Here are 10 apps to help switch operating systems

Changing over from Windows to Mac or vice versa is not easy for most of us. ET give you a list of apps available on Windows as well as Mac for any user.

MICROSOFT OFFICE 365
While it costs Rs 3,300 a year, Office 365 is the best document editor available. Microsoft updates it regularly with security patches and useful add-ons and most users are comfortable with its user interface—commonly used in school and offices. You get Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote as well as Outlook. The price includes 1TB cloud storage space on OneDrive.

VLC MEDIA PLAYER

VLC arrived later on the Mac OS X platform but its become our favourite media player in the same way it is on Windows. The interface is the same and so is the capability of being able to play a majority of audio and video formats. You can create Playlists, use third party subtitles and adjust how they appear on video.

CCLEANER

Both Mac and Windows OS tend to store junk files in the form of temporary folders and files, cookies and leftover files on app removal. Finding individual files is not possible and this is where CCleaner proves to be handy. The junk cleaner app offers a plethora of options to clean your computer as well as tools to keep it functioning smoothly.

BROWSERS

Thankfully, there is no issue with third party browsers on both systems. You can get Chrome, Firefox as well as Opera for Windows as well as Mac. If you have signed into the browsers with an account, all your browsing history and bookmarks are also synced with the new system immediately. You will not have any issues with additional extension or plug-in as they work irrespective of the desktop operating system.

ANTIVIRUS

While it’s still believed the Mac is safe from virus and malware, it is no longer the case. As Windows users were more in number, it was a much more lucrative target than Mac. It is recommended that you get a good Antivirus software system for your desktop immediately to safeguard against viruses and malware. If you don’t want to spend money, you can look at solution from AVG or Avast. However, we recommend going for the Norton security suite for overall protection.

PREY ANTI-THEFT

Mac OS X had a built-in anti-theft system called Find my Mac whereas Windows users recently got a similar system with Windows 10. However, there is a third party antitheft app also available called Prey that works across desktop operating systems and is easy to install. It runs in the background and can be activated in case you lose your computer or its stolen. To use the tracking option, you will need to buy a Pro account—you can purchase it even after losing your computer.

GIMP

As a free photo editor, GIMP gives you loads of professional level features that are usually available on apps such on Adobe Photoshop. It has support for multiple image formats and even supports editing with layers.

LASTPASS

Everyone today has multiple accounts for which a password is required and that is where password managers are handy. LastPass is the password manager we recommend for its ease of use and the fact that it can automatically auto change your passwords when required.

EVERNOTE

We have recommended Evernote earlier also as the best app for taking and managing your notes. It has clients for Windows as well as Mac and it keeps things neatly synced between multiple devices too.

FLUX

Using computers in low light strains your eyes. Flux is a free app that automatically adjusts the temperature of your laptop or desktop display to reduce strain on your eyes. You just need to set it up once by feeding your location in the settings—Flux automatically adjusts the screen temperature according to the time of the day for you.