5 Terrible macOS Features (And the Best Apps to Fix Them)

Some Mac features feel like they’ve been stuck in 2015. While Apple’s ecosystem is known for being user-friendly, there are a few built-in tools that just don’t cut it for power users. After years of frustration, I’ve found third-party apps that not only fix Apple’s sweak spots but also make my Mac life so much better. Here are my top picks and why I can’t live without them:

The Problem:

Spotlight gets the job done, but it’s slow and clunky. It’s fine for opening apps or doing a quick web search, but if you need to find files or do anything more advanced, it falls short.

The Fix:

Raycast is like Spotlight on steroids. It’s fast, customizable, and doesn’t require touching the mouse. I use it to search files, apps, and even browser bookmarks in seconds. Plus, it has shortcuts for things like checking stock prices, toggling system settings, and managing my clipboard history. The plugins are a huge bonus—they let me add features I actually need.

The Problem:

Spotlight gets the job done, but it’s slow and clunky. It’s fine for opening apps or doing a quick web search, but if you need to find files or do anything more advanced, it falls short.

The Fix:

Raycast is like Spotlight on steroids. It’s fast, customizable, and doesn’t require touching the mouse. I use it to search files, apps, and even browser bookmarks in seconds. Plus, it has shortcuts for things like checking stock prices, toggling system settings, and managing my clipboard history. The plugins are a huge bonus—they let me add features I actually need.

The Problem:

Spotlight gets the job done, but it’s slow and clunky. It’s fine for opening apps or doing a quick web search, but if you need to find files or do anything more advanced, it falls short.

The Fix:

Raycast is like Spotlight on steroids. It’s fast, customizable, and doesn’t require touching the mouse. I use it to search files, apps, and even browser bookmarks in seconds. Plus, it has shortcuts for things like checking stock prices, toggling system settings, and managing my clipboard history. The plugins are a huge bonus—they let me add features I actually need.

The Problem:

Apple Dictation is not great. It messes up technical terms, ignores punctuation, and takes forever to process. Trying to write an email or document with it usually ends in frustration.

The Fix:

WillowVoice uses AI to make dictation actually useful. It formats emails, adds commas where I pause, and even handles niche terms perfectly. It’s the fastest dictation app I’ve found, and I use it for everything—drafting Slack messages, adding code comments, and even brainstorming ChatGPT prompts.

The Problem:

Apple Dictation is not great. It messes up technical terms, ignores punctuation, and takes forever to process. Trying to write an email or document with it usually ends in frustration.

The Fix:

WillowVoice uses AI to make dictation actually useful. It formats emails, adds commas where I pause, and even handles niche terms perfectly. It’s the fastest dictation app I’ve found, and I use it for everything—drafting Slack messages, adding code comments, and even brainstorming ChatGPT prompts.

The Problem:

Apple Dictation is not great. It messes up technical terms, ignores punctuation, and takes forever to process. Trying to write an email or document with it usually ends in frustration.

The Fix:

WillowVoice uses AI to make dictation actually useful. It formats emails, adds commas where I pause, and even handles niche terms perfectly. It’s the fastest dictation app I’ve found, and I use it for everything—drafting Slack messages, adding code comments, and even brainstorming ChatGPT prompts.

The Problem:

QuickTime is fine for basic screen recording, but it’s clunky and lacks editing features. The files it creates are huge, and sharing them is a hassle. Plus, it can’t record system audio —only microphone input.

The Fix:

1001 Record is the ultimate screen recording tool. Not only does it let you record both system audio and microphone input simultaneously, but it also includes built-in editing features. You can trim clips, add annotations, and even export in high-quality formats. It’s perfect for creating tutorials, demos, or any content where you need both screen and audio recording.

The Problem:

QuickTime is fine for basic screen recording, but it’s clunky and lacks editing features. The files it creates are huge, and sharing them is a hassle. Plus, it can’t record system audio —only microphone input.

The Fix:

1001 Record is the ultimate screen recording tool. Not only does it let you record both system audio and microphone input simultaneously, but it also includes built-in editing features. You can trim clips, add annotations, and even export in high-quality formats. It’s perfect for creating tutorials, demos, or any content where you need both screen and audio recording.

The Problem:

QuickTime is fine for basic screen recording, but it’s clunky and lacks editing features. The files it creates are huge, and sharing them is a hassle. Plus, it can’t record system audio —only microphone input.

The Fix:

1001 Record is the ultimate screen recording tool. Not only does it let you record both system audio and microphone input simultaneously, but it also includes built-in editing features. You can trim clips, add annotations, and even export in high-quality formats. It’s perfect for creating tutorials, demos, or any content where you need both screen and audio recording.

The Problem:

Apple Notes is simple, but it’s too basic for serious note-taking. It lacks advanced formatting, organization features, and syncing can be hit or miss.

The Fix:

UpNote is what Apple Notes should be. It has nested folders, rich formatting (like code blocks and tables), and syncs instantly across devices. I use it for everything from meeting notes to project planning—it’s my go-to for staying organized.

The Problem:

Apple Notes is simple, but it’s too basic for serious note-taking. It lacks advanced formatting, organization features, and syncing can be hit or miss.

The Fix:

UpNote is what Apple Notes should be. It has nested folders, rich formatting (like code blocks and tables), and syncs instantly across devices. I use it for everything from meeting notes to project planning—it’s my go-to for staying organized.

The Problem:

Apple Notes is simple, but it’s too basic for serious note-taking. It lacks advanced formatting, organization features, and syncing can be hit or miss.

The Fix:

UpNote is what Apple Notes should be. It has nested folders, rich formatting (like code blocks and tables), and syncs instantly across devices. I use it for everything from meeting notes to project planning—it’s my go-to for staying organized.

The Problem:

AirPlay is fine for casual use, but it’s far from perfect. It’s often laggy, especially when streaming high-quality content, and it doesn’t handle file transfers or multi-device setups well.

The Fix:

1001 TVs is the ultimate solution for screen mirroring and file sharing. It’s fast, reliable, and doesn’t just stop at screen mirroring—it also makes file sharing between devices a breeze. Whether you’re streaming a video, presenting to a client, or transferring large files, 1001 TVs handles it all.

The Problem:

AirPlay is fine for casual use, but it’s far from perfect. It’s often laggy, especially when streaming high-quality content, and it doesn’t handle file transfers or multi-device setups well.

The Fix:

1001 TVs is the ultimate solution for screen mirroring and file sharing. It’s fast, reliable, and doesn’t just stop at screen mirroring—it also makes file sharing between devices a breeze. Whether you’re streaming a video, presenting to a client, or transferring large files, 1001 TVs handles it all.

The Problem:

AirPlay is fine for casual use, but it’s far from perfect. It’s often laggy, especially when streaming high-quality content, and it doesn’t handle file transfers or multi-device setups well.

The Fix:

1001 TVs is the ultimate solution for screen mirroring and file sharing. It’s fast, reliable, and doesn’t just stop at screen mirroring—it also makes file sharing between devices a breeze. Whether you’re streaming a video, presenting to a client, or transferring large files, 1001 TVs handles it all.

1. Spotlight → Raycast

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2. Apple Dictation → WillowVoice

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3. QuickTime → 1001 Record

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4. Apple Notes → UpNote

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5. AirPlay → 1001 TVs

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Table of Content

1. Spotlight → Raycast

2. Apple Dictation → WillowVoice

3. QuickTime → 1001 Record

4. Apple Notes → UpNote

5. AirPlay → 1001 TVs