macOS Configuration
Setting a new Mac up with its configuration is a great joy of mine. Because there are too many configurations to remember, documented here are them all for both you & I.
![macOS Configuration](/content/images/size/w2000/2021/09/iu-3.jpeg)
With every new Mac I get gitty like a kid on a Christmas morning to set it up with configurations & apps of choice. There are too many configurations to remember, hence figured in documenting them will benefit both you & I. The setup below was done on Big Sur 11.4.
Mouse
Larger mouse sizes help reduce cognitive load when trying to find them.
- Cursor size to 3.
- Uncheck "Shake mouse pointer locate."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.32.17.png)
Keyboard
Keyboard navigation always beats mouse in speed. You can enable tabbing through apps' controls, with the focused view at hand highlighted, and the Space bar emulating clicks.
- Check "Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.30.15.png)
Sound
I dislike Mac making noises. They not only can be irritable, but too unexpectedly play back during Zoom calls.
- Set "Alert volume" to 0.
- Uncheck "Play sound on startup."
- Uncheck "Play feedback when volume is changed."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.35.22.png)
Dock & Menu Bar
Minimized app windows into doc icon appears camouflaged, minimize app windows in the dock instead.
- Uncheck "Minimize windows into application icon."
Zen = Hidden Dock + Hidden Menu + 0 desktop icons.
- Check "Automatically hide and show the Dock."
- Check "Automatically hide and show the menu bar" (Big Sur onwards).
Recent applications in Dock is a cop out; decide if it's in or out.
- Uncheck "Show recent applications in Dock."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.26.58.png)
Clock & Dates
- Time format: 24-Hour Time (More concise).
- First day of the week: Monday (Accurately reflects work week).
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/image.png)
Menu bar:
- Show day of the week.
- Show date.
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.27.24.png)
Screen Saver
- Check "Show screen saver after 10 minutes."
- Check "Show with clock."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.25.28-1.png)
Hot corners
- Top left: Mission Control.
- Top right: Desktop.
- Bottom right: Start Screensaver (allows for quickly leaving computer with lock).
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.25.35.png)
Mission Control
- Uncheck "Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use."
- Uncheck "When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application" (This annoying for apps that can have multiple windows like Safari).
- Check "Displays have separate Spaces."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.27.54.png)
Security
- Check "Require password 5 seconds after sleep or screen saver begins."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.29.26.png)
- Turn On FileVault. (Using iMac hence didn't enable here).
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.29.39.png)
- Turn On Firewall.
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-20.41.38.png)
Spotlight
Not a fan of Google searching against every local search.
- Uncheck "Siri Suggestions."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.25.19.png)
Menu bar:
- Uncheck "Show in Menu Bar" (Command + Space is easy enough).
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.27.31.png)
Siri
I'm personally not ready to talk to my computer yet.
- Uncheck "Enable Ask Siri."
- Uncheck "Show Siri in menu bar."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-21.10.15.png)
General
- Appearance: "Auto" (Switches between Light & Dark depending on hour).
- Accent Color: "Multicolor."
- Highlight Color: "Accent Color."
- Sidebar icon size: "Large."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-22.13.56.png)
TrackPad
- Check "Secondary click": "Click or tap with two fingers."
- Check "Tap to click."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-10.19.02-PM.png)
- Check "Scroll direction": "Natural."
- Check "Zoom in or out."
- Check "Smart zoom."
- Check "Rotate."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-10.19.05-PM.png)
- Uncheck "App Exposé."
- Check "Show Desktop."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-10.19.19-PM.png)
Finder
View Options:
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.33.52.png)
- Check "Always open in column view."
- Check "Browse in column view."
- Group By "None."
- Sort By "Name."
- Text Size: 16.
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.34.24.png)
Finder Preferences:
- Uncheck "Hard disks."
- "New Finder windows show": "[Home Folder]."
- Uncheck "Open folders in tabs instead of new windows."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/image-9.png)
- Uncheck all tags (Folder organization for the win).
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-22.33.12.png)
- Uncheck "Recents."
- Uncheck "iCloud Drive."
- Uncheck "Recent Tags."
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/image-8.png)
- Check "Show all filename extensions."
- Check "When performing a search": "Search the Current Folder" (Let Spotlight do hard drive searches).
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-29-at-18.33.15.png)
Sidebar Favorites:
- Create 1:1 mapping of important folders placed in Home folder with Sidebar.
![](https://sami.eljabali.org/content/images/2021/06/image-4.png)
That concludes my list! If you got comments, or think I missed a configuration, email me.