Est. 2025 • Seattle, WA

The Mac Alchemist

Transforming Mac Chaos Into Productivity (Results May Vary)

"Where I spend hours researching productivity apps instead of actually being productive"

The Formula

Self-Deprecation
+ Genuine Testing
+ Mac Optimization
+ Terrible Decisions
= This Blog

Hi, I'm Nihal. I write about Mac productivity: the workflows, the automations, the hidden settings, and occasionally the apps that tie it all together. The goal is saving you time. The reality is I spend way too much of mine optimizing things that were probably fine to begin with.

What makes this different from every other Mac blog? I actually admit when I'm wrong. Like that time I wrote a 2,000-word defense of Alfred and then switched to Raycast two weeks later. Or when I thought I needed 240 apps from SetApp (spoiler: I didn't).

You'll find honest reviews, practical workflows, and the kind of self-aware commentary that comes from someone who spent three hours automating a task that takes five minutes manually.

Current Status: Writer for The Mac Alchemist and Mac O'Clock publications on Medium and probably over-engineering my Downloads folder as we speak.

Recent Experiments

Where I document my journey through the Mac productivity rabbit hole

Essential Mac Guides

Deep dives into Mac settings and automation that actually matter

1

Transform Your Chaotic Downloads Folder Into a Self-Organizing System

Stop manually sorting your Downloads. Learn how to set up Folder Actions that automatically organize files by type.

2

The macOS Automator Guide for People Who Hate Doing Things Twice

A complete guide to automating repetitive tasks without writing a single line of code.

3

Mac Settings That Actually Improve Your Daily Workflow

The hidden macOS settings that make a real difference in how you use your Mac every day.

4

Why Your Finder Folders Keep Getting Disorganized (And How to Fix It Forever)

Discover why macOS keeps changing your folder views and learn the permanent solution.

5

Two iPhone Settings That Will Save You From My Fate

Two quick toggles that could save your sanity (and your data). Learn from my mistakes.

The Curated Arsenal

These are the apps I actually use. Not the ones I downloaded once and forgot about. The ones that survived the brutal audit process of "do I actually launch this?"

Showing 59 apps
Raycast icon

Raycast

Free

My current obsession. Replaced Alfred after much denial.

Launchers
Alfred icon

Alfred

Still here for file operations. We have a healthy relationship.

Launchers
NotePlan 3 icon

Where my organized chaos lives in markdown format.

Productivity
Things 3 icon

Things 3

Beautiful task management that makes to-do lists feel zen.

Productivity
Alcove icon

Alcove

Free

Window management made simple and beautiful.

Utilities
NotchNook icon

NotchNook

SetApp

Making the MacBook notch actually useful.

Utilities
Clyde icon

Clyde

Free

Easy file sharing and cloud storage management.

Utilities
Display Buddy icon

Control external displays like a pro.

Utilities
Haze Over icon

Haze Over

Dim background windows to focus on what matters.

Utilities
Session icon

Session

SetApp

Pomodoro timer that doesn't feel like homework.

Utilities
CloudMounter icon

CloudMounter

SetApp

Mount cloud storage as local drives.

Utilities
CleanMyMac X icon

CleanMyMac X

SetApp

Because my Mac accumulates digital garbage faster than I accumulate productivity apps.

Utilities
Gemini 2 icon

Gemini 2

SetApp

Find and remove duplicate files effortlessly.

Utilities
ClearVPN icon

ClearVPN

SetApp

Simple, effective VPN protection.

Utilities
1Password icon

1Password

Sub

Password management that actually works.

Utilities
BananaBin icon

BananaBin

Free

Menu bar trash can that doesn't take itself seriously.

Utilities
Vivid icon

Vivid

Unlock full XDR brightness on your MacBook Pro.

Utilities
Tot icon

Tot

Free

Seven tiny text documents in your menu bar.

Utilities
LM Studio icon

LM Studio

Free

Run AI models locally without breaking your Mac.

Utilities
Media Mate icon

Media Mate

Fresh visuals for Volume, Display and Keyboard Brightness controls.

Utilities
Paprika 3 icon

Paprika 3

Recipe manager and meal planner that cooks don't hate.

Utilities
Granola icon

Granola

Free

AI meeting notes that actually capture what matters.

Utilities
Waterllama icon

Waterllama

Free

Cute water intake reminders with a llama.

Utilities
CleanShot X icon

CleanShot X

SetApp

Screenshots that don't look like I forgot to crop them.

Design
PixelSnap 2 icon

PixelSnap 2

SetApp

Measuring pixels like my life depends on it.

Design
Nitro PDF Pro icon

Nitro PDF Pro

SetApp

Professional PDF editing without Adobe pricing.

Design
TextSoap icon

TextSoap

SetApp

Clean up messy text formatting instantly.

Design
Dato icon

Dato

A menu bar calendar that doesn't look like it's from 2003.

Menu Bar
MenubarX icon

MenubarX

A powerful browser in your menu bar.

Menu Bar
Itsycal icon

Itsycal

Free

Tiny menu bar calendar that just works.

Menu Bar
Sleeve icon

Sleeve

Beautiful now playing display for your music.

Menu Bar
Carrot Weather icon

Weather forecasts with snark and personality.

Weather
Forecast Bar icon

Forecast Bar

SetApp

Weather info right in your menu bar.

Weather
Snowy icon

Snowy

Free

Christmas lights and snow for your Mac.

Fun
Klack icon

Klack

Mechanical keyboard sounds for every keystroke.

Fun
Typibara icon

Typibara

Your new typing companion (literally a capybara).

Fun
RunCat icon

RunCat

Free

A cat that runs faster when your CPU is working harder.

Fun
Googly Eyes icon

Your cursor gets googly eyes. That's it. Perfect.

Fun
PoolSuite FM icon

Eternal summer vibes for your Mac.

Fun
Incredibox icon

Incredibox

Make music like you know what you're doing.

Fun
Breathwrk icon

Breathwrk

Sub

Guided breathing exercises for stress relief.

Health
Look Away icon

Look Away

20-20-20 rule reminders to save your eyes.

Health
TrackWeight icon

Simple weight tracking without the judgment.

Health
Gymverse icon

Gymverse

Sub

AI-powered workout planning and tracking.

Health
Readwise Reader icon

The all-in-one reading app I've been waiting for.

Reading
Kindle icon

Kindle

Free

Read your ebooks anywhere, sync everywhere.

Reading
Flipboard icon

Flipboard

Free

Curated news and articles in a beautiful magazine layout.

Reading
Blinkist icon

Blinkist

Sub

15-minute book summaries for busy people.

Reading
Duolingo icon

Duolingo

Sub

Language learning that doesn't feel like homework.

Reading
Kinnu icon

Kinnu

Free

Learn something new every day with bite-sized lessons.

Reading
Elevate icon

Elevate

Sub

Brain training games that actually feel helpful.

Reading
Lumosity icon

Lumosity

Sub

Scientifically-designed brain training exercises.

Reading
Flighty icon

Flighty

Sub

Flight tracking with personality and predictions.

Travel
Hipcamp icon

Hipcamp

Free

Discover and book unique camping experiences.

Travel
Spotify icon

Spotify

Sub

Music streaming that knows what you need before you do.

Entertainment
New York Times Games icon

Wordle, Spelling Bee, Crossword, and other daily brain teasers.

Entertainment
AppRaven icon

AppRaven

Free

Track app prices and discover new iOS apps.

iOS Apps
Forest icon

Forest

Stay focused by growing virtual trees.

iOS Apps
Day One icon

Day One

Sub

The journaling app that makes you want to journal.

iOS Apps