macOS System Configuration Script

A comprehensive shell script to quickly configure a fresh macOS installation with optimized settings for productivity and performance.

Features

🖥️ Dock Settings

• Positions Dock at the bottom of the screen
• Disables Dock magnification
• Hides suggested and recent apps from Dock
• Shows indicators for open applications
• Enables application launch animations
• Sets window minimize effect to scale animation
• Keeps Dock always visible (disables auto-hide)

🗂️ Finder Configuration

• Sets default view to list view with optimized column layout
• Enables filename extensions, status bar, and path bar
• Configures sidebar and search settings
• Enables automatic trash cleanup (30 days)
• Removes .DS_Store files to reset folder view settings

⚡ Performance Optimization

• Reduces system animations and motion effects
• Disables unnecessary visual effects in Finder, Mail, and system UI
• Speeds up Mission Control, Launchpad, and Dock animations
• Improves overall system responsiveness
• Disables smooth scrolling and window animations

🧹 System Cleanup

• Disables Mission Control space rearrangement
• Turns off Apple Intelligence features
• Empties trash automatically
• Cleans up system files

📱 Application Installation

• ProtonMail - Secure email client
• Rectangle - Window management utility (latest version from GitHub)
• Brave Browser - Privacy-focused web browser
• Signal Messenger - Privacy-focused messenger
• Bitwarden - Password manager

Usage

1. Download the script:

   curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/libitsandbytes/macos_initial_setup/refs/heads/main/initial_setup_macos.sh
   
   

2. Make it executable:

   chmod +x initial_setup_macos.sh
   
   

3. Run the script:

   ./initial_setup_macos.sh
   
   

Requirements

• macOS (tested on recent versions)
• Administrative privileges for some operations
• Internet connection for application downloads
• curl and hdiutil (included with macOS)

What Changes Are Made

This script modifies system preferences and installs applications. The script provides verbose output so you can see exactly what's being configured at each step.

System Preferences Modified

• Dock position, behavior, and visual effects
• Finder view settings and behavior
• Animation and motion settings
• Dock and Mission Control preferences
• Global UI behavior settings

Applications Installed

• ProtonMail desktop application
• Rectangle window manager
• Brave Browser
• Signal Messenger
• Bitwarden

Important Notes

• ⚠️ Intended for fresh installations: This script is designed for new macOS installations without personal files. If you're running it on a device with existing personal files, create a backup first as some files may be deleted during the cleanup process.
• Review before running: Check the script contents to ensure the changes match your preferences
• Automatic restarts: The script will restart Finder and Dock to apply changes
• Temporary files: Downloads are stored in a temporary directory and cleaned up automatically

Customization

The script is modular and easy to customize. Each section is clearly marked with comments. You can:

• Comment out sections you don't want to run
• Modify application lists
• Adjust animation speeds and timing
• Change Finder view preferences

Troubleshooting

If an application fails to install:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Verify the download URLs are still valid
3. Ensure you have sufficient disk space
4. Check the script output for specific error messages

Contributing

Feel free to submit issues and pull requests to improve the script or add new applications and configurations.

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.