how to get into finder preferences on mac

To delete a chosen preference pane, go to System Preferences window.

There is a universal method that works for all types of preference panes, personal or public. How to Remove System Preference Panes in Mac Just click the lock icon and type in the administrator password for your Mac. Mac users can unlock the locked pane to make settings. Locked preference panes have dimmed options for Mac’s security and protection. At the same time, there are locked preference panes indicated by a closed lock icon. The majority of panes have a Help button to provide more information about its particular options. How to Set Preference Pane OptionsĮvery single preference pane has options a Mac user can tweak at his own discretion. To arrange them in alphabetical order, choose View -> Organize Alphabetically. All available settings are laid out in rows by category. For instance, if you’re looking for settings that control the look of your macOS desktop, you can find them in ‘Desktop & Screen Saver’ preferences. To access a particular preference pane, click the needed icon. Typically, they appear as a grid of icons. The System Preferences window has all options organized into separate preferences. Or, by clicking the ‘System Preferences’ icon in the Dock. Mac beginners can start with basics and access System Preferences from Apple menu -> System Preferences. Less experienced users can try special apps to access the hidden files. Experienced Mac users can run Terminal commands to show hidden folders and files. Please mind, the Library folder may be hidden on a Mac by default.

To discover the public preference panes, use the path ~/Library/PreferencePanes.Īs soon as you learn which folder contains the needed preference pane, you can use Finder to access that folder directly.

To access the personal preference panes, use the path ~/YourHomeFolderName/Library/PreferencePanes.

Meanwhile, public preference panes are kept in the system library folder and can be accessed by any user having a profile on your Mac. Personal preference panes are located in the home folder and can only be accessed by a particular Mac user. Mac computers store System Preferences in two places. Learning how to remove preference panes on Mac will help you prevent clutter in your System Preferences window. Such panes are located at the bottom of the window, and often they remain there even after the related application has been deleted. Typically, third-party preference panes are added to the ‘Other’ category though there may be no clear indication or label. macOS reserves the first few rows of the System Preferences window to place its own settings. It means that upon being installed on Apple computer, such apps create associated panes by adding icons to the System Preferences window. Experienced Mac users know that many applications and utilities contain a preference pane component.

How to get into finder preferences on mac