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WinSwitch
WinSwitch
3.2.1

4.8

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WinSwitch free download for Mac

WinSwitch

3.2.1
05 April 2006

Access fast user switching via slim menubar item.

Developer website

Overview

WinSwitch did a superb job with its new Fast User Switching feature in Panther (Mac OS X 10.3), but for users with long names, the associated menu item is a terrible waste of precious Menu Bar real estate.
  • Access the feature through a compact, icon-sized Menu Bar icon.
  • Closely matches the performance and style of the Apple-provided menu, but without all the bulk.
  • In fact, it even corrects some problems with Apple's menu by eliminating certain "daemon" users which shouldn't show up in the list, and by improving the alignment of user icons in the menu.
  • WinSwitch gives you rapid access to the Accounts preference pane, and is completely customizable, allowing you to choose from six different menu bar styles: Standard icon, User picture, Full username, Short username, First name only, and Initials.
  • You can also optionally display the root user, define a hot key to take you back to the login window, and adjust the size of your user pictures both in the menu bar and inside the menu itself.
  • For power users, WinSwitch can automatically run applications and scripts of your choosing whenever you switch in or switch out.

What's new in WinSwitch

Version 3.2.1:
  • fixes a crashing issue on launch.

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WinSwitch Screenshots

  • WinSwitch for Mac - review, screenshots
  • WinSwitch for Mac - review, screenshots
  • WinSwitch for Mac - review, screenshots
  • WinSwitch for Mac - review, screenshots
  • WinSwitch for Mac - review, screenshots

51 WinSwitch Reviews

See all

Rate this app:

Anonymous
Anonymous
29 March 2004

Most helpful

This is the forth one of these replacements for Apple's FUS and this is the first one (other than Apple's) to accurately show the state of the other users. I don't know if the failing of the others is due to a conflict with some other hack I have running, but I am glad to finally have one that works on my system.
Like
Version 1.0
John-Sawyer-CJS
John-Sawyer-CJS
05 February 2008
Winswitch 3.2.1 doesn't work under OS 10.5--it shows in the menu bar, but it lists no user accounts.
Like
Version 3.2.1
2 answer(s)
Espirit
Espirit
18 April 2008
Under 10.5 you can change the appearance of the Fast User Switch icon in the menubar within the Accounts preference pane without any 3rd party software. When you go to the accounts panel, simply click "Login Options", check the "Enable fast user switching" box, then selection the view method you want from the drop-down menu below the box. The choices are Full Name, Short Name, and Icon only, so its not quite as customizable as WinSwitch, but it performs the same basic features w/o any extra software.
Like
Version 3.2.1
Espirit
Espirit
18 April 2008
Under 10.5 you can change the appearance of the Fast User Switch icon in the menubar within the Accounts preference pane without any 3rd party software. When you go to the accounts panel, simply click "Login Options", check the "Enable fast user switching" box, then selection the view method you want from the drop-down menu below the box. The choices are Full Name, Short Name, and Icon only, so its not quite as customizable as WinSwitch, but it performs the same basic features w/o any extra software.
Like
Version 3.2.1
Roadhog7
Roadhog7
07 April 2006
On my iMac/Intel the System Preferences/Security feature of "Requiring a password to wake computer from sleep or screen saver" does not work when using WinSwitch. After removing WinSwitch and resetting User Login then re-starting my iMac the Security worked.
Like
Version 3.2.1
Cruzdrew
Cruzdrew
11 March 2006
In accounts in system prefereces you can switch enable fast user switching to icon
Like
Version 3.2b
Gee4orce
Gee4orce
10 March 2006
Feature suggestion: It would be great if the menu could show the number of unread emails in Mail; that way I can avoid switching accounts just to 'check my email'. ...a hack to display this on the login screen would be fantastic too !
Like
Version 3.2b
Semiotek
Semiotek
10 March 2006
The disadvantage with the way iTunes used to work was that you had to remember to quit it when logging in to another account, or else it couldn't be opened in that account. Personally, I prefer it as it is now. Anyhow, it's nothing to do with WinSwitch.
Like
Version 3.2b
Twister-Mcs
Twister-Mcs
10 March 2006
I'd like to see a key command to switch from all accounts
Like
Version 3.2b
Anonymous
Anonymous
23 August 2005
I wanted to check WinSwitch to see if it fixed my biggest complaint with Tiger's Fast User Switching, which is the way it interrupts iTunes playback when switching accounts, something that didn't happen in Panther and definitely not what I expect to happen if I'm in the middle of listening to a song and my girlfriend decides to user her account. Anyway, here's for adding a preference for iTunes to keep playing when switching accounts in the next version! :-)
Like
Version 3.1
1 answer(s)
Robo-X
Robo-X
04 April 2006
That was the stupidest feature in earlier versions of MacOS X when using fast user switch and iTunes. When I switch accounts I want to be able to use iTunes on the new account and hear my songs and not somebody else music which I can't turn off. I am glad this BUG was fixed in Tiger. //Rob
Like
Version 3.2.1
Anonymous
Anonymous
15 June 2005
Excellent. Works in my bilingual family (Spanish/English) perfectly. My thanks to the developer.
Like
Version 3.1
Anonymous
Anonymous
28 May 2005
My only problem with this application is that it should be possible to install it without an installer, simply by dragging it into ~/Library/Menu Extras. Especially annoying is the way it forces all your other menu extras to restart...
Like
Version 3.1
Anonymous
Anonymous
13 May 2005
Excellent Programme
Like
Version 3.1

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