A curated list of handy-dandy tools for Mac Admins.
Inspired by the awesome list.
- Command-line tools
- Deployment
- Helper Menus
- Onboarding Experience
- Productivity
- Text Editing
- Utilities
Quick-and-dirty tool to download the macOS IPSW files currently advertised by Apple in the https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/com_apple_macOSIPSW/com_apple_macOSIPSW.xml feed.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/munki/macadmin-scripts
Create disk images containing macOS Installer applications available via Apple's softwareupdate catalogs.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/munki/macadmin-scripts
A Mac command-line tool that automatically downloads macOS Installers/firmware.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/ninxsoft/Mist
A helper app for Hello IT to make building mobileconfig files easier.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/WardsParadox/moss
Quickly recategorize policies and packages in Jamf Pro, and even more unused categories.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/sheagcraig/Recategorizer
A utility for managing the scripts in Jamf Pro. It provides backup, change tracking, and an easier edit process.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/Honestpuck/scriptorium
Works with your Jamf server to identify objects not currently being used, out of date, or are generally "crufty".
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/sheagcraig/Spruce
Easily configure macOS security settings from the terminal.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/alichtman/stronghold
A handy script that converts a never-booted DMG into a VMware Fusion VM.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/chilcote/vfuse
An application for inspecting application bundles, including code signing requirements, notarization, and included frameworks.
Cost: Free
Link: https://www.mothersruin.com/software/Apparency/
Create deployable system images from macOS installers.*
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/MagerValp/AutoDMG
Automated third party package download and creation for deployment.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/autopkg/autopkg
GUI for AutoPkg, with click-to-add functionality of additional components.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/lindegroup/autopkgr
Jamf's in-house package creator tool. Builds pkgs and dmgs made for deployment with the Jamf Pro Suite, but pkgs built with Composer can be used with any management framework.
Cost: $ USD 99.95, otherwise included with the Jamf Pro Suite if a Jamf customer.
Link: https://www.jamf.com/products/jamf-composer/
A Mac utility to help inspect Apple Configuration Profile payloads.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/ninxsoft/LowProfile
munki-pkg is a simple tool for building packages. While it was developed for use with munki, it can be used to make pkgs that are deployable with any management framework.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/munki/munki-pkg
Nudge strongly encourages running macOS updates and can be customized with profiles or local json files.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/macadmins/nudge
A free package creation tool. The gold standard of making your own custom installer packages.
Cost: Free
Link: http://s.sudre.free.fr/Software/Packages/about.html
An Automator application that quickly builds payload-free pkgs for deployment.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/rtrouton/Payload-Free-Package-Creator
An application for inspecting the contents of macOS packages.
Cost: Free
Link: https://www.mothersruin.com/software/SuspiciousPackage/
A handy menubar application to get users in touch with IT and quickly get information and resources on their Mac.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/ygini/Hello-IT
Customizable menubar that checks for hardware status, management framework status, and other handy information.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/jhbush/Arek/tree/master/Development/MacDNA%20Menulet
The functionality you want from a Mac bound to Active Directory without having to actually bind to AD. (Make sure you check out this NoMAD updater as well.)
Cost: Free, Jamf Connect (pro version) pricing information can be found here
Link: https://nomad.menu/products/#nomad
Automatically audit your Mac for basic security hygiene.
Price: N/A
Link: https://paretosecurity.app/
The Support app is a macOS menu bar app built for organizations to help users and helpdesks to see basic diagnostic information at a glance and easily customizable with a configuration profile.
Cost: Free
Link: https://github.com/root3nl/SupportApp
A setup/splash screen for DEP and user-initiated Jamf Pro enrollments. Detailed documentation highlights how to work with the application in Xcode to customize it for your organization's needs.
Cost: Free to use, paid installation/customization services available.
Link: https://git.tramscloud.co.uk/projects/XCOD/repos/adept/browse
A lightweight notification app designed to let users know what's happening during DEP enrollment.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://gitlab.com/Mactroll/DEPNotify
Octory is a highly customizable and elegant macOS application to onboard, support and watch over your users on their Mac.
Cost: Free, with Pro pricing/options available
Link:
A customizable onboarding app designed to work with Jamf Pro and DEP.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/macadmins/SplashBuddy
Virtual sticky notes, lists, photos, and audio.
Cost: Included with Gmail accounts.
Link: https://www.google.com/keep/
Team chat and productivity client. Anyone can create a free team with ten integrations. (Join the MacAdmins Slack!)
Cost: Free teams with limited capabilities, additonal pricing can be found here
Link: https://slack.com/downloads/osx
Create simple and minimal checklists, notes and outlines. Taskade is collaborative and syncs in real-time across all devices. Free, browser-based and mobile app interface.
Cost: Free, with paid features available.
Link: https://taskade.com/
Use Trello's boards, lists, and cards to organize and prioritize your projects. Free, browser-based and mobile app interface.
Cost: Free, with paid features available.
Link: https://trello.com/
An free, open source, hackable text editor.
Cost: Free
Link: https://atom.io/
Clean and simple HTML & text editor, made by Bare Bones Software.
Cost: USD $49.99 (direct download or via Mac App Store)
Link: https://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/
An open source markdown editor for macOS.
Cost: Free
Link: https://macdown.uranusjr.com/
A high performance, cross-platform text editor.
Cost: USD $80 to buy, free to evaluate.
Link: https://www.sublimetext.com/
Microsoft's source code editor in a lightweight, open source, cross-platform application.
Cost: Free
Link: https://code.visualstudio.com/
Apple's integrated development environment (IDE) containing a suite of software development tools developed by Apple for developing software used by Apple hardware.
Cost: Free with an Apple ID.
Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/xcode/id497799835?mt=12
A caffeine replacement that prevents your Mac from sleeping on demand.
Cost: Free in the Mac App Store
Link: https://itunes.apple.com/app/amphetamine/id937984704?mt=12
A small application which allows you to thoroughly uninstall unwanted apps.
Cost: Free
Link: https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/
Easily capture GIFs from your Mac, great for documentation.
Cost: Free from the Mac App Store.
Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/giphy-capture-the-gif-maker/id668208984?mt=12
Icons.app is an application for macOS which enables you to create graphics files in PNG format, for use with management tools like Jamf Software's Jamf Pro or the open source Munki software installation tool.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/SAP/macOS-icon-generator
A tool to migrate data granularly between Jamf Pro servers.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/jamf/JamfMigrator
The macOS security compliance project is an open source effort to provide a programmatic approach to generating security guidance. This project can be used to create customized security baselines of technical security controls by leveraging a library of rules which are mapped to compliance requirements in existing security guides or used to develop customized guidance.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/usnistgov/macos_security
The MUT is a native macOS application written in Swift which allows Jamf admins to make mass updates to attributes (such as username, asset tag, or extension attribute) of their devices and users in Jamf.
Cost: Free
Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-mut/id1133234759
PPPC Utility is a macOS (10.15 and newer) application for creating configuration profiles containing the Privacy Preferences Policy Control payload for macOS.
Cost: Free
Link: https://github.com/jamf/PPPC-Utility
Move and resize windows in macOS using keyboard shortcuts or snap areas.
Cost: Free
Link: https://rectangleapp.com/
Inspect Apple macOS software updates.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/hjuutilainen/sus-inspector
A Professional Tool to help users with getting pre-existing devices enrolled into MDM.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/macadmins/umad
Custom user notifications with Swift.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/sheagcraig/yo
A macOS app to create standard & customized configuration profiles & plists.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://github.com/ProfileCreator/ProfileCreator
To the extent possible under law, Emily Kausalik has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this work.