5 Essential Mac Apps You Should Always Install First

Freshly unboxed Mac users quickly discover that Apple’s pre-installed apps like Safari, Preview, Notes, iMovie, Pages, and Numbers provide a solid foundation but fall short for advanced workflows. This curated selection of must-have apps elevates productivity, streamlines organization, and unlocks hidden Mac capabilities through intuitive utilities and AI-powered tools. Whether managing storage, updating software, or automating file tasks, these apps transform everyday computing into seamless efficiency.

Raycast: Ultimate Keyboard-Driven Launcher

Raycast redefines Mac navigation as a Spotlight killer, delivering instant access to apps, files, and system controls via keyboard shortcuts alone. Its Spotlight replacement scans your entire system faster and more reliably, surfacing contacts, calculations, calendar events, and app launches in milliseconds. Clipboard history tracks unlimited copies with searchable thumbnails, perfect for designers reusing assets or developers cycling through code snippets.

Window management snaps, resizes, and stacks multiple displays effortlessly—quarter screens, center them, or mirror layouts without trackpad dependency. Snippets store boilerplate emails, code templates, or signatures for one-keystroke insertion. Focus mode silences notifications during deep work, while Quicklinks bookmark frequent sites like GitHub PRs or project docs. The extension store integrates 100+ services: control Spotify playback, fetch Jira tickets, toggle Asana tasks, or query GitHub repos directly from Raycast’s global hotkey (Option+Space). Free core features unlock Pro capabilities for teams at $10/user/month.

Notion: All-in-One Workspace Revolution

Notion’s block-based canvas merges notes, databases, wikis, and task boards into one infinitely flexible workspace. Type ‘/’ to summon 50+ blocks: toggles, callouts, embeds, synced blocks, or linked databases that update across pages. Markdown support renders live previews for developers, while rich text handles formatted reports for executives.

Databases power project trackers with views like Kanban, timeline, gallery, or custom formulas calculating billable hours from time entries. Templates from 10,000+ community designs jumpstart CRMs, habit trackers, or course syllabi—no setup friction. Offline sync ensures road warriors edit during flights, with AI-assisted summaries auto-generating action items from meeting transcripts. Free plan supports unlimited pages for individuals; Plus at $12/month adds guest collaborators and version history for teams.

DaisyDisk: Visual Storage Cleanup Master

DaisyDisk maps your Mac’s drive as interactive sunburst charts, instantly revealing space hogs like duplicate Photos libraries or bloated Xcode caches. Drill into folders with one click to expose hidden megabytes in ~/Library/Caches or iOS simulators. Unlike Finder’s list view, its radial layout proportionally sizes every category—Apps (12GB), Movies (28GB), Downloads (3GB)—making decisions intuitive.

Delete operations preview impacted space before committing, with safe undo and trash routing. Multi-volume scanning covers external SSDs, Time Machine backups, and APFS containers simultaneously. Scan times drop under 2 minutes on Apple Silicon, with real-time updates during downloads. One-time $9.99 Pro license covers 5 Macs with lifetime updates; free version limits deletions but enables unlimited analysis.

Latest: Universal App Updater

Latest patrols every app on your Mac—App Store, Homebrew, .dmg installs, or developer sites—notifying about updates regardless of origin. Dashboard prioritizes critical security patches, displaying changelogs, release dates, and one-click downloads/installs. No more missing buried notifications or manual version checks across 50+ tools.

Recent additions track Homebrew casks and Python packages, auto-resolving dependencies during upgrades. Privacy-focused design scans locally without telemetry, respecting Gatekeeper signatures. Completely free and open-source, it runs unobtrusively in the menu bar with customizable update frequencies.

Substage: AI File Management Copilot

Substage docks below Finder as an AI command center, interpreting natural language to batch-process files instantly. Prompt “Convert all HEIC photos to JPEG and organize by date” to auto-execute across thousands of items. Powered by interchangeable LLMs (OpenAI GPT-4o, Claude 3.5, Mistral Large, local Ollama), it handles complex workflows: “Archive PDFs older than 2024 to ZIP,” “Rename videos by EXIF creation date,” or “Extract text from all invoices into CSV.”

Privacy modes run 100% locally via LM Studio integration, eliminating API costs after one-time setup. Drag-select files in Finder, type intent in Substage, and watch automation unfold with undo history. Subscriptions start at $3.99/month; lifetime $29.99 requires your API keys for cloud models or free local inference.

Quick Setup Guides

Raycast Installation

• Download from official site; drag to Applications.
• Grant Accessibility permissions in System Settings > Privacy.
• Press Option+Space to activate; customize hotkey.
• Browse Extensions store; install Clipboard, Window Manager.
• Pin frequent snippets via Cmd+P > Snippets.

Notion First Page

• Create free account; download Mac app.
• Import existing notes/databases during onboarding.
• Duplicate “Personal Dashboard” template.
• Add /database for tasks; link to calendar.
• Enable offline sync in Settings > Sync.

App Comparison Table

Install these five apps within 30 minutes to unlock your Mac’s full potential—Raycast for speed, Notion for structure, DaisyDisk for space, Latest for currency, Substage for smarts. Regular use compounds productivity gains exponentially.