You asked for the links, so here they are. All 15 apps are free and open source. Pick two or three, install them today, and your Mac already feels different.
The 5 from the post
1. MacTap. Knock on your MacBook to run a shortcut. One, two or three knocks become copy, paste, screenshot or play. Needs an M2 or newer MacBook, or an M1 Pro/Max.
2. Textream. A teleprompter that follows your voice. It highlights each word as you say it, right under your camera. No sign up.
3. Clop. Shrinks images the moment you copy them, and nothing leaves your Mac. Clipboard shrinking is free forever. Unlimited files is a one time €15.
4. MacPacker. Open a ZIP without extracting it. Browse the archive like a folder and drag out only the file you need. 41 formats.
5. Startup Folder. Drop apps, links, scripts or Shortcuts into one folder and they launch when your Mac starts.
10 more you haven't seen
6. Rectangle. Snap windows to halves, thirds and corners with a keyboard shortcut or by dragging to the screen edge. The window manager macOS should have shipped with. rectangleapp.com
7. Maccy. A clipboard history you search from the keyboard. Copy ten things, paste any of them later. Needs macOS 14 or newer. maccy.app
8. Stats. CPU, memory, disk, network, battery and temperature, live in your menu bar. You see what is slowing your Mac down before you go hunting for it. mac-stats.com
9. AltTab. Switch between windows with previews, the way Windows does it. Every open window, not just every app. alt-tab.app
10. IINA. A modern video player built for the Mac. Plays almost any file, with subtitles, playlists and picture in picture. iina.io
11. Ice. Hide the menu bar icons you never click and bring them back when you need them. A clean menu bar in two minutes. icemenubar.app
12. MonitorControl. Control the brightness and volume of your external monitor from your Mac keyboard, with the normal macOS overlay. monitorcontrol.app
13. LinearMouse. Set scrolling, speed and acceleration separately for your mouse and your trackpad. The fix if your mouse scrolls the wrong way. linearmouse.app
14. KeepingYouAwake. One click in the menu bar and your Mac stays awake, for a set time or until you turn it off. Made for long downloads and presentations. keepingyouawake.app
15. LocalSend. Send files between your Mac, iPhone, Android or Windows PC over your own WiFi. No internet, no account, no cloud. localsend.org
Where to start: if you only install three, go with Rectangle, Maccy and Ice. Ten minutes total, and you will notice them every single day.
The AI Leverage is where we send the tools worth your time so you keep getting sharper, by bestapps.ai on instagram.
