Alternatives · Software
Best Adobe Acrobat Alternatives for Mac (Including Free Options)
Free and paid options for people replacing Adobe Acrobat on a Mac, and an honest account of what free versions can't do.
2 min read
Atypical Mac User Editors
Guides are researched, written, and maintained by the Atypical Mac User editorial team. Every procedure is checked against the current version of macOS before it is marked as published.
Areas of expertise
- Mac troubleshooting
- Mac storage
- Mac performance
- Mac software
- Mac productivity
Published articles (40)
Alternatives · Productivity
Best Alfred Alternatives
Launcher and productivity-tool options for people replacing Alfred on a Mac, with a clear account of the trade-offs.
2 min read
Alternatives · Storage
Best CleanMyMac Alternatives
Options for people replacing CleanMyMac: what each alternative does, what you give up, and which free tools cover the same jobs.
1 min read
Best of · Productivity
Best Clipboard Managers for Mac
What a clipboard manager adds to macOS, which features matter, and how the main options compare.
2 min read
Best of · Storage
Best Duplicate File Finders for Mac
A comparison of Mac duplicate file finders, judged on matching accuracy, safety, and how clearly they show what they are about to delete.
2 min read
Best of · Storage
Best Mac Cleaning Software
How Mac cleaning and disk-analysis apps differ, what they can and can't safely remove, and how we will test them before recommending any.
2 min read
Best of · Performance
Best Mac Optimization Software
A sceptical look at Mac optimization tools: what they can genuinely improve, what is marketing, and how we will evaluate them.
2 min read
Best of · Software
Best NTFS Software for Mac
How to read and write Windows NTFS drives on a Mac, including what macOS does natively and how third-party drivers differ.
2 min read
Alternatives · Software
Best Parallels Desktop Alternatives
Virtualization options for Mac users replacing Parallels Desktop, including what each can run and when you can skip a VM altogether.
2 min read
Best of · Software
Best PDF Editors for Mac
How Mac PDF editors compare for editing text, filling forms, signing, and OCR, and how we will test them before recommending any.
2 min read
Best of · Productivity
Best Window Managers for Mac
Window management tools for Mac compared: what macOS now does natively, and where third-party tiling and snapping apps still help.
3 min read
Review · Storage
CleanMyMac Review
What CleanMyMac does, who it is for, where it overlaps with free macOS tools, and what we still have to test before we rate it.
2 min read
Comparison · Storage
CleanMyMac vs DaisyDisk
CleanMyMac or DaisyDisk? Two Mac storage tools that do different jobs, compared side by side with a research-based view of who needs which.
1 min read
Productivity
Essential Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
The Mac keyboard shortcuts worth learning first, grouped by what you're trying to do.
4 min read
Software
Free vs Paid Mac Apps: How to Decide
A practical framework for deciding when a free Mac app is enough and when paying makes sense.
3 min read
Software
How to Check Whether a Mac App Is Safe to Install
What Gatekeeper, notarization and permissions do, and a practical routine for vetting an app before you run it.
4 min read
Storage
How to Clear Cache on Mac Safely
Which caches are safe to clear on a Mac, how to do it app by app, and which to leave alone.
4 min read
Storage
How to Find and Delete Duplicate Files on Mac
How to find duplicate files with built-in tools and Terminal, and how to remove them without breaking photo libraries or app data.
3 min read
Troubleshooting
How to Fix an App That Keeps Crashing on Mac
How to work out why an app quits or freezes, and the fixes in order of risk.
3 min read
Troubleshooting
How to Fix an External SSD Not Showing Up on Mac
What to try when an external SSD won't mount or appear in Finder, from cables and ports to Disk Utility and file-system problems.
3 min read
Performance
How to Fix High CPU Usage on Mac
How to identify which process is using too much CPU on a Mac, decide whether it is safe to stop, and fix the usual causes.
3 min read
Troubleshooting
How to Fix MacBook Battery Draining Overnight
Why a MacBook loses charge while closed or asleep, and how to track down the cause with built-in tools.
3 min read
Performance
How to Fix MacBook Overheating
Why a MacBook gets hot, how to tell normal warmth from a problem, and the fixes that actually reduce heat.
3 min read
Troubleshooting
How to Fix Wi-Fi Disconnecting on Mac
A structured way to work out whether Wi-Fi drops are caused by the Mac, the router, or interference, with fixes in order of risk.
3 min read
Storage
How to Reduce System Data on Mac Without Losing Files
A cautious, step-by-step approach to shrinking System Data using Apple's own tools first, with a clear line between safe and risky actions.
3 min read
Productivity
How to Snap and Tile Windows on Mac Without Extra Apps
What macOS can do natively to arrange windows, and where a third-party window manager still helps.
2 min read
Productivity
How to Use Clipboard History on Mac
What macOS's clipboard can and can't remember, and the options for keeping a history.
3 min read
Software
Mac Virtualization Explained: Do You Need a Virtual Machine?
What virtual machines are, what they're for on a Mac, and the cases where you don't need one.
2 min read
Review · Software
Parallels Desktop Review
What Parallels Desktop does, who it is for, what to check on an Apple silicon Mac, and what we still have to test before we rate it.
1 min read
Comparison · Software
Parallels vs VMware Fusion
Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion? A side-by-side comparison for Mac users who need to run Windows or Linux, with a research-based view of who should pick which.
1 min read
Review · Software
PDF Expert Review
What PDF Expert does, who it is for, how it compares with Preview and Acrobat, and what we still have to test before we rate it.
1 min read
Comparison · Software
PDF Expert vs Adobe Acrobat
PDF Expert or Adobe Acrobat? A side-by-side comparison of two Mac PDF editors, with a research-based view of who should pick which.
1 min read
Comparison · Productivity
Rectangle vs Magnet
Rectangle or Magnet? A side-by-side comparison of two Mac window snappers, with a research-based view of who should pick which.
1 min read
Review · Software
Setapp Review
What Setapp does, who it is for, how to tell whether the subscription pays off, and what we still have to test before we rate it.
2 min read
Troubleshooting
Why Is My MacBook Not Charging?
What to check when a MacBook won't charge: the cable, adapter, port, and settings, and when it's a battery or hardware fault.
3 min read
Performance
Why Is WindowServer Using So Much CPU?
What the WindowServer process does, why it can use a lot of CPU, and how displays, windows, and transparency settings affect it.
2 min read
Troubleshooting
Why Won't My Mac Start Up?
A step-by-step approach to a Mac that won't power on, hangs at the logo, or restarts in a loop, with the key combinations for Apple silicon and Intel.
4 min read
Best of · Software
Best Backup Software for Mac
Time Machine, cloning tools, and cloud backup solve different problems. Here's how the main Mac backup options compare, and which fits which kind of user.
6 min read
Performance
Why Is My MacBook Running Slowly?
A step-by-step way to find out why your MacBook feels slow, from Activity Monitor and storage to login items, browsers, and heat, before you spend a cent.
7 min read
Storage
Why Is System Data Taking Up So Much Space on Mac?
System Data is the vaguest bucket in macOS storage. Here's what it actually contains, how to measure it yourself, and which parts are safe to shrink.
8 min read
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