macOS Tweaks — defaults write invocations applied by install.sh

System preferences (Dock, Finder, screenshots, telemetry, …) applied by install.sh via defaults write, plus the manual GUI tweaks Apple won't let you script.

The install script can apply system preferences via defaults write so you don’t have to click through System Settings. These are split into required (always applied) and optional (prompted individually).

Required (always applied)

Tweak	What it does	Why
`Auto-hide menu bar`	Hides the native macOS menu bar so it only appears on hover	SketchyBar replaces it — having both visible wastes screen space
`AeroSpace at login`	Adds AeroSpace.app to your login items so it launches at boot	Tiling WM needs to be running for keybindings and workspace management

Optional (prompted individually)

Tweak	What it does	Command
`Dock: no auto-hide delay`	Removes the default delay when showing/hiding the Dock — it appears and disappears instantly	`defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -float 0`
`Finder: path bar`	Shows the full directory path at the bottom of every Finder window	`defaults write com.apple.finder ShowPathbar -bool true`
`Finder: status bar`	Shows item count and available disk space at the bottom of Finder	`defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true`
`Finder: show hidden files`	Makes dotfiles and hidden folders (like `.config`) visible in Finder	`defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true`
`Finder: full POSIX path`	Shows the absolute path (e.g. `/Users/you/dotfiles`) in the Finder title bar	`defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool true`
`Finder: list view`	Sets the default Finder view to list layout instead of icons — easier to scan file details	`defaults write com.apple.finder FXPreferredViewStyle -string "Nlsv"`
`Finder: open to home`	New Finder windows open to your home folder (`~`) instead of Recents	`defaults write com.apple.finder NewWindowTarget -string "PfHm"`
`Trackpad: tap to click`	Registers a light tap on the trackpad as a click — no need to press down	`defaults write com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.trackpad Clicking -bool true`
`Screenshots: PNG format`	Saves screenshots as lossless PNG instead of the default (which may vary by macOS version)	`defaults write com.apple.screencapture type -string png`
`Screenshots: no shadow`	Removes the drop shadow from window screenshots — cleaner for docs and sharing	`defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool true`
`Screenshots: save location`	Saves screenshots to `/Volumes/media/screenshots/` (direct to NAS) instead of cluttering the Desktop. Bypasses the launchd→SMB-write trap that makes auto-sort fail for non-Downloads sources. See NAS Workflow → Screenshots for the full story.	`defaults write com.apple.screencapture location -string "/Volumes/media/screenshots"`
`Mission Control: fixed Spaces`	Prevents macOS from automatically reordering your Spaces based on recent use — keeps workspace order stable for AeroSpace	`defaults write com.apple.dock mru-spaces -bool false`
`Clock: show seconds`	Displays seconds in the menu bar clock (useful for timing and debugging)	`defaults write com.apple.menuextra.clock ShowSeconds -bool true`
`Battery: show percentage`	Shows the exact battery percentage next to the battery icon in the menu bar	`defaults write com.apple.controlcenter BatteryShowPercentage -bool true`
`MS Office: disable telemetry`	Stops Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Microsoft AutoUpdate, and the Office365 Service from sending diagnostic / usage data to Microsoft. Applied to all seven bundle IDs in one go.	`defaults write com.microsoft.Word SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE` `defaults write com.microsoft.Excel SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE` `defaults write com.microsoft.Powerpoint SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE` `defaults write com.microsoft.Outlook SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE` `defaults write com.microsoft.onenote.mac SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE` `defaults write com.microsoft.autoupdate2 SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE` `defaults write com.microsoft.Office365ServiceV2 SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE`

Manual (GUI only — not scriptable)

These settings have no defaults write or pmset equivalent — Apple only exposes them through System Settings. The install script prints a reminder after the automated tweaks finish.

Tweak	What it does	Where to find it
`Disable True Tone`	Stops the display from shifting colour temperature based on ambient light — keeps colours consistent for design and development work	System Settings → Displays → uncheck True Tone
`Keyboard backlight: auto brightness`	Lets macOS automatically adjust the keyboard backlight based on ambient light — brighter in the dark, off in daylight	System Settings → Keyboard → toggle Adjust keyboard brightness in low light
`Keyboard backlight: off after 15s`	Turns off the keyboard backlight after 15 seconds of inactivity — saves battery without disabling the backlight entirely	System Settings → Keyboard → Turn keyboard backlight off after inactivity → 15 seconds
`Optimize video streaming on battery`	Plays HDR video as SDR while on battery power — reduces GPU workload and extends battery life during streaming	System Settings → Battery → toggle Optimize video streaming while on battery