macOS is one of the most polished and user-friendly operating systems in the world. But like any software, it has features that some users find incredibly useful—while others find them downright annoying.
Luckily, Apple gives you a lot of control. With the right settings, you can customize macOS to better suit your workflow. In this article, we’ll go over common macOS annoyances and show you how to fix them with step-by-step instructions.
📌 Table of Contents
- Clicking Desktop Clears Windows
- Double-Clicking Title Bar Doesn’t Maximize
- Window Tiling Margins
- Drag-to-Tile Behavior
- Dock Taking Too Much Space
- Suggested & Recent Apps in Dock
- Apps Reopening Windows After Quit
- Cursor & Accent Colors
- Annoying Caps Lock Key
- Caps Lock Indicator in Sequoia
- Notification Overload
- Safari Notifications & Tabs
- Spotlight Search Too Crowded
- Menu Bar Auto-Hide in Full Screen
- Dual Monitor Full-Screen Behavior
- Screenshot Save Location
- Finder Warning Messages
1. Clicking Desktop Clears Windows
By default, when you click on the Desktop, all open windows move aside to reveal files and folders on your Desktop.
- Some users love this quick access.
- Others find it annoying because they just wanted to bring Finder to the front.
How to Fix It:
- Open System Settings.
- Go to Desktop & Dock.
- Under Desktop & Stage Manager, find Click Wallpaper to Reveal Desktop.
- Change from Always to Only in Stage Manager.
Now clicking the Desktop will select it, but it won’t hide all your windows.
👉 You can still use F11 (or fn + F11, depending on your settings) to manually show the Desktop when needed.
2. Double-Clicking Title Bar Doesn’t Maximize
When you double-click a window’s title bar, macOS doesn’t maximize the window to full screen. Instead, it just enlarges enough to fit content.
This behavior is called Zoom. While logical, many users prefer a true full-screen resize.
How to Fix It:
- Go to System Settings.
- Open Desktop & Dock.
- Find Double-click a window’s title bar to…
- Change from Zoom to Fill.
Now double-clicking fills the entire display with the app window.
3. Window Tiling Margins
When you tile a window to the left or right, macOS leaves a margin around it. Some like this spacing, others feel it wastes screen space.
How to Fix It:
- Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
- Find Tiled Windows Have Margins.
- Turn it Off.
Now tiled windows snap edge-to-edge without gaps.
4. Drag-to-Tile Behavior
Dragging a window to the screen’s edge triggers tiling. For some, this feature is handy. For others, it interferes with natural window movement.
How to Disable It:
- Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
- Turn off Drag windows to screen edges to tile.
Windows will no longer snap into place when dragged.
5. Dock Taking Too Much Space
The Dock is convenient, but it can hog screen real estate.
Options to Customize:
- Resize the Dock: Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Size.
- Change position: Move the Dock to left or right side instead of bottom.
- Auto-hide: Enable Automatically hide and show the Dock. It stays hidden until you hover at the screen edge.
6. Suggested & Recent Apps in Dock
By default, macOS shows suggested and recently used apps in a separate Dock section. Some users dislike the clutter.
How to Remove Them:
- Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
- Turn off Show suggested and recent apps in Dock.
Your Dock will now only show apps you’ve pinned.
7. Apps Reopening Windows After Quit
When you quit an app, relaunching it reopens all previous windows. Some users find this convenient; others prefer a fresh start.
Quick Fix:
- Hold Option when quitting → “Quit and Close All Windows.”
Permanent Fix:
- Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
- Enable Close windows when quitting an application.
8. Cursor & Accent Colors
Each app in macOS can set its own accent color. This changes cursor highlights across apps (yellow in Notes, blue in Reminders, etc.).
How to Standardize Colors:
- Go to System Settings > Appearance.
- Set Accent Color from Multicolor to a specific color (e.g., Purple).
- Optionally set a Highlight Color separately.
Now all apps use your chosen color consistently.
9. Annoying Caps Lock Key
Accidentally pressing Caps Lock can ruin your typing flow.
Disable Caps Lock:
- Go to System Settings > Keyboard.
- Click Modifier Keys.
- Set Caps Lock → No Action.
10. Caps Lock Indicator in macOS Sequoia
macOS Sequoia shows a floating Caps Lock icon when activated. Useful for some, distracting for others.
How to Disable (Advanced):
Use Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.loginwindow CapsLockFeedback -bool false
- Enter your password.
- Log out and log back in.
11. Notification Overload
Too many banners, pop-ups, and app badges can distract you.
Control Notifications:
- Open System Settings > Notifications.
- Select an app.
- Choose between:
- None
- Banners
- Alerts
You can also disable Badges (red numbers) by turning off Badge App Icon for each app.
👉 In Safari > Settings > Websites > Notifications, review and revoke website notification permissions.
12. Safari Annoyances
Auto-Opening Downloads
By default, Safari may open files immediately after downloading.
- Go to Safari > Settings > General.
- Uncheck Open “safe” files after downloading.
Tabs Switching Automatically
When you Command-click a link, it opens in a new tab but switches to it.
- Go to Safari > Settings > Tabs.
- Uncheck When a new tab or window opens, make it active.
13. Spotlight Search Too Crowded
Spotlight shows results from files, mail, fonts, messages, and more—sometimes too many.
Customize Results:
- Open System Settings > Spotlight.
- Uncheck categories you don’t want (e.g., Fonts, Mail).
This makes Spotlight faster and more relevant.
14. Menu Bar Auto-Hide in Full Screen
When an app goes full screen, the Menu Bar disappears. Some prefer it always visible.
Fix:
- Go to System Settings > Control Center.
- Under Menu Bar, set Automatically hide/show Menu Bar to Never.
Now the Menu Bar stays visible even in full-screen apps.
15. Dual Monitor Full-Screen Behavior
On multi-display setups, making one app full screen can leave the second display blank.
Fix:
- Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
- Enable Displays Have Separate Spaces.
Now each monitor behaves independently.
16. Screenshot Save Location
Screenshots save to Desktop by default.
Change It:
- Press Shift + Command + 5.
- Go to Options.
- Choose a folder, or select Other Location….
You can also set them to open in Preview for quick editing and flexible saving.
17. Finder Warning Messages
Finder shows repetitive warnings like:
- Changing a file extension
- Removing from iCloud Drive
- Emptying Trash
Disable Warnings:
- Open Finder > Settings > Advanced.
- Uncheck any of the following:
- Show warning before changing an extension
- Show warning before removing from iCloud Drive
- Show warning before emptying Trash
18. Final Thoughts
Every feature in macOS exists for a reason—but not every user needs them. Thankfully, Apple allows deep customization.
From fixing Desktop behavior to taming notifications, adjusting the Dock, or customizing Spotlight, you can make macOS work exactly the way you want.
19. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Do these fixes apply to all versions of macOS?
Most apply to macOS Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia. Some features are specific to Sequoia.
Q2. Will disabling features affect performance?
No, these are UI preferences. They don’t impact system speed.
Q3. Can I revert changes easily?
Yes, just return to System Settings and re-enable options.
Q4. Is it safe to use Terminal commands?
Yes, as long as you copy verified commands. The Caps Lock fix shown above is safe but requires logout.
⚠️ Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only. Settings may differ depending on your macOS version. Always check Apple’s official macOS support documentation for the latest updates.
Tags
macOS annoyances, fix macOS features, macOS Sequoia tips, macOS Dock settings, macOS notifications, macOS keyboard tricks, Spotlight search macOS
Hashtags
#macOS #AppleTips #MacBook #MacTips #Productivity #MacSettings
