Over the years, I’ve had my fair share of exposure to various operating systems, each with its unique perks and problems. However, if I were to pick one that makes me shudder, it is undoubtedly macOS, especially in its current state. Having used the platform since OSX Mountain Lion and Sierra, it has been painful to watch its slow decline into a system that actively resists productivity workflows.
It was once the platform of choice for nearly every creative professional, but now it has gradually morphed into something that prioritizes the aesthetics of its ecosystem over functionality. For many power users, the trajectory is clear, and the only way to reclaim agency on the platform is, increasingly, to make a switch. Here are some very questionable design decisions that made me part ways with the platform for good.
In Apple’s walled garden, every non-native app is an intruder
“Can I see some ID?”—macOS, before any app is installed
Apple Discussions are filled with weekly threads asking the same question, “How do I disable the requirement to add a password every time I download an app?” The answer, predictably, is that you really can’t. Apple offers two options: either enter your password for every purchase, or enter it once after 15 minutes. Both of these introduce unnecessary friction overhead for power users who rely on applications outside the App Store ecosystem, and, quite frankly, even for those within it.
The philosophy is clear. Every installation is treated as a security event worthy of the authentication theater, regardless of context or user competence. For Mac Pro users who don’t buy into Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, it’s even more of a pain point, since Apple decided they better get accustomed to typing their passwords dozens of times a week just to install updates or utilities that would be frictionless on any other platform. The authentication system is unique insofar that it assumes incompetence by default and punishes you for not buying into their ecosystem, which solves a problem they invented.
4 things that neither Windows nor macOS do well (and how they could fix them)
Both have their strengths, but there are some things that neither of these operating systems do a great job at.
Window management gets in the way of multitasking
But you can always find a solution for $9.99 on the App Store, right?
If you hear me complaining about window management on macOS Sequoia and your first instinct is to recommend a third-party alternative like Rectangle, Magnet, or Moom, I’ve made my point already. A core design choice on macOS is its refusal to provide adequate and usable native tools for window snapping, tiling or multi-monitor handling, which compels users into a third-party ecosystem to achieve what Windows and Linux have delivered since time immemorial.
For workflows that demand quick app switching (which is almost every workflow to an extent), this becomes a productivity barrier that compounds with every minute that’s spent on the OS. While Windows offers excellent native key combinations to snap windows into clean zones, macOS asks you to pay $10 to reclaim basic spatial control over your $999 desktop.
Finder is almost as bad as Windows File Explorer
But you’d still rather pick Windows File Explorer any day of the week
Finder’s out-of-the-box defaults are certainly a high-priority mention on a list of problems that need fixing. Apple’s apparent obsession with trying to provide a “clean” aesthetic everywhere in its UI really makes Finder arguably suffer the most.
When you search for a file, Finder will fetch you exactly that; but leave you blind to its exact directory location unless you manually toggle this element to show up in your searches. Even basic file identification is hobbled, which forces professionals working with numerous files with different extensions and versions to guess whether they’re looking at a .jpeg or a .png file until they open the additional “Get Info” menu, which can’t be done until they take a wild guess and open the file.
The most exasperating part of it, though, is that Finder will also clutter your search results with web suggestions, App Store recommendations, Siri knowledge, tips, and websites relating to your query. The tech community has routinely lambasted Windows File Explorer for doing exactly this, yet Apple gets a pass in almost all discussions.
macOS generally does not trust you as a user
The OS increasingly feels like a nanny state
I’ve watched Apple’s security go from reasonably protective to overbearingly paternalistic over the years, that treats professional users like they can’t be trusted. The gatekeeping seems to have gone from watchful to genuinely intrusive, and it’s making the platform among one of the most restrictive in this space.
The proprietary security technology on Apple Silicon, quite justifiably named ‘Gatekeeper’, is defined by the tech giant as ‘designed to help ensure that only trusted software‘ is able to run on the device. This means that every time a user attempts to run a downloaded third-party app, Gatekeeper will introduce friction between the user and the system to ensure the user “hasn’t been tricked” into running an app. It doesn’t matter how reputed the publisher is, or how proficient the user is at identifying malware.
Now, if that doesn’t bother you and seems like a reasonable safeguard, I take no issue with your position. However, for the ones who want their desktop OS to run the apps they trust at their own discretion without Apple’s seal of approval and the friction that comes with it, this can compound into an issue over time.
There’s genuine value in Apple’s ecosystem when it works, but that value erodes when the platform fails to understand and address known user pain points.
Your OS shouldn’t feel like a chore to deal with
macOS has headed in an odd direction recently, and every misplaced prompt, every missing feature sold as a paid app, and every OS-induced point of friction develops into something larger. In 2026, Mac sales are down by over 7%, suggesting that competition is already eating into its market share for good reason.
There’s genuine value in Apple’s ecosystem when it works, but that value erodes when the platform fails to understand and address known user pain points. An operating system should amplify your capabilities, and not constantly remind you who is in charge. For professionals who rely on their tools and its harmony with the OS, that distinction matters more than polished interfaces, and that seems to be making the difference.
