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Mac & Windows utilities: menu bar, hotspot, focus, security
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Recently, quite a few friends have asked how to organize the Mac menu bar, how to share a laptop’s network connection, how to stay focused during long screen sessions, and whether there’s a lighter protection option on Windows.
This time, LIZHI.SHOP has selected 8 practical apps, and we’ll first look at four of them: Bartender 7, Connectify Hotspot, HazeOver, and Emsisoft Anti-Malware.
They serve different scenarios; what they have in common is that they work quietly in the background after installation and don’t steal the spotlight.
Let’s take a look at four of them first.
Bartender 7 [Mac]
The Mac menu bar itself is quite useful, but then came the notch design… together they can be a total nightmare!
After installing a dozen or so apps, the icons crowd and jostle for space, while the ones you actually want to use are forcibly hidden by the system.
Bartender is built to fix this problem. It can tuck less-used icons into a separate icon bar, and you can open them when needed.
Which icons stay visible, which are hidden, and how they’re ordered are all up to you. Even icons you can’t find can be brought up by searching directly.
It also supports keyboard shortcuts and trigger conditions, such as showing a certain icon only when the network changes.
Once installed, your menu bar becomes much cleaner; neat freaks, minimalists, and notch-screen users will all feel the difference.
Bartender 7 offers a lifetime version, and existing users also have a corresponding upgrade version. You can confirm the specific version and license details on the store page.
The license supports activation of both 6.x and 7.x versions, so users on older systems can use it too.
Connectify Hotspot [Win]
To be honest, Windows’ built-in mobile hotspot feature is a bit rough—it’s picky about network types, drops connections when too many devices are connected, and often fails to recognize 4G network adapters.
Connectify Hotspot is designed to fill this gap. As long as the computer can get online—whether via Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or a 4G/5G network adapter—it can turn into a Wi-Fi hotspot with one click and share the connection.
Many hotel Wi-Fi networks require web authentication. On a laptop, you can just click through the pop-up page, but devices like smart speakers and TV boxes have no browser and can’t bring up the authentication page, so they can’t connect no matter what you try.
In this case, you can first complete authentication on the laptop, then use Connectify Hotspot to share the network, so you log in once and all your devices get online.
The Max version also has a killer feature called Bridge Mode, which can connect devices on your hotspot to the original local network. At home, playing Switch/PS multiplayer games and accessing a local NAS are no longer a problem.
It can also work as a Wi-Fi repeater! Weak signal in the bedroom? Just place the laptop in between and you’re set—no need for an extra repeater.
Connectify Hotspot Pro comes in a single-device version and a Max version suited for multiple devices connecting at the same time. Just choose based on how many devices you actually have at home; the specific license scope is subject to the explanation on the store page.
HazeOver [Mac]
With seven or eight windows open on screen, your eyes still want to focus on just one.
HazeOver takes a simple approach: keep the current window bright and dim all the others.
For focus-heavy work like writing, coding, and reading documents, the effect is especially noticeable.
When you switch windows, the highlight follows automatically, with no extra action required.
You can adjust the dimming level yourself—from a light haze to a deeper mask, depending on your preference. You can also add a background tint for more comfortable nighttime use.
It’s small and has a low footprint; running in the background, you’ll barely notice it’s there.
HazeOver offers a single-user license. It’s small and quick to get started with; if you spend every day processing large blocks of text or code in front of a screen, the payoff from this kind of focus tool is quite direct.
Emsisoft Anti-Malware [Win]
When it comes to Windows antivirus software, most people’s first thought is those “all-in-one” security suites—and the computer gets even slower after installation.
By contrast, Emsisoft Anti-Malware is a bit “outside the mainstream”—clean interface, few pop-up windows, and low background usage.
The software has built-in dual-engine scanning, with its own engine and the Bitdefender engine running at the same time for double-checked detection and removal rates.
In addition, it doesn’t rely only on signature databases to identify viruses; it also has behavior monitoring, which promptly blocks a program as soon as it behaves suspiciously.
Ransomware protection is one of its strengths, and web protection can also block a range of malicious URLs.
If your computer holds important work files and photo archives, it’s really worth setting up a reliable layer of protection.
Normally you’ll barely notice it, which is exactly the ideal state for security software.
Emsisoft Anti-Malware offers one-year and three-year licenses. If you plan to use it long term, the three-year version is more worry-free; you can check the specific version information on the store page.
A few final words
The above is only half of the eight apps. The rest—WinRAR, Directory Opus 13, Total Uninstall, and BetterDisplay 5—are also excellent software.
These eight apps have different versions and licensing methods. You can go to LIZHI.SHOP and choose slowly according to your needs.
One final reminder: the versions and availability of these apps may change at any time. Before you buy, it’s best to rely on the real-time information on the store page—don’t wait until you need them to start looking again.
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