macOS defaults list: Incomplete list of macOS defaults commands with demos

Sep 12, 2026 12:04 PM - 5 hours ago 3

Incomplete database of macOS defaults commands pinch demos ✨

🙋 What's a defaults command? ​

macOS applications and different programs usage the defaults strategy to grounds personification preferences and different accusation to beryllium maintained erstwhile the exertion isn't moving (font for caller documents, aliases the position of an Info panel). Much of this accusation is accessible done an application's Preferences sheet but sometimes they're hidden.

User defaults beryllium to domains, which typically correspond to individual applications. Applications, strategy services, and different programs person their ain domains, they besides stock a domain named NSGlobalDomain. If a default isn't specified successful the application's domain, it whitethorn beryllium specified successful NSGlobalDomain.

Each domain has a dictionary of keys and values representing its defaults; e.g. "Default Font" = "Helvetica". Keys are strings, values tin beryllium analyzable information structures comprising arrays, dictionaries, strings, and binary data. They're stored arsenic XML Property List.

The defaults bid statement interface is simply a measurement to interact pinch these values.

Source: Real-World-Systems

Command statement interface basics ​

Print the help

List each domains

List each entries containing word

bash

defaults find ${word}

Show the type for the fixed domain, key

bash

defaults read-type ${domain} ${key}

Rename old_key to new_key

bash

defaults rename ${domain} ${old_key} ${new_key}

💻 List of commands ​

Dock

  • Position
  • Icon size
  • Autohide
  • Autohide animation time
  • Autohide delay
  • Show recents
  • Minimize animation effect
  • Active applications only
  • Scroll to Exposé app

Screenshots

  • Disable shadow
  • Include date
  • Location
  • Display thumbnail
  • Choose screenshot format

Safari

  • Show afloat URL

Finder

  • Quit
  • Show extensions
  • Show hidden files
  • Path bar
  • Default position style
  • Keep folders connected top
  • Open folders destination
  • Default hunt scope
  • Empty bin items aft 30 days
  • Changing record hold warning
  • Save to disk location
  • Title barroom icons
  • Toolbar title rollover delay
  • Sidebar icon size
  • Column car sizing
  • Status bar

Desktop

  • Keep folders connected top
  • All icons
  • Disks
  • External disks
  • Removable media
  • Connected servers

Menu Bar

  • Flash timepiece clip separators
  • Digital timepiece format

Mouse

  • Acceleration
  • Speed
  • Focus Follows Mouse

Trackpad

  • Click weight (threshold)
  • Dragging pinch resistance lock
  • Dragging without resistance lock
  • Dragging pinch 3 digit drag

Keyboard

  • Key held down behavior
  • Fn/🌐 cardinal usage
  • Function keys behavior
  • Keyboard navigation
  • Add play pinch double-space
  • Toggle connection indicator

Mission Control

  • Rearrange automatically
  • Group windows by application
  • Switch to Space pinch unfastened windows
  • Displays person abstracted Spaces

Feedback Assistant

  • Autogather

Xcode

  • Add Additional Counterpart Suffixes
  • Show Build Durations

Simulator

  • Screenshot location

TextEdit

  • Default archive format
  • Smart quotes

Time Machine

  • Don't connection caller disks for Time Machine backup

Activity Monitor

  • Update Frequency
  • Dock Icon type

Messages

  • Show Subject Field

Miscellaneous

  • Toggle Apple Intelligence
  • Help Menu position
  • Spring loading for each Dock items
  • Show Music opus notifications
  • Disable exertion quarantine message
  • Close corroborate changes popup
  • Clear precocious utilized clip zones successful Calendar
  • Keep windows erstwhile quitting an application

🤔 How do I adhd a command? ​

Feel free to unfastened a GitHub issue if you cognize an unlisted command.

It's besides imaginable to adhd the bid yourself by creating a Pull Request. Please return a look astatine the publication guidelines.

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