Change some preferences on a freshly installed macOS

macos-defaults.sh

#!/bin/bash

# ============================================================================
# Some defaults I change on a new Mac ... done via shell script to
# not have to do it manually. These settings are personal preference,
# but the commands might be helpful if you want to write your own such
# script. Seems to work on Monterey; don't know for Ventura.
# ============================================================================

#              PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND!
#                       USE AT YOUR VERY OWN RISK!!!!

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# System Preferences / Keyboard / Text
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Correct spelling automatically -> off
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticSpellingCorrectionEnabled -bool false

# Capitalize words automatically -> off
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticPeriodSubstitutionEnabled -bool false

# Add full stop with double-space -> off
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticCapitalizationEnabled -bool false


# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# System Preferences / Dock & Menu Bar
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Automatically hide and show the dock -> on
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide -bool true

# Minimise window using: -> Scale effect ('scale' instead of 'genie')
# 'scale' is faster than 'genie'
defaults write com.apple.dock mineffect -string scale

# Use an icon size of 42px to make the dock smaller
defaults write com.apple.dock tilesize -int 42

# Show recent applications in Dock -> off
defaults write com.apple.dock "show-recents" -bool false


# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Dock (not accesible via the UI)
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

# No delay when showing/hiding the Dock (set to 0.5 to undo)
defaults write com.apple.Dock autohide-delay -float 0

# No animation when showing/hiding the Dock (set to 0.5 to undo)
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-time-modifier -float 0

# Hidden aplications (CMD+H) shown with translucent icons
defaults write com.apple.dock showhidden -bool true


# Add some spacers to organize the Dock
# You can use "spacer-tile" instead of "small-spacer-tile" to have some larger spacers.
# Execute the command to create as many spacers as needed. These spacers can be moved and
# removed just like normal apps.
defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{tile-data={}; tile-type="small-spacer-tile";}'
defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{tile-data={}; tile-type="small-spacer-tile";}'
defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{tile-data={}; tile-type="small-spacer-tile";}'


# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# System Preferences / Desktop & Screen Saver
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Screen Saver / Hot Corners... / Bottom Right -> "Desktop"
# No one needs "Quick Note" to be here on a Mac
defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-br-corner -int 4
defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-br-modifier -int 0


# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Finder Preferences / General
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Show these items on the desktop
# (do as you wish - I prefer it being as follows)

# Hard disks -> off
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowHardDrivesOnDesktop -bool false
# External disks -> on
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowExternalHardDrivesOnDesktop -bool true
# CDs, DVDs and iPods -> on
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowRemovableMediaOnDesktop -bool true
# Connected servers -> off
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowMountedServersOnDesktop -bool false

# New Finder windows show -> User's home directory (instead of Recents)
defaults write com.apple.finder NewWindowTargetPath -string "file:///Users/$(whoami)/"


# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Finder Preferences / Advanced
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Show all filename extensions
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true


# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Finder / View
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

# View / Show Status Bar -> on
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true

# View -> Show Path Bar -> on
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowPathbar -bool true


# ============================================================================
# Restart Finder and Dock for the changes to take effect

killall Finder
killall Dock