How to Hide Desktop Icons on Mac?

3 Fast And Easy Ways to Hide Desktop Icons on Mac

Even if you like chaos, sometimes it's frustrating to have your desktop cluttered with files. It can become time-consuming and nerve-wracking when navigating through new and old files on your desktop, trying to find that one screenshot or an important document you need so urgently.

That's why you should clear your desktop from all unnecessary files to make your everyday life easier and less stressful. Or you can just hide them if you don't want to delete anything.

When you hide your app icons and files from your desktop, they are no longer seen on the desktop, but you can still find them in Finder. And you can always make them visible again. Basically, you can hide or show your Desktop icons when you need them.

There are various ways you can hide your icons. You can use the free HiddenMe app, Terminal commands, or AppleScript Editor. Check below how to use each method to hide your files from the desktop.

Video on 3 Fast And Easy Ways to Hide Desktop Icons on Mac

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Method 1. Hide Icons Using HiddenMe App
• Method 2. Hide Icons Using Terminal
• Method 3. Hide Icons Using Script Editor
• Video on 3 Fast And Easy Ways to Hide Desktop Icons on Mac

Hide Icons Using HiddenMe App

If you don't feel comfortable using Terminal commands, you can use a free app called HiddenMe. It lets you hide files on your desktop with a single click.

1. Press Command + Space keys to open Spotlight.
2. Type in "App Store" and press "Enter."

3. In the App Store, search for "HiddenMe."
4. Next to the HiddenMe icon, click on "Get" and then on "Install."

5. Enter your Apple ID password if asked.
6. When the app has been downloaded, open it.
7. You'll see an icon with dots in a box in the desktop upper right corner, next to the language flag.

8. Click on the icon and click on the option "Hide Desktop Icons."

To show desktop icons, click on the HiddenMe icon and click on the option "Show Desktop Icons."

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Hide Icons Using Terminal

You can hide your icon and files from the desktop by executing simple commands in Terminal.

1. Press Command + Space keys to open Spotlight.
2. Type in "Terminal" and press "Enter."

3. In the Terminal window, enter the following command: defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool false
4. After the first command is executed, type in the second one: killall Finder

Your files will be hidden from the desktop.

To show them on your desktop again, follow these steps:

1. Open Terminal from Spotlight.
2. In the Terminal window, enter the following command line: defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool true; killall Finder

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Hide Icons Using Script Editor

Steps below will add a button that will let you quickly hide or show icons on your desktop.

1. In the menu bar, click on "Go" and go to "Utilities."

2. Find and open "Script Editor."

3. Open Script Editor Preferences from the menu bar.

4. In the general tab next to the Script Menu, check the box "Show Script menu in menu bar" and deselect "Show Computer scripts."

5. In the Script Editor window, click on "New Document."

6. In the new Script window, paste the following script:

set command to "defaults read com.apple.finder CreateDesktop"
try
    set status to do shell script command
on error
    set status to "1"
end try

if status is "0" then
    do shell script "defaults delete com.apple.finder CreateDesktop;killall Finder"
else
    do shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool FALSE;killall Finder"
end if

7. In the Script menu bar, click on "File" and "Save."
8. Name the file "Desktop Icons." Choose format as "Script."
9. Next to option "Where," click on the arrow.

10. When the window expands, simultaneously hold down Command + Shift + G keys on your keyboard.
11. In the search bar, enter: ~/Library/Scripts

12. Click on "Save".
13. In the upper menu bar, select "Script Editor" and click on "Quit Script Editor."

In the upper right corner, next to the language flag, you'll see a new icon. To hide icons from your desktop, click on the icon and on "Desktop Icons." To show the icon again, click on "Desktop Icons" again.

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