Changing the operating system can be very difficult for those who have been accustomed to doing the same system for a long time, especially because of the interface and different software that you have to learn to use. In the case of Windows users who decide to start using the Mac, this is even more noticeable, but it is still possible to adapt without so much trouble these days. One of the most important things to help with this transition is to know the Mac equivalent applications you used in Windows. To help you with this, we have prepared a list of all the most important software you need to know about the Apple system, so check it out below!
1. Task Manager – Activity Monitor
Whenever we have a problem with Windows, it is customary to use Task Manager to find out what went wrong or to see what apps are consuming PC features. On the Mac, it’s not that different, but the program used is called Activity Monitor.
Unfortunately, there is no simple shortcut to opening Activity Monitor, so you can either search for it and open it through Spotlight or pin it to your application dock.
2. Command Prompt – Terminal
Another useful feature of Windows is the Command Prompt, which everyone has ever used to solve a problem, find out their IP or even search for files faster.
On the Mac, you have something similar to the Terminal, which can be found in the “Utilities” tab within the “Applications” folder. It just is not as intuitive as what we have in Windows.
3. Cortana – Siri and Spotlight
If you used Windows 10 before switching to the Mac, you may already have some familiarity with Cortana, Microsoft’s virtual assistant. Basically, it can help you find files, programs and do research, among other things.
On the Mac, you can count on Siri if you want to use more voice commands and a custom experience or Spotlight if you want something more straightforward and conventional. To use Siri, press and hold the “Command” and “Space” keys, while using Spotlight you only need to press these keys quickly.
4. Notepad – TextEdit
Windows Notepad can be very useful for making quick annotations or texts with a very simple formatting. It works more as an alternative to more complete programs, especially if you’re out of time.
On the Mac, we can say that its equivalent is TextEdit, which works in a very similar way and has a very simple interface to learn how to use. It can be found through a simple search in Spotlight.
5. Microsoft Edge – Safari
In the case of Internet browsers, we have Microsoft Edge as standard Windows and Safari as the Mac standard. Although both are good, most people end up using Firefox, Google Chrome or other popular browsers regardless of operating system. So this ends up depending more on your preference and what you already used on your old computer.
6. Windows Media Player – iTunes
The standard Windows player is Windows Media Player, while on the Mac we have iTunes. The truth is that neither is very nice, but you’re pretty much forced to use iTunes on your Mac, especially if you have an iPhone and want to sync it or update it on your computer.
7. Office – iWork
Finally, it is worth mentioning the text editing programs, spreadsheets and presentations of both systems. On Windows we have Office and on the Mac we have iWork.
Both packages have applications for different tasks: Word and Pages for text, Excel and Numbers for spreadsheets and Powerpoint and Keynote for presentations. The advantage of the Mac is that iWork is completely free while Word has a very salty price.
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Could you take advantage of these tips to better adapt to the Mac after years of using Windows? Do not forget to leave your comment telling us what you think.
