recorded will be saved in AAC format. 

6. Movie maker alternative for macOS – iMovie 

For casual moviemakers, Windows Movie Maker is good software. It is Microsoft’s video editing software and helps casual users to make great movies. However, if you are interested in making movies, you don’t have to be disappointed. Apple has its Movie Maker alternative, and it is known as iMovie. Casual as well as professional users can use this software. iMovie comes packed with advanced video editing tools and options. When compared to Windows Movie Maker, it is said that iMovie is a much better video editing software because of its additional features. 

7. Photos app – Windows Photo Gallery alternative for Mac

As a Windows user, you already know that Photo Gallery is where all your photos are organized on your Windows desktop. It is a part of the Windows Live Essentials suite, and a recommend download for desktop users. Are you looking for such a photo organization application on your macOS? The best alternative is the Photos app. If you’re using macOS X Mavericks or earlier versions, you might want to check out iPhoto.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been a Windows loyalist for a long time, the alternatives mentioned above will help you get comfortable with your Mac device. These alternatives will also ensure zero interruptions in your work after you’ve switched to using Mac. 

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