New Mac Setup

iCloud

Always log into iCloud on every new machine, unless mandated not to by work.

For all machines:

• Enable location services and setup FindMy
• Adjust Airdrop to Contacts Only
• Enable Handoff for Universal Clipboard
• Open FaceTime to enable Continuity Camera
• Enable Unlock with Apple Watch

For personal machines

• Enable iCloud Photos, Passwords, iCloud Notes, and Reminders
• Setup Messages to receive texts and iMessages, sync in cloud, and use phone number to start conversations
• Setup FaceTime to receive phone calls with Wi-Fi Calling

On a case by case basis (always for personal, depends for work):

• Enable iCloud Drive

MacOS

Updates

Run the following to get the latest updates and reboot once ready

sudo softwareupdate -i -a -R

Then enable automatic updates

• Enable downloading updates
• Disable installing MacOS updates
• Enable installing AppStore updates
• Enable install Security Responses

Siri

• Enable Siri but disable Hey Siri
• Enable Apple Intelligence

Dock

• Remove any default app I do not use daily
• Add Applications folder to next to the default Downloads stack
• convert both stacks to display as Folders in a list
• Under Settings
  • Enable automatically showing and hiding
  • Shrink size based on screen
  • Enable maximum magnification

Mouse/Trackpad

If primarily using a mouse:

• Disable natural scrolling if primarily using a mouse

If using a trackpad (at all):

• Enable tap to click and two finger tap for secondary click

Display

• Enable Dark mode
• Enable Night Shift and set to align with Sunrise to Sunset

Software

Homebrew

Install Xcode command line tools:

xcode-select --install

Then install Homebrew using the instructions from the homepage.

Browsers

I use different browsers instead of profiles for different email addresses

brew install --cask google-chrome brave-browser microsoft-edge

• Install uBlock Origin
  • In Chrome
  • In Edge
• Log into email accounts for each browser

Themes

Current preferences are:

• Gruvbox for home
• NightOwl for work
• Tokyo Night for mood

Terminal and Shell

I just use the default Terminal application in MacOS.

Themes

• Gruvbox Darkand/or Gruvbox Light
• NightOwl and/or LightOwl
• Tokyo Night

Use this tool if you want to convert an existing iTerm2 theme.

ZSH

Install font for Powerlevel10k prompt

brew install --cask font-meslo-for-powerlevel10k

After installing the font, modify the current Terminal theme to use it. Adjust font size as needed.

Then install Antidote for zsh plugin management.

brew install antidote

The output will provide instructions on how to load antidote in your .zshrc.

Create ~/.zsh_plugins.txt

mattmc3/ez-compinit
zsh-users/zsh-completions path:src kind:fpath

belak/zsh-utils path:editor
belak/zsh-utils path:history
belak/zsh-utils path:utility

romkatv/powerlevel10k

zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting
zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions
zsh-users/zsh-history-substring-search

Then open a new terminal tab load antidote and start the p10k configuration wizard.

Text Editors

Always:

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

For work:

brew install --cask cursor

Set up everything in Visual Studio then allow Cursor to import the settings.

Extensions

The only extension I install out of the box is the one for the theme I use.

• Gruvbox
• NightOwl
• Tokyo Night

Settings

• telemetry.telemetryLevel to off or crash
• editor.bracketPairColorization.enabled to true
• window.autoDetectColorScheme to true
• workbench.colorTheme to appropriate themes in theme family
• editor.fontSize to 16 (adjust based on monitor, DPI, etc.)
• terminal.integrated.fontFamily to MesloLGS NF to make p10k work in Integrated Terminal

git

git itself should be installed by the Xcode Command Line tools.

Install SourceTree to help with visual staging of diffs

brew install --cask sourcetree

Open it once to let it modify ~/.gitconfig

Add the following to ~/.gitconfig

[alias]
	st = status
	ci = commit
	br = branch
	co = checkout
	df = diff
	ls = ls-files
	lol = log --graph --decorate --pretty=oneline --abbrev-commit
	lola = log --graph --decorate --pretty=oneline --abbrev-commit --all --date=local
	lg = log --color --graph --pretty=format:'%Cred%h%Creset -%C(yellow)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%cr) %C(bold blue)<%an>%Creset' --abbrev-commit
	yolo = git commit -am \"DEAL WITH IT\" && git push -f origin master
[push]
	autoSetupRemote = true
[pull]
	rebase = true
[fetch]
	prune = true
[diff]
	colorMoved = zebra
[safe]
	bareRepository = explicit

SSH Keys

Make sure to put in the applicable email address and set a passphrase.

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "youremail@goes.here"

Provide the passphrase when asked.

ssh-add --apple-use-keychain ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Add the following to ~/.ssh/config

Host *
    UseKeychain yes
    AddKeysToAgent yes
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Add to Github if needed.

Bitwarden

brew install --cask bitwarden

Obsidian

brew install --cask obsidian

Open with Vault from iCloud Drive.

Themes

In the past, I had issues where themes would also sync across devices. But this does seem to work now.

• Gruvbox
• Night Owl
• Tokyo Night + Tokyo Night Storm

Communication

brew install --cask discord zoom

Dev Environment

Python

See this note

Node

brew install nvm
nvm install --lts

Other

• https://www.swyx.io/new-mac-setup
• https://sourabhbajaj.com/mac-setup/