20 Essential macOS Sonoma Tips & Tricks for Power Users

1. Master Stage Manager

Stage Manager, first introduced in macOS Ventura and enhanced in Sonoma, provides a new way to organize your windows and applications:

• Enable Stage Manager: Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar, then select Stage Manager.
• Customize Stage Manager: Click the Control Center icon, then click and hold on Stage Manager to access settings:
  • Toggle "Show Recent Applications" to hide or show recent apps on the side
  • Toggle "Show Desktop Items" to keep desktop items visible or hidden
• Quick app switching: Click on app thumbnails on the left side to switch between applications.
• Group windows: Drag windows together in the center to create application groups.
• Hide Stage Manager temporarily: Hold Option while clicking on a desktop area to temporarily hide Stage Manager.

2. Use Split View Efficiently

Split View allows you to work with two apps side by side in full-screen mode:

1. Hover over the green full-screen button in the top-left corner of a window
2. Choose "Tile Window to Left/Right of Screen"
3. Select another window to fill the other half of the screen

Advanced techniques for Split View:

• Adjust the split: Drag the divider between windows to resize them.
• Switch sides: Drag a window's title bar to the opposite side.
• Exit Split View: Press Escape or hover over the top of the screen and click the green button.
• Switch between Split View spaces: Use three-finger swipe left/right or Control+Left/Right Arrow.

3. Window Snapping Techniques

macOS Sonoma has improved window management with better snapping capabilities:

• Hover Snapping: Hover over the green window button and select a snapping option from the menu.
• Keyboard Snapping: With a window focused, press and hold Control+Option and then press an arrow key:
  • Up Arrow: Full screen
  • Left Arrow: Left half of screen
  • Right Arrow: Right half of screen
  • Down Arrow: Exit full screen
• Hidden feature: When dragging a window to the edge of the screen, hold Shift to snap to that half of the screen (works better with third-party apps like Rectangle).

4. Organize with Tab Groups

Tab Groups help you organize your browsing by context or project:

• Create a Tab Group: Click the sidebar button in Safari, then click the + icon in the Tab Groups section.
• Add current tabs to a group: Right-click on any tab and select "Move to Tab Group".
• Sync Tab Groups: Tab Groups automatically sync across all your Apple devices using the same Apple ID.
• Pin tabs within groups: Right-click on a tab and select "Pin Tab" to keep it permanently in that group.
• Share Tab Groups: Right-click on a Tab Group and select "Share Tab Group" to send links to others.

In macOS Sonoma, you can now set specific Tab Groups to automatically open when visiting certain websites, creating a context-aware browsing experience.

5. Essential Safari Extensions

Safari extensions can significantly enhance your browsing experience:

• Manage extensions: Go to Safari > Settings > Extensions
• Find new extensions: Click "More Extensions" to open the App Store's Safari Extensions category
• Control per-site permissions: In Safari Settings, you can now control which extensions work on which websites

Recommended extensions for macOS Sonoma:

• Bitwarden/1Password: Password management
• Vinegar: Improves YouTube playback and removes annoyances
• Hush: Automatically blocks cookie consent popups
• Noir: Adds dark mode to websites
• StopTheMadness: Restores browser functionality that websites disable

6. Advanced Safari Features

Several under-utilized Safari features can enhance your browsing:

• Enhanced Web App support: In macOS Sonoma, websites can be installed as web apps from File > Add to Dock.
• Reader Mode improvements: Click the text icon in the address bar or press Command+Shift+R to enter Reader Mode, which now supports custom themes.
• Website translation: Right-click on a page and select "Translate to [Language]" for instant translation.
• Advanced search: Use the address bar to search within specific sites by typing the site name followed by a space and your search term.
• Customize Start Page: Right-click on the Start Page and select "Edit" to customize backgrounds, sections, and content.

7. Advanced Spotlight Techniques

Spotlight is much more than a simple search tool:

• Open Spotlight: Press Command+Space
• Quick calculations: Type math expressions directly in Spotlight (e.g., "2346 * 17")
• Currency conversion: Type "100 USD to EUR" or "50 EUR to JPY"
• Web definitions: Type "define [word]" to get a dictionary definition
• Quick unit conversion: Type "5 miles in km" or "350F in C"
• Weather info: Type "weather in [city]" or just "weather" for your location
• App-specific search: Start typing an app name, press Tab, then search within that app
• File preview: Select a file in results and press Space to preview it
• Rich results: Sonoma's Spotlight now shows more detailed information for movies, books, music, and people

8. Automate with Shortcuts

The Shortcuts app, enhanced in macOS Sonoma, lets you automate complex tasks:

• Open Shortcuts: Find it in Applications or use Spotlight
• Browse the Gallery: Click on the Gallery tab to find pre-made shortcuts
• Create custom shortcuts: Click the + button to create your own
• Add to Menu Bar: Right-click a shortcut and select "Add to Menu Bar"
• Run shortcuts with Siri: Say "Hey Siri, run [shortcut name]"
• Schedule shortcuts: Use Automator to schedule shortcuts at specific times

Useful shortcuts to create:

• Meeting Mode: Automatically turn on Do Not Disturb, open required apps, and close distracting ones
• Clean Downloads: Sort and organize your Downloads folder by file type
• Work Setup: Open all the apps and documents you need for work
• Image Resizer: Quickly resize images to specific dimensions

9. Optimize Focus Modes

Focus modes in macOS Sonoma are more powerful and customizable:

• Access Focus: Click on Control Center, then Focus
• Create custom Focus modes: Go to System Settings > Focus, then click + to create a new Focus
• App allowlist: Choose which apps can send notifications during each Focus mode
• Focus filters: Set up customized settings that activate during specific Focus modes:
  • Dark Mode can activate automatically
  • Specific email accounts can be silenced
  • Safari Tab Groups can switch automatically
  • Low Power Mode can enable automatically
• Automation: Set Focus modes to activate based on time, location, or app usage
• Share across devices: Your Focus settings sync across all your Apple devices

10. Use Quick Notes Everywhere

Quick Notes provides a fast way to capture information:

• Create a Quick Note: Press Fn+Q, move your cursor to a hot corner (if configured), or select text and right-click to add to Quick Note
• Smart links: When you create a Quick Note from Safari, it automatically includes a link to the webpage
• Access anywhere: Quick Notes sync across all your Apple devices through iCloud
• Browse Quick Notes: Open the Notes app and click "Quick Notes" in the sidebar
• Tag and organize: Add #tags in your Quick Notes for easy organization
• Set hot corners: Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Hot Corners to assign Quick Notes to a screen corner

In macOS Sonoma, Quick Notes has been enhanced with improved formatting options and better support for adding links from various apps.

11. Customize Control Center

Control Center in macOS Sonoma is highly customizable:

• Access settings: Go to System Settings > Control Center
• Add/remove modules: Choose which controls appear in Control Center
• Pin to Menu Bar: Toggle "Show in Menu Bar" for items you want constant access to
• Rearrange Menu Bar items: Command+drag icons in the Menu Bar to rearrange them
• Access hidden controls: Click and hold on Control Center items to reveal additional options

New in Sonoma: You can add Game Mode, Presenter Overlay controls, and Screen Mirroring to your Control Center for quick access.

12. Organize Menu Bar with Bartender

The Menu Bar can get cluttered. Here's how to organize it:

• Hide system icons: In System Settings > Control Center, you can hide built-in icons from the Menu Bar
• Use Bartender app: For more control, consider the Bartender app (not free, but powerful):
  • Hide icons until needed
  • Show icons on hover
  • Create trigger rules for when icons should appear
  • Rearrange items in any order
• Free alternative: Try the open-source Hidden Bar app from GitHub

13. Set Up Desktop Widgets

macOS Sonoma introduced interactive widgets that can be placed on your desktop:

• Add widgets: Right-click on the desktop and select "Edit Widgets"
• Arrange widgets: Drag widgets to position them on your desktop
• Resize widgets: Select a widget and use the size options (S, M, L) that appear
• Widget transparency: Widgets adapt to your desktop background in Sonoma
• Interactive widgets: Unlike previous versions, Sonoma widgets are interactive without opening the source app
• Widget Sets: Create different sets for different Focus modes

Useful widgets to consider adding:

• Calendar for upcoming events
• Weather for current conditions
• Notes for quick access to recent notes
• Home for controlling smart home devices
• Third-party app widgets (Todoist, Things, etc.)

14. Personalize System Appearance

Make your Mac look and feel unique:

• Dynamic Desktop: Go to System Settings > Appearance > Wallpaper to select wallpapers that change with the time of day
• Accent color: In System Settings > Appearance, select a custom accent color for buttons and selections
• Light/Dark/Auto mode: Set your preferred appearance mode or have it switch automatically
• Highlight color: Change the color used when selecting text
• Customize Dock: In System Settings > Desktop & Dock:
  • Adjust Dock size
  • Enable/disable magnification
  • Change position (left, bottom, right)
  • Set auto-hide behavior
• Custom icons: Right-click an app in Finder, select "Get Info," then drag a custom .icns file onto the icon in the info window

New in Sonoma: You can now use iPhone photos as wallpapers directly with improved continuity, and there are new screen savers with slow-motion aerial views.

15. Game Mode

macOS Sonoma introduces Game Mode to optimize gaming performance:

• Automatic activation: Game Mode automatically activates when playing games
• Manual toggle: Enable it from Control Center when needed
• Performance benefits:
  • Prioritizes CPU and GPU resources for the game
  • Reduces background activity
  • Reduces Bluetooth audio latency with AirPods
  • Improves wireless controller response
• Compatible with: Works with native Mac games and those running through Rosetta 2

16. Enhanced Continuity Features

macOS Sonoma improves integration with iOS devices:

• AirDrop improvements: Share content to nearby contacts with just a tap
• Handoff enhancements: Seamlessly transition work between Mac and iOS devices
• Universal Clipboard: Copy on one device, paste on another
• iPhone camera as webcam: Now supports:
  • Desk View - shows your desktop using the ultrawide lens
  • Center Stage - keeps you centered in frame
  • Studio Light - enhances lighting in video calls
  • Portrait Mode - blurs the background
• Presenter Overlay: New in Sonoma, position yourself over screen content during presentations
• iPhone Mirroring: Control your iPhone directly from your Mac

To use these features, ensure all devices are signed into the same Apple ID, have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled, and are within proximity of each other.

17. Password Management Improvements

macOS Sonoma enhances built-in password management:

• Access passwords: Go to System Settings > Passwords
• Share passwords securely: Use AirDrop to share passwords with trusted contacts
• Passkeys support: Create and use passkeys (biometric credentials) instead of passwords for supported sites
• Password monitoring: macOS now alerts you about:
  • Compromised passwords
  • Reused passwords
  • Weak passwords
• One-time verification codes: Safari and Messages automatically detect and autofill verification codes
• Wi-Fi password sharing: Share Wi-Fi credentials with nearby Apple devices

18. Useful Terminal Commands

# Show hidden files in Finder
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true; killall Finder

# Disable the "Are you sure you want to open this application?" dialog
defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices LSQuarantine -bool false

# Speed up window animations
defaults write com.apple.universalaccess reduceMotion -bool true

# Add a spacer to the Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{"tile-type"="spacer-tile";}'; killall Dock

# Show full directory path in Finder title bar
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool true; killall Finder

# Set tracking speed for mouse
defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling 2.5

# Restart Touch Bar (when it becomes unresponsive)
pkill TouchBarServer

19. Defaults Write Commands for Sonoma

Some specific defaults commands work with macOS Sonoma:

# Disable the screenshot thumbnail
defaults write com.apple.screencapture show-thumbnail -bool false

# Change the default screenshot location
defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Pictures/Screenshots

# Enable debug menu in Safari
defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeInternalDebugMenu -bool true

# Disable auto-correct
defaults write -g NSAutomaticSpellingCorrectionEnabled -bool false

# Show hidden apps in Dock with transparency
defaults write com.apple.Dock showhidden -bool true; killall Dock

# Enable Stage Manager hot corner (bottom right)
defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-br-corner -int 10

# Automatically hide and show the Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide -bool true; killall Dock

20. Time-Saving Keyboard Shortcuts