Questions tagged [system-settings]
System Preferences, the application for OS X that allows you to modify various system settings. The application is organized into different preference panes.
502
questions
0
votes
1
answer
53
views
Where is that "Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible" checkbox in modern macOS Sonoma etc. edition of the System Settings?
I would like to turn off the "Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible" feature is System Settings. Some folk say that will solve the mysterious problem of Disk not ejected properly error ...
- 12.3k
1
vote
0
answers
34
views
How to set default paper sizes for different printers on macOS
I've two printers, HP desktop A4 size and a Zebra thermal label printer for label printing 4"x6". I'm not able to set the default paper size for these printers separately and I've to ...
- 111
1
vote
0
answers
71
views
How can I fix “Error 15” System Settings so the control center pane renders and works reliably?
A while ago, I started to get an error notification when I navigated to the Control Center section of System Settings. "The operation couldn't be completed. (com.apple.extensionKit.errorDomain ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
86
views
How can I tell if the Content Caching feature is working correctly?
I enabled this on a Mac Mini which I use as a server with attached storage.
It's shows that it's "working" and my iMac finds it "healthy" however none of the large updates we've ...
- 989
5
votes
0
answers
112
views
Change the Date format in the menu bar
Specifically, I would like to include the year for the menu bar date display and, even better, if I could change it to the iso format like YYYY-MM-DD.
I was able to change how it is displayed in the ...
- 106
0
votes
0
answers
88
views
'o' in macOS date format for menu bar clock
I have a problem with clock in menu bar date format. I'd like to show my clock with weekday, and 24 hour. For some reason, I see Niedz. 13.08 o 19:19 (pl_PL locale). While trying to figure out what ...
- 1,529
0
votes
1
answer
244
views
How to use Applescript to set output sound volume
I want to tweak the Applescript I use to select the sound output, to also dial the output volume up to 100%.
(*
Applescript to toggle between two sound outputs by Line number, ¬
as they appear in the ...
- 1,184
0
votes
1
answer
193
views
Where Are Ventura System Settings Icons Located?
I'm creating a menu bar interface to Ventura's System Settings. Where do the icon resources (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Network, Notification, etc.) reside?
I've checked all the usual Resources folders ...
- 875
2
votes
0
answers
77
views
Switching Tilde (~) and plus-minus (±) when using an external keyboard over a USB receiver
I have a MB Pro 2021, with an ISO keyboard layout. I wanted to swap between the (~) and plus-minus (±) keys. I already tried the option in Tilde (~) and plus-minus (±) in wrong place on keyboard, ...
- 73
4
votes
1
answer
181
views
Choose which Applications re-open documents at launch
To enable or disable the preservation of open files between launches, there's a global Preference/Setting.
up to Monterey
System Preferences > General > Close windows when quitting an app
...
- 113k
1
vote
1
answer
302
views
What is the meaning of these user interface elements in macOS System Settings? [closed]
In the macOS UI there are several visual elements that seem to do the same thing. Why are they different? What is the meaning of each?
For example, all the clickable things shown below bring up a ...
- 443
0
votes
2
answers
4k
views
MacOS Ventura 13.3 apps don't show in Camera and Microphone Privacy & Security settings
I've been having issues getting apps to show in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone & Camera, on MacOS Ventura 13.3.
I have a iMac 27-inch, Late 2013, which I used OpenCore ...
1
vote
0
answers
353
views
Accessing iCloud page in System Settings in macOS Ventura causes stalling, high CPU and ExtensionKit error 15
Accessing System Settings > Internet Accounts > iCloud causes my Macbook Pro (running Ventura 13.3.1) to stall, high CPU, and everything going jumpy. Then an error message: "The operation ...
2
votes
2
answers
261
views
Applescript - What's the path of this "button" in System Preferences (Function Keys) / How to refer to Function Keys button in code
I've been trying to write a script in AppleScript for making enabling and disabling Function Keys easier for me, but I cannot find the path for the Function Keys "button" in System ...
- 21
4
votes
0
answers
528
views
"To continue using iCloud, confirm your MacBook Pro password" requested multiple times per week
In the last few weeks, my Intel MacBook Pro 15" 2018 running macOS Ventura 13.2.1 has been requesting its local password for using iCloud, which I think has happened in the past, but certainly ...
- 2,291
0
votes
0
answers
38
views
Macbook Pro Big Sur, Location Services in Preferences: what is the difference between "Find My" and "System Services | Find my Mac"?
I tried to be as specific as I could in the title, so there is little left for the question body :-0
What is the difference between these two settings? When if ever does it make sense to have one ...
- 119
5
votes
2
answers
489
views
How to enable Background Sounds (accessibility) from Terminal or Shortcuts?
On iOS there is a Shortcut action for enabling background sounds. This doesn't exist on macOS 13 Ventura, as far as I can tell.
I can enable background sounds manually by navigating to Accessibility -&...
- 327
0
votes
0
answers
39
views
Developer Word Break Delimiters (m1+, macOS 13+)
It's discussed here and here that alt+<left/right>ArrowKey can stop mid-word at periods (and other delimiters signifying a word break such.as:this,example) via System Preferences pre-Mavericks ...
- 231
0
votes
0
answers
152
views
cocoAspell successor? (Improved Spell Check for m1+, macOS 13+)
cocoAspell (git, last updated: 2016, deprecated) brought the unix package Aspell (a spellcheck dictionary for terminal editors) to the system-wide macOS spellcheck.
cocoAspell has since deprecated.
...
- 231
0
votes
0
answers
33
views
Strange Date in Battery Preferences
In the battery section of System Settings, I see an absurd date under the text Fully Charged (4/4/76). How can I reset that, and what is causing this? The battery is currently fully charged, and the ...
- 131
0
votes
0
answers
27
views
How to specify the languange of "System Settings" it self without rebooting?
I want to change the language of System Settings App without rebooting. However, it was invalid to select this App in the interface where I can specify a language for an App.
- 105
1
vote
0
answers
1k
views
System Settings > Privacy & Security > "Allow accessories to connect" section is not visible
I am running Mac Studio (Apple Silicon) on MacOS Ventura 13.2, which is the latest version as of writing.
For some reason, on this particular computer, System Settings > Privacy & Security > ...
- 9,474
1
vote
0
answers
104
views
Refresh After Defaults Accessibility Write
I need to programmatically change the Accessibility "Reduce Transparency" System Setting under macOS Ventura. The change is easy enough…
defaults write com.apple.Accessibility ...
- 875
2
votes
2
answers
933
views
Control Panel "Sound" / AudioMIDISetup settings, are lost on restart. Audio Interface box connected
I have a typical dac audio interface attached to my Mac for sound OUTPUT. (Just TBC, I don't use it for input, only output.)
This is a MBP 16" 2019, hence with four Thunderbolt3 (USB-C) ports. I ...
- 188
2
votes
1
answer
234
views
Why can't I use Automator to correctly target UI elements in System Preferences? [ventura]
I'm trying to use Automator to record an action on the system preferences, in the accessibility display pane. I want to change the value of the slider for the color filter intensity.
I use automator ...
- 718
2
votes
0
answers
619
views
MacOS Screen Saver Start After Field can not be Modified
I have this weirdest problem for MacOS BigSur version 11.1.
I want to change the screen saver "Start after:" parameter to 1 minute. But every time I quit and reopen the System Preferences I ...
- 293
2
votes
0
answers
22
views
Turn off Time Machine notifications (Ventura) [duplicate]
I keep getting the "No Backups for X Days" notification on my Mac from Time Machine. System Preferences layout was updated for Ventura, so the old answers on how to turn off the ...
- 91
1
vote
1
answer
230
views
How to click checkbox "Play user interface sound effects" macOS Ventura with appleScript
On macOS Ventura it is not possible to click on the checkbox "Play user interface sound effects"
tell application "System Settings"
activate
end tell
tell application "...
1
vote
1
answer
460
views
How to restrict user creation on Mac from System Settings?
I use my mac with admin user, which is the only user on the device. I just want to restrict user creation from the "User and Groups" in System Settings or Preference. Or even if the admin ...
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How to change default tab when opening System Settings on macOS Ventura?
Whenever I open System Settings it always brings me to the ‘Appearance’ tab. However, I have a feeling that is not right and it should instead bring me to ‘General’. How do I change this?
3
votes
1
answer
418
views
Permanently disable Spatial Audio in MacOS over entire system
I am using MacOS Ventura on Apple Silicon. When previewing video files in Finder (Space button), MacOS insists on playing audio using Spatial Audio on my AirPods Pro. I've tried multiple times to ...
- 9,474
0
votes
0
answers
385
views
Mac's "System Preferences" asked me for iCloud password, Mac password, and my iPad's password — is this normal?
The System Preferences app on my Mac displayed a message saying I needed to provide password to log into my iCloud account, otherwise some services would not work. I complied.
Then System Preferences ...
- 12.3k
0
votes
0
answers
57
views
How to fix "Show scroll bars" system preference being ignored?
macOS General System Preferences contains this option:
When I select "Automatically based on mouse or trackpad", the behavior is identical to "Always". Scrollbars are always shown,...
- 101
0
votes
1
answer
637
views
MacOS Ventura Date Format Broken
In System Settings, General, Language & Region, Date format, I choose year/month/day.
But Finder still shows dates in confusing month/day/year.
This was not a problem prior to updating macOS to ...
- 1,888
2
votes
0
answers
319
views
iTerm can't steal focus from browser, but state tracks hotkey invocation
It seems that the keybinding is processed by iTerm, as soon as I click away from Brave, the hotkey window's presence is as-expected by odd-even parity of hotkey invocations, but iTerm is no longer ...
- 269
0
votes
1
answer
56
views
Block Quick Look During Downtime
According to System Preferences, the Downtime feature of Screen Time "[s]ets a schedule for time away from the screen. During downtime, only apps that you choose to allow and phone calls will be ...
- 161
1
vote
0
answers
329
views
Cannot login to my Apple ID in System Settings
I'm using MacBook Air M1 (2020).
After I have updated it to macOS Ventura, it has been showing me a message saying that I need to log in again to my Apple ID in System Settings. I have tried to find ...
- 11
4
votes
1
answer
841
views
System Preferences keep auto-opening in Finder Extensions view
I recently bought a Mac Studio and transferred data from my older Mac mini. The Studio is running macOS 12.6.1, but for the past month or two so (starting when it was running 12.5 or 12.6), I’ve been ...
0
votes
1
answer
113
views
How do I re-enable iTerm permissions to use AppleScript app control
I have some AppleScript, to bulk export URLs and titles of tabs from my browser.
It used to work, from iTerm (and Terminal, and Script Editor).
I keep my terminal as long-running sessions in tmux that ...
- 269
2
votes
1
answer
282
views
Hidden unlisted Voice Control commands
Based on the answer of this question, we can see that the Voice Control feature of MacOS (and probably the one in iOS too) offers unlisted built-in voice commands. For example, the "Control Click&...
- 151
1
vote
0
answers
126
views
Why does the trackpad not work when set to ignored only if a mouse is connected when the mouse is not connected?
Update:
This is a question I asked before upgrading to Macbook Pro with MacOS Monterey. This now works as expected:
If my bluetooth mouse is connected, the trackpad is off.
If my bluetooth mouse is ...
- 155
1
vote
0
answers
209
views
How to locate extensions in list of macOS system settings?
I am working on a macOS file provider extension. Sometimes it cannot register itself (or more precisely its file provider domains) correctly due to some XPC issues with the NSFileProviderManager. Then ...
- 140
0
votes
0
answers
225
views
How do I set the default app to open text files?
I often find myself wanting to open a variety of text based files, that do not always have file extensions, and I'd like to use a different text editor from TextEdit and XCode. Is there an easy way to ...
- 101
1
vote
2
answers
102
views
Unlock specific preference panes (e.g. "Startup Disk") for standard user
I want to alter the default startup disk whilst in macOS, I have Windows installed on Boot Camp.
Standard user accounts on my computer can't change the default startup disk without requiring an admin ...
- 35
4
votes
1
answer
677
views
Changing Notification Center preferences programatically or from the command line
(There's plenty of questions about toggling Do Not Disturb programmatically, this is different)
Is there a plist file or sqlite DB that can be modified to change these settings programmatically? ...
- 8,263
3
votes
0
answers
501
views
Force reset system preferences cache
I'm trying to enable/disable time announcement feature that's present in Dock & Menu Bar > Clock > Announce the time with a shell script.
When I read the plist file, I can see that it's set ...
- 131
0
votes
1
answer
37
views
What /lib files must be removed to allow access to the Desktop Preferences pane?
Long story short, MBP 2020 13" running BigSur, connected to an external monitor via HDMI
Was just muckin' about with the desktop image for both the external monitor and the laptop and for some ...
- 121
0
votes
0
answers
29
views
How do I change default behaviour of the function keys on a per-application basis? [duplicate]
I have done a quick search on AskDifferent and I haven't found a precise match for the question I have. I'm relatively new to MacOS and am looking to customise its behaviour. I'm a software developer ...
- 101
1
vote
0
answers
112
views
Copy the screen time data [duplicate]
In order to copy the screen time data and paste it to spreadsheet, what would be the easiest way possible?
Currently, I have created a shortcut to extract text from screenshot and then I need to ...
- 185
2
votes
2
answers
181
views
Maximize the system preferences window
How do I maximize the system preferences window?
Specifically I am creating a Siri Shortcut to take a screenshot of the screen time window, extract the text from it and paste it in spreadsheet.
So, I ...
- 185