Blog · Guide · 27 October 2026

Setting up a new Mac: the first hour

A new Mac is the one chance to start clean. Here is what I change and install in the first hour, in order, so it's ready for work by lunch.

Disclosure: I make Mission Boost, so it's on this list and marked “My app”. Nobody paid to be here and there are no affiliate links. I checked each price and macOS requirement on the maker's own site in October 2026. Prices change and sales come and go, so check before you buy.

1. Move your data, or start fresh

Migration Assistant copies apps, files and accounts from your old Mac or a Time Machine backup. It's the quickest path, but it also brings years of clutter. If you keep your files in iCloud Drive or another cloud folder, starting fresh and reinstalling only what you use takes about the same time and leaves a cleaner Mac.

2. Settings worth changing

Turn on FileVault if setup didn't: System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ FileVault.
Tap to click: System Settings ▸ Trackpad ▸ Point & Click.
Keep Spaces in order: System Settings ▸ Desktop & Dock ▸ Mission Control, turn off “Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use”.
Hot corners: the Hot Corners… button at the bottom of Desktop & Dock. A corner for Mission Control is a good start.
Show file extensions: Finder ▸ Settings ▸ Advanced ▸ “Show all filename extensions”.
Path bar in Finder: View ▸ Show Path Bar, so you always know where you are.

3. Install Homebrew

Homebrew installs and updates apps from the Terminal. Even if you never touch the command line again, it turns an afternoon of downloading into one line. Paste the install command from brew.sh:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

4. The apps

A short list that covers the gaps most people hit in the first week. All are free unless marked.

Need	App	Homebrew
A better Spotlight and clipboard history	Raycast	`raycast`
Snap windows with shortcuts	Rectangle	`rectangle`
Switch between windows	AltTab	`alt-tab`
Clipboard history, minimal	Maccy	`maccy`
See CPU and memory	Stats	`stats`
Open any archive	Keka	`keka`
Play any video	IINA	`iina`
Uninstall cleanly	AppCleaner	`appcleaner`
Password manager	1Password (paid) or Apple Passwords (built in)	`1password`

Or all at once:

brew install --cask raycast rectangle alt-tab maccy stats keka iina appcleaner

Each is covered in more detail in the best free Mac apps. If you work with many windows, my window manager roundup compares the alternatives to Rectangle.

5. Give the menu bar room

Every utility above adds a menu bar icon, and on a MacBook the notch hides the overflow. Install Thaw (macOS 26 or later) or Ice (older versions) to hide the ones you rarely click.

6. Fix the things macOS forgot

This is where my own apps come in, so take it with that in mind. Mission Boost lets you close, minimize and arrange windows inside Mission Control, which macOS doesn't. It's €9 once after a 14-day trial.

Try Mission Boost free About Mission Boost

More roundups

Questions

Should I use Migration Assistant or set up a new Mac from scratch?

Migration Assistant is fastest and keeps everything. Setting up from scratch takes a bit longer but leaves out old apps and settings you no longer use. If your files already live in iCloud Drive or another cloud folder, starting fresh is easy.

Is Homebrew safe?

Homebrew is a widely used, open-source package manager. It downloads apps from their developers' official sources and verifies most downloads against published checksums. Install it only with the command shown on brew.sh.

What should I install first on a new Mac?

A password manager so you can sign in to everything, then a launcher such as Raycast and a window manager such as Rectangle. The rest can wait until you miss it.

OOndřej Romancov · engineer, Prague