Mac guides
How to compress, convert, sign and clean up on a Mac. Each guide starts with what macOS already does for free, then shows the faster way in Toolbox.
How-to guides
- Batch resize images on MacResize many photos at once on your Mac. Preview can adjust a selection, and Resize Images in Toolbox sets percentage, longest side or exact size.
- Compress a PDF on MacMake a PDF smaller on your Mac. Preview's Reduce File Size filter is quick but blunt; Compress PDF in Toolbox lets you pick a quality and keep text selectable.
- Compress a video on MacMake a video file smaller on your Mac. Use QuickTime Player for one clip, or Toolbox to compress many files at once with H.264 or HEVC, offline.
- Convert a video to a GIF on MacMake an animated GIF from a video on your Mac. macOS has no one-click option, so use Video to GIF in Toolbox with frame rate, width and trim controls.
- Convert HEIC to JPG on MacConvert iPhone HEIC photos to JPG on your Mac with Preview or a Finder Quick Action, or convert a whole folder at once with Toolbox, offline.
- Copy text from an image on MacCopy text from images, screenshots and scanned PDFs on your Mac with Live Text, or use Extract Text and Capture Text in Toolbox for batches.
- Download a video on MacSave an online video to your Mac. macOS has no built-in way, so paste the link into Download Video in Toolbox and choose quality or audio only.
- Free up storage on MacFree up disk space on your Mac. Start with System Settings storage tips, then use Storage Explorer in Toolbox to find the largest files and space hogs.
- Merge PDFs on MacCombine PDF files into one on your Mac using Preview's thumbnail sidebar, or use Merge PDFs in Toolbox to join PDFs and images in any order.
- Open RAR and 7z files on MacFinder opens ZIP files but not RAR or 7z. Extract them with Zip & Unzip in Toolbox, and learn what it cannot open, such as password-protected RAR.
- Record the screen with audio on MacRecord your Mac screen with sound. Shift-Command-5 captures the microphone, but not system audio; Record Screen in Toolbox records both.
- Remove an image background on MacRemove a photo background on your Mac with Preview or Finder Quick Actions, or process many photos at once with Remove Background in Toolbox.
- Remove EXIF data from photos on MacStrip GPS location, camera and date info from photos on your Mac. Check metadata in Preview, then remove it in bulk with Remove Metadata in Toolbox.
- Sign a PDF on MacSign a PDF on your Mac with Preview's Markup toolbar, or with Sign PDF in Toolbox. Draw or type your signature and place it anywhere, offline.
- System Data is huge on MacWhy System Data takes so much space on a Mac and how to reduce it. Check Storage in System Settings, then find caches and backups with Toolbox.
- Transcribe audio on MacTurn a recording or video into text on your Mac. Dictation does not transcribe files; Transcribe in Toolbox does, on device, with SRT export.
Best of
- Best background removers for MacCompare Preview, Pixelmator Pro, remove.bg and Toolbox for removing an image background on a Mac, with prices checked on each site.
- Best image converters for MacCompare Preview, Toolbox, Permute and XnConvert for converting HEIC, JPG, PNG and WebP on a Mac, with prices checked on each site.
- Best Mac storage cleanersCompare DaisyDisk, Disk Inventory X, CleanMyMac and Toolbox for finding what fills your Mac, with prices checked on each site.
- Best screen recorders for MacCompare macOS Screenshot, OBS Studio, CleanShot X, ScreenFlow and Toolbox for recording your Mac screen, with prices checked on each site.
- Best video compressors for MacCompare Toolbox, HandBrake, QuickTime Player, Permute and Compressor for shrinking video on a Mac, with prices checked on each site.
Comparisons
- Toolbox vs CleanMyMacToolbox and CleanMyMac overlap on finding duplicates, uninstalling apps and exploring storage. Compare what each does and what each costs.
- Toolbox vs HandBrakeHandBrake is a free open-source video transcoder. Toolbox has simple video tools for Mac. Compare ease, control and price.
- Toolbox vs macOS Built-in AppsPreview, QuickTime Player, Finder and Quick Actions already do some jobs. See where Toolbox adds more, and where the built-in tools are enough.
- Toolbox vs PDF ExpertCompare Toolbox's PDF tools with PDF Expert on signing, OCR, conversion and editing. See what each does well and how each is priced.
- Toolbox vs PermutePermute converts video, audio, images and more. Toolbox has separate convert, compress and edit tools. Compare formats, price and scope.
- Toolbox vs Pixelmator ProPixelmator Pro is a full image editor with layers. Toolbox has quick image tools like background removal, resize and compress. Compare them.
- Toolbox vs RaycastRaycast is a keyboard launcher with extensions, snippets and window management. Toolbox is a set of tools for files. See where they differ.
- Toolbox vs SetappSetapp is a monthly subscription to hundreds of Mac apps. Toolbox is one app with 96 tools for a one-time price. Compare cost and scope.
