You have a Mac, or maybe you're responsible for taking care of them at your business. You need an toolkit of apps that help you get out of trouble when your Mac's not working right. Maybe a hard drive needs rebuilding or recovery, the memory needs testing, you're desperate to un-delete files, you need to access to deeper system maintenance, or you simply want to better clean out the debris from old apps, there are several tools you can go to. These are my pick for the best Mac apps, and most indispensable tools, you can have.
When it comes to rebuilding and recovering a hard drive that's not working right, Alsoft's DiskWarrior is peerless in the Mac realm. I don't know a single Mac IT professional worth their salt who doesn't swear by DiskWarrior, because it just works.
Dec 13, 2021 Mac Maintenance App Free Pc; Purchasing a new MacBook is much similar to buying a ticket to a land of fabulous software & apps. In addition to all the free programs offered by Apple to all the fresh Mac owners, there are some extras essential Mac apps too that help to make the most out of your Machine. App maintenance is not only important due to glitches, apps can be upgraded, modified, and much more. Whenever you plan to develop an app, apart from the development cost of the app, it is a smart move to measure the approximate cost of maintaining an app. You have a Mac, or maybe you're responsible for taking care of them at your business. You need an toolkit of apps that help you get out of trouble when your Mac's not working right. Maybe a hard drive needs rebuilding or recovery, the memory needs testing, you're desperate to un-delete files, you need to access to deeper system maintenance, or you simply want to better clean out the.
Welcome to Maintenance Plus. Post and track maintenance tasks as tenants. Review and approve maintenance tasks as owners. Coordinate all maintenance activities as property managers. Speaking of updating software your apps also need to get updated. Do this after you’ve cleaned out and deleted the junk apps you no longer use so you don’t waste your bandwidth or time. Open the “App Store” app and go to “Updates”. Choose “Update All” to update every app that has a new version available.
DiskWarrior excels at rebuilding the directory structure of your Mac's hard drive, and it does so by building a replacement directory instead of trying to patch the existing one. It's a data scavenger, and it's really excellent at its job. Sometimes I've even had success getting data off of physically failing hard drives using DiskWarrior.
- $99.95 - Download now
Techtool Pro 7
Micromat's Techtool Pro 7 isn't just about recovering files off your hard drive, though it can do that. It can also do a thorough test on your Mac's memory modules to see if there are any RAM hardware failures (they do happen), along with things like Techtool Protection, which can more easily recover files that have been thrown in the trash, and eDrive, which lets you create an extra startup partition on your Mac's hard drive (handy for diagnostic maintenance work). Volume cloning, file and disk optimization (defragmenting), network monitoring and more.
It took until the 7.0.2 update before Techtool Pro 7 started support Macs with Fusion drives installed, but now that it does I feel a bit more comfortable about recommending it as a good option for Mac mavens looking for Mac diagnosis and drive repair software.
- $99.99 - Download now
Data Rescue 3
Prosoft's Data Rescue 3 is another disk recovery tool. I've had good luck with it recovering deleted files from my Mac's internal hard drive and external volumes. It doesn't write to the hard drive; it requires an external drive to restore files to. The FileIQ feature is particularly handy if there's an obscure file type you want to recover. Provide Data Rescue 3 with an intact sample of the data you're looking to recover, and it'll sniff it out like a bloodhound.
I've had particular luck in the past with Data Rescue 3 getting back deleted or damaged files from camera cards, especially.
- $99.99 - Download now
OnyX
Because OS X is a Unix-based operating system, you can do a lot more under the hood when you're accessing the operating system from a command line using the Terminal program. But unless you know what you're doing it's really easy to get frustrated. That's where Titanium Software's OnyX comes into play. This free utility gives you access to a huge variety of system maintenance, performance optimization and customization features by adding a graphical user interface to commands that you'd otherwise need to know Unix to be able to do anything with.
OnyX comes in handy when it comes to the deletion of Internet cache files that can screw things up, like DNS and browser caches, or individual system cache files, OnyX is a godsend. You can automate the rebuilding of your Mail mailboxes, Spotlight index and more. You have control over a wide variety of parameters for QuickTime, Safari, iTunes, your login window and more. Just be warned that with great power comes great responsibility: You can really screw things up if you don't know what you're doing. So be careful.
- Free - Download now
AppCleaner
This simple (and free) utility isn't exactly a repair utility but I'll include it anyway, because it comes in handy when it comes time to uninstall an application. Sure, the Mac makes it a lot easier to get rid of unwanted software than Windows, but don't be deceived — even if you've dragged a Mac application icon into the Trash, that doesn't delete the Mac app's entire footprint. Often times the app will leave behind configuration files, cache folders and other remnants that occupy disk space.
AppCleaner does a serviceable job of locating all the files associated with the app, and provides an index so you know just how much space they're taking up. Once you've got them all accounted for, click the Delete button and banish them forever.
- Free - Download now
Your list?
Those are my picks. I'm sure you have a few of your own. Let me know what they are in the comments!
Big MoneyAlmost 1,000 App Store devs earned their first million dollars in 2021
Some App Store developers have had a very good year according to new Sensor Tower numbers.
There’s nothing that makes life easier than home automation, and that’s why smart homes are on the rise. To make things more accessible, many smart home apps can now be accessed on an Apple Watch. Maybe you only need an app for a single smart appliance, like your smart home security system, smart lighting, or smart thermostat, or perhaps you have a whole smart home you’d like to control from one app. Either way, we have you covered with the best smart home apps you can access with a touch of the wrist.
Best security smart home apps
Some of the most common smart home devices are those that secure the home. Whether you want to access your home security app for your video doorbell, smart lock, or nanny cam, these apps can give you that freedom.
August Home
August Home gives you control of your front door, anywhere you are. With the app on your watch, you can lock and unlock the door, give keyless entry to loved ones, view activity reports of who is accessing your home, and more. It’s compatible with August Smart Lock, August Smart Keypad, August Doorbell, and many other smart lock products. You can also integrate it into your smart home systems like Apple HomeKit.
Home+ Security
With Home+ Security, you can manage your entire home security system from your Apple Watch. In addition to seeing who’s at your front door through the video doorbell, the app notifies you of activity through your door and window sensors. It can even alert you of fire and carbon monoxide warnings in your home, all right on your wrist.
Best lighting smart home apps
Smart lighting is incredibly convenient in the world of smart homes. Who wouldn’t want to come home to a well-lit house or turn off the bedroom light without getting out of bed? With these smart lighting apps, you can now access your smart lighting from your wrist without getting up or searching for your phone.
LIFX
With the LIFX lighting app, you can control a whole house of smart lights or even just one from your Apple Watch. The app also allows you to manage groups of lights, set schedules, and even play with different colored lighting for whatever mood you’re in.
Best smart thermostat apps
Since energy costs are among the largest bills for homeowners, smart thermostats are popular since they help conserve energy while you’re away or sleeping. These smart thermostat apps allow you to access your home’s HVAC system from your Apple Watch.
ecobee
Ecobee’s Apple Watch app controls compatible lighting and security devices in addition to your smart thermostat. If you only have the thermostat, though, you can manually adjust the room’s temperature and set comfort schedules to automatically adjust when you’re headed home for the day.
Honeywell
The great thing about Honeywell is that you can schedule thermostat adjustments based on your routine, and it has geofencing technology. This means that if you come home or leave unexpectedly, it will still adjust the temperature so you can save on energy costs.
Best all home automation apps
If you have or are looking to create an entirely automated smart home, it’s frustrating to use separate apps for each of your smart devices and systems. You need a simple app to control all of your smart devices from your Apple Watch, and these apps are some of the best ones.
Total Connect
With Total Connect’s app, you can control your home’s security system, lighting, and temperature from your Apple Watch. It can open your garage door, set schedules for your lights, and remotely adjust your home’s temperature. You can even view live video feeds through your video doorbell and chat with the visitor at your front door. It’s compatible with all the Honeywell smart home products.
Home+
The Home+ app is compatible with your entire Apple HomeKit, from your home’s security cameras and sensors to your smart lighting and thermostat. You can automate your thermostat, view your video camera feed, and switch on or off your lights with one swipe.
HomeDash
Another home automation app that’s compatible with Apple HomeKit, HomeDash is extremely user-friendly and has high-performance capabilities. Even if you’re not all that tech-savvy, you can control your smart home with the simple and easy operation of this app.
Apple Maintenance Program
IFTTT
IFTTT’s app can be accessed on your Apple Watch and gives you the ability to control more than 700 smart home devices. It works with Siri to control your home’s security, thermostat, and lighting, and you can also get weather updates, control your stereo system, and get alerts from thousands of other apps.
Best Free Car Maintenance App
Your smart home devices are meant to make your life easier, so it makes sense that they should be accessible on any smart device you own. Unlike your phone, your Apple Watch is always a touch away, and these smart home apps will be too.