macOS System Preferences

Configuring your system preferences properly can enhance your macOS experience. This guide covers recommended settings for productivity and development.

General

Appearance: Dark (reduces eye strain for many users)
Accent color: Blue (default) or select based on personal preference
Show scroll bars: When scrolling
Click in the scroll bar to: Jump to the spot that's clicked
Default web browser: Set to your preferred browser

Dock & Menu Bar

Size: Make smaller for more screen real estate
Magnification: On (set to about 25%)
Position on screen: Left or Bottom (left gives more vertical space)
Automatically hide and show the Dock: On
Show indicators for open applications: On
Show recent applications in Dock: Off (reduces clutter)

Mission Control

Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use: Off
When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application: On
Group windows by application: On
Displays have separate Spaces: On

Keyboard

Key Repeat: Fast
Delay Until Repeat: Short
Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys: On (for developers)

Text

Correct spelling automatically: Off (for developers)
Capitalize words automatically: Off
Add period with double-space: Off

Shortcuts

Full Keyboard Access: All controls
Consider customizing:
- Mission Control: Set up shortcuts for switching between spaces
- Screenshots: Customize for your workflow
- Services: Enable or disable as needed

Trackpad

Tap to click: On
Tracking speed: Fast (6-7)
Secondary click: Click with two fingers
Swipe between pages: Swipe with three fingers
Swipe between full-screen apps: Swipe left or right with four fingers
Mission Control: Swipe up with four fingers
App Exposé: Swipe down with four fingers

Accessibility

Pointer Control → Trackpad Options → Enable dragging: Three finger drag
Display → Reduce transparency: On (if you prefer performance over aesthetics)

Security & Privacy

General

Require password after sleep or screen saver begins: Immediately
Use Apple Watch to unlock: On (if you have an Apple Watch)

FileVault

Enable FileVault disk encryption for better security

Firewall

Turn on Firewall

Energy Saver / Battery

Turn display off after: 10-15 minutes on battery, 30 minutes when plugged in
Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off: On (for developers)
Wake for network access: On (if you need remote access)

Advanced System Settings

These may require Terminal commands:

# Show hidden files in Finder
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true
 
# Show all filename extensions in Finder
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true
 
# Disable the "Are you sure you want to open this application?" dialog
defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices LSQuarantine -bool false
 
# Speed up Mission Control animations
defaults write com.apple.dock expose-animation-duration -float 0.1
 
# Keep folders on top when sorting by name in Finder
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXSortFoldersFirst -bool true
 
# Restart affected applications
killall Finder
killall Dock

Recommended Third-Party System Utilities

Alfred: Powerful Spotlight replacement
Rectangle: Window management
Magnet: Alternative window manager
Bartender: Menu bar organization
Amphetamine: Keep your Mac awake
MonitorControl: Adjust external monitor brightness
AppCleaner: Thoroughly uninstall applications

macOS Updates

Keep your Mac updated, but for development machines:
- Wait 1-2 weeks after major updates to ensure stability
- Read release notes for any changes that might affect your development environment

Remember that these are recommendations, and you should adjust settings based on your personal workflow and preferences.

Keyboard Shortcuts Terminal Shell