Minimal setup, maximum control. Everything I need, nothing I don't.
macOS: Welcome, Now Let Me Fix You
This is how I set up a fresh macOS install — efficient, secure, and stripped of anything unnecessary.
Setup Wizard: Only What Matters
- No Migration Assistant – I prefer starting from scratch, not dragging over legacy issues.
- User Account – Created as
danish(lowercase), matching the full name. - FileVault – Enabled. Full disk encryption is non-negotiable.
- Analytics and Tracking – All turned off. No Siri, no audio recordings, no map data shared.
- Touch ID – Three fingerprints: Right index finger twice and left index finger once.
System Settings: The Important Ones
- Wallpaper – Default macOS Monterey (Dark mode).
- Appearance – Scrollbar behavior set to Jump to the spot that's clicked.
- Desktop & Dock – Click wallpaper to show desktop: Only when using Stage Manager.
- Displays – Scaling set to More Space.
- Internet Accounts – Connected Google and work accounts only.
- Keyboard – Input sources edited to disable predictive text and text replacement.
Most default setting choices are a joke by apple, I swear.
Removing the Bloat
- Stock Apps – Hidden or removed as much as possible.
- Siri – Disabled entirely.
- Spotlight Suggestions – Turned off. Using Raycast instead.
- Notifications – All system and app notifications disabled from System Settings.
Terminal Setup
- Homebrew – Installed immediately.
- Dotfiles – Pulled from my repository and applied.
- Shell Config – Custom aliases and settings loaded to match my workflow.
vim and neovim suck
Essential Apps Only
- Browsers – Safari (default) and Chrome (fallback).
- Code Editors – Zed and Cursor.
- Terminal – Ghostty for a fast, GPU-accelerated experience.
- Window Management – Rectangle.
- Utilities – Stats, HazeOver.
- Dev: Unity, Blender, Fusion 360
Final Steps
- Menu Bar – Cleaned up. Only essential indicators remain.
- Backups – Local, frequent, and manual via external hard drive.
Because the only thing worse than bloatware is uncurated defaults.