macOS Tips and Tricks (2022)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Keyboard modifiers & discoverability

  • Thread highlights many powerful but obscure shortcuts: Option-click scrollbars and outline views, Option/Shift window-resizing behaviors, advanced Command-Tab tricks (per-app window selection, quitting from switcher), open/save dialog path entry (Cmd+Shift+G, /, ~), Terminal-specific shortcuts, and interacting with inactive windows via modifiers.
  • Users appreciate these as “power user” features that avoid UI clutter; others criticize the lack of discoverability and inconsistent documentation, especially as some shortcuts change or break in newer macOS releases.
  • Localized keyboard layouts (where characters like / need modifiers) make some shortcuts unreliable or hard to use.

Dock, task switching & window management

  • Several users find the Dock nearly useless as a task switcher, preferring Cmd+Tab, Cmd+` (cycle windows), Exposé/App Exposé, or third‑party tools (Contexts, alt-tab-macos, uBar, Sidebar, DockDoor).
  • A recurring ask is a Windows‑style taskbar: persistent, per‑window buttons, visual previews, and workspace awareness, without needing gestures or hotkeys.
  • Others defend the Dock as an app launcher, drop target, and indicator of what’s open, but many hide it entirely.
  • Strong sentiment that native window management is weak; users rely on Rectangle, Magnet, Moom, Divvy, SizeUp, Amethyst, Yabai, Aerospace, Hammerspoon, BetterTouchTool, etc. Opinions diverge on tiling WMs: powerful but sometimes janky, CPU‑heavy, or incompatible with some apps.

Launchers, search & automation

  • Alfred and Raycast receive extensive praise for app launching, workflows, clipboard history, and “do anything” commands; Raycast’s monetization, telemetry, and AI focus worry some users.
  • Spotlight is seen by some as now fast and adequate; others report poor relevance and slowness, moving to Alfred/Raycast or specialized tools like GoToFile and HoudahSpot.
  • Legacy tools (Quicksilver, LaunchBar) still have fans; keyboard‑driven tools like Shortcat and espanso are recommended to stay on the keyboard.

Finder, file management & general UX

  • Finder draws heavy criticism: awkward move operations (no native Cmd+X), path visibility, inconsistent search, clumsy new‑file creation, and column view quirks. Others counter that Explorer is worse and Finder is fine once conventions are learned.
  • Alternatives and helpers mentioned: ForkLift, PathFinder, Midnight Commander, various Automator/Shortcuts/Services hacks, command‑line helpers, and apps to add cut/move or new‑file actions.
  • Broader debate compares macOS, Windows, and Linux ergonomics: some feel macOS now requires a “Talmud” of tips plus third‑party apps to be good; others see these hidden features as a longstanding, intentional layer for power users.