Mac users are having a sweet moment: Between Apple Silicon, Retina displays, and an ever-growing catalog of apps, the Mac has become a beast of a machine. for work, play, and creation. But of course, many also have a Windows PC, a Linux laptop, or even a gaming rig that they use "only for gaming" and that they could better integrate into their daily lives.
If that's your case and you're wondering What software can you use simultaneously on Mac, Windows, and other systems, and how to choose your tools wiselyHere's a guide designed just for you. We'll combine real recommendations from tech journalists, standout native macOS apps, and a good handful of cross-platform alternatives to help you build a solid, flexible, and unencumbered software ecosystem.
Essential desktop applications for Mac (and some for Windows too)
In recent years, various editors and writers in technology media have been compiling his “great discoveries” in desktop software, especially on Mac but also on Windows. The result is a very varied list that touches on productivity, creativity, to maximise security and your enjoyment.system management and even local AI tools.
Arc: a browser designed for serious work (macOS)
Arc is a browser that completely breaks with the classic idea of Chrome, Safari, or Firefox: It uses a minimalist sidebar and a tab and workspace system that turns your browser into a control center.It allows you to have tab groups per project, split views, automatic archiving, and contextual shortcuts that greatly reduce the typical chaos of having dozens of tabs open.
Although its development has lost some focus because its creators are concentrating on a new browser with more AI, On Mac, it remains an excellent option for those who live in the browser.However, it does have a learning curve: once you get the hang of it, it's hard to go back to a "traditional" browser.
BCUninstaller: bulk and deep uninstaller (Windows)
Windows users who install and test everything will appreciate BCUninstaller: an open-source tool ready to batch uninstall and clean up stubborn remnantsThe program is capable of removing stubborn software, deleting leftover registry entries, and leaving the system much cleaner than a standard uninstaller.
The reverse of the coin is that Its interface and advanced options might intimidate someone without much experience.It's not an app to just click around indiscriminately, because you could delete something critical. But used wisely, it's one of the best ways to keep your PC running smoothly.
Background Music: Capture system audio on macOS
If you record your screen on a Mac, you'll know that Capturing system sound can be a painBackground Music is an open-source project that adds an audio control layer: you can choose the sound coming from your Mac (browser, app, system) as the input source and record it along with the video.
It's a simple but very effective solution for Content creators, trainers, or anyone who makes video tutorials and needs everything to be heard exactly as it is heard on their Mac.
BusyCal: Advanced calendar for Mac
BusyCal is a powerful alternative to Apple Calendar: It syncs with multiple providers (iCloud, Google, Exchange, and others), places your events in the status bar, and is very persistent with reminders.This makes it ideal for those who live surrounded by meetings and appointments and cannot afford to forget anything.
Furthermore, Editing and creating new appointments is faster than in many conventional calendar appsAnd if you use Setapp on Mac, it's included in the subscription, making it even more appealing for power users.
Focus To-Do: tasks + Pomodoro technique on all your devices
Focus To-Do combines to-do lists and Pomodoro intervals into a single app, and the best part is that It is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.It's perfect if you want to implement a time-blocking system for studying or working, with configurable timers, labels, and basic statistics.
Much of its appeal lies in the fact that Most of its useful features are in the free versionThe paid subscription adds advanced statistics, more alert sounds, and cross-device synchronization, but many users manage just fine without paying.
Freeform: a collaborative digital canvas in the Apple ecosystem
Freeform is a native Apple app that works on Mac and iPhone and acts as an infinite board for pouring ideas, drawings, photos, diagrams or plansThere are third-party alternatives, but having a system-integrated solution with iCloud and real-time collaboration is a significant advantage and makes things even easier. Control Apple devices and share content among themselves.
It is especially useful for plan home renovations, personal projects, or light teamworkbecause several people can complete or modify the same canvas from different Apple devices.
Hand Mirror: Check your camera before the video call
Hand Mirror is one of those utilities that, once you try it, It's unbelievable that they don't come standard with the systemIt's placed in the macOS menu bar and, with a single click, opens a quick preview of your camera to check lighting, background, and framing before entering a video conference.
Instead of the classic trick of opening Photo Booth, Hand Mirror is much more direct, lighter, and faster.Ideal for those who spend the day in video calls.
LM Studio and Ollama: AI models on your Mac
If you want to experiment with AI without relying on the cloud, LM Studio and Ollama are two of the most interesting tools for Mac (especially with powerful Apple Silicon). LM Studio offers a very polished interface for downloading and running language models locally without knowing how to program.You choose a model (like Llama 3.2 3B or Llama 3 7B), download it, and start chatting.
The advantage is twofold: You don't need an internet connection and your data stays on your computerThe speed will depend on the power of your Mac, but with M1, M2, or M3 processors, the performance is more than decent for testing, prototypes, or personal use.
Ollama, for his part, It focuses on downloading and managing open source models such as Llama or MistralMany people combine it with interfaces like AnythingLLM, which connects to Ollama and gives you a ChatGPT-like experience, but completely local on your Mac mini or MacBook.
Microsoft PowerToys, NanaZip, NVIDIA Broadcast, UniGetUI… the arsenal for Windows
On the Windows side, there are also tools that mark a turning point in workflow. For example, Microsoft PowerToys has gone from being a curiosity with few functions to a veritable "toy box" with utilities for remapping keys, improving capture shortcuts, creating advanced docked windows, bulk renaming, and much more.
NanaZip is a fork of 7-Zip adapted for Windows 11: It retains all the capabilities of the classic 7-Zip, but integrates seamlessly into the new context menu., with quick access to compress and decompress RAR, ZIP or 7Z from the Microsoft Store and frequent updates.
If you're worried about audio in noisy environments, NVIDIA Broadcast is another must-have: It uses AI to remove background noise almost completely in real time.It's ideal for creators, streamers, or anyone with noisy equipment (like multiple 3D printers) near the microphone.
For installing and updating programs, UniGetUI lets you manage multiple Windows package managers (Chocolatey, Scoop and Winget) from a graphical interfaceThis way you have almost all your software installable and updatable from a single panel, without having to use the console.
Multiplatform productivity and organization apps
Several writers agree on a handful of tools that stand out precisely because of their ability to work equally well on Mac, Windows, and mobile devicesThis is key if you alternate your MacBook Air M1 with your large-screen gaming PC.
Notion has become a de facto standard: an all-in-one workspace for notes, databases, project management, wikis, and personal organizationYou can use it on Mac, Windows, browsers, iOS, and Android, with templates for almost everything and built-in AI features to lighten repetitive work, including Kanban method on Mac.
NordVPN and Proton VPN represent the security and privacy aspect. NordVPN stands out for its ease of use, convenient applications on all devices, and the ability to access content from other countriesProton VPN, created by the ProtonMail team, focuses especially on privacy, encryption, and a strict no-logs policy.
Other useful pieces in this area are Focus To-Do (already discussed), Things 3 in the Apple ecosystem, Fantastical as an advanced calendar and writing managers like Ulysses, which use Markdown and a clean environment for distraction-free work.
Creative tools: image, video and multimedia editing
For image and video, there are both native Mac and cross-platform options. Pixelmator Pro is the perfect example of Fully optimized image editing app for macOSIt combines a simple interface with advanced tools, system integration, machine learning-based features, and non-destructive editing.
Photoscape X perfectly fills the intermediate step between Paint and Photoshop: It is less complex than the large suites, but much more capable than basic solutionsIdeal for those who want polished results without too much hassle.
RawTherapee is geared towards raw photography: It's a very complete, free RAW editor with a huge arsenal of tools.The downside is that its interface can be somewhat dense and intimidating, but if you dedicate time to it, it competes head-to-head with paid solutions.
On Mac, Darkroom stands out as Photo and video editor with non-destructive sharpening and support for advanced formats such as RAW and ProRAW, iCloud integration and batch processing features; while other names like Spotify, Steam or GOG Galaxy cover the cross-platform entertainment part with games and music on all your devices.
Key cross-platform software: from office applications to 3D editing
For those who alternate between Mac, Windows, and Linux, the important thing is Choose tools that work across all your systems with the least possible friction.so you can switch from the MacBook Air M1 to the gaming PC without noticing a traumatic jump in your workflow.
Navigation and basic drawing: Firefox and Paintbrush
Firefox remains one of the most interesting cross-platform browsers: Sync tabs, bookmarks, history, and passwords across all your devices It doesn't matter if you're running macOS, Windows, or Linux. For those who work on multiple computers simultaneously and want to switch between them without losing context, it's a very solid option.
On macOS, if you miss the legendary Paint program from Windows, Paintbrush sounds like heaven: Its goal is to replicate the light and straightforward experience of MS Paint., with basic drawing and editing tools to get you out of a bind quickly when you don't need anything sophisticated.
Free alternatives to Adobe: GIMP and Blender
If you're looking for powerful but free image and 3D tools, you have two giants of free software: GIMP as an alternative to the Photoshop + Lightroom combination, and Blender as a comprehensive 3D solution.
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) offers this in a single program much of what you cover with classic Adobe appsPhoto editing, layers, masks, advanced filters, and design tools. The learning curve is somewhat different, but today it's a very mature option on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Blender, for its part, encompasses modeling, animation, rendering, sculpting, compositing, and even light CAD functionsIt can replace solutions like SolidWorks or Fusion 360 for many uses, although it has a steeper learning curve. If you work in 3D or want to learn, it's probably the best free, cross-platform option.
Geany: a lightweight editor with the spirit of Notepad++
For lightweight development or quick code editing, Geany is an editor that It is very reminiscent of Notepad++ in appearance and philosophy: fast, discreet, with support for multiple languages and available on various operating systems.
If you're coming from Windows and switching to Mac or Linux, Geany gives you a user-friendly environment, without the complexity of a heavyweight IDE but with more power than a simple text editorIt is ideal for small scripts, configuration files, or medium-sized projects.
LibreOffice and OpenOffice: office suites for all systems
If you want to avoid Microsoft 365 subscriptions but need compatibility with Office documents, LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice are the classic cross-platform alternativesLibreOffice offers an interface closer to that of the Microsoft suite and more frequent updates.
OpenOffice, although somewhat less visually similar to Office, It is perceived by many as more stable in some situationsBoth run on macOS, Windows, and Linux and allow you to work with text, spreadsheets, presentations, and more without a license fee.
JetBrains IDEs: Professional development environments on any system
For serious development, the JetBrains family of IDEs (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm and company) is the benchmark. They offer intelligent autocomplete, advanced refactoring, built-in debugging, and excellent integration with version control systems.all with a consistent interface across Mac, Windows, and Linux.
They are highly customizable, with a huge ecosystem of plugins and native support for dozens of languages and frameworksIf you're a programmer, using the same IDE on your Mac and your gaming PC greatly simplifies your daily work, because you keep shortcuts, settings, and projects aligned.
Other notable applications and very specific use cases
Beyond the generalist ones, there are a number of applications that stand out because to solve very specific problems brilliantlywhether on Mac, Windows, or multiple systems.
Path Finder: The “Supercharged Finder” for macOS
If Apple's Finder falls short for you, Path Finder is a near-total replacement that radically expands what you can do with your filesIt integrates an FTP client, tabs, bookmarks, dual-pane browsing, drag-and-drop temporary stacks, folder comparison and synchronization, working with compressed files, and many customization options.
Also allows View and manage files on USB-connected iOS devices, change shortcuts, manage processes, or work with CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc imagesIt is a paid product (with an annual license or subscription) but for advanced users it can completely change the way they manage their file system.
Tails: a portable and proprietary operating system (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Tails is a Linux distribution in "live" format that It runs from a USB drive without touching the host computer's disk.whether it's Windows, macOS, or Linux. It's designed for tasks that require a high level of privacy and security; if you need more information on how to install Linux on a Mac, you can see how to do it in this guide (Installing Linux on a Mac).
It includes a browser (Tor Browser by default), email client, office tools, and multimedia players. Everything is configured to route traffic through the Tor network and block direct connections without anonymity. It also includes encryption tools to protect files, emails, and messages.
Clubhouse, Yuka, Panels and NieR Recarnation: curious examples on mobile
Although the focus of this article is on desktop software, it is worth mentioning some mobile applications that have set trends in recent years and that integrate well into mixed ecosystems:
- YukaIt analyzes the nutritional quality of food and cosmetic products using barcodes, with a huge database and the possibility of adding new products.
- Panels: comic and graphic novel reader for iPad and Mac, compatible with common formats and cloud services, ideal for managing large libraries.
- Clubhouse: a social network of audio rooms that popularized the format of ephemeral live chats, inspiring similar features on other platforms.
- NieR Recarnation: iOS and Android game with high-quality graphics and a well-developed story, free-to-play but without falling into aggressive "pay to win".
They are good examples of How the mobile app ecosystem can complement your Mac and PC experiencewhether for leisure, health, or content.
Atom and Flatpak: Software development and distribution on Linux
Although Atom is being phased out, many developers remember it as one of the most flexible and "hackable" code editorsIt offers excellent support for Markdown, plugins, and extensive customization. It's built on Electron, the same framework used by many cross-platform PC apps.
Flatpak, on the other hand, looks to the future of Linux distribution: It is a "universal" package format that aims to simplify the installation of applications on different distributions.It allows developers to distribute builds that work on multiple distros at once, with a certain degree of isolation from the base system.
It has its drawbacks (integration problems or some apps that don't work perfectly), but Its adoption in projects like Fedora Silverblue or Kinoite indicates that it could end up being a powerful replacement for traditional packages. in many contexts.
How to choose the best software to combine Mac, PC gaming, and other systems
If you have, for example, a MacBook Air M1 as your main computer and a large-screen Windows tower that you only use for gaming.The key is to think about what you want to move from one device to another and what apps can help you do it seamlessly.
1. Prioritize cross-platform apps for your core workflow
For browsing, organization, notes, basic office tasks, and communication, the most sensible thing is opt for tools that exist on Mac, Windows, and even Linux: browsers like Firefox, office suites like LibreOffice, platforms like Notion, VPN services, etc.
This is how you can take advantage your gaming PC's large screen for writing, editing, or reviewing documents When you feel like changing your environment, without losing anything you have on your Mac.
2. Use native software where performance or integration matters
In tasks where the operating system offers clear advantages (for example, Advanced image editing on Mac with Pixelmator Pro or Photos(or DX12 games on Windows with Steam), it makes sense to use native apps optimized for that platform.
Think of your flow like this: Project management, writing, and organization using multiplatform tools; highly demanding or specific tasks on the system that best supports themYour MacBook Air M1 will run beautifully with native apps optimized for Apple Silicon, while your gaming PC can handle demanding video games or specific simulations.
3. Opt for storage and synchronization that are not dependent on a single system
For that Mac + Windows mix to work well, you need a file and synchronization system that is not tied to a single operating system: cloud (iCloud combined with Google Drive, Dropbox, or others), Git, and even programs to synchronize files and foldersFor programmers, Git is essential, and for general users, cloud solutions are usually sufficient.
Thus, You can quickly reconfigure your gaming PC as a workstation whenever you want. without giving up continuing to use your Mac as a main machine or light laptop.
With this wide range of applications—from browsers like Firefox to local AI tools like LM Studio or Ollama, creative editors like GIMP, Blender, or Pixelmator Pro, free office suites, IDEs from JetBrains, utilities like Path Finder or BusyCal, and security solutions like Tails or Proton VPN—it's relatively easy to build an ecosystem where your Mac and Windows PC complement each other rather than compete; the key is to combine them well. cross-platform software for everyday use with native apps where the system offers its bestso that you can take advantage of the power of all your devices without duplicating efforts or being tied to a single platform.
