Whether you are presenting a slideshow in a boardroom or sharing your screen over a Zoom or Microsoft Teams call, the state of your desktop says a lot about you. A cluttered desktop filled with random screenshots, messy folders, and downloaded files looks unprofessional. Worse, it can inadvertently expose sensitive file names or personal information to your audience.
You do not need to hurriedly drag all your files into a temporary folder before every meeting. macOS has a built-in terminal command that allows you to instantly render all desktop icons invisible with a few keystrokes, and bring them back just as easily when the meeting is over.
This guide explains how to hide your Mac desktop icons using the Terminal.
How to Hide Desktop Icons
You will use a simple defaults write command to change a hidden system preference.
- Open the Terminal application. (You can find it by pressing Cmd + Space to open Spotlight search, typing “Terminal,” and hitting Enter).
- Copy and paste the following command into the Terminal window:
defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop false - Press Enter. This changes the setting, but the Finder needs to restart to apply it.
- Copy and paste this second command:
killall Finder - Press Enter.
Your screen will flash briefly as the Finder restarts. When it returns, your desktop will be completely bare, showing only your wallpaper. Your files have not been deleted; they are simply hidden from view. You can still access them by opening a Finder window and clicking on the “Desktop” folder in the sidebar.
How to Bring Your Icons Back
Once your presentation or screen-sharing session is over, you can restore your messy desktop just as easily.
- Open the Terminal application again.
- Copy and paste the following command (note that we changed ‘false’ to ‘true’):
defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop true - Press Enter.
- Restart the Finder again with the following command:
killall Finder - Press Enter.
Your icons will instantly reappear on the desktop exactly where you left them.
A Third-Party Alternative
If you present frequently and find opening the Terminal tedious, consider downloading a free, lightweight menu bar utility like Hidden Me from the Mac App Store. It accomplishes the exact same thing but provides a simple toggle button in your menu bar, allowing you to hide and show your desktop icons with a single click.