Mac configuration has an important point: lean, not many. You may find that you have configured countless productivity software and system operations, and still end up using only a few shortcuts. I have been unifying my Mac recently, and in line with the above principles, I have arranged the core configuration that I think is most useful to facilitate my work. You can help yourself if you want.

1. Efficient software installation

1.1 Snapshot: Snipaste

In daily work, there is often a need to take a picture and put it aside to look at. You need to switch apps over and over again. Snipaste not only provides screenshots, but also lets you paste them back onto the screen. It also lets you hover, minimize, color, zoom, and more.



Use strategy: Change the Snipaste shortcuts to the ones you use most often, close the screenshots in other software, and remember the following shortcuts or set them to your own.

  • Screenshot to thumbnail & Screenshot back: Shift + left click double click
  • Zoom in/out: Select a screenshot and press +/-
  • Select color: hover after the select color area by pressing Option
  • To turn off thumbnail hover: Left-click double – click

1.2 Replication: Paste

But paste has the ability to make multiple copies. It provides the ability to copy and record text/pictures/files, and also provides a variety of tabs for sorting. Through it, you can quickly find previously copied content and search for it, while shutting down does not disappear.


Use strategy: Remember the shortcut keys below or set them as your own.

  • Activation: shift + command + v
  • Switch replication items: left and right arrows
  • Switch TAB: Command +[or Command +]

1.3 translation: Bob

The most painful part of translation is not translating, but typing the words that need to be translated, and Bob solved this problem. In addition to the general translation application some selected translation function, it can also screenshot translation, very efficient.


Use strategy: Remember the shortcut keys below or set them as your own.

  • Option +s
  • Select translation: Option +d
  • Enter translation: option+a

1.4 Window size assist tool: Magnet

If you’re using an external monitor, and you’re likely to have multiple apps on the screen at once, magnet can help you split screens quickly.


Use strategy: Remember the shortcut keys below or set them as your own.


1.5 Menu Bar Management: Bartender

By the time you install those apps, the menu bar in the upper right corner of the screen is already overloaded. By Bartender, you can control the menu bar hide and display and make it easy to keep a clean menu bar.


Use strategy: UI interface control.

1.6 System Switchover function: One Switch

While you are installed as a Bartender, you feel that the table is not very neat. At this time, One Switch can be used for unified adjustment, which has the following capabilities.

Use strategy: UI interface control.

2. Configure the system

2.1 Mac Finder Search scope set to current folder

The MAC command+ space call up Spotlight works fine, but search in the Finder is harder to break. The reason for this is that finder searches by default are all computer searches, and a lot of things come up that we don’t need. Change the search scope to the current folder using the Settings below.

Setting mode: Access -> Preferences -> Advanced, change search to search the current folder, so that you can directly command+ F to search the current folder


2.2 Customize the touch bar

Personally, I don’t think the touch bar is useful. I’d rather go back to F1-F12. How do you set up the touch bar?

Setting mode: System preferences -> keyboard, customize touch bar can customize the display content of the touch bar, touch bar display can lock the touch bar f1-F12.


3. System shortcut keys

3.1 Displaying the Boot Console

On the touch version, a four-finger pinch evokes the boot pad, but when we attach the external keyboard, we need to set it, again in system Preferences -> Keyboard. Since I didn’t need to hide the docking, I replaced the shortcut keys of the docking directly.

3.2 Desktop Control

Sometimes we add more than one desktop to keep our mind focused.

  • Add desktop: Push in four directions to add a desktop in the upper right corner
  • Switch between different desktops: four-finger left and right swipe or control+ left and right arrow
  • Application allocation desktop: The application dock right mouse button corresponding to the application
  • To prevent desktop order change: System Preferences > Scheduling Center, deselect the first option. You can also turn the dashboard off, so it won’t be there when you switch desktops
  • Quick back to desktop: F11 (also open in System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Show Desktop)

3.3 Hiding Other Applications

Similar to 3.2 Desktop Control, a desktop may have multiple applications. We want to focus on only one application and hide all other application Windows on the same desktop.

  • Hide other applications: Option + Command +h
  • Switch other programs: Command + TAB

3.4 Shortcut Keys for Page Turning

When browsing web or document applications, click to top/bottom/previous page/Next page:

  • One click to top/bottom/Previous page/Next page: Commond + arrow or FN + arrow

4. To summarize

Back to the beginning: Mac configuration: More than enough. As long as you find the right configuration, you can always improve efficiency.