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Mac Setup for Sequoia · Mac Install Guide · 2024

Source: Mac Setup for Sequoia · Mac Install Guide · 2024

New Mac setup for Sequoia. How to set up a Mac. Recommended macOS setup for a new MacBook, iMac, Mini, Studio, or Pro.

This mac.install.guide website started as a guide for setting up a software development environment on a Mac. Now it’s not just software developers who use the site. It’s for anyone who wants to set up a Mac with macOS Sequoia.

You can use a Mac without any configuration effort. But what are all the options in System Settings? Have you wondered? Or been curious about utilities and applications that make experienced users more productive? Here you’ll see the macOS Sequoia settings, utilities, and applications that professional developers use to set up their Macs. More important, I’ll explain why you will want to use them.

Here you’ll find a compilation of the best recommendations for setting up a Mac, but you can explore more resources if you want to see how other developers set up their Macs.

Dive into these articles after you’ve installed macOS Sequoia (macOS 15). Start with the basics and, if you’re a software developer, continue to advanced configuration.

Mac Setup Steps

Naming your Mac comes first, then Dock and Finder settings, then various UI settings, roughly in the order of categories in macOS Sequoia System Settings. Finally, you’ll install applications and utilities that give you full use of your Mac.

  • Name your Mac
  • Dock
  • Finder
  • Battery
  • Accessibility
  • Appearance
  • Control Center
  • Desktop & Dock
  • Displays
  • Screen Saver
  • Siri
  • Wallpaper
  • Lock Screen
  • Privacy & Security
  • Internet Accounts
  • Spotlight
  • Keyboard
  • Trackpad
  • Screenshots
  • Passwords
  • Tiling Manager
  • Warp Terminal
  • Xcode Command Line Tools
  • Webi
  • Homebrew
  • Applications Using Homebrew Cask
  • Zed Editor
  • Configure Git
  • Dotfiles
  • Arc Browser
  • Cloudflare Warp
  • Install an Email Client
  • ChaptGPT Desktop App
  • PWA for Google Docs and Sheets
  • Mac App Store
  • Setapp
  • Subscriptions
  • Calendars and Reminders
  • Simplenote
  • Obsidian

Requirements

  • computer: MacBook, iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Studio, or Mac Pro
    • confirm with Apple menu > About This Mac
  • chip: Apple M1, M2, or M3
    • confirm with Apple menu > About This Mac
  • operating system: macOS Sonoma (macOS 14) or macOS Sequoia (macOS 15)

To install macOS on a new Mac, you’ll power on, connect to Wi-Fi, sign in with your Apple ID, and accept Apple’s various agreements and defaults. Then you’ll be ready for the setup steps below.

Launch the Terminal

Mac setup is easier and faster, with more options, if you use the Terminal. Open the Terminal by pressing Command + Space to open Spotlight search, then typing “terminal” and pressing Enter. Or click the Spotlight icon in the menu bar and type “terminal.” Learn more about the Mac Terminal if it’s new to you. I prefer to install Warp Terminal but you can do that later, when we install applications.

Name your Mac

Start your Mac setup by setting the computer name. If you’ve opened the Terminal, you’ll see your Mac’s default name in the prompt. Mine is “Daniels-Laptop.” That’s fine in a small office or classroom where it will be visible on AirDrop or a network. But if you have two computers with the same name, it can be confusing. And if you’re in a coffee shop or coworking space, you might want to change it to something impersonal.

Change the Mac name in Apple menu > System Settings > General > About > Name. It’s not obvious, but you can change the Mac name by clicking and typing on the name entry. You can also open the Terminal and change the name with this command, changing “the-name” to your desired name:

scutil --set ComputerName "the-name"

The name change will take effect after you enter your password.

To change the name you see in the Terminal prompt, use this command, changing “the-name” to your desired name:

scutil --set LocalHostName "the-name"

The name change will take effect after you enter your password. You’ll see the new name in the Terminal prompt after you open a new Terminal window.

For more about names on a Mac, including all the names that identify your Mac, and where to change them, see Name Settings. You can change your username and home folder name, but it requires creating a new user account, so it’s easier to keep the account created for you.

The Dock

The Dock is a holdover from macOS’s origins on NeXT computers. It started as an easy way to park frequently-used applications. Now it is Apple’s way of showing you the Mac’s pre-installed applications, many of which are clutter that you won’t use frequently.

Click this shortcut to open System Settings > Desktop & Dock and adjust the Dock settings.

Reposition the Dock

The default Dock position, at the bottom of the screen, limits the vertical size of web pages or documents. That’s why you should move it to the side of the screen. Adjust Position on screen to Right or Left.

Adjust the Dock

I like to set the Dock to a smaller size and turn off magnification. This way, the Dock doesn’t take up much screen space, and it doesn’t move when you hover over it. I also turn off Show recent applications in Dock and Show recent documents in Dock. Many people turn on Automatically hide and show the Dock to make the Dock appear only when you mouse to the edge of the screen, creating more screen space, but I find it distracting when the Dock appears and disappears. Here are the least distracting Dock settings:

  • Size: Your preference
  • Magnification: Off (less distracting)
  • Position on screen: Right or Left (more vertical space)
  • Minimize windows using: Scale effect (faster)
  • Double-click a window’s title bar to: Do Nothing (less distracting)
  • Minimize windows into application icon: Off (less distracting)
  • Automatically hide and show the Dock: Off (less distracting)
  • Animate opening applications: Off (less distracting)
  • Show indicators for open applications: On (useful)
  • Show suggested and recent applications in Dock: Off (reduce clutter)

Remove clutter from the Dock

You can remove everything from the Dock (except Finder and Trash, which are permanent) if you like to launch applications with Spotlight search or the Launchpad (the full-screen application launcher). If you take this approach, your Dock will contain:

  • Finder (can not be removed)
  • Trash (can not be removed)

I like to use the Dock for frequently-used applications, so I start by removing everything from the Dock except Finder and Trash. Then I add applications to the Dock as I use them.

To remove an application from the Dock, just drag if off the Dock. Or right-click the application icon and select Options > Remove from Dock. You can remove all applications from the Dock if you open the Terminal and enter this command:

defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array

Then relaunch the Dock with this command:

killall Dock

When I launch an application, it will appear in the Dock. If I want to keep it handy, I right-click the application icon and select Options > Keep in Dock.

Folders in the Dock

By default, the Downloads folder is in the Dock. If you find you frequently open a folder, you can drag it to the Dock. For example, you can open the Finder and drag the Documents folder to the Dock, next to the line that separates applications from folders.

You can right-click on a folder to display it in the Dock as a folder or as a stack. You can also change how it is displayed when you click the folder, either as an icon grid or a text list.

Add frequently-used folders to the Dock if you want to keep your Desktop uncluttered except for any files that need immediate attention.

Title Bar Click Behavior

You can set behavior for double-clicking the title bar of a window, with options to Fill (maximize to full screen size), Zoom, or Minimize the window.

  • Desktop & Dock > Double-click a window's title bar to > Minimize

The Minimize setting is a good way to quickly reduce clutter on the desktop by moving windows to the Dock.

Desktop Click Behavior

In the “Desktop & Stage Manager” section, change the “Click wallpaper to reveal desktop dropdown” from “Always” to “Only in Stage Manager”. This is the universally annoying feature that hides all your windows when you click on the desktop.

  • Desktop & Dock > Desktop & Stage Manager > Click wallpaper to reveal desktop dropdown > Only in Stage Manager

Hot Corners

At the very bottom of the Desktop & Dock window, you’ll find a button that opens the Hot Corners settings. The Hot Corners setting is difficult to find but very useful.

Be warned that setting a Hot Corner can be annoying if you accidentally move your mouse to the corner and trigger the action. However, Hot Corners can be very useful.

I recommend setting a corner to “Lock Screen” and disabling screen savers and sleep mode, so you can keep your display active and easily lock your screen when you leave your desk. If your laptop has Touch ID, you can press the Touch ID button to lock the screen, but sometimes it’s easier to use a Hot Corner.

If you like to use Launchpad to start applications instead of searching with Spotlight, you can set a Hot Corner to open Launchpad.

You can set a Hot Corner to open Mission Control, if you like to use Mission Control to switch between applications, instead of clicking windows or icons in the Dock.

More options for the Dock

For a more advanced Dock setup, with settings using the command line, see Dock Settings.

Finder

The Finder shows you files and folders on your Mac. The Finder is “dumbed down” to reduce confusion for new users. Adjusting its hidden settings makes it much more useful than its default configuration. Here’s how to set up Finder on a new Mac, adjusting Finder preferences, customizing the sidebar, and setting default folder views.

The Finder icon is in the Dock (the blue smiling face). Click to open a Finder window.

Finder View

Set the Finder View from the Finder menu.

The Finder has four view options: Icon, List, Column, and Gallery. I prefer the List view because it shows the most information about each file and folder. Using the Terminal, you can set your preferences:

# Use list view
defaults write com.apple.finder FXPreferredViewStyle -string "Nlsv"

From the Finder View menu, select Show Path Bar and Show Status Bar. It’s difficult to navigate to an enclosing folder without the Path Bar, and you can’t see the number of items in a folder without the Status Bar. Using the Terminal, you can set your preferences:

# Show path bar
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowPathbar -bool true
# Show status bar
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true

Hidden files

Filenames and folder names that start with a dot are hidden by default in the Finder. You’ll need to see hidden files because hidden files often contain configuration settings.

You can see hidden files in the Finder by pressing Command + Shift + .. Hidden files will appear in gray in the Finder window. To set a permament preference to show hidden files, use this Terminal command:

# Show hidden files
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles true

Filename extensions

By default, macOS hides filename extensions. You’ll need to see filename extensions to know the type of file and the application that will open it. From the Finder Settings menu, under the Advanced tab, select Show all filename extensions. To set a permanent preference to show filename extensions, use this Terminal command:

# Show filename extensions
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true

Finder search scope

By default, a Finder search is scoped to your entire Mac. For speed, set the Finder to search the current folder by default (if you need to search the entire Mac, navigate to the top level folder). From the Finder Settings menu, under the Advanced tab, select Search the Current Folder. To set a permanent preference to search the current folder, use this Terminal command:

# Search the current folder by default
defaults write com.apple.finder FXDefaultSearchScope -string "SCcf"

List folders first

By default, folders and files are mixed together in the Finder. To make it easier to find folders, list folders first. From the Finder Settings > Advanced tab, select Keep folders on top in windows when sorting by name and On Desktop. To set a permanent preference to list folders first, use this Terminal command:

# Keep folders on top when sorting by name
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXSortFoldersFirst -bool true

Relaunch the Finder

To see the changes you’ve set from the Terminal, relaunch the Finder with this command:

killall Finder

Sidebar contents

The Finder sidebar contains shortcuts to folders and devices. You can customize the sidebar to show only the folders you use most often. To customize the sidebar, drag folders to the sidebar to add them, and drag folders out of the sidebar to remove them.

A default Finder sidebar contains:

  • Recents
  • Applications
  • Desktop
  • Documents
  • Downloads

I remove the Recents, Applications, and Documents folders. I also remove Downloads and change web browser settings to save downloads to the Desktop.

I add my user home folder because I use it often. I also add the top-level folder to make it easy to navigate to everything. Finally I create a Projects folder and add it to the sidebar (you might call it “Work”).

I use the Terminal to open the folders I want to add to the sidebar. For example, to open the top-level folder, I use this command:

open /

To open the user home folder, I use this command:

open ~

I select the enclosing folder in the Path bar and drag it to the sidebar.

Alternatively, you can use the Finder Settings menu to add folders to the sidebar. Select the Sidebar tab and check the folders you want to show in the sidebar. Another way to add folders to the sidebar is to use the Finder menu Go, show a folder, and drag the folder to the sidebar.

Now my Finder sidebar contains:

  • Macintosh HD
  • daniel
  • Desktop
  • Projects

Sidebar tags

The sidebar also shows tags. Tags are a way to organize files and folders but most people don’t use them. If you want to remove the distraction, go to the Finder Settings menu, select the Tags tab, and uncheck each tag.

Finder alternatives

You can replace the Finder with other file managers, such as Path Finder, ForkLift, or Commander One. These file managers offer more features than the Finder, such as dual-pane browsing, file previews, and file synchronization. However, you may find the Finder is adequate if you configure it with the right settings.

More options for Finder

For a more advanced Finder setup, with settings using the command line, see Finder Settings.

Battery

You’ll only find this setting on a laptop. You’ll want to leave the Low Power Mode set to “Never” and only change it if you’re running out of battery and can’t recharge right away. Low Power Mode reduces CPU speed and screen brightness to save battery life.

Accessibility

Accessibility settings are useful for everyone, not just users with sight, hearing, or movement limitations. You may want to change settings for:

  • Accessibility > Display > Increase Contrast makes the UI more readable.
  • Accessibility > Display > Reduce motion reduces distracting animations.
  • Accessibility > Display > Text size can be increased for easier reading.

Appearance

  • Choose Dark mode if you prefer it.
  • Appearance > Show scroll bars > Always gives you a visual cue about how much of window or browser page you’re able to see.

Control Center

Control Center is the panel that appears when you click its icon in the Menu Bar. It gives you quick access to screen brightness, volume controls, and other settings, similar to the Control Center on iOS phones and tablets. You can customize the Control Center by going to System Settings > Control Center. This is also where you control what appears in the Menu Bar.

Displays

Displays settings are where you change the resolution, the refresh rate, and the color profile for an external monitor. Users recommend the commercial BetterDisplay application for more control over external monitors.

You may want to turn off Displays > True Tone if you don’t like the warm color tint it gives to the screen.

Screen Saver

The screen saver appears when your computer is idle. You can choose a decorative screen saver. I prefer to keep my screen active at all times and use a Hot Corner to lock the screen when I leave my desk.

Settings for the screen saver are in System Settings > Lock Screen panel.

Siri

I don’t like to tallk to my computer so I turn off Siri. Turn off Siri or adjust preferences in Siri settings.

Wallpaper

You can set a preference for wallpaper (the background image on the desktop) or upload your own image. I prefer a black background to reduce distractions. For a black background, or another solid color, scroll to the bottom of the window for a selection of colors.

Lock Screen

Settings for screen saver behavior are in the System Settings > Lock Screen panel (not the “Screen Saver” panel). Personally, I don’t like the screen saver to start when my computer is idle, so I set “Start Screen Saver” to “Never” and use a Hot Corner (or the Touch ID button) to lock the screen when I leave my desk.

  • Lock Screen > Start Screen Saver > Never
  • Lock Screen > Turn display off on battery when inactive > For 5 minutes
  • Lock Screen > Turn display off on battery when inactive > For 10 minutes
  • Lock Screen > Require password after screen saver begins... > Immediately

Just in case you lose your computer, and an honest person finds it, you can set a message (including phone or email address) to display on the lock screen.

  • Lock Screen > Show message when locked > On > Set

Privacy & Security

Storage is always encrypted on Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3 chips). With disk encryption, your data can’t be accessed if your computer is lost, stolen, or recycled. All FileVault does on Apple Silicon is add the user’s password as an additional key. That said, it’s a good idea to enable FileVault and store a recovery key safely in case you forget your password. FileVault has a negligible performance impact with modern Macs and fast solid-state drives.

  • Privacy & Security > FileVault > Turn On

FileVault is at the bottom of the Privacy & Security panel.

Apple uses Privacy & Security to limit what applications can do. As you add applications, you may need to grant permissions in Privacy & Security. Often you’ll see a dialog box asking for permission to access some system service.

You’ll be using the Terminal to install software and run commands, so add appropriate permissions now. Use the + button to find the Terminal application in the Applications/Utilities folder. Then:

  • Privacy & Security > App Management > Terminal > On
  • Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access > Terminal > On

Internet Accounts

If you have email, calendar, contacts, and notes managed in Google, Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo, or AOL accounts you can add the accounts to Internet Accounts for integration with macOS applications. I use Google Calendar but that’s the only account I add to Internet Accounts.

Spotlight

Spotlight is the search feature that appears when you press Command + Space or select the search icon in the Menu Bar. You can customize what Spotlight searches for in the System Settings > Spotlight settings. In the early days of the Mac, Spotlight returned filenames and file contents, but now it returns a lot of other stuff, like web pages, email, and contacts. If you prefer Spotlight to behave like a fast, indexed, full-disk grep command, you can disable everything except Applications, Documents, and Folders. Enable:

  • Applications
  • Documents
  • Folders

Add other categories if you want them.

Keyboard

You’ll change keyboard settings if you are a fast typist or if you prefer to control everything from the keyboard without reaching for a mouse.

  • Keyboard > Key repeat rate > Fast
  • Keyboard > Delay until repeat > Short

The settings for Keyboard > Keyboard navigation > Keyboard Shortcuts are important for keyboard-centric users. Additional keyboard settings are in the Accessibility > Keyboard panel.

Turn off auto-correction and other smart typing features. These are difficult to find. Look under Keyboard > Text Input > Input Sources > Edit. Then:

  • Correct spelling automatically > Off
  • Capitalize words automatically > Off
  • Show inline predictive text > On
  • Add period with double-space > Off
  • Use smart quotes and dashes > Off

Trackpad

A Mac trackpad has a rich set of gestures. You can customize the gestures in the System Settings > Trackpad panel.

  • Trackpad > Point & Click > Tap to click > On
  • Trackpad > Scroll & Zoom > Scroll direction: Natural > Off

Some Trackpad settings are in the Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad Options panel. You may want to use the trackpad for dragging without pressing down the trackpad. First, enable Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad Options > Use trackpad for dragging. Then, select Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad Options > Dragging style > Three Finger Drag.

Screenshots

Before I install new software and configure my Mac, I like to save a set of screenshots of the macOS default state.

First, I create a folder Pictures > Screenshots and change the default screenshot location so screenshots don’t clutter my desktop. I also like to disable the floating thumbnail that appears in the lower-right corner of the screen after taking a screenshot. For application screenshots, I recommend using the default PNG format (you can change the setting to JPG if you capture photos or videos).

mkdir ~/Pictures/Screenshots
defaults write com.apple.screencapture "location" -string "~/Pictures/Screenshots"
defaults write com.apple.screencapture "show-thumbnail" -bool "false"
killall SystemUIServer

After creating the screenshots folder and changing the default location, I add the folder to the Dock and the Finder sidebar for easy access.

Passwords

MacOS has an integrated system to managed passwords, named Keychain, to manage passwords for websites from any browser. Until recently, most users stored passwords in third-party password managers because it’s not convenient to use System Settings > Passwords to update and delete passwords. With Mac Sequoia, Apple provides a built-in Passwords application that largely replaces the need for password managers such as 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane, or Bitwarden. To find the application, search for Passwords in the Spotlight search bar.

If you’re setting up Mac Sequoia for the first time, export your passwords from 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane, or Bitwarden as a CSV file and import them using the Passwords application with File > Import Passwords.

Password clean up

Now might be a good time to clean up your passwords. Use the Passwords application to delete old passwords and update weak/duplicate passwords. If you’ve used any “Log in with” accounts (“Log in with Google”, “Log in with Apple”), see a list of accounts and either delete (and sign in later with email and password) or make a note in the Passwords name field so you’ll remember you used the “Log in with” method. Generally it’s better to use email and password to log in, rather than face confusion over which account you used or take a chance on a third-party identity provider locking you out.

  • Google Account (your profile picture in Google Chrome) > Manage Google Account > Security > Your connections to third-party apps & services to see all of the logins.

Tiling Manager

Mac Sequoia includes a new feature called Window Tiling, which allows users to drag windows to the edge of the screen for placement side by side, top and bottom, or in a grid. In the past, users installed third-party utilities such as Rectangle, Amethyst, Yabai, Swish, ShiftIt, Magnet, and Moom. The third-party utilities still have more features but the built-in Window Tiling is adequate without adding another utility application.

Install Warp Terminal

This article shows how to use the built-in Mac Terminal application to enter commands on the command line. However, the Mac Terminal is primitive, lacking AI assistance and blocks. AI assistance can help you learn and remember terminal commands. Blocks make the terminal interface easier to use.

I recommend installing Warp Terminal, a new terminal application that’s written in Rust and GPU-accelerated for speed. Warp is easy to use, with AI assistance and blocks.

You can read my comparison of macOS terminal applications in the Mac Terminal Alternatives article. Or just download Warp: It is my recommendation for both beginners and professional developers who might have used Iterm2 or others in the past.

You’ll be using Warp Terminal to install software and run commands, so add appropriate permissions now. Use the + button to find the Warp application in the Applications folder. Then:

  • Privacy & Security > App Management > Warp > On
  • Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access > Warp > On

After you install Warp, you can continue with your Mac setup, installing Xcode Command Line Tools, Homebrew, a text editor, and other useful software. By installing Warp first, you’ll be able to get help if you have trouble with commands in the following steps.

Install Xcode Command Line Tools

Xcode Command Line Tools are tools for software developers that run on the command line, in the Terminal application. Out of the box, a Mac doesn’t contain all of the software and tools needed for using the command line. You must install a small package of utility commands. The article About Xcode Command Line Tools has details.

Xcode Command Line Tools are basic to any use of the command line, so I mention them here. You’ll need them to use Homebrew, a package manager for macOS.

$ xcode-select --install

Don’t type the $ character (or you’ll see zsh: command not found: $). It’s just a convention we use to indicate the command line prompt. It takes about ten minutes to install Xcode Command Line Tools using a fast Internet connection. It’s faster to install Xcode Command Line Tools using Homebrew but the version may not be up to date.

You can check if Xcode Command Line Tools are installed:

$ xcode-select -p
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools
  • Skip the Xcode Command Line Tools installation if you want a standard installation of Homebrew into the default /opt/homebrew directory, requiring a password, and skipping Webi, which will automatically install Xcode Command Line Tools. After Homebrew installation, you must set a PATH variable. See the Install Homebrew article for details.

For beginners, I recommend the first option, installing Xcode Command Line Tools first, then Homebrew using Webi. For experienced users, I recommend the second option, installing Homebrew into the standard /opt/homebrew directory using a password, and setting the PATH variable, with a fast automatic installation of Xcode Command Line Tools.

Install Webi

Webi is an installation script that makes it easy to install Homebrew without a cumbersome step of setting a PATH variable. Webi is a great option for beginners who want to get started without learning about the Mac PATH variable.

You can install Webi automatically as part of installing Homebrew (the next step, below). If so, skip ahead to the “Install Homebrew” step.

If you may want to see where Webi is installed and how it works, run the following command in the Terminal:

$ curl -sS https://webi.sh/webi | sh

Don’t type the $ character (or you’ll see zsh: command not found: $). It’s just a convention we use to indicate the command line prompt.

You must close and reopen the Terminal application to use Webi.

Webi will create directories ~/.config/ and ~/.local/ and install the Webi script and a configuration file for managing the PATH variable.

  • ~/.config/envman/PATH.env
  • ~/.local/bin/webi

Then it will create and modify the ~/.zshrc file to use the envman scipt to load PATH settings. If you decide you don’t want Webi, uninstall Webi by deleting the ~/.config/envman/PATH.env and ~/.local/bin/webi files and removing the envman line from the ~/.zshrc file.

Next, install Homebrew using Webi (easier), or install Homebrew directly (more standard but requires setting the PATH manually).

Install Homebrew

Homebrew is a package manager for macOS that installs software packages from the command line. With Homebrew it’s easy to install, update, and remove software packages. Homebrew can install both ordinary applications and command line programs. Using Homebrew, you can install almost any software with brew install (for command line programs) or brew install cask (for applications).

Learn more about Homebrew and how to install Homebrew, or just install it here using Webi. For beginners, I recommend installing Homebrew with Webi because it doesn’t require setting a PATH variable. If you choose to install Homebrew with Webi, you must already have Xcode Command Line Tools installed (see above).

To install Homebrew without Webi, see the install Homebrew article.

Here’s how to use Webi to install Homebrew in a single step:

$ curl -sS https://webi.sh/brew | sh

Don’t type the $ character (or you’ll see zsh: command not found: $). No password is required. Homebrew installation takes less than 5 minutes using a fast Internet connection.

You must close and reopen the Terminal application to use Homebrew.

If you install Homebrew with Webi, you’ll find files used by Webi:

  • ~/.config/envman/PATH.env
  • ~/.local/bin/webi
  • ~/.local/bin/brew-update-service-install
  • ~/.zshrc

As well as a new folder for Homebrew:

  • ~/.local/opt/brew/

Note that Webi installs Homebrew in the ~/.local/opt/brew/ home directory and not in the usual /opt/homebrew system directory. This is because Homebrew is installed in your home directory, not in the system directory. This makes it easier to isolate and manage Homebrew but you should be aware that the location is different from Homebrew’s default location.

You can check if Homebrew is installed:

$ brew --version

If you decide you don’t want Homebrew, uninstall Homebrew.

Install applications using Homebrew Cask

Homebrew can install command-line programs, with brew install ..., or Mac applications, with brew install --cask ....

Check Homebrew’s catalog of cask applications to see if the applications you need are available with Homebrew.

Ordinarily, to install Mac applications, you must:

  • search the web for a download link
  • download an installer file
  • run the installer program
  • move the application to the Applications folder
  • launch the application

With Homebrew, you can install Mac applications from the command line, saving manual steps and making it easy to copy/paste from this tutorial:

  • brew install --cask <name> to install an application
  • open /Applications/<name>.app to launch the application

After launching the application, right-click the icon in the Dock, select Options, and choose Keep in Dock if you wish to keep the application in the Dock.

Grant install installation permissions to the Terminal

Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > App Management and add the Terminal application (from /Applications/Utilities) to allow the Terminal to install software. This will avoid error messages when installing cask software using Homebrew.

Install Zed Editor

You’ll need a text editor for editing configuration files. Apple provides the built-in TextEdit but it is too limited to use frequently. For all-purpose text editing, I recommend Zed, for editing configuration files, writing code if you are a programmer, or writing articles if you are an author. It’s written in Rust for speed, with two AI-assistance modes (GitHub Copilot and the ChatGPT API), communication and collaboration features, and a clean minimalist interface.

For quick and easy installation, use the Homebrew cask command:

$ brew install --cask zed
...
$ open /Applications/Zed.app

If you want to use VS Code, which remains popular with many developers, you can install it with Homebrew:

$ brew install --cask visual-studio-code
...
$ open '/Applications/Visual Studio Code.app'

With a text editor installed, you can now edit configuration files, starting with Zed’s configuration file at ~/.config/zed/settings.json. Check the Configuring Zed document for details.

Next, configure Git for version control and remote backup.

Configure Git

Git is used for version control and remote backup, typically with an account on GitHub, GitLab, or BitBucket. Git is automatically installed with Xcode Command Line Tools.

In the past, only programmers used Git, but today it is used by many people to back up files. Git is the best way to get reliable “save-as-you-go” version control, so you can save a file off-site at any time and revert to any previous version. Unlike Dropbox or Google Drive, which provide cloud backup, Git adds version control, so you can see the history of changes and revert to any previous version.

Git is difficult to learn in all its complexity but the basics are easy and worth knowing, especially if you use a graphical Git client like GitHub Desktop, GitKraken, Tower, or Glint.

Before you can use Git and GitHub for backup or collaboration, you must set up a GitHub account and configure Git.

Check that Git is installed:

$ git version
git version 2.39.3 (Apple Git-146)

You should see git version 2.39.0 (or newer). If Git is installed, go to Git Config to set the Git configuration for username and email. After configuring Git, you ‘ll need to use the Git Credential Manager to store your GitHub credentials so you won’t have to enter them each time you connect to GitHub. Passwords are no longer used for GitHub, so you’ll need to create and enter a Personal Access Token instead of a password.

Dotfiles

The default macOS shell is Zsh, which interprets commands entered in the terminal. Experienced users configure the shell using dotfiles, hidden files that begin with a dot in the user home directory.

Dotfiles are used to set:

  • aliases: shortened versions of commands
  • $PATH: an environment variable that helps macOS find commands
  • many other things, such as the appearance of the terminal prompt

Two dotfiles are commonly used for configuring the shell:

  • ~/.zprofile (Zsh Profile): Recommended for the $PATH environment variable, executed only when the terminal window is opened.
  •  ~/.zshrc (Zsh Run Control): Recommended for adjusting the appearance and behavior of the shell, such as setting command aliases and adjusting the shell prompt.

Don’t be confused by ~/.zshrc (with a tilde) or .zshrc (without a tilde). The tilde just means the .zshrc file is found in your user home directory. The tilde ~/ is a Unix abbreviation for your home directory.

If you are a user on a new Mac, you won’t find these files. By default, the  ~/.zshrc and ~/.zprofile zsh files do not exist for a user on a new Mac, even if you launch the zsh shell. You’ll need to manually create the files in your home directory to properly configure your macOS environment.

Here are articles that explain how to configure the shell:

Dotfiles for Webi users

If you’ve opted for simplified Homebrew installation using Webi (above), you might not need to modify dotfiles. Webi uses Pathman to set the PATH and Aliasman to set aliases. You can run command-line utilities to set PATH and aliases, or edit the configuration files directly, using a text editor to open:

  • ~/.config/envman/PATH.env
  • ~/.config/envman/alias.env

Webi works by adding [ -s "$HOME/.config/envman/load.sh" ] && source "$HOME/.config/envman/load.sh" to the  ~/.zshrc file to load its configuration files.

Dotfiles for experienced users

If you are an experienced user and you’ve saved dotfiles from a previous Mac setup in a GitHub repo, you can clone your dotfiles into your home directory.

Visit GitHub Does Dotfiles to become a dotfile expert. You’ll find a dozen complex and full-featured configuration frameworks for ZSH on GitHub Does Dotfiles, including Oh My Zsh, a very popular utility for customizing your terminal shell. Like other super-productivity tools, Oh My Zsh takes time to set up and learn, so I don’t recommend it for beginners. But if you like Oh My Zsh, set it up on your Mac now so you get the aliases and command prompt you like.

Install Arc Browser

Apple provides the built-in Safari web browser but if you’re like most users, you may use other browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, or others. If you’re making a fresh start with an updated macOS, you might also want to try a new web browser. I recommend the Arc Browser, a new web browser that has a unique approach to managing tabs and bookmarks, which reduces clutter and makes navigating the web more efficient. It takes some experimenting to get used to, but Arc’s unique tabbed interface means you may be able to work efficiently without Chrome or Safari.

For quick and easy installation, use the Homebrew cask command:

$ brew install --cask arc
...
$ open /Applications/Arc.app

If you want to install Google Chrome, you can install it with Homebrew:

$ brew install --cask google-chrome
...
$ open '/Applications/Google Chrome.app'

If you install Arc or Google Chrome, you must install the Chrome Extension for iCloud Passwords to autofill passwords from iCloud Keychain.

After installing a new browser, make sure you can access the open Internet by installing Cloudflare Warp.

Install Cloudflare Warp

For privacy, faster Internet performance, and access to the open Internet, you can install Cloudflare Warp. Cloudflare WARP provides a DNS resolver, 1.1.1.1, that is faster than your ISP’s DNS resolver. WARP uses the well-regarded WireGuard tunneling protocol to encrypt all Internet traffic from your computer, which protects your data from being monitored by your ISP, government, or any public Wi-Fi networks. It’s a lot like using a VPN to hide your IP address, but it’s faster and more secure. You might still want to use a VPN if you need to select your apparent location, for example to appear as if you’re in a different country, but WARP will hide your IP address and show its own, which circumvents most restrictions based on the location of your ISP, and it’s faster than a VPN. If you’re in the USA, you likely have access to any website but Warp will prevent your Internet usage from being tracked for commercial purposes. If you’re in a country that restricts access to websites to stifle dissent or enforce censorship, WARP can help you access the open Internet.

$ brew install --cask cloudflare-warp
...
$ open '/Applications/Cloudflare WARP.app'

Install an email client

You’ll need email to set up various applications and services. Use Gmail with a tab in the Arc Browser or set up the built-in Apple Mail application. However, since you’re installing new things, you might want to try a new email client.

If you have a Setapp subscription, you can use Canary Mail or Spark Mail. Canary Mail is not available as a Homebrew cask, but you can install it from Setapp or the Mac App Store.

You can install Spark Mail from Setapp or as a Homebrew cask:

$ brew install --cask readdle-spark
...
$ open '/Applications/Spark.app'

I also like Mimestream, which is an email client exclusively for Gmail. It costs $50/year, so you’ll have to decide if it’s worth it for you, but there’s a 14-day free trial.

You can install Mimestream with Homebrew:

$ brew install --cask mimestream
...
$ open '/Applications/Mimestream.app'

As a next step, install the ChaptGPT Desktop app.

Install ChaptGPT Desktop App

You may be using ChatGPT with a web browser. However, for maximum productivity, install the ChatGPT Desktop App. The desktop application makes it easier to drag and drop files, take screenshots, or use the voice interface to communicate with ChatGPT.

For quick and easy installation, use the Homebrew cask command:

$ brew install --cask chatgpt
...
$ open /Applications/Chatgpt.app

See my guide to installing ChatGPT Desktop to set it up with a ChatGPT Plus account. You will need to log in to ChatGPT Plus to use the desktop application.

Install PWA for Google Docs and Sheets

If you are collaborating with others on documents or spreadsheets, you may be using Google Docs and Sheets in a web browser. I prefer to install Google Docs and Sheets as a PWA (Progressive Web Application) in the Dock, which allows easier access. The PWA feature is new and difficult to find. Here’s how to install Google Docs and Sheets as PWAs. First, open Google Docs or Google Sheets in a web browser. Then, click on the three dots in the far upper right corner of the browser window. In the dropdown menu, click on Save & Share > Install Page as App. In the dialog box that appears, click Install. If you don’t see Install Page as App, look for Open in Docs or Open in Sheets and click. The application wil open in a new window and appear in the Dock. Right-click the icon in the Dock, select Options, and choose Keep in Dock to keep the application in the Dock.

If you are using Google Docs and Sheets often, this keeps documents or spreadsheets easy to access.

Mac App Store

If you’ve previously purchased applications from the Mac App Store, you can install them by opening the App Store and clicking on your account icon in the lower left corner. Under the heading Purchased, you’ll see a list of all applications you’ve previously purchased. You can download and install them from the App Store.

Setapp

Setapp is a subscription service for Mac and iOS apps, with around 250 available applications. It is a good value if you need more than one or two of the applications and utilities available through Setapp. It’s $9.99/mo for one Mac, $12.49/mo for one Mac and four iOS devices, or $14.99/mo for four Macs and four iOS devices.

For quick and easy installation, use the Homebrew cask command:

$ brew install --cask setapp
...
$ open /Applications/Setapp.app

After installing Setapp, you wil need to sign in with your Setapp account. Here’s a list of all available applications in Setapp: Setapp Apps.

Subscriptions

I use Touchbits Subscriptions to keep track of subscriptions. It’s a free application, available on the Mac App Store. The cost of subscriptions adds up; you can keep a spreadsheet but this is a nice app.

Calendars and Reminders

Apple’s built-in Calendar application is well-integrated with other applications. It may be enough for you. Some users prefer more full-featured paid applications, such as Fantastical (available as a Homebrew cask) or BusyCal (available as a Homebrew cask and through Setapp).

I use NotePlan for my calendar because it saves data as Markdown files and integrates with Apple’s Calendar. It’s available through Setapp. If you’ve added Google Calendar to your System Settings > Internet Accounts, you should see Google Calendar events in Noteplan. If you’re using NotePlan on more than one device, set up syncing in Preferences > Sync using CloudKit.

Simplenote

I like to have a notetaking application that syncs data among my Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Apple’s built-in Notes application is full-featured and cross-platform with iOS devices but I feel the interface is cluttered. For quick and easy notes, such as snippets I copy and paste, or notes I reference often, I use Simplenote, which is free from Automattic, with Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux apps as well as a web app.

For quick and easy installation, use the Homebrew cask command:

$ brew install --cask simplenote
...
$ open /Applications/Simplenote.app

Obsidian

Simplenote is okay for snippets but I use Obsidian for research, record keeping, and rough drafts. People like to call this a “second brain” or “personal knowledge management.” It’s a Markdown editor with a graph view that shows connections between notes. The interface is complex and it has hundreds of plugins that add functionality, but I found it’s worth learning.

Importantly, Obsidian saves data as Markdown files and I back up my “knowledge vault” to GitHub so I’ve got a version-controlled, offsite backup of everything I record in Obsidian.

For quick and easy installation, use the Homebrew cask command:

$ brew install --cask obsidian
...
$ open /Applications/Obsidian.app

What’s next

My mac.install.guide is a trusted source of installation guides for professional developers. Take a look at the Mac Install Guide home page for tips and trends and see what to install next.

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