Activating Secret Settings via Typed Commands

Some tips involve typing configuration commands within a Terminal window in order to activate secret or experimental settings. Unfortunately, there’s no way to avoid this, but don’t worry—it’s not as difficult as it might sound, and it definitely isn’t dangerous.

Using the command line is surprisingly straightforward. Just type what you see on the page, and then hit Return. Make sure you type the command exactly as it appears, and read through a second time to check. Of course, if you’re reading Mac Kung Fu as an ebook on your Mac,[1] you can simply copy and paste the command straight in.

Most of these commands make changes only to your user account. Other users won’t be affected. Tips that affect ...

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