Great macOS tweaks, performance improvements, and UI customizations part-2

🚀 Performance Improvements

1. Reduce Startup Items
   • Go to System Settings > General > Login Items
   • Remove unnecessary apps from launching at startup.
2. Clear System Junk
   • Use Finder > Go > Go to Folder and type: javascriptCopyEdit~/Library/Caches/
   • Delete old cache files (but be careful not to delete app settings).
   • Use CleanMyMac X (paid) or OnyX (free) to automate this.
3. Speed Up Spotlight Indexing
   • Open System Settings > Siri & Spotlight
   • Disable indexing for unnecessary categories (like fonts or music).
   • Reindex if it’s sluggish: mathematicaCopyEditsudo mdutil -E /
4. Enable TRIM for SSDs (If you installed an external SSD) bashCopyEditsudo trimforce enable
5. Disable Unnecessary Animations
   • In System Settings > Accessibility > Display, enable Reduce Motion.

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🎨 UI Customizations

1. Enable Hidden Developer Tweaks
   • Open Terminal and enter: arduinoCopyEditdefaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true
   • This will always show file extensions in Finder.
2. Dark Mode with Auto-Switch
   • System Settings > Appearance > Auto to switch between light & dark mode automatically.
3. Customize Dock
   • Make it faster: arduinoCopyEditdefaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -float 0 defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-time-modifier -float 0.3 killall Dock
   • Hide recent apps in the dock: pgsqlCopyEditdefaults write com.apple.dock show-recents -bool false killall Dock
4. Remove Drop Shadows from Screenshots pgsqlCopyEditdefaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool true killall SystemUIServer
5. Change Screenshot Format (Default is PNG) luaCopyEditdefaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg
6. Customize Finder Sidebar & View
   • Open Finder, go to Settings > Sidebar to remove or add items.
   • In View Options (Cmd + J), set the default view for folders.

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🔧 Advanced Tweaks

1. Use Hidden Power User Menus
   • Press Option + Click on system icons like Wi-Fi or Sound for extra options.
   • Shift + Option + Volume Keys for fine-tuned volume control.
2. Enable Quick Look for Any File nginxCopyEditqlmanage -r
   • Press Spacebar on any file to preview it instantly.
3. Enable Airdrop Over Ethernet/Wi-Fi arduinoCopyEditdefaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser BrowseAllInterfaces 1 killall Finder
4. Keep Your Mac from Sleeping (Without Changing Settings) nginxCopyEditcaffeinate -d
   • This keeps your Mac awake until you close the terminal window.

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Want something specific like battery optimization, external display tweaks, or gaming performance boosts? 😎

4o

You said:

Tweaks on battery optimization, external display tweaks, or gaming performance boosts

ChatGPT said:

Here are some battery optimization, external display tweaks, and gaming performance boosts to make your Mac experience even better!

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🔋 Battery Optimization Tweaks

1. Enable Low Power Mode (macOS Monterey and later)
   • Go to System Settings > Battery > Low Power Mode and enable it for battery or both battery & power adapter.
2. Disable Background Apps
   • Open Activity Monitor (Cmd + Space > Type “Activity Monitor”)
   • Look for energy-intensive apps under the Energy tab and quit unnecessary ones.
3. Turn Off Keyboard Backlight on Battery
   • Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Backlight and reduce brightness or set it to turn off after inactivity.
4. Use Safari Instead of Chrome
   • Chrome is a battery hog! Safari is way more optimized for macOS.
5. Disable Power-Hungry Visual Effects
   • System Settings > Accessibility > Display > Reduce Motion
6. Check Battery Cycle Count (To see if it’s time for a replacement) perlCopyEditsystem_profiler SPPowerDataType | grep "Cycle Count"
   • If it’s over 1000 cycles, battery health may be degraded.
7. Stop Background App Refresh
   • System Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turn off unnecessary apps.

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🖥 External Display Tweaks

1. Enable High Refresh Rate (For Supported Displays)
   • System Settings > Displays > Refresh Rate and set it to 120Hz (for ProMotion-supported devices).
2. Prevent Mac from Sleeping When Lid is Closed (Clamshell Mode) cssCopyEditsudo pmset -a disablesleep 1
   • Keeps external display running when MacBook lid is closed.
3. Scale External Display for Sharper Text (HiDPI Mode) objectivecCopyEditdefaults write -g CGFontRenderingFontSmoothingDisabled -bool NO
   • Makes text look sharper on non-Retina external monitors.
4. Use Better Display for Advanced Scaling & Refresh Rate Control
   • App: BetterDisplay (Free)
5. Fix Blurry Text on External Monitors (For Non-Retina Displays)
   • Go to System Settings > Displays > Resolution
   • Hold Option Key and click Scaled to reveal more resolutions.

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🎮 Gaming Performance Boosts

1. Enable Game Mode (macOS Sonoma and later)
   • Game Mode automatically prioritizes gaming performance for supported apps.
2. Disable Background Processes Before Gaming nginxCopyEditsudo spindump 5
   • This stops unnecessary background processes temporarily.
3. Use Low Latency Mode for Controllers
   • System Settings > Bluetooth > Select Controller > Enable Low Latency Mode
4. Turn Off Keyboard & Trackpad Input Delay for Faster Response arduinoCopyEditdefaults write -g InitialKeyRepeat -int 10 defaults write -g KeyRepeat -int 1
   • Improves response time when using keyboard controls in games.
5. Optimize Cooling for High Performance
   • Macs Fan Control (Download Here) lets you manually control fan speeds to prevent overheating.
6. Use a Wired Connection for Lower Latency
   • If gaming online, use Ethernet or a USB-C to Ethernet adapter for a more stable connection.
7. Use Crossover or Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit
   • Play Windows Games on Mac using Crossover or Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit.