5 Useful macOS Apps that Everyone should have in 2024

# Summary

The article lists five essential macOS applications for 2024, including Macs Fan Control, TextGrabber, Raycast, MacWhisper, and FreeTube, each offering unique features to enhance user experience on Mac computers.

# Abstract

The author presents a curated selection of macOS applications deemed highly beneficial for users in 2024. These applications address various needs, from managing fan speeds with Macs Fan Control to extracting text from screenshots using TextGrabber. Raycast is highlighted for its ability to streamline workflow efficiency, while MacWhisper leverages OpenAI's Whisper AI for accurate voice-to-text transcription with a strong emphasis on privacy. Lastly, FreeTube offers an ad-free and privacy-focused YouTube experience. The article emphasizes the utility of these apps, suggesting that some of their features should be integrated into macOS by Apple.

# Opinions

- The author believes that Macs Fan Control is particularly useful for addressing overheating issues in MacBook Pro models and is suitable for both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
- TextGrabber is praised for its user-friendly text extraction from screenshots without cluttering the Mac with unnecessary files.
- Raycast is highly recommended for its significant impact on improving productivity and ease of use on a Mac, with its benefits being recognized both in 2023 and 2024.
- MacWhisper is commended for its extensive list of features, including support for multiple languages, various export options, and the ability to handle sensitive audio with on-device processing.
- The free version of MacWhisper is noted to have 'okay' accuracy, with a suggestion to upgrade to the Pro version or use a larger Whisper model for improved performance.
- FreeTube is endorsed as a valuable tool for accessing YouTube content without ads or privacy concerns, especially in light of YouTube's efforts to combat adblockers.

1. Macs Fan Control

Macs Fan Control UI

This app controls the fan speed of Mac (MacBook Pro/Air, iMac, etc.). This solves the overheating problems often found on MacBook Pro models by allowing you to go full blast! The app works with both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs (e.g., M1, M2, M3 series).

I use the free version with no problem, but the app also offers extra features in the full version.

2. TextGrabber

TextGrabber is a free app that lets you extract text from screenshots! Yes, I know macOS has this feature built-in, but TextGrabber is much easier to work with because it doesn’t clutter your Mac with temporary screenshots. You just activate it and select the region which includes some text. The app then extract that text and puts it in your clipboard so you can paste it!

This app sits in your menu bar and is activated using CMD-SHIFT-2.

4. MacWhisper

MacWhisper uses OpenAI’s Whisper AI model to convert voice to text. The free version comes with these features:

Easily record and transcribe audio files on your Mac

Just drag and drop audio files to get a high quality transcription

Record directly from your microphone or any other input device on your Mac

All transcription is done on your device, no data leaves your machine. This makes MacWhisper a great app for sensitive audio such as interviews.

Save or export your transcripts as a .whisper file, which includes the original audio and all your transcription edits for easy sharing

.srt & .vtt subtitles export as well as csv, dote, docx, pdf and html exports

Metal and GPU support for extremely fast transcription

Get accurate text transcriptions in seconds (up to ~30x realtime)

Search the entire transcript and highlight words

Audio playback and syncing to transcripts

Supports 100 different languages

Copy the entire transcript or individual sections

Star/Favorite segments

Compact mode (hide timestamps)

Automatically remove ums, uhhs and other similar filler words

Drag and drop directly from Voice Memos

Edit and delete segments from the transcript

Add up to two speakers manually

Select transcription language (or use auto detect)

Supported formats: mp3, wav, m4a, mov and mp4 videos.

Supports Tiny, Base and Small transcription qualities (and you can compare the transcription quality between all quality levels)

The free version uses the smallest Whisper model which has okay accuracy. For better performance, I recommend buying the Pro version, although you can add your own larger Whisper model and “trick” the app to use that instead of the small one!

5. FreeTube

FreeTube allows you to view YouTube without ads and privacy concerns. Think of it as a sandboxed area where you can visit YouTube, follow pages, etc. without even logging in to your Google account! And with YouTube cracking down on adblockers, projects like FreeTube are even more useful and necessary than ever before.

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5 Useful macOS Apps that Everyone should have in 2024

1. Macs Fan Control

2. TextGrabber

3. Raycast

4. MacWhisper

5. FreeTube