macOS Preferences Defaults

macOS-Preferences-Defaults.sh

#!/usr/bin/env zsh

#===========================================================================
#  *                                 INFO
#    
# macOS Preferences Defaults
# By Christopher Allen @ChristopherA https://github.com/christophera/

# My most basic macOS preferences, in this gist to make it easy to load on
# multiple machines and VMs. Ideally runs on all macOS versions since Yosemite,
# but only tested recently with macOS Catalina 10.6 though Monterey 12.4.

## TBD: Initial macOS Sonoma 14.0 testing.
## WARNING: Initial tests with macOS Sonoma 14.0 have a lot of failures, mostly
## with the approaches used request access. If you answer yes to all the
## errors will still occur, but you can run the script multiple times and it
## will eventually set most of them. 

# As a convenience for bootstrapping, you can execute this script remotely,
# which will update your a Mac with all these settings using `curl`, which will
# not leave itself on your system (ideally a newly installed Mac system). Just
# paste the following command into the Terminal  (`⌘␣Terminal`):

# curl -L https://gist.githubusercontent.com/ChristopherA/98628f8cd00c94f11ee6035d53b0d3c6/raw/macOS-Preferences-Defaults.sh | bash

# ! WARNING: Be cautious whenever someone asks you to run a script that has
# ! `curl` command in it, because if the author is malicious they can corrupt
# ! your system or make it vulnerable. In this case the script is run from a
# ! trusted website (`gist.githubusercontent.com/`), and is from my account
# ! (`ChristopherA`). Make sure you look at the script the URL refers to and
# ! confirm the URL is the same as you pasted into the Terminal, before hitting
# ! return!

# Much of this script is inspired by from Mathias Bynens' famous ~/.osx —
# https://mths.be/osx - https://github.com/mathiasbynens/dotfiles

#===========================================================================

#================================================
# *                TEST ENVIROMENT
#================================================

# Mac Hardware Model
osx_hardware_model=$(sysctl -n hw.model)		

# VMware detection. Used to set VMware specific preferences.		
if [ ! -z "$(echo $osx_hardware_model | grep VMware)" ] || [ ! -z "$(echo $osx_hardware_model | grep VirtualMac)" ]; then		
    osx_hardware_model_is_vm = true		
    # else		
    #   printf "This macOS is NOT running in a Virtual Machine. ABORT\n"		
    #   exit 1		
fi		



# Which version and build of macOS are we executing under?		

read osx_product_version osx_vers_major osx_vers_minor osx_vers_patch \		
    <<< $(sw_vers -productVersion | awk -F. '{print $0 " " $1 " " $2 " " $3}')		
osx_build_version="$(sw_vers -buildVersion)"		

printf "Running $osx_distro inside of $osx_hardware_model.\n"		

# What is the human-readable codename for this macOS?		

case "$osx_product_version" in		
"10.4"*) osx_codename="Mac OS X Tiger" ;;		
"10.5"*) osx_codename="Mac OS X Leopard" ;;		
"10.6"*) osx_codename="Mac OS X Snow Leopard" ;;		
"10.7"*) osx_codename="Mac OS X Lion" ;;		
"10.8"*) osx_codename="OS X Mountain Lion" ;;		
"10.9"*) osx_codename="OS X Mavericks" ;;		
"10.10"*) osx_codename="OS X Yosemite" ;;		
"10.11"*) osx_codename="OS X El Capitan" ;;		
"10.12"*) osx_codename="macOS Sierra" ;;		
"10.13"*) osx_codename="macOS High Sierra" ;;		
"10.14"*) osx_codename="macOS Mojave" ;;		
"10.15"*) osx_codename="macOS Catalina" ;;		
"11."*) osx_codename="macOS Big Sur" ;;		
"12."*) osx_codename="macOS Monterey" ;;
"13."*) osx_codename="macOS Ventura" ;;
"14."*) osx_codename="macOS Sonoma" ;;
*) osx_codename="macOS" ;;		
esac		

osx_distro="$osx_codename $osx_product_version ($osx_build_version)"		

printf "Running $osx_distro inside of $osx_hardware_model.\n"		

#================================================		
# *      TEST TERMINAL FOR FULL DISK ACCESS		
#================================================		


# Test if Terminal has Full Disk Access, and if it doesn't, prompt user to set		
# it and start over.		
# ? A number of preferences now require Terminal.app to have Full		
# ? Disk Access, in particular Safari.app.		
# ? https://lapcatsoftware.com/articles/containers.html		
# TODO: Wrap with $osx_product_version tests		

printf "Testing for Full Disk Access:\n\n"		
errstr=$( /bin/ls /Users/admin/Library/Containers/com.apple.Safari 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3 3>&- )		
# ? Full disk access has only been in since Mojave, but which files were protected first?		
# TODO: Research if there is an older file to test. 		

if [[ $errstr == *"Operation not permitted" ]]; then		
   printf "Terminal.app needs Full Disk Access permission\n"		

    # Prompt user to give Terminal Full Disk Access		
    # ! This worked earlier in VMware Montery, but failed on M1 MacBook Pro (14-inch 2021)		
    # TODO: Investigate		

    osascript   -e "tell application \"System Preferences\" to activate " \
                -e "tell application \"System Preferences\" to reveal anchor \"Privacy_AllFiles\" of pane id \"com.apple.preference.security\" " \
                -e "display dialog \"Before continuing:\n\nUnlock and check the box next to Terminal to give it full disk access.\n\nThen quit Terminal and run this script again.\" buttons {\"OK\"} default button 1 with icon caution "
    exit # as we can't proceed until Terminal has been granted full Disk Access
else
   printf "Terminal.app has permission to continue\n"
fi

#================================================
# *           CLOSE SYSTEM PREFERENCES
#================================================

# Close any open System Preferences panes, to prevent them from overriding
# settings we’re about to change
osascript -e 'tell application "System Preferences" to quit'

#================================================
# *                SYSTEMUISERVER
#================================================

# from https://gist.github.com/AndrewWCarson/d4e2e1e601b759c19553fec2310433e2
# for user in $(dscl . list /Users UniqueID | awk '$2 >= 500 {print $1}'); do
#     userHome=$(dscl . read /Users/"$user" NFSHomeDirectory | sed 's/NFSHomeDirectory://' | grep "/" | sed 's/^[ \t]*//')
#     if [ "$(defaults read "${userHome}/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systemuiserver.plist" 2> /dev/null | grep -i user.menu)" == "" ]; then
#         touch "${userHome}/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systemuiserver.plist"
#         defaults write "${userHome}/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systemuiserver.plist" menuExtras -array-add '<string>/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/User.menu</string>'
#     fi
# done
# defaults write /Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences MultipleSessionEnabled -bool Yes

# Show script menu in menu bar
osascript <<EOT
 tell application "AppleScript Utility"
    set Script menu enabled to true 
    set application scripts position to top -- top or bottom 
    set show Computer scripts to false -- true or false 
end tell
EOT

#================================================
# *                     DOCK
#================================================

if [[ "$osx_hardware_model_is_vm" = true ]] ; then
    ## If running from virtual machine I like to position the Dock on the bottom
    defaults write com.apple.dock orientation bottom #default, my preference for a VM
else
    ## Otherwise I prefer to position the Dock on the right
    defaults write com.apple.dock orientation right #my preference for main machine
fi

## Set the icon size of Dock items to 27 pixels
defaults write com.apple.dock tilesize -int 27
# defaults write com.apple.dock tilesize -int ??


#================================================
# *               FINDER GENERAL
#================================================

# Disable Window animations and Get Info animations (default: false)
defaults write com.apple.finder DisableAllAnimations -bool true

# File extension change warning
# defaults write com.apple.finder FXEnableExtensionChangeWarning -bool false

# Writing of .DS_Store files on network or USB volumes
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteUSBStores -bool true

# Disk image verification
defaults write com.apple.frameworks.diskimages skip-verify        -bool true
defaults write com.apple.frameworks.diskimages skip-verify-locked -bool true
defaults write com.apple.frameworks.diskimages skip-verify-remote -bool true

# Automatically open a new Finder window when a volume is mounted
defaults write com.apple.frameworks.diskimages auto-open-ro-root -bool false
defaults write com.apple.frameworks.diskimages auto-open-rw-root -bool false
defaults write com.apple.finder OpenWindowForNewRemovableDisk    -bool false

# AirDrop over Ethernet and on unsupported Macs running Lion
defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser BrowseAllInterfaces -bool true

# Warning before emptying Trash
defaults write com.apple.finder WarnOnEmptyTrash -bool false

# Empty Trash securely
defaults write com.apple.finder EmptyTrashSecurely -bool false

#================================================
# *               FINDER WINDOWS
#================================================

# Visibility of hidden files (default: false)
# I lately use `⌘-.` to switch between showing hidden files manually
# defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true

# Filename extensions (default: false)
# See my applescript for showing and hiding extensions
# defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true

# Status bar (default: false)
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true

# Full POSIX path as window title
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool false

# Path bar
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowPathbar -bool true

# Text selection in Quick Look
defaults write com.apple.finder QLEnableTextSelection -bool true

# Search scope
# This Mac       : `SCev`
# Current Folder : `SCcf`
# Previous Scope : `SCsp`
# I prefer current folder
defaults write com.apple.finder FXDefaultSearchScope -string "SCcf" 

# Arrange by
# Kind, Name, Application, Date Last Opened,
# Date Added, Date Modified, Date Created, Size, Tags, None
defaults write com.apple.finder FXPreferredGroupBy -string "Name"

# Spring loaded directories
defaults write NSGlobalDomain com.apple.springing.enabled -bool true

# Delay for spring loaded directories
defaults write NSGlobalDomain com.apple.springing.delay -float 0.3

# Preferred view style
# Icon View   : `icnv`
# List View   : `Nlsv`
# Column View : `clmv`
# Cover Flow  : `Flwv`
defaults write com.apple.finder FXPreferredViewStyle -string "clmv"

# After configuring preferred view style, clear all `.DS_Store` files
# to ensure settings are applied for every directory
find . -name '.DS_Store' -type f -delete

# Keep folders on top when sorting by name
# defaults write com.apple.finder _FXSortFoldersFirst -bool true

# View Options
# ! This no longer works in Monterey 12.0.1
# ColumnShowIcons    : Show preview column
# ShowPreview        : Show icons
# ShowIconThumbnails : Show icon preview
# ArrangeBy          : Sort by
#   dnam : Name
#   kipl : Kind
#   ludt : Date Last Opened
#   pAdd : Date Added
#   modd : Date Modified
#   ascd : Date Created
#   logs : Size
#   labl : Tags
# /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy \
#     -c "Set :StandardViewOptions:ColumnViewOptions:ColumnShowIcons bool    false" \
#     -c "Set :StandardViewOptions:ColumnViewOptions:FontSize        integer 11"    \
#     -c "Set :StandardViewOptions:ColumnViewOptions:ShowPreview     bool    true"  \
#     -c "Set :StandardViewOptions:ColumnViewOptions:ArrangeBy       string  dnam"  \
#     ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

# New window target
# Computer     : `PfCm`
# Volume       : `PfVo`
# $HOME        : `PfHm`
# Desktop      : `PfDe`
# Documents    : `PfDo`
# All My Files : `PfAF`
# Other…       : `PfLo`
defaults write com.apple.finder NewWindowTarget -string 'PfHm'
#defaults write com.apple.finder NewWindowTargetPath -string "file://${HOME}/"

# Expand the following File Info panes:
# “General”, “Open with”, and “Sharing & Permissions”
defaults write com.apple.finder FXInfoPanesExpanded -dict \
    General -bool true \
    OpenWith -bool true \
    Privileges -bool true

# show full POSIX path as Finder window title, default false
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool false

# show status bar in Finder windows
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true

# show path bar in Finder windows
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowPathBar -bool true
## later versions use "ShowPathbar"

#================================================
# *              FINDER SIDE BAR
#================================================

# size of Finder sidebar icons, small=1, default=2, large=3
# (TBD: maybe for Catalina 10.15+ only?)
defaults write NSGlobalDomain "NSTableViewDefaultSizeMode" -int "1" 

#================================================
# *              FINDER DESKTOP
#================================================

# Desktop Enabled
defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool true

# Quitting via ⌘ + Q; doing so will also hide desktop icons
# defaults write com.apple.finder QuitMenuItem -bool true

# Icons for hard drives, servers, and removable media on the desktop (default: false)
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowExternalHardDrivesOnDesktop -bool true
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowHardDrivesOnDesktop         -bool true
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowMountedServersOnDesktop     -bool true
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowRemovableMediaOnDesktop     -bool true

# Size of icons on the desktop and in other icon views (default: 64)
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :DesktopViewSettings:IconViewSettings:iconSize 32" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :FK_StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:iconSize 64" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:iconSize 64" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

# Grid spacing for icons on the desktop and in other icon views (default: 54)
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :DesktopViewSettings:IconViewSettings:gridSpacing 54" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :FK_StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:gridSpacing 54" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:gridSpacing 54" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

# Show item info near icons on the desktop and in other icon views (default: false)
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :DesktopViewSettings:IconViewSettings:showItemInfo false" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :FK_StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:showItemInfo false" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:showItemInfo false" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

# Show item info about the icons on the desktop (default: false)
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set DesktopViewSettings:IconViewSettings:labelOnBottom false" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

# Enable snap-to-grid for icons on the desktop and in other icon views
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :DesktopViewSettings:IconViewSettings:arrangeBy kind" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :FK_StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:arrangeBy kind" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:arrangeBy kind" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

#================================================
# *             FILEVIEWER DIALOG
#================================================

# by default iCloud Documents are the default directory opened in the fileviewer dialog when saving a new document
# "true" to default to iCloud, false to default to home directory
# (TBD: maybe for Catalina 10.15+ only?)
defaults write NSGlobalDomain "NSDocumentSaveNewDocumentsToCloud" -bool "false" 

#================================================
# *                 HOT CORNERS
#================================================
# Hot corners
# Possible values:
#  0: no-op
#  2: Mission Control
#  3: Show application windows
#  4: Desktop
#  5: Start screen saver
#  6: Disable screen saver
#  7: Dashboard
# 10: Put display to sleep
# 11: Launchpad
# 12: Notification Center

if [[ "$osx_hardware_model_is_vm" = true ]] ; then
    # VM don't need corner screen saver
    defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-bl-corner -int 0 # no-op
    defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-bl-modifier -int 0
else
    # Bottom left screen corner → Start screen saver
    defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-bl-corner -int 10 # sleep display
    defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-bl-modifier -int 0
fi


#================================================
# *                   SAFARI
#================================================

# ? NOTE: Many of these don't work anymore, and those that do require Terminal
# ? to have Full Disk Access (which is tested and set above).
# ? https://lapcatsoftware.com/articles/containers.html
# TODO: test each setting if works in Monterey & Big Sur.

# Delete the old redundant .plist file, the correct location is
# ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Safari since Safari 13 in Catalina 10.15

# Get Safari Version
read osx_safari_version osx_safari_version_major osx_safari_version_minor osx_safari_version_patch \
    <<< $(/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "print :CFBundleShortVersionString" \
    /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info.plist | \
    awk -F. '{print $0 " " $1 " " $2 " " $3}')

# If Safari 13 or greater, delete outdated redundant pref file from earlier Safari
if [[ -f ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist && "$osx_safari_version_major" -ge 13 ]]; then
    rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist
fi

# Show status bar
# defaults write com.apple.Safari ShowStatusBar -bool true
# ! Doesn't seem to work Safari 15 on macOS Monterey

# Show hovering overlay on links
defaults write com.apple.Safari ShowOverlayStatusBar -bool true #default is false
# * [x] Does work in Safari 15 on macOS Monterey

# Safari opens with: last session
defaults write com.apple.Safari AlwaysRestoreSessionAtLaunch -bool true
# * [x] Does work in Safari 15 on macOS Monterey
# * [x] Does work in Safari 14.1.2 on macOS Mojave 10.14.6

# Set Safari’s home page to `about:blank` for faster loading
# defaults write com.apple.Safari HomePage -string "about:blank"
# ! Doesn't seem to work Safari 15 on macOS Monterey
# ? [ ] Set manually

# Don't open files in Safari after downloading:
defaults write com.apple.Safari AutoOpenSafeDownloads -bool false
# * [x] Does work in Safari 15 on macOS Monterey

# Show Develop menu in Safari
# defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeDevelopMenu -bool true
# ! Doesn't seem to work Safari 15 on macOS Monterey, as it is now Debug
# TODO wrap these to test safari version

# Enable Safari’s Debug menu
defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeInternalDebugMenu -bool true
# * [x] Does work in Safari 15 on macOS Monterey

#================================================
# *                 SCRIPT MENU
#================================================

#Enable Script Menu (scripts in ~/Library/Scripts/ will be listed in menu bar)

defaults write com.apple.scriptmenu.plist ScriptMenuEnabled true

#================================================
# *          KILL AFFECTED APPLICATIONS
#================================================

# echo "Kill all affected actions, press any key..."
# read KEY
# ? This only works in interactive mode, not in `curl`.
# TODO: puzzle out a solution for use with `curl` 

for app in "SystemUIServer" "cfprefsd" \
           "Finder" "Dock" "Safari" \
           # "Terminal" \
do
    killall "${app}" > /dev/null 2>&1
done

sleep 2
open -a Safari

• TODO: Seemed to work on Mojave 10.14.6 but got a strange message Container.plist Data in middle of output:

Testing for Full Disk Access:

Container.plist	Data
Terminal.app has permission to continue

• BUG: VMware test failed on Mojave 10.14.6, dock ended up on right (should be on bottom for VMware).

TBD: Initial macOS Sonoma 14.0 testing.

WARNING: Initial tests with macOS Sonoma 14.0 have a lot of failures, mostly with the approaches used request access. If you answer yes to all the errors will still occur, but you can run the script multiple times and it will eventually set most of them.

hmm, I saw a post in reddit, it says you need full grant disk access to Terminal, https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOSBeta/comments/15yjcnc/change_in_defaults_domains_in_sonoma/, you can have a try.As I know,the plist property wont be deprecated at usual