Best 25 macbook terminal codes 2019

1) 2D Dock

This quite a popular hack for the people running Leopard and don’t like the 3D feel. It changes the 3D dock to a flat 2D version. To enter copy and paste the following code.

defaults write com.apple.dock no-glass -boolean YES
killall Dock

2) Gradient Behind A Stack Item

One of my favourite hacks that enables you to put a small gradient behind an icon. I think this should be enabled by default.

defaults write com.apple.dock mouse-over-hilte-stack -boolean YES
killall Dock

3) Add A Message To The Login Window

This little Terminal command enables you to add a message of your choice to the Login window. Pretty cool and deserved a screenshot if I knew how to take on while not logged in. Warning it’s a sudo command which can be dangerous.

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow LoginwindowText "Your Message"

Replace “Your Message” with the message of your choice, don’t make it to long. If you want to revert it do the following.

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow LoginwindowText ""

4) Add An Exposè Button To The Desktop

If you have reconfigured the F9 and F10 keys to something different you may want to use exposè. This hack adds a biggish blue button onto the desktop to enable you to use exposè. Clicking on it shows all the windows from one application (F10 default), option-clicking it shows all windows (F9 default).

defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-floater -bool YES
killall Dock
5) Address Book Debug Menu

If you have some trouble with Address Book it may be useful to open up the debug menu as well as this use some of the hidden features. Make sure address book is closed first before applying the code. If you want to revert it remove YES in the string.

defaults write com.apple.addressbook ABShowDebugMenu -bool YES
6) Increase Dock Magnification Size

This little hack lets you increase the size of the magnification of the dock icons. Don’t go past 512.

defaults write com.apple.dock largesize -int 512

7) Increase Desktop Icon Size

If you want massive icons on your desktop this little hack lets you increase the icons to 512 pixels x 512 pixels. This is massive, may slow down on older machines. I don’t think it goes larger than 512.

defaults write com.apple.finder DesktopViewOptions -dict IconSize -integer 512
killall Finder

8) Changing the Format Of Screen Shots

If you use the screenshot function, you may want to change the format of the images, this is not easily done normally. Where jpg is in the code you can change this to the format you want, png bmp gif etc. You need to log out and back in again or restart for the changes to take effect.

defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg

9) Change The Login Picture

If you get a bored of the space picture used on the login screen, you can change it with this little bit of code. Change the file location in the second half of the string to the exact file location of your chosen picture.

defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow DesktopPicture "/System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/vortex.png"

10) Change The Loading Bar In Safari To A Pie Chart

This is a Safari 3 hack so it might not work. This changes the blue bar that goes across the address bar into a small blue pie chart. Insert false instead of true to reverse.

defaults write com.apple.Safari DebugUsePieProgressIndicator -bool true
11) Clear The Open With Menu

If you right click on a file you can open it with many applications. Sometimes your OS can get a little confused and list many applications. This is to clear this list and start again. The code below is all on one line.

/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/
LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister
-kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user

12) Change The Delay When Dragging Windows In Spaces

This simple hack changes the delay time it takes to drag windows around in spaces, its currently set to 0.75

defaults write com.apple.dock workspaces-edge-delay -float 0.5

13) Disable Dashboard

If you don’t want or like the dashboard running you can disable it. Change YES to NO to enable it again.

defaults write com.apple.dashboard mcx-disabled -boolean YES
killall Dock

14) Enable Double Scroll Arrows

This little hack enables the double arrow set for up and down, left or right, to be at both ends of the scroll bar. Handy if you like the double arrows. Use System Preferences to reset.

defaults write “Apple Global Domain” AppleScrollBarVariant DoubleBoth

15) Disable Tooltips In Safari

This quick little hack for Safari that removes the tooltips you get when you hover over certain elements.

defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitShowsURLsInToolTips 0

16) Increase The Dock Size

Command #6 enables you to change the magnification. This command enables you to change the size of the dock. Use the sliders in System Preferences to reduce this size. Don’t go larger 256.

defaults write com.apple.dock tilesize -int 256

17) Disable the Crash Dialog Box

This disables the quit dialog box when an application crashes. Type prompt to enable again.

defaults write com.apple.CrashReporter DialogType none

18) Drag A Widget Onto The Desktop

Probably one of the coolest hacks. This command enables widgets to be placed onto the desktop. Drag a widget around and press F12 to drag it onto the desktop. Repeat the process again to drag a widget back onto the dashboard. This may need you to log off or restart for it to take effect.

defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES

19) Enable Debug Menu In Safari

Adding debug menus to programs is great as you can access a whole range of features. This one is for Safari.

defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeDebugMenu 1

20) Enable The Path View In Finder

One of may favourite hacks as it lets you see the current path of the Finder window you are in. Its great if you work with a lot of windows.

defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool YES

21) Enable Time Machine On Unsupported Drives

Another favourite hack of mine, simply because it enable Time Machine to work on unsupported drives such as a NAS. Use with caution as it is unsupported.

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1

22) Enable Web Inspector

This is a very detailed web inspector that enables you to find out specific information about a page. It is accessible through the debug menu but this enables you to use it without. You can quickly access it through right-click.

defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitDeveloperExtras -bool true

23) Enable Debug in iCal

Another debug menu (I like debug menus) this time its for iCal. You need to restart iCal for the changes to take effect.

defaults write com.apple.iCal IncludeDebugMenu YES

24) Enable Quit In Finder

This is a very useful command for anyone who does a lot of fiddling and needs to quit Finder.

defaults write com.apple.finder QuitMenuItem -bool YES
killall Finder

25) Force Mail To Display In Plain Text

If you have problems with HTML emails or you just want emails to be displayed in plain text use the following command. You need to restart Mail for the changes to take effect. Replace with false to revert.

defaults write com.apple.mail PreferPlainText -bool TRUE




This post was originally published on 10/27/2017 and updated on 11/27/2019.