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The default Mac setup might not be good enough for you. So you hope to introduce minor tweaks to control your device’s looks and feels. In this guide, you’ll get the information you need to change the appearance of your Mac desktop without much trouble.
Switch the Wallpaper to a New One
The easiest way to give your Mac’s desktop a makeover is by changing the wallpaper. First, Right-click the desktop and choose Change Desktop Background, or you can open the System Preferences app and click on Desktop & Screen Saver if you wonder how to change your wallpaper on a Mac.
You can change the wallpaper to any of the default Mac images or choose your picture from the library and drag it to the screen preview tab. You can select Center, Fill Screen, or however you wish the photo to fit in the screen space by using the dropdown menu.
If you cannot find a picture you like in the library, you can search for one on the web by opening Safari. Then, download a high-definition wallpaper for Macs and set it as wallpaper.
Do you want the desktop to change automatically and stay fresh? If so, choose a folder from which your computer can draw several pictures and click the box next to Change Picture. You can select the frequency of your choice and choose the wallpaper to change automatically every few hours or days. You can also tick the Random Order box.
Transform the Folders and Icons
It is easy to customize the spacing and size of the desktop icons. This can help to transform the way your desktop appears. Right-click anywhere in a black spot on the desktop and choose Show View Options. The options for Grid Spacing and Icon Size will appear, and you can select the options you want.
Within a Finder window, you will find four view modes – column, list, icon, and CoverFlow. These different view modes can be customized separately using the same technique – right-clicking in a blank spot and choosing Show View Options. For example, if you select the Icon View, you can alter the background to an image or color.
You can also choose each folder to have a unique look. You can configure one folder however you like, and for that, click the Use as Defaults button at the window’s bottom and choose to apply the style to all future Finder windows.
Furthermore, you can change the app icons if you are bored with the default icons. You can spice things up by customizing the icons according to your wish. But this might not be the most prudent decision because default app icons help users recognize the app. Without this, you might have to spend more than a few seconds looking for the needed app.
Adjust the Interface
Apple does not allow Mac users to go all out with customizations. However, the company does allow you a very modest set of visual personalization options for your device’s interface. The options can be found by opening the System Preferences app and clicking on the General tab.
On this screen, you will notice the first three dropdowns are allowing users to set the buttons, windows, and menus in either graphite or blue. You can also highlight them in any of the nine preset colors or select a color of your choice from the color wheel by clicking on Other. You can also change the size of the sidebar icons in Finder and set them as large, medium, or small.
In the dropdown menu, you will come across two more tick boxes. There will be an option for the dark mode to let you turn the Dock and other items on your device dark. In the dark mode, you can work seamlessly without hurting your eye at night. Also, you can set the top menu bar to disappear automatically and appear when the mouse pointer is placed on top of it.
Moreover, in the System Preferences app, you can overcome some flat looks by clicking the Accessibility icon and choosing Display on the left. You can tick the box next to Reduce Transparency to disable translucent window backgrounds. You can also tick next to the Increase Contrast option to add thin black borders to toolbars and windows.
Wrapping Up
Besides these, you can choose to hide and appear the Dock automatically, change the user icon, and use a Memoji or activate Hot Corners to let your system automatically perform some actions.
If you haven’t made these changes to your Mac yet, it is high time to try them out. These will customize your desktop and instantly change its appearance. Your device will stand out from the rest, and you can tweak the settings to your advantage.