Customize your Mac with System Settings (2024)

macOS Sonoma 14

macOS Ventura 13

macOS Monterey 12

macOS Big Sur 11.0

macOS Catalina 10.15

macOS Mojave 10.14

macOS User Guide

Welcome
- What’s in the menu bar?
- Work on the desktop
- Search with Spotlight
- Quickly change settings
- Use Siri
- Get notifications
- Open apps from the Dock
- Organize your files in the Finder
- Connect to the internet
- Browse the web
- Preview a file
- Take a screenshot
- Change your display’s brightness
- Adjust the volume
- Use trackpad and mouse gestures
- Use Touch ID
- Print documents
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Apps on your Mac
- Open apps
- Work with app windows
- Use apps in full screen
- Use apps in Split View
- Use Stage Manager
- Get apps from the App Store
- Install and reinstall apps from the App Store
- Install and uninstall other apps
- Create and work with documents
- Open documents
- Mark up files
- Combine files into a PDF
- Organize files on your desktop
- Organize files with folders
- Tag files and folders
- Back up files
- Restore files
- Change System Settings
- Choose your desktop wallpaper
- Add and customize widgets
- Use a screen saver
- Add a user or group
- Add your email and other accounts
- Automate tasks with Shortcuts
- Create Memoji
- Change your login picture
- Change the system language
- Make text and other items on the screen bigger
- Set up a Focus to stay on task
- Set up Screen Time for yourself
- Use Dictation
- Send emails
- Send text messages
- Make a FaceTime video call
- Edit photos and videos
- Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo
- Start a Quick Note
- Get directions
- Work across devices using Continuity
- Use iPhone as a webcam
- Use iPhone with Desk View
- Stream audio and video with AirPlay
- Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
- Hand off between devices
- Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
- Make and receive phone calls on your Mac
- Sync music, books, and more between devices
- Manage Apple ID settings
- Set your Apple ID picture
- What is iCloud?
- What is iCloud+?
- Store files in iCloud Drive
- Share and collaborate on files and folders
- Manage iCloud storage
- Use iCloud Photos
- What is Family Sharing?
- Set up Family Sharing
- Set up Screen Time for a child
- Share purchases with your family
- Watch and listen together with SharePlay
- Share a Photo Library
- Collaborate on projects
- Find content shared with you
- Find your family and friends
- Play games with your friends
- Play music
- Listen to podcasts
- Watch TV shows and movies
- Read and listen to books
- Read the news
- Track stocks and the market
- Apple Music
- Apple TV+
- Apple Arcade
- Apple News+
- Podcast shows and channels
- Manage subscriptions in the App Store
- View Apple family subscriptions
- Guard your privacy
- Use Mail Privacy Protection
- Control access to your camera
- Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites
- Set up your Mac to be secure
- Keep your data safe
- Create a passkey
- Understand passwords
- Keep your Apple ID secure
- Find a missing device
- Get started with accessibility features
- Vision
- Hearing
- Mobility
- Speech
- General
- Connect an external display
- Use the built-in camera
- Connect a Bluetooth device
- Use AirPods with your Mac
- Optimize your Mac battery life
- Optimize storage space
- Burn CDs and DVDs
- Control accessories in your home
- Use Windows on your Mac
Resources for your Mac
Resources for your Apple devices
Copyright

Customize your Mac with System Settings (1)

You can change system settings to customize your Mac. For example, you can choose a light or dark appearance, change the wallpaper, and more.

Customize your Mac with System Settings (2)

Options for your Mac are organized into settings. For example, options you can set for Accent color and Highlight color are located in Appearance settings.

Click the System Settings icon in the Dock or choose Apple menu > System Settings.
Open System Settings for me
Click a setting.
Settings are listed in the sidebar and may vary depending on your Mac and the apps you’ve installed.
Change an option.

Most settings include a Help button to click for more information about the options.

If a red badge is shown on the System Settings icon in the Dock, you need to take one or more actions. For example, if you didn’t fully set up iCloud features, the badge appears on the icon in the Dock; when you click the icon, the settings are displayed so you can complete setup.

To change options for an app, such as Mail or Safari, open the app, click the app’s name in the menu bar, then choose Settings. Some apps don’t offer settings.

See alsoFind options in System Settings on MacGo back to system settings you looked at earlier on MacSet up iCloud features on MacUse built-in help on your Mac

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Customize your Mac with System Settings (2024)

FAQs

How do I completely customize my Mac? ›

Change System Settings.
Choose your desktop wallpaper.
Add and customize widgets.
Use a screen saver.
Add a user or group.
Add your email and other accounts.
Automate tasks with Shortcuts.
Create Memoji.

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Know More ›

Why does my Mac say System Settings instead of System Preferences? ›

System Preferences has not only been renamed System Settings, but the menu also features a new design. Apple says this is "optimised for efficient navigation on Mac and delivers a more consistent experience across iPhone and iPad," but users aren't convinced. (Want the best macOS experience around?

Know More ›

How do I change the appearance of my Mac settings? ›

To change these settings, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Appearance in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.) Choose the appearance for buttons, menus and windows on your Mac. Light provides a light appearance that doesn't change.

Explore More ›

How do I get to Mac System Preferences? ›

On your keyboard use CMD + SPACE to display the Spotlight search (top-right menubar) where you can simply type the keyword sys which should then display and select System Preferences, and then hit the RETURN key to open.

See Details ›

Where is the system menu on a Mac? ›

The Apple menu is located in the top-left corner of your screen. Click it to access System Settings and recently used apps, documents, and other items. View information about your Mac, such as the macOS version, type of processor or chip, and amount of memory.

Read The Full Story ›

Why is my Mac not showing system preference? ›

To fix System Preferences that is not responding or working on your Mac, you can try these solutions. Force quit it and then relaunch. Go to the Apple menu > Force Quit and then select System Preferences and click Force Quit. Restart your Mac.

What happened to System Preferences on my imac? ›

Apple changed the name of System Preferences in macOS to System Settings to match the Settings app in iOS. It's still located in the Apple menu under About This Mac.

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How do I restore my System Preferences on a Mac? ›

Restore System Preferences from the backup

The easiest way to do it is to use Time Machine backup: Plug in the external hard drive you use for Time Machine backups. Go to Applications folder > Utilities and open Migration Assistant. Choose From a Mac, Time Machine Backup or Startup Disk and click Continue.

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How do I customize my Mac menu? ›

macOS menu bar items

Click the Apple menu and choose System Settings. Choose Control Center. You will see a list of Control Center modules. Click the menu next to one you want to add or remove from the menu bar and choose 'Show in menu bar,' 'Don't show in menu bar,' or 'Show when active.

View Details ›

How do I edit the configuration profile on my Mac? ›

Edit a configuration profile

Select the device, user, or group, then click the Edit button next to the configuration profile you want to edit, then use the payload editing panes to make changes. Click Save.

How to customize Mac toolbar? ›

Change what's in the toolbar: Choose View > Customize Toolbar in the menu bar. You can drag items into and out of the toolbar, add a space between items, and choose whether to show text with the icons. Rearrange the items in the toolbar: Press and hold the Command key, then drag an item to a new location.

Tell Me More ›

What happened to System Preferences on Mac? ›

The System Settings app is new in macOS Ventura; since the early days of Mac OS X, it was called System Preferences. While the new System Settings app includes everything that was in System Preferences, its organization is different.

How do I change open preferences on Mac? ›

Permanently change the app used to open all files of a particular type

On your Mac, click the Finder icon in the Dock to open a Finder window.
Select a file, then choose File > Get Info. ...
In the Info window, click the arrow next to “Open with.”
Click the pop-up menu, choose an app, then click Change All.

View Details ›

How do you clean up System Preferences on a Mac? ›

How to delete preference panes manually

Open System Settings.
Scroll down the sidebar to find the Preference Panes section. Also, you can find the required preference pane using the search panel.
Right-click on the chosen preference pane icon and choose “Remove Settings Pane.”

Sep 25, 2023

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How do I update my Mac preferences? ›

Click the Info button next to Automatic updates, then turn on the options you want:

To have your Mac check for updates automatically, turn on “Check for updates.”
To have your Mac download updates without asking, turn on “Download new updates when available.”

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