Windows is a fairly dull system visually and is not very customizable with the tools it offers by default, while its great rival, macOS, looks much sleeker and sleeker. It’s no wonder that many Windows users try to emulate Apple’s aesthetic.

Fortunately, it is possible to recreate a similar visual experience in Windows with a few simple adjustments. If you are not satisfied with the available Windows customization tools and want to go further and transform it to macOS, in this tutorial we will explain several ways to do it. All these changes can be applied equally in Windows 10 and 11.

As with all these practical things that touch on aspects of the system, we recommend that before you do anything, you create a restore point in case something goes wrong so that you can return your computer to a previous state when everything was working properly. Go for it.

macOS wallpapers

Image used as gui background is the first component to modify. Many websites offer a wide variety of wallpapers of different released editions of macOS, such as home page wallpaper, Wallpaper Access either Cave wallpaper to give some examples. Simply type any of them, search for “macOS wallpaper” and download the ones you like the most. There are usually several versions available to fit your monitor’s native screen resolution.

Once downloaded, using it in Windows is very simple:

• Right-click anywhere on the desktop.
• Select ‘Customize’.
• On the ‘Background’ tab, select ‘Image’ and ‘Browse’.
• Find the path to the image you just downloaded and want to use. Apply and you will see the image selected as your desktop background.
• Another more direct option is to open the image using the “Photos” app, go to Settings > Set As and select Background:

If you are one of those who like to change your background regularly, you can install one dedicated application such as WinDynamicDesktop, which is available for free in the Microsoft Store. The app uses your location to determine the sunrise and sunset times and changes the background based on them. You can import dynamic custom macOS themes or create your own, and there are versions optimized for dark and light mode.

Docking station for macOS

One of the most visible differences between the Windows and macOS interfaces is the popular dock of the latter, which you will see in any promotional image of the system or Mac computers. Similar to the Windows taskbar, allows you to place your favorite apps as well as any objects to launch or switch between. Apple used it for two decades in the first OS X and after buying NEXT, which was one of the predecessors of this dock, which became a differentiating element of the interface. Microsoft tried to replicate this in Windows 11, but it is still behind in every way.

To emulate the dock in Windows, we need to go to third-party software. One of our favorites is Winstep Nexus. It has a very complete paid version, but also a free one that offers the essentials. Simply download the ZIP file, extract and install the executable .exe file.

After installation, the dock should automatically appear at the top of the desktop. You can change its position by right-clicking and selecting Screen Position at the bottom, as it is by default in macOS, and also on the left or right side of the desktop if you prefer.

The dock has many options. For example, you can add a shortcut to the Dock by right-clicking and selecting Insert New Dock Item. You can also select the Hotkey option to assign a hotkey to the included programs.

Winstep Nexus has a lot of visual customization options, such as the size of the dock itself, the icons or the level of transparency. You can also add very cool effects to the icons and make them animated or choose alternative themes. Very complete, even in its free version.

Another alternative application that you can use to emulate a macOS dock is RocketDock, a free one that unfortunately hasn’t been updated in a while but still works well. Among the paid software, our favorite is MyDockFinder, available on Steam for 4.99 euros. It’s more powerful and customizable than the free options and has all kinds of options to get the best dock for Windows.

Mac-style cursors

The default Windows cursors are pretty basic and they don’t provide the same level of aesthetics as macOS. However, there is also an easy way to change them, as we will see:

• Download this cursor theme for macOS, available for free on DeviantArt.
• Unzip the ZIP file and you will see a series of folders depending on the version of macOS (Sierra and later or El Capitan and earlier); depending on whether you want them to have shadows or not, as well as the size of the cursors (normal, large, and extra large).
• To install one of these, right-click on the ‘Install.inf’ file and click install in the context menu.

• Select the macOS cursor scheme and click the Mouse Properties window.
• Click to replace the default Windows cursor theme with the macOS theme.

Menu bar

The menu bar is a horizontal bar at the top of the screen which displays a list of menus and options, applications, a list of notifications, brightness control and volume control to name a few, and with which you can select commands, perform tasks and check status.

Like most components, we have to switch to third-party software. Here, one of the good ones is Droptop, which has a paid version as well as a free one. It’s a skin that lets you pin different app shortcuts, add folders, install apps from the Droptop community, and more.

To install it:

• Download and install Rainmeter, a base that will allow us to add a bar or many other customizable skins later. It’s free and open source.
• Proceed to droptopfour.com to download the free version of Droptop 4 Base.
• Click on the downloaded .rmskin file and the Rainmeter skin installer will open to apply it and activate the menu bar.
• Select your language and follow the on-screen instructions.

Once the setup process is complete, Rainmeter will automatically apply the Droptop 4 skin to the desktop and a menu bar will appear at the top of the screen. You can customize the default version by dragging your favorite apps to the bar, or you can easily access folders and files with the option to hide specific items from view.

Widgets and icon packs

With the previous setup, you already get Windows with a macOS flavor. But you can go further by editing other sections like installation macOS icon packs or installation widget which, along with the new Start menu and the default location of the start bar in the middle of the desktop, was the most noticeable change in the visual part of Windows 11.

To this end, we return to the Rainmeter, open source foundation which allows us to install all kinds of masks or skins downloaded from anywhere on the Internet. Here we have to recommend DeviantArt, a fantastic portal where you can find the best virtual content related to visual art and which has many add-ons for Rainmeter and other programs.

Restoring the visual environment of macOS in Windows is possible, as you saw in this tutorial. You can use it completely or any specific component. Before you start, don’t forget to create a restore point and try them to replace the boring Windows.