Computers are fully embedded into our lives, both at work and at home. Checking email, organizing calendars, reading documents, shopping online, and surfing the web — all form the backdrop of our everyday. These activities are so commonplace and accessible that it’s easy to overlook the finer points of how your computer performs each task and what apps it uses to help you get the job done.

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Apps are computer programs designed to interact with files and create a seamless transition for everything from booting up your Mac to working online. All computers come with a host of apps already installed. For example, computers running macOS come with Safari, made by Apple. This browser is already installed and ready to access the internet.

In other words, Safari is set to “default” browser, which means whenever you click a link to a website, it’ll always open it up using Safari. However, there are lots of other compatible browsers for Mac, and you might find yourself wondering how to change default browser on macOS or looking to fine-tune other default settings.

Why Should I Change Default Applications?

Most of the time, default apps have the basics covered, however you may be itching for a change because they may not be providing the features you need. If you find another app better suited to your needs, it’s best to make the change permanent.

By changing default apps to the ones you prefer, you’ll have more control over how you work with your files and be able to skip the headache of re-opening files with a new app every time, saving you precious minutes. Thankfully, changing default settings is fairly easy.

Changing default apps for specific file types

One upgrade you might consider right away is to change the default PDF viewer on Mac to something like PDFpen, or another advanced PDF reader. PDFs are one of the most common files types encountered daily. Used in contracts, university reading packages, or fillable forms, PDFs are popular for a good reason: any computer can open and read a PDF, and the format holds its layout. No matter what programs were used to create it, a PDF will generally look the same on everyone’s computer.

PDFpen is a great addition to your Mac. It has all the basic tools for editing and note-taking, but is also packed with advanced options for the increasingly paperless world: redaction features, signatures, notations, filling out or editing sections, and even highlighting and searching for certain terms within the document.

Here’s how to change default PDF viewer on Mac to PDFpen:

1. In your Finder locate a .pdf file and right-click on it
2. Select Get Info from the dropdown menu
3. Expand the Open With section and select PDFpen
4. Once selected, click the Change All button below the dropdown menu. A pop-up will appear asking if you’re sure, click Yes.

Now the change should be implemented for all .pdf files. Test it by returning to the Finder and opening any .pdf. If it launches in PDFpen. you know it has worked. Further, you can use the same steps to set other defaults apps for different kinds of files: instructing all .jpeg files to open with CameraBag Pro, for example.

If you ever need to know how to make Preview default app again, just repeat the steps above but select Preview instead of PDFPen when you reach the Open With selection.

Changing your default browser

You already know what is the default browser for Mac OSX: Safari. And while Safari is a generally excellent option, there are other great browsers for Mac — one of the most popular being Google Chrome. Along with its reputation for being faster than other browsers, Chrome seamlessly syncs with services you may have been using all the time, such as Gmail, Chromecast, or GCal.

Knowing how to change default browser on Mac will never be a challenge. It’s arguably the easiest change to make because all browsers compete to report usage, so whenever they detect they are not being used every time they produce a pop-up asking to be default. This may seem like it makes directions for how to change default browsers obsolete, usually downloading the browser you want and opening it for the first time will set you on the path to default status. But occasionally a careless mis-click will find you on the wrong end of an unwanted Yahoo search bar.

To make Chrome default browser on Mac, begin by downloading Chrome if you haven’t already. Then follow the directions below according to which operating System your Mac is currently running.

How to make Chrome default browser on macOS Mavericks or earlier:

1. Launch Safari by clicking the compass icon
2. Click on the Safari menu in the top-left corner and select Preferences
3. Navigate to General
4. Choose Chrome as the default by selecting it from the menu
5. Close Preferences
6. Quit Safari

If you don’t see a default option in Preferences, don’t panic. You may need to use different instructions if your Mac is running on El Capitan or Yosemite.

How to make Chrome default browser on El Capitan or Yosemite:

1. Launch System Preferences from the Dock or Finder
2. Select General from the top left of the window
3. Find the dropdown next to “Default web browser”
4. Choose the web browser you'd like to use as the default and close System Preferences

Your preferences will be automatically saved. You can test it by performing a search in Spotlight and clicking a web result. If the site opens in Chrome, you’ll know you have successfully set Chrome as default browser.

Change your default email app

We spend so much time checking, writing, and organizing emails that having an email client designed to save you time is key. With this in mind, you may want to further customize your Mac by selecting a better email client. Much like a PDF reader opens .pdf files and a browser allows you to surf the web, your email client sets up a place for you to easily check and respond to your emails.

While many check their emails in browsers for convenience if they move between computers, a better, more secure option is Canary Mail.

Canary Mail focuses on security and this is what makes it outstanding. In addition, its concept and design are no-nonsense. Canary works with all the email providers you already have and has tools for dealing with volumes of unwanted emails or unused threads in bulk. It also uses algorithms to learn what you need and optimizes your productivity.

Right now, Mail is likely the default email app on your Mac. The steps below outline how to change default program on Mac to a third-party one. If you have some email client already downloaded, you can still use the steps below to change the default email client from Mail. Just sub the name of your app in place of Canary. Just in case, Canary Mail download is available here.

Switch the default email client from Mail to Canary:

1. Launch Mail by clicking the icon in the Dock or searching for it with Finder
2. At the top of the screen, click Mail in the menu bar and then Preferences
3. Select the dropdown next to Default Mail Reader
4. Choose Canary as the default

This change should take immediate effect.

Switching and customizing your default apps will improve your interactions with your Mac, enhancing how you experience the activities you spend time doing everyday by making them faster and easier.

Once you know how to switch the default apps, you may find yourself customizing other aspects of your computer use. PDFpen and Canary Mail are both offered as free trials from Setapp — a platform for over 150 unique and useful Mac apps — so there is no risk to trying something new. If you don't like it, you can always go back and change the default again at any time.

So whether you are running a faster browser, highlighting and making notes in the margin for school, or simply clearing out junk-mail now that you can change default application on macOS you can take control of the finer points of how your Mac runs. Small daily tasks will wrap up faster and look better.

Make your Mac invincible

Without a doubt, the menu bar is one of Mac’s great features. It’s condensed, easy to tap into on the fly, and displays much-needed information in real time.

But, with every new icon app added, things become a little more cluttered and usability takes another hit. Fortunately, it’s possible to edit the menu bar to rearrange and remove icons so that it’s able to suit your needs at any given moment. Read on for the best ways to make the menu bar on Mac truly yours.

A tool that perfects menu bar

Rethink the menu bar with this app. Bartender customizes one of the main parts of Mac's interface, efficiently.

How to rearrange items in menu bar

How much freedom you have to rearrange items in menu bar depends on which version of macOS you’re running. The users of macOS Sierra and later definitely have more creative license here than others. And if you are not there yet, it’s time to upgrade to the newest macOS anyway.

Rearranging menu items in macOS

To move an icon in the menu bar, hold Command (cmd), then click and hold the icon to drag it across the bar. Simple.

There are no restrictions here — feel free to move icons anywhere you see fit. Don’t like the clock all the way over there on the right-hand side? Drag it to somewhere more suitable. Want to place the Setapp icon over to the area of the bar once reserved for first-party apps? Do it!

The only icon that cannot be tampered with is the Notification Center. Apple has decided this must remain in the far right corner of the menu, which is fair enough — it looks good there.

Rearranging menu items in OS X versions (El Capitan and older)

Movement of icons in old versions of macOS is reserved for selected apps only: Bluetooth, audio, Time Machine, WiFi, battery, clock, and user switching. Spotlight and Notification Center must stay put, as must all third-party apps.

To move icons around within the designated area, once again hold Command, then click and hold the icon to drag it.

How to remove icons from the top bar on Mac

If there are items in the menu bar that you feel don’t belong there, hold Command, click on the icon, and drag it outside of the menu bar.

Note: this only works for first-party icons.

It is possible to remove third-party icons from the top bar on Mac by clicking on them and selecting “Quit” or “Close,” but this will stop the app from working until you reopen it.

Some apps give the option to remove icons from the top bar on Mac in their settings: [chosen app] > Preferences. However, a lot of apps won’t. To fully customize which icons appear in the menu bar, you should use a third-party app like Bartender.

If you’ve removed the first-party app and you’d like it back on the menu, it can be re-enabled in System Preferences.

How to add icons to the top bar on Mac

If you’re missing a specific system icon in the Mac’s menu bar, you can add it through System Preferences. For instance, to enable the Language icon, select Language & Region in the preference pane, click Input Sources, and check the box next to “Show Input menu in menu bar.”

Add menu bar extras

Because the menu options like Clock and Ink can’t be found in System Preferences, you might need to use the System folder as well:

1. Open Finder.
2. Select Go > Go to Folder from the menu bar.
3. Type a path: /System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras.
4. Double-click an item and it will instantly appear in your menu bar.

You can easily remove any of the icons by holding Command and dragging it outside of the menu bar as described above.

How to customize and tidy Mac menu bar

It’s possible to change the look of the default menu bar items in System Preferences and third-party apps’ ones in their respective preferences. Most of the time, you’ll be able to at least switch the color to black and white.

Change how the date and time are displayed in the menu bar

In the right corner of your menu bar, click on date and time to Open Date & Time Preferences. Go to the Clock tab and unlock the preferences by entering your administrator password, so that you can make changes. To customize the look of the clock, choose between two different time display options: Digital or Analog. You can also tick the boxes for “Show date” and “Show the day of the week.”

To instantly toggle between different display options, click on date and time in the menu bar and choose “View as Analog” or “View as Digital.”

How to use your battery status on Mac

Keeping track of your battery life from the menu bar takes a few simple actions and yet is vital to Mac’s performance.

Click on the battery icon and tick Show percentage to see how much battery power you have left. In the same drop-down menu, you can check the programs that are using significant power in case your battery is draining too fast. To optimize battery usage, select “Open Energy Saver Preferences” and adjust sleep settings.

Toggle between fast user switching icons

There are three different options on how the Fast User Switching menu can be displayed in your Mac’s top bar – as a full name, account name or icon. Here’s how you do the customization:

1. Click on the icon and open Users & Groups Preferences.
2. Enter your password to unlock.
3. Select Login Options in the bottom left corner of the Users & Groups.
4. Go to “Show fast user switching menu” and pick one of the options.
5. Untick the box if you prefer to remove the icon from the menu bar.

Show Wi-Fi status in the menu bar

To enable the Wi-Fi icon in your Mac’s top bar, go to System Preferences and select Network. Tick the box next to “Show Wi-Fi status in menu bar.”

How to replace menu bar app icons

If you want to have custom icons in your Mac’s menu bar, there’s a way to replace the default ones. To change the icon of a third-party app, find it in Applications, right-click to open a context menu, and choose “Show Package Contents.” Go to Resources folder to find the defaults – these can be used as templates for the new icons. Once you have a custom icon ready, simply copy it into the same Resources folder.

The same works for system icons, except you won’t find all of them in Applications. Here’s the path for you to take: Hard Disk > System > Library > CoreServices > Menu Extras. Once you’ve found the item you need, click on “Show Package Contents” and navigate to the icon via [MENUITEM.menu] > Contents > Resources.

Change Default Apps On Mac

In both cases, it’s a good idea to create backups of the default icons before replacing them – just in case you’ll need them later.

Hide menu bar items

Mac Book Pro Default Apps Free

One low-key feature on Mac is the ability to auto-hide menu bar. To do this, open System Preferences > General. Check the option to “Automatically hide and show the menu bar” and the menu bar will immediately disappear.

To get the menu bar to show up again, simply move the cursor to the top of the screen and hold it there for a second. Now you can access the menu whenever you need it and enjoy an extra bit of screen real estate when you don’t.

Customizing the menu bar with Bartender

If you want more control over how the menu bar looks and what it does, you should consider using the Bartender app.

Bartender lets you hide icons without quitting and rearrange icons in a way that better suits how you use the menu bar — something particularly useful if you’re running an older version of macOS.

App icons can be displayed when updating, shown in the Bartender Bar only, or hidden completely and accessed easily using a built-in search function. It’s even possible to toggle through and activate items using keyboard navigation.

Set Default App

If you’re someone that prefers a minimalist look, the app gives you the option to remove the Bartender menu item, leaving you with a crisp, clean menu bar.

Mac Book Pro Default Apps Download

Overall, the Mac menu bar is there to help you improve your productivity by giving you quick access to the apps and tools you need. Using the tips above, you can customize the menu bar in a way that works for you. Best of all, you can get full access to Bartender and over 150 more high-quality macOS apps on Setapp, with a 7-day free trial to get you started. So why not get your menu bar organized now?