macOS defaults

# Key held down behavior

Allows you to select the behavior when a key is held down for a long time. The two possible behaviors are:

  • show character accents menu (default)
  • repeat character while key held

⚠️ Restarting the Mac, closing the session or restarting the application is necessary to take into effect the changes.

  • Tested on macOS:
    • Monterey
    • Big Sur
  • Parameter type: bool

# Set to true (default value)

By default, when a key is held down, the accents menu is displayed.

defaults write NSGlobalDomain "ApplePressAndHoldEnabled" -bool "true"

Example output with value set to true

# Set to false

Repeats the key as long as it is held down.

defaults write NSGlobalDomain "ApplePressAndHoldEnabled" -bool "false"

Example output with value set to false

# Read current value

defaults read NSGlobalDomain "ApplePressAndHoldEnabled"

# Reset to default value

defaults delete NSGlobalDomain "ApplePressAndHoldEnabled"

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