When using a Mac, you often perform the same repetitive actions dozens of times a day: opening the Launchpad, viewing the Notification Center, or putting the display to sleep when you step away from your desk. Normally, these actions require clicking specific icons or memorizing keyboard shortcuts.
However, macOS includes a highly efficient, customizable navigation tool called Hot Corners. This feature turns the four physical corners of your Mac’s screen into invisible buttons. By simply throwing your mouse cursor into a designated corner, you can instantly trigger a system action.
How to Enable Hot Corners
Hot Corners are disabled by default, as accidental triggering can confuse new users. You must activate them in the System Settings.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Select System Settings…
- Scroll down the left-hand sidebar and click on Desktop & Dock.
- Scroll all the way to the very bottom of the main panel and click the Hot Corners… button.
A new dialog box will appear displaying a small mockup of your screen with four drop-down menus, one assigned to each corner.
Configuring Your Corners
Click any of the four drop-down menus to assign an action to that specific corner of the screen. Apple provides several highly useful options:
- Put Display to Sleep: This is arguably the most popular Hot Corner. If you assign this to the Bottom Right, you can just shove your mouse into the corner when you stand up from your desk, instantly locking your Mac and turning off the screen.
- Mission Control: Instantly zoom out to see every single open window on your Mac at once.
- Desktop: Instantly shoves all open windows off the edges of the screen, revealing your bare desktop so you can quickly grab a file.
- Launchpad: Opens the iPad-style grid of all your installed applications.
- Quick Note: Instantly summons a floating digital sticky note, allowing you to jot down a phone number or thought without opening a full application.
The Modifier Key Trick to Prevent Accidental Triggers
The primary complaint about Hot Corners is that users accidentally trigger them when aiming for the Apple Menu or trying to click a close button on a window.
You can prevent this by requiring a “modifier key.” This means the corner will only activate if you are holding down a specific key on your keyboard while your mouse hits the corner.
- While the Hot Corners setup window is open on your screen, press and hold the Command (⌘), Option, or Shift key on your physical keyboard.
- While holding the key down, click one of the drop-down menus.
- You will notice that the options in the menu now include the symbol of the key you are holding (e.g., “⌘ Mission Control”).
- Select the action while still holding the key.
Now, if your mouse accidentally brushes the corner, nothing will happen. The action will only trigger when you intentionally hold the Command key and flick your mouse into the corner simultaneously.