Windows Features Mac Users Still Miss (and What to Use Instead)

Switching from Windows to a Mac is usually less about losing capability and more about losing familiar habits. The Start menu, a permanent taskbar and File Explorer are things many people use almost without thinking.

The good news is that macOS already covers most of those jobs. The names, shortcuts and approach are simply different. A few excellent Mac utilities can fill the remaining gaps, but it is worth trying the built-in option first rather than installing a collection of “must-have” apps on day one.

There are also a few areas where Windows still has a genuine advantage: the breadth of PC games, specialist business software and tools that rely on Windows-only drivers. This guide explains both sides, with practical Mac alternatives where they make sense.

If you have only just made the move, start with our guide to the most common questions Windows users have when switching to a Mac. It covers the everyday differences such as closing apps, installing software and using familiar keyboard commands.

Windows Feature vs Mac Equivalent: The Quick Answer

What many Windows users miss	Start with this on your Mac	Add this only if you need more
Start menu and quick launching	Spotlight (Command + Space)	Alfred for clipboard history, snippets and launching apps
Snipping Tool	macOS Screenshot app (Shift + Command + 5) and Markup	CleanShot X for scrolling captures, redaction and sharing
Taskbar and window list	Dock, Command + Tab, Mission Control and window tiling	uBar for a Windows-style taskbar
File Explorer	Finder, Quick Look, tags, Smart Folders and Quick Actions	Path Finder for a dual-pane, power-user file manager
Right-click actions and shortcuts	Contextual menus, Services, Quick Actions and Shortcuts	BetterTouchTool for custom triggers and menus
Windows-only apps	Native Mac or browser-based version first	CrossOver or Windows in a virtual machine
PC gaming	Native Mac games and compatible controllers	Cloud gaming, CrossOver or a carefully tested Windows setup
Extensive keyboard and shortcut customisation	Keyboard Shortcuts and the Shortcuts app	BetterTouchTool, Karabiner-Elements or Hammerspoon

1. The Start Menu and Quick App Launching

The Windows Start menu remains a very efficient way to launch an app, search for a document or jump into a system setting. macOS does not have a direct visual equivalent, but Spotlight is the built-in replacement most people need.

Press Command + Space, type the name of an app, file, folder or setting, and press Return. Spotlight also handles simple calculations, unit conversions and searches through many items on your Mac. It is faster than opening Launchpad or digging through the Applications folder once the shortcut becomes second nature.

For most people, that is enough. If you work from the keyboard all day, Alfred is a worthwhile upgrade rather than a prerequisite. Its free core is a powerful app and file launcher; its optional Powerpack adds features such as clipboard history, text snippets and custom keyboard shortcuts. That makes it especially useful for repetitive editorial, research and support tasks.

Best approach: learn Command + Space first. Add Alfred only when you know you want its extra automation features.

2. Snipping Tool and Screenshots

The old idea that Macs have only a basic screenshot shortcut is out of date. macOS includes a proper Screenshot app with capture and recording controls:

• Shift + Command + 3 captures the whole screen.
• Shift + Command + 4 captures a selected area; press Space after using it to capture a window.
• Shift + Command + 5 opens the full screenshot and screen-recording panel, including a timer and save-location controls.

After taking a capture, click the small preview that appears on screen to crop, annotate or share it with Markup. Preview is also excellent for adding arrows, shapes and text to an image or PDF.

CleanShot X is the upgrade to consider if screenshots are part of your job. It adds long scrolling captures, easy redaction, capture history, pinned screenshots, polished screen recording and quick sharing. It is very good, but it is not necessary merely to replace Snipping Tool.

3. The Windows Taskbar

The Dock is deliberately simpler than the Windows taskbar. It is good for keeping favourite apps within reach, but it does not always make it obvious which window you need when several apps and displays are open.

Before replacing it, give the built-in window tools a proper try:

• Use Command + Tab to switch between open apps.
• Hold Command and keep pressing Tab to move through the app switcher.
• Use Mission Control to see open windows and desktops at once.
• Use macOS window tiling to arrange two apps side by side when you are comparing or moving information between them.

If you still prefer an always-visible taskbar with separate window entries, uBar is one of the cleanest options. It can show every open window, provide live previews, keep favourites in a familiar place and place a separate bar on each display. It is particularly useful on a multi-monitor desk where the Dock can feel too minimal.

4. File Explorer and File Management

Finder is the Mac equivalent of File Explorer, but it works slightly differently. Spend a little time with these features before assuming you need a replacement:

• Quick Look: select a file and press Space to preview it without opening an app.
• Tabs and views: use Finder tabs, List View, Column View and Gallery View to browse a project in the most useful way.
• Tags and Smart Folders: organise files by project or status without moving them into several different folders.
• Quick Actions: rotate images, mark up files, create PDFs and run compatible actions directly from the Finder preview pane.
• Move instead of copy: press Command + C, then Option + Command + V to move a copied item to its new location.

Finder is plenty for everyday documents, downloads, photos and external drives. Path Finder makes sense only if you regularly manage large project folders, servers or multiple locations at once. Its dual-pane layout, batch tools and more configurable interface will feel more familiar to experienced File Explorer users.

For a shortcut-by-shortcut comparison, see our guide to using familiar Windows commands on a Mac.

5. Right-Click Menus, Shortcuts and Custom Actions

Macs have contextual menus too. On a trackpad, use a two-finger click; with a mouse, use the secondary click; and almost anywhere you can also hold Control while clicking. Finder also has Services and Quick Actions for tasks such as renaming, converting or sharing files.

The difference is that Windows often puts more options in one menu by default, whereas macOS tends to keep the default menu shorter. That can initially feel limiting, but it also means the interface is less cluttered.

If you want to recreate Windows-style custom shortcuts and personal automation, BetterTouchTool is the more powerful route. It can map keyboard shortcuts, mouse buttons, trackpad gestures, window actions and floating menus to tasks you use regularly. It is an excellent tool for a power user, but it is also easy to over-configure. Start with one or two genuinely repetitive actions rather than building an entire new operating system on top of macOS.

6. Windows-Only Applications

This is the one area where “there is an app for that” is not always an honest answer. Before trying to run a Windows program, check whether it has a current Mac edition, a web app or a better Mac-native alternative. That is normally the easiest, safest and most future-proof option.

When you really do need a Windows app, choose the method based on that specific app rather than installing Windows by default:

1. Try CrossOver for a compatible individual app or game. CrossOver is a compatibility layer, not a full Windows installation. It can run many Windows programs directly on macOS without a Windows licence, but compatibility varies by app, version, plug-in and hardware requirement. Check its current compatibility information and use the trial before buying it.
2. Use a virtual machine for regular Windows apps. Parallels Desktop is the most straightforward choice for running Windows alongside macOS, especially on Apple silicon. It is a better fit for office software, a business app or a Windows-only utility than for every demanding game. Our full guide explains how to install and run Windows 11 on a Mac.
3. Use a cloud PC or remote Windows computer when compatibility is critical. This can be the safer option for company-managed software, specialist drivers or a work machine that must behave exactly like a PC. It also avoids making your Mac carry a full local Windows setup.
4. Use Boot Camp only on an Intel Mac. Boot Camp is not available on Apple silicon Macs. On a compatible Intel Mac it can still be useful when a program needs direct access to the hardware, but it requires a restart each time you switch systems. See our Boot Camp guide for Windows 11 for the practical limitations before relying on it.

For a fuller comparison of paid and free options, see the best ways to run Windows on a Mac.

7. PC Gaming

This is where Windows is still plainly ahead. The PC game library is larger, new releases are more likely to arrive on Windows first, and anti-cheat systems or demanding graphics requirements can rule out a Mac workaround altogether.

That does not mean a Mac is useless for games. Start by checking whether the game has a native Mac version on Steam, the Mac App Store or the developer’s own site. A growing number of major games and a huge number of indie games run well natively, particularly on Apple silicon.

For Windows-only games, the sensible order is usually:

1. Cloud gaming if the game is available in the service’s current catalogue. It avoids compatibility problems and lets the service’s hardware do the heavy lifting, although image quality and responsiveness depend on your broadband connection and location.
2. CrossOver if the game has a good recent compatibility record. Results can change after game updates, so do not buy a game or a licence solely on the assumption that it will work.
3. Parallels Desktop for lighter or older games that have been specifically tested. It is not a universal answer for recent AAA titles, games with anti-cheat or GPU-heavy DirectX features.

macOS supports many current Xbox and PlayStation controllers over Bluetooth or USB, so controller support is usually not the obstacle. The bigger question is whether the particular game has a native version or a viable cloud/compatibility route.

8. Customisation and Automation

Windows is still more flexible when it comes to system-wide themes and visible interface tweaks. macOS is more opinionated, but it is not as fixed as it first appears.

Start with System Settings and Apple’s Shortcuts app. You can change keyboard shortcuts, configure hot corners, create automations and build useful actions without adding third-party software.

Then choose a tool that matches the problem:

• BetterTouchTool for gestures, window snapping, shortcuts and visual controls.
• Karabiner-Elements for serious keyboard remapping, including Windows-style modifier-key layouts.
• Hammerspoon for people comfortable creating their own Lua-based automation.

For most new Mac owners, simple changes such as swapping modifier keys on an external Windows keyboard and learning Command + Tab will make a bigger difference than a long list of utilities.

What Windows Still Does Better for Some People

There is no need to pretend every gap has disappeared. Windows may remain the better primary platform if your work depends on:

• a niche enterprise application with no Mac version;
• a specialist peripheral or driver that is supported only on Windows;
• a particular Windows game, especially one using anti-cheat software;
• deeply customised system behaviour that you do not want to rebuild on a new platform.

In those cases, a Mac plus a virtual machine, cloud PC or separate Windows computer can be a more realistic answer than forcing a workaround. The goal is not to make macOS imitate Windows perfectly; it is to use the Mac’s strengths while keeping a reliable route to the few tools you still need.

The Bottom Line

Most Windows switchers do not need a stack of paid utilities to feel at home on a Mac. Learn Spotlight, Finder, the Screenshot app, Command + Tab and a handful of keyboard shortcuts first. They solve the day-to-day “where did that Windows feature go?” questions surprisingly well.

Add an app only when it fixes a recurring frustration: Alfred for keyboard-led productivity, CleanShot X for frequent captures, uBar for a true taskbar, Path Finder for advanced file work and BetterTouchTool for personal automation. For Windows-only software and games, be selective and check compatibility before committing.

If you are setting up a new Mac from scratch, our essential first steps for Windows switchers will help you get the basics right before you start customising it.

FAQ

Does a Mac have a Start menu?

Not in the Windows sense. The closest built-in equivalent is Spotlight: press Command + Space, type what you want and press Return. The Dock and Applications folder handle visual app launching. If you specifically want taskbar-and-menu access, uBar is a closer third-party match.

Is there a Snipping Tool on a Mac?

Yes. Press Shift + Command + 5 to open the built-in Screenshot app, which can capture the whole screen, a window or a selected area, and can also record the screen. Use CleanShot X only if you need advanced functions such as scrolling screenshots, redaction or capture history.

Can I run Windows apps on a Mac without installing Windows?

Sometimes. CrossOver can run many compatible Windows applications and games without a full Windows installation, but it does not work with every program. For broader compatibility, use Windows in a virtual machine such as Parallels Desktop or access a remote/cloud Windows PC.

Can I use Boot Camp on an Apple silicon Mac?

No. Boot Camp is available only on Intel-based Macs and requires you to restart into Windows. Apple silicon Mac owners should use a virtual machine, a compatible app layer such as CrossOver, or a cloud/remote Windows option instead.

Do I need all of the apps mentioned here?

No. The built-in Mac tools are enough for most people. Install an optional app only after you can name the repeated task it will make quicker or easier.

Is it harder to switch from Windows to Mac if I am a power user?

There is a learning curve because file management, shortcuts and window controls are organised differently. Power users often adapt quickly once they learn the Mac equivalents, then add one or two targeted tools rather than trying to recreate every Windows habit at once.