Resetting the desktop on a Mac refers to restoring the desktop environment back to its original factory settings. This includes resetting settings, preferences, and content for the Dock, desktop pictures, desktop layout, widgets, system preferences, and Launchpad. There are a few key reasons why someone may want to reset their Mac desktop:
To troubleshoot performance issues or bugs – Resetting can help resolve problems caused by changes to system files, preferences, or settings over time. This is similar to “turning it off and back on again.”
To prepare a Mac for sale or donation – Resetting erases personal content and restores default settings to hand the computer over with a “clean slate.”
For a fresh start – Some users reset their desktop as an annual “spring cleaning” to start over and remove clutter or customizations.
Resetting the desktop does not affect user accounts, documents, or installed applications. It is a way to refresh just the look, settings, and layout of the desktop environment.
Prerequisites
Before resetting the Mac desktop using keyboard shortcuts, there are a few prerequisites:
The user must be logged into their Mac account. Resetting the desktop requires admin access, so the user will need to login with an admin account.[1]
It’s also helpful for the user to be familiar with the default Mac keyboard shortcuts. The main ones used for resetting the desktop include:
- Command (⌘) – Used for many Mac operations like opening apps or accessing menus.
- Option (⌥) – Used in combination with other keys for alternate actions.
- Control (⌃) – Used for operations like copying/pasting and keyboard shortcuts.
- Shift (⇧) – Used to modify other key presses, like capitalizing letters.
Knowing these core keyboard shortcuts allows the user to efficiently reset their desktop.[2]
Reset the Dock
The Dock on Mac provides quick access to commonly used apps and files. It appears at the bottom of the screen by default. You can reset the Dock back to the original default apps and settings with a simple keyboard shortcut.
To reset the Dock, first press and hold the Command key and Option key together. While continuing to hold these two keys, press the D key once. This will initiate the reset of the Dock to the factory default settings [1].
Resetting the Dock removes any customizations made to it, including added or removed apps, the size, magnification settings, and location. It will restore the original default set of Apple app icons in the Dock, like Finder, Mail, Safari, Photos, and more. The reset is immediate after pressing the keyboard shortcut.
Reset Desktop Pictures
The default desktop pictures on a Mac include landscapes, abstract art, cityscapes, and nature photos. To reset back to the original Apple desktop pictures, use the keyboard shortcut Shift+Command+K. This will replace your current desktop background image with one of Apple’s default options.
According to Apple’s support article, you can customize the wallpaper on your Mac by going to Apple menu > System Settings, then clicking Wallpaper in the sidebar. From there you can browse and select from Apple’s built-in wallpaper options (source).
Using the Shift+Command+K shortcut will reset your custom desktop picture and randomly select one of these default Apple wallpapers. This allows you to quickly revert back to a default Mac aesthetic if you want to change up your desktop look.
Reset Desktop Layout
The desktop layout refers to the arrangement and spacing of icons on the Mac desktop. This includes the positions of folders, files, and app shortcuts that you add to the desktop. By default, macOS automatically organizes items on the desktop into a grid layout.
Over time, you may rearrange desktop items manually and clutter the desktop layout. To quickly reset the positions back to a neat grid, use the Shift+Command+Option+H keyboard shortcut in any Finder window. This will straighten icons on the desktop back into organized rows and columns.
To reset desktop layout using a Finder window:
- Open any Finder window on your Mac. This can be a folder, your Home directory, Documents, etc.
- Press and hold Shift+Command+Option+H on your keyboard.
- This will immediately realign desktop icons into a tidy grid layout.
Resetting the desktop layout via a Finder window is quicker than manually rearranging icons one by one. The keyboard shortcut instantly reverts the layout back to macOS defaults. This can help declutter a messy desktop with haphazard icons.
Reset Desktop Widgets
One element of the Mac desktop is Dashboard widgets. Dashboard provides quick access to mini-applications known as widgets that perform functions like showing the weather, stock tickers, calculators, calendars, and more. Dashboard and widgets still exist in the background in MacOS even though they are not prominently displayed anymore.
To reset Dashboard widgets back to the original default set, press the F12 key on your keyboard. This will remove any custom widgets you’ve added and restore the default widget set that comes with MacOS [1]. The F12 keyboard shortcut works to open Dashboard across Mac OS versions. Resetting widgets can help declutter your desktop if you’ve added too many over time.
Once Dashboard opens, you can exit back to your regular desktop view by pressing F12 again or pressing the Escape key.
Reset System Preferences
The System Preferences pane allows you to customize various settings on your Mac. To reset the System Preferences to their default settings:
Press and hold the Shift + Command + P keys on your keyboard. This keyboard shortcut will reset the System Preferences pane to its original default settings (see Mac keyboard shortcuts).
Resetting System Preferences will restore the default settings for your Mac’s appearance, dock, desktop, accessibility, security, users, and other system options. Any customizations you made to these settings will be reverted back to the original defaults.
This can be useful if your System Preferences have become corrupted or behaving unexpectedly. Resetting them restores your Mac to a clean slate for adjusting your preferences again.
Reset Launchpad
Launchpad is the full screen menu on Mac that shows all your applications in an iOS-like grid view. You access it by using the launchpad icon in the dock or with a keyboard shortcut (F4). Over time, Launchpad can get cluttered as you install/uninstall apps. Resetting it clears the layout and returns Launchpad back to a clean view.
To reset Launchpad on your Mac, use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Command + Option + L. This will clear the Launchpad layout back to the default grid view with apps in alphabetical order. According to Apple Toolbox, this keyboard shortcut is the easiest way to reset Launchpad instantly.
After using the shortcut, Launchpad will reload with the default alphabetical layout. All your apps will still be installed/available, but the layout is reset. If the shortcut is not working, you may need to use Terminal to reset Launchpad instead.
Reset All Desktop Settings
There is a quick way to reset all desktop settings for Finder, Dock, Launchpad, desktop pictures, and more. This will reset the Mac to its original factory settings.
To reset all desktop settings, restart your Mac and immediately press and hold Command+Option+P+R. Keep holding down the keys until you hear the startup sound play twice. This indicates the NVRAM has been reset.
Resetting NVRAM will reset many default system settings like screen resolution, kernel panic settings, and other parameters Apple Support. It essentially restores your Mac to its original out-of-the-box state.
After the Mac restarts, you will find all custom desktop settings have been removed. The default wallpaper, Dock settings, widgets, and more will be just like a brand new Mac.
Confirming Reset Success
After completing all the steps to reset your Mac’s desktop, it’s important to verify that the reset was successful. Here are some tips for confirming everything is back to factory default settings:
Open Finder and check that the Dock has been cleared of all icons except the default ones like Finder, Trash, and Launchpad. The desktop background should have reverted to the standard options as well.
Open System Preferences and inspect each section to ensure no custom settings remain. Things like desktop pictures, screen saver, and accessibility options should all be defaulted.
Check Launchpad to make sure any additional apps installed have been removed.
Log in to a test user account to verify all preferences have been reset, not just your main account.
If the reset was unsuccessful and issues remain, contact Apple Support for further troubleshooting. Provide details on which steps completed successfully and any errors encountered. They can help diagnose what may have gone wrong in the reset process.