xbox avatar mikeyp logo

Default Apps

This is fun. Lots of bloggers have started posting lists of their “Default Apps”, inspired by a Hemispheric Views podcast episode. I use tons of apps, so I’ll start with the main ones, and maybe expand more later.

Importantly, I keep my personal and work environments separate, so I have two lists below for those apps. I use some different apps on mobile vs. desktop, so I have a mobile section below too. Enjoy!

Personal Desktop

  • 🌐 Browser: Firefox
  • 📨 Mail: Apple Mail
  • 📮 Mail Server: IMAP
  • 📝 Notes: Bear
  • To-Do: Apple Reminders
  • 📆 Calendar: Calendar 366
  • 🗂️ File Manager: ForkLift
  • 🖥️ Terminal: iTerm
  • 📖 RSS: Unread
  • 🔐 Password Manager: 1Password
  • 🛒 Shopping Lists: AnyList
  • 👨🏽‍💼 Contacts: Apple Contacts + Contacts Sync for Google Gmail
  • 📑 Read Later: GoodLinks
  • 🔖 Bookmarks: Pinboard (via Firefox)
  • 🌆 Photo Management: Apple Photos for iPhone photos, RAW Power for Camera photos
  • 💬 Chat: Apple Messages & Discord
  • 🎵 Music: YT Music for YouTube Music, Music.app for CD Rips and Lossless Downloads
  • 📄 Writing: Drafts
  • 🎨 Image Editing: Pixelmator Pro
  • 💰 Personal Finance: Quicken for Mac
  • 💾 Backup: Backblaze
  • 📁 Cloud File Storage: Google Drive

Work Desktop

  • 🌐 Browser: Chrome
  • 📝 Notes: Notion
  • To-Do: Notion
  • 📆 Calendar: Google Calendar
  • 💬 Chat: Slack & WeChat
  • 📊 Presentation: Keynote & PowerPoint
  • 📈 Spreadsheet: Google Sheets & Numbers
  • 📄 Documents: Notion
  • 🧑🏻‍💻 Editor: Visual Studio Code
  • 💼 Source Control (Git): Fork
  • 📁 Cloud File Storage: Google Drive & Box

Desktop Utilities

  • 📦 Shipment Tracker: Aftership
  • 📎 Clipboard Manager: PasteBot
  • 📚 Image Stash: Gladys
  • 🌐 Browser Chooser: Bumpr
  • 🪄 Launcher: Alfred
  • 📉 System Stats: iStats Menus
  • 🎧 Bluetooth Audio Manager: ToothFairy
  • 🛜 Network Monitor: Little Snitch
  • 🗃️ File Decompression: The Unarchiver
  • 📺 Display Settings: BetterDisplay
  • 🪟 App Window Layout: Moom

Mobile & Tablet

  • 🌐 Browser: Safari & Firefox Focus
  • 📨 Mail: Apple Mail
  • 📝 Notes: Bear & Notability (with iPad Pencil)
  • To-Do: Reminders
  • 📆 Calendar: Calendar 366
  • 📸 Camera: Halide
  • 🌆 Photo Editing: Photomator
  • 🔖 Bookmarks: Pinboard via Pins
  • 🧮 Calculator: PCalc
  • 🔐 Passwords: 1Password
  • 📖 RSS: Unread
  • 📑 Read Later: GoodLinks
  • 📚 Image Stash: Gladys
  • 📄 Writing: Drafts
  • 🧑🏻‍💻 Editor: Runestone
  • 🌤️ Weather: Apple Weather & Windy
  • 🎵 Music: YouTube Music
  • 🎤 Podcasts: Overcast
  • 🛒 Shopping List: AnyList
  • 🍻 Habit Tracker: Productive
  • 🛋️ Home Automation: Home+
  • 💬 Chat: Apple Messages, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, Discord
  • 👩🏽‍💻 Social: Mastodon via Mona
  • 🖥️ Terminal: ShellFish
  • 🏃🏻‍♂️ Health & Fitness: Happy Scale, Sleep Cycle, Pedometer++, Oak
  • 💼 Source Control (Git): Working Copy
  • ✈️ VPN: AdGuard VPN