10 macOS Tweaks Every Power User Should Know

macOS ships with sensible defaults, but power users know there's a layer of hidden preferences that can dramatically improve your workflow. These settings aren't exposed in System Settings — you need Terminal commands or a tool that manages them for you.

Here are 10 tweaks worth knowing about.

1. Show hidden files in Finder

macOS hides files starting with a dot and the entire ~/Library folder. If you work with dotfiles, Git repositories, or need to access ~/Library regularly, showing hidden files is essential.

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true
killall Finder

You can also toggle this with Cmd+Shift+. in any Finder window, but the default resets on restart.

2. Show all file extensions

By default, macOS hides file extensions for "known" file types. This can be confusing when you have files with similar names but different types.

defaults write -g AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true
killall Finder

3. Show the path bar and status bar in Finder

The path bar shows the full directory path at the bottom of Finder windows. The status bar shows item count and available disk space.

defaults write com.apple.finder ShowPathbar -bool true
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true
killall Finder

4. Speed up Dock animations

The default Dock auto-hide animation is slow. You can remove the delay entirely and speed up the animation:

defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -float 0
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-time-modifier -float 0.15
killall Dock

The Dock will now appear and disappear almost instantly.

5. Change screenshot format to JPG

macOS saves screenshots as PNG by default, which produces large files. If you take lots of screenshots and don't need transparency, JPG is much smaller:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg

Other options: png, tiff, gif, pdf.

6. Disable .DS_Store on network and USB drives

macOS creates .DS_Store files in every folder you browse. On network drives and USB sticks, these files are visible to other operating systems and generally unwanted.

defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores -bool true
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteUSBStores -bool true

7. Enable key repeat instead of the accent picker

When you hold down a key on macOS, it shows an accent character picker (like e → é, è, ê). For most developers, key repeat is more useful:

defaults write -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false

You can also set key repeat speed and initial delay: bash defaults write -g KeyRepeat -int 2 defaults write -g InitialKeyRepeat -int 15

8. Sort folders before files in Finder

By default, Finder sorts files and folders together alphabetically. Most file managers sort folders first, and you can make Finder do the same:

defaults write com.apple.finder _FXSortFoldersFirst -bool true
killall Finder

9. Set Finder search to current folder

By default, when you search in Finder, it searches your entire Mac. You almost always want to search the current folder:

defaults write com.apple.finder FXDefaultSearchScope -string "SCcf"
killall Finder

10. Enable Touch ID for sudo in Terminal

If your Mac has Touch ID, you can use your fingerprint instead of typing your password for sudo commands:

sudo cp /etc/pam.d/sudo_local.template /etc/pam.d/sudo_local
sudo sed -i '' 's/^#auth/auth/' /etc/pam.d/sudo_local

This is a game-changer for developers who use sudo frequently.

Applying these tweaks

Each tweak requires a Terminal command, and some require restarting Finder or the Dock to take effect. Reverting means running another command with the opposite value.

CleanMyMacOS puts all 21 of these tweaks (plus more) behind simple toggles with live state detection. You can see the current value, toggle it with one click, and revert to the macOS default instantly. No Terminal required.

CleanMyMacOS can help with this — download it free from the Mac App Store.