Switching from one operating system to another isn’t as tough as it once was, but you lose little things except your progress
at online slots. The app on this list made my transition from macOS to Windows much easier.
- Flow Launcher
The Windows start menu became far more useful in Windows 10 than it was in earlier versions. The bad news was that the start menu regressed in Windows 11, at least for certain processes.
Flow Launcher borrows heavily from macOS Spotlight, as well as elements of the Windows start menu and other launchers such as Alfred. When you press a specified key combination, a text window appears, allowing you to search applications, files, and even the web from one place.
Of course, Flow launcher does not end there. You can run system commands such as shutdown, shell programs, and your own scripts. The launcher can even be used as a simple calculator without opening any other application.
You can quickly change the app’s look and feel, making it blend in with your system or stand out. The app also allows community-created plugins, so expect more features in the future.
- Ditto Clipboard Manager
Windows 11 includes a fairly strong clipboard manager. Simply pressing the Windows key + V brings up a history of anything you’ve recently copied. For the most part, this works flawlessly.
However, if you’re seeking for a more powerful clipboard manager, Ditto is the app you need, and herbalbear.com is site you need to visit for tips. This can maintain clipboards in sync across several computers, show thumbnails of copied photos in the clipboard list, and provide other useful features.
- AutoText
There are numerous apps available to convert snippets into larger text fragments or even full-blown paragraphs. If you only need to extend a few minor bits, macOS’s text replacement feature is quite powerful. This is less true for Windows.
The good news is that this is easily fixed in AutoText. This is a basic free app (with a business license available) that allows for fast text expansion, ideal for everything from quick email replies to code snippets.
If you require significant templating or other advanced features, you may need to consider a more expensive option such as TextExpander. AutoText, on the other hand, performs flawlessly for straightforward tasks.
- f.lux
Windows 11 includes built-in screen tinting features called Night Light that make your screen easier on your eyes at night. Unfortunately, unlike similar offerings from mobile operating systems and macOS, this feature is not very customizable.
For years, f.lux has been the best option for accurately regulating your screen tint. Not only will f.lux allow you to apply much more extreme tint settings than you would normally find, but you can also be very specific about when and how your screen will change.
While the built-in Windows Night Light changes your screen tint abruptly at scheduled times, f.lux changes the tint so gradually that you barely notice the color shift. I typically only notice when I get up, leave my desk, and then return.
This isn’t a feature that many people will use, but f.lux allows you to control certain Philips Hue lights using the app. Not everyone will use this feature, but it is still useful to have.
