Customize Your Mac Desktop Screen

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Customize Your Mac Desktop

If you're feeling bored with the old Mac desktop interface, it's time to add some spice to it. In this article, Mytour will guide you on how to customize your Mac desktop screen according to your preferences.

Apple is famously known as a company that 'likes to make decisions for users'. A clear example of this is how the company's operating systems still operate in a distinct manner, limiting users from delving deep and tweaking the interface.

Among Apple's operating systems, at least macOS allows users to customize the desktop screen according to their preferences. Check out this Mytour article to learn how to customize your Mac desktop screen just the way you want it.

Note: Additionally, to customize your Mac desktop interface, you can utilize third-party tools.

Customize Your Mac Desktop

Changing Mac Wallpaper

Changing the Mac wallpaper is quite simple: simply right-click on the desktop, select Change Desktop Background, or alternatively, open System Preferences, choose the Desktop & Screen Saver option.

To set a custom wallpaper, simply drag the image and the preview rectangle to the top left corner. Choose Fill Screen, Center to adjust the size and position of the wallpaper.

Whenever you find an image you like in the Safari browser, just right-click on the image and select Set Desktop Picture (or Use Image As Desktop Picture on older macOS versions).

If you want to set up automatic wallpaper changes, create a folder, then drag and drop the images you want as wallpapers into it. Select that folder and check the Change picture option, set the frequency of image changes. Mytour recommends setting the Random order option.

Here are some useful tips to customize your Mac desktop with more interesting wallpapers:

- To adjust the wallpaper size larger, in the System Preferences section, simply move the mouse pointer upwards or use the pinch gesture on the trackpad.

- Apple offers users a fantastic wallpaper repository, where you can select and use these images as Mac wallpapers. Click anywhere on the desktop, then press Shift + Cmd + G. This will display a dialog box, where you should paste the path /Library/Screen Savers/Default Collections and select any image you want. Right-click on that image, select Set Desktop Picture.

Customize Mac Interface

Apple also provides modest customization options for the Mac interface, which you can find by opening System Preferences => clicking on the General tab.

Now, a window will appear on the screen, where the first 3 menus allow users to set the color of buttons, menus, and windows to either aqua or graphite, to highlight text passages or icons, you can choose from 9 predefined colors, or choose any color by selecting Other. Finder icons can be set to small, medium, or large.

Additionally, on this window, you will also see 2 checkbox options. One allows users to select Dark Mode, turning the Dock and menu bar at the top into a dark interface, and one to set auto-hide, show the menu bar at the top when needed.

Finally, the System Preferences window also includes options for users to customize the brightness of the Mac screen, by clicking on Accessibility, then selecting Display on the left side and checking Reduce transparency to turn off translucent effects on windows or selecting Increase contrast to increase the contrast of windows and toolbars.

Customize Folders and Icons on Mac Desktop

To customize the size and spacing of icons on your Mac desktop screen, simply right-click on any empty space on the desktop, select Show View Options, and the screen will display options for Icon Size (to change the size of icons) and Grid Spacing (to set the spacing between icons).

There are 4 different view modes in Finder window including icon, list, column, and CoverFlow. If you wish, you can also customize these modes by right-clicking on any empty space on the screen, and selecting Show View Options. The icon view mode allows users to change the background color or wallpaper they choose.

Each folder will have its own interface, or if you prefer, you can configure any folder, then click the Use as Defaults button at the bottom corner of the window to apply changes to all folders in the Finder window.

Note: Folder windows do not provide this option.

Customize Folder Icons

You can also use custom images to personalize file or folder icons on your Mac.

First, to find replacement icons, you can search for them online or use your own images. If using icons, choose ones with the highest resolution in GIF or PNG format to download to your computer. The simplest way is to drag the icon from the browser into the Finder window.

Double-click to open the image or icon in Preview. Select all images, icons by pressing Cmd + A or Edit =>Select All, then copy these icons by pressing Cmd + C or clicking Edit =>Copy, and close the Preview window.

Next, select the folder you want to customize, replace the icon, then press Alt + Cmd + I (or on some keyboards, Option + Cmd + I) to open the Inspector window.

Find and click on the small icon at the top left corner of the Inspector window, press Cmd + V to paste the new icon into it (or click Edit => Paste) and you're done.

Note: This method does not work with alias files or folders.

The Inspector window displays detailed information about the file or folder you have selected. Follow similar steps to customize the icons of other files, folders.

If you want to restore the default icon, follow similar steps, click on the new icon in the Inspector window and press Backspace or Delete to remove that icon.

Utilizing Third-Party Apps to Customize Mac Screen

Unfortunately, there are no built-in options on Mac to customize Safari browser themes like on Chrome or Firefox browsers.

To have deeper control, customization of settings on Mac, you can seek help from third-party tools, apps, such as Flavours 2 (priced around 5USD). Flavours 2 allows users to customize colors and elements on the Mac interface right on program windows.

To download Flavours 2 to your computer and install it, visit here: Flavours

Additionally, Apple also integrates options allowing users to customize, resize the Dock, move it to the left or right side of the screen directly within System Preferences. However, to change the Dock interface, you will certainly need to explore third-party apps.

cDock (free) provides various interfaces that you can apply to the Dock with just 1 click, including Yosemite 3D, restoring the traditional 3D Dock interface removed in OS X Yosemite version. Besides, cDock can also restore the colors of icons on the Finder bar as on older versions of Mac OS X.

To download cDock to your computer, visit here: cDock

Finally, the HyperDock app (priced at 9.99 USD) is available on the Mac App Store, allowing you to customize the Dock interface while adding other useful features, such as window previews.

Download HyperDock to your computer and install it here: HyperDock

Important Note: The third-party apps introduced by Mytour above may affect system files.

This article has just guided you on how to customize the Mac desktop screen. Additionally, if you're feeling annoyed with programs launching with Mac, you can learn how to Turn off programs launching with Mac to find out how to do it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What steps should I follow to change the wallpaper on my Mac desktop?

To change the wallpaper on your Mac desktop, right-click on the desktop and select 'Change Desktop Background.' Alternatively, open System Preferences, then choose 'Desktop & Screen Saver.' Drag the desired image to the preview area, adjust the size and position, or select a folder for automatic changes.

How can I customize the appearance of my Mac interface?

You can customize your Mac interface by opening System Preferences and clicking on the General tab. From there, you can change the colors of buttons and menus, enable Dark Mode, and adjust other settings like icon size and auto-hide options for the menu bar.

What methods can I use to personalize folder icons on my Mac?

To personalize folder icons, find or create high-resolution images. Copy the desired image, select the folder, and open the Inspector window using Alt + Cmd + I. Click the small icon at the top left and paste the new icon. This can also be done for files and other folders.

Are there any third-party apps recommended for customizing my Mac interface?

Yes, several third-party apps can enhance your Mac's customization. Flavours 2 allows you to change colors and interface elements, while cDock offers various Dock interfaces. HyperDock adds features like window previews. Be cautious, as these apps may affect system files.

How do I change the size and spacing of icons on my Mac desktop?

To change the size and spacing of icons on your Mac desktop, right-click on an empty space, select 'Show View Options,' and adjust the 'Icon Size' and 'Grid Spacing' sliders to your preference.

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