This Mac tip is provided by Mark Greentree and was originally posted on Mark’s blog – Everyday Mac Support. For more of Mark’s tips visit his site, follow him on Twitter, or browse his archive of posts here.
How To: Terminal – Clear All Clutter On Your Desktop
Do you have a messy desktop? I Do!
If you would like to clean up the desktop without moving all the files and folders to different areas on your system you can.
In order to do this we will need to use Terminal. To locate Terminal simply navigate to Applications > Utilities and within the Utilities folder you will locate Terminal.
Then simply enter the following then press the return key:
defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool false
Then enter the following then press the return key:
killall Finder
Upon this being entered successfully you will notice that all content on your desktop will disappear and you will simply have the background image on the screen.
Please note all the desktop files and folders are still there and should you navigate through a Finder window you will notice that the desktop folder will still contain all your files and folders.
Should you wish to return this back to the default settings simply follow these steps:
Reopen Terminal and enter the following then press the return key:
defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool true
Then enter the following then press the return key:
killall Finder
Upon successful entry you will notice that all of the files and folders located on your desktop will be returned to as they were.
Warning: Terminal commands have the ability to change the running operation of your Mac. Please copy and paste the Terminal command as shown directly from the article. Mistakes in keystokes can cause your Mac to perform differently and may in-fact result in a loss of data. It is advised that you only use the Terminal if you feel comfortable with the command line interface. If you are ever unsure please consult your local tech support person.
