# macOS defaults
list
Uncomplete list of macOS defaults
commands with demos ✨
# 🙋 What's a defaults
command?
macOS applications and other programs use the defaults
system to record user preferences and other information to be maintained when the application isn't running (font for new documents, or the position of an Info panel).
Much of this information is accessible through an application's Preferences panel but sometimes they're hidden.
User defaults belong to domains, which typically correspond to individual applications. Applications, system services, and other programs have their own domains, they also share a domain named NSGlobalDomain. If a default isn't specified in the application's domain, it may be specified in NSGlobalDomain.
Each domain has a dictionary of keys and values representing its defaults; e.g. "Default Font" = "Helvetica". Keys are strings, values can be complex data structures comprising arrays, dictionaries, strings, and binary data. They're stored as XML Property List.
The defaults
command line interface is a way to interact with these values.
Source: Real-World-Systems (opens new window)
# Command line interface basics
# Print the help
defaults help
# List all domains
defaults domains
# List all entries containing word
defaults find ${word}
# Show the type for the given domain, key
defaults read-type ${domain} ${key}
# Rename old_key to new_key
defaults rename ${domain} ${old_key} ${new_key}
# 💻 List of commands
# Dock
- Position
- Change macOS Dock icon size
- Autohide
- Autohide animation time
- Autohide delay
- Show recents
- Minimize animation effect
- Active applications only
# Screenshots
# Safari
# Finder
- Quit
- Show extensions
- Show hidden files
- Path bar
- Default view style
- Keep folders on top
- Default search scope
- Empty bin items after 30 days
- Changing file extension warning
- Save to disk or iCloud by default
- Title bar icons
- Adjust toolbar title rollover delay
- Set sidebar icon size
# Desktop
# Menu Bar
# Mission Control
# Feedback Assistant
# Xcode
# Simulator
# TextEdit
# Time Machine
# Activity Monitor
# Miscellaneous
- Help Menu position
- Enable spring loading for all Dock items
- Show Music song notifications
- Disable application quarantine message
- Key held down behavior
# 🤔 How do I add a command?
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