The 6 steps I take to make Home windows 11 feel and look extra like macOS

The graphical consumer interfaces of each Windows 11 and macOS Sequoia are already fairly related — in any case, each working methods have taken inspiration from each other for many years at this level.

That being stated, there are nonetheless quite a lot of apps, instruments, extensions, and different utilities that may take issues to the following degree. They are saying that imitation is the sincerest type of flattery, and so listed here are 5 issues you are able to do to show your Windows 11 PC into one thing resembling more of a Mac.

1 Heart your Home windows 11 taskbar

The best technique to bestow a Mac-like look onto your Home windows desktop

By far essentially the most straight ahead and user-accessible technique of macOS-ifying your Home windows PC’s interface, is by opting to middle your taskbar. The choice is ready this manner by default on recent installations of Home windows 11, however in case it isn’t, observe these steps:

1. Click on on the Settings app.
2. Navigate to Personalization > Taskbar.
3. Scroll down till you see Taskbar behaviors.
4. Click on on the Taskbar alignment drop-down menu after which click on on Heart.

Identical to that, all of your pinned icons will probably be shuffled to the middle of your taskbar, versus the traditional left-justification. This format has its professionals and cons when in comparison with the standard Home windows type, nevertheless it undoubtedly offers a extra macOS dock-like feel and look.

In case your PC runs Windows 10, you then will not discover the choice to middle your taskbar inside the Settings app. As a substitute, you may must depend on third-party utilities — some standard options on the market embody:

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2 Invert the colour of your mouse cursor

A easy pallette swap can go a good distance

For a few years, Home windows has shipped with a white coloured mouse cursor by default. In distinction, macOS has historically include a black cursor out-of-the-box. Fortunately, it is reasonably straightforward to customise the looks of the arrow pointer throughout each working methods.

To be able to swap your default Home windows cursor from its regular white colour to one thing extra akin to macOS, observe these steps:

1. Navigate to the Settings app through the Begin Menu, the search interface, or the Fast Settings panel.
2. Head to Bluetooth & units > Mouse > Mouse Pointer > Mouse pointer type.
3. Faucet or click on on the Black pointer theme to pick out it.

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3 Obtain the Movement Launcher app

Movement Launcher

A macOS Highlight-esque app that brings speedy file looking capabilities to Home windows.

Should you’re one of many many individuals who disapprove of Microsoft’s fashionable OS search implementation inside the Start Menu, then Movement Launcher is a superb different. The app is free and open-source, and it is analogous in design to Apple’s glorious Mac Spotlight search interface.

The app consists of choices to configure a customizable hotkey to set off the search window, quite a lot of theming choices, in addition to a complete community-driven ecosystem of plugins. Alternatively, the free Fluent Search app out there on the Microsoft Retailer affords the same expertise, with a easy design that extra carefully resembles Fluent Design principles.

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4 Obtain the QuickLook app

Unlock a macOS Preview-style expertise for Home windows

QuickLook

An app that brings a macOS-like Preview interface to the Home windows OS.

One of the helpful macOS options is the built-in Fast Look Preview software, which lets you rapidly look at nearly any file, with out having to open a devoted app to take action. Should you’re transitioning over from macOS to Home windows and miss the comfort of Preview, then the free QuickLook app is a must-download.

The app works equally to its macOS equivalent, permitting you to ‘peak’ at paperwork, photographs, movies, and extra just by highlighting a file and urgent the Spacebar. QuickLook works like a attraction whereas providing a pleasing design language, and for my part, it bridges a significant hole between macOS and Home windows.

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5 Obtain all the suite of Apple-published apps from the Microsoft Retailer

Sure, Apple publishes apps on the Microsoft Retailer, they usually’re fairly good

The legacy iTunes program has been out there for Home windows PCs for a lot of, a few years now, nevertheless it’s akin to abandonware in 2024. Fortunately, Apple has lately taken the freedom to port over a few of its main service-based apps to the Microsoft Retailer on Home windows.

It goes with out saying that if you wish to make your Home windows 11 PC function extra like a Mac, then downloading these Apple apps is a should. They’re surprisingly well-built, profiting from Microsoft’s newest growth instruments and interface pointers. Whereas we could not have iMessage or FaceTime apps on Home windows anytime quickly, there is a rising number of apps out there from Apple.

The next Apple-published apps can be found for obtain immediately from the Microsoft Retailer:

Moreover, for those who use a Chromium-based net browser like Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome in your Home windows PC, then take into account downloading Apple’s iCloud Passwords extension for some added net login integration.

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6 Obtain the MyDockFinder app

One of the best all-in-one answer for a complete macOS makeover

MyDockFinder

A full-fledged Home windows Shell alternative app that brings the macOS dock and menu bar expertise to Microsoft’s OS.

Final however not least, for those who really wish to rework your Home windows 11 working system into one thing carefully resembling macOS, then there’s the nuclear selection: MyDockFinder. This app ports over the Mac dock, menu bar, Management Heart, and different interfaces to Home windows, whereas additionally providing further customization choices from the get-go.

MyDockFinder could be downloaded through the Steam storefront, with a one-time charge of $5. There are different third-party choices out there for emulating the macOS interface — together with Rainmeter, RocketDock, and others — however I discover MyDockFinder to be essentially the most polished and least fiddly possibility on the market.

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