When setting up a new MacBook, there are a few steps you should take to get it up and running smoothly. In this article, we’ll explore a list of items you should consider toggling to optimize your MacBook experience.

Table Of Contents:

• Step 1: Update OS
• Step 2: Dock Customization
• Step 3: Log in to Existing Apple ID Account
• Step 4: Download Apps
  • From the AppStore
  • From the internet
• Step 5: Git Configuration
  • SSH Keys
  • Personal Access Token
  • Git Config
• Step 6: Configure Settings
  • System Settings
    • Battery
    • Notifications
    • Appearance
    • Control Center
    • Desktop and Dock
    • Display
    • Keyboard
    • Trackpad
    • Apple Intelligence & Siri
    • Spotlight
  • Finder Settings
    • In your User folder:
• Additional Tips
• Conclusion
  • Related Articles

Step 1: Update OS

Before you start using your new MacBook, make sure to update the operating system to the latest version. This will ensure that your MacBook has the latest security updates and performance improvements.

Step 2: Dock Customization

By default, the dock is populated with several applications that you may not use frequently. To declutter your dock, remove the apps that you don’t use often. To do this, simply right-click on the app and select “Remove from Dock.”

Step 3: Log in to Existing Apple ID Account

To access Apple’s services and apps, you’ll need to log in to your existing Apple ID account. If you don’t have an Apple ID, you can create one during the setup process.

Step 4: Download Apps

Here’s a list of recommended Mac apps to download:

From the AppStore

• Xcode
• Slack
• Flycut
• Amphetamine

From the internet

• Brave
  • Set as default browser
  • Settings -> Downloads -> Change location to Desktop
  • Settings -> Downloads -> Turn off Ask where to save each file before downloading
  • Privacy and security -> Location -> Turn on Don't allow sites to see your location
  • Privacy and security -> Notifications -> Turn on Don't allow sites to send notifications
• Windsurf
  • Command + Shift + P -> Install surf command in PATH
  • Settings -> Files: Auto Save -> afterDelay
• iTerm2
  • In Settings -> General -> Closing -> Turn off Confirm "Quit iTerm2 and Confirm closing multiple sessions
  • Download Homebrew
  • Download OhMyZsh
  • Install npm: brew install npm
  • Install Claude Code
  • Copy your ~/.zshrc from a previous MacBook (aliases/configs/etc)

export ZSH="$HOME/.oh-my-zsh"
ZSH_THEME="robbyrussell"
plugins=(git)
source $ZSH/oh-my-zsh.sh

# Alias
alias reload='source ~/.zshrc'
alias edalias='surf ~/.zshrc'
alias ls="ls -G --color=auto -v"
alias l="ls"
alias ..="cd .."
alias c="clear"
alias cc="claude --dangerously-skip-permissions"

## iOS
alias rmdd='rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData'

## Git
### Deletes all the local branches except for `main` and the one selected
alias dbr='git branch | grep -v "main\|$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)" | xargs git branch -D'

• SourceTree
• Notion
• ChatGPT
• Insomnia
• Proxyman

Step 5: Git Configuration

SSH Keys

If you are using SSH keys for your personal/work repositories:

1. Create a new SSH key: ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C “your_mail”
   • Use a password to encrypt it.
   • You need to provide a name for your key. (Example: personal)
2. Add the ssh key to your Github account.
   • Copy the contents of the .pub file.
     • cat ~/.ssh/name-of-your-key.pub | pbcopy
   • Add the new SSH key in Github’s configuration page.
3. Configure SSH Keys in your ~/.ssh/config file. It should look like this:

    Host personal
        HostName github.com
        User git
        IdentityFile /Users/manu/.ssh/personal
   
    # Here you can add a separate host for work
   

4. Add the key to your keychain: ssh-add --apple-use-keychain ~/.ssh/personal
   • Enter the encryption password.
5. Now you can use git clone git@personal:organization/repo.git to clone private repositories.
6. If needed, also add the signing key to github to get the Verified badge.

Note: If you are using SourceTree, be careful with the auto-generated keys, they will probably not work. If you keep getting Access Denied with those keys, try following the steps described above instead.

Personal Access Token

If, for some reason, the SSH keys do not work, and, you are in a hurry, there is a quick way to clone private repositories using Personal Access Tokens:

The PAT is created on Github.

git clone https://$YOUR_PAT@github.com/organization/repo.git

This line could also be useful for CI systems:

git config --global url."https://$GIT_PAT@github.com/".insteadOf git@github.com:

$GIT_PAT should be a Secret stored in CI.

Git Config

These lines are useful to set your git email/name:

Globally:

• git config --global user.email "your_email"
• git config --global user.name "your_name"

For a single repo:

Run in the root of the repo:

• git config user.email "your_email"
• git config user.name "your_name"

To check the config:

• git config user.email
• git config user.name

Step 6: Configure Settings

Here’s a list of recommended settings to customize:

System Settings

Battery

1. Turn off Slightly dim the display on battery

Notifications

1. Turn off almost every notification

Appearance

1. Change Accent Color

Control Center

1. Turn on Show Battery Percentage

Desktop and Dock

1. Turn on Minimize windows into application icon
2. Turn off Show suggested and recent apps in Dock
3. Hot Corners → Top Right → Desktop
4. Hot Corners → Bottom Right → -
5. Turn off Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use

Display

1. Turn off Automatically adjust brightness
2. Turn off True Tone

Keyboard

1. Increase Key Repeat Rate to the maximum value.
2. Decrease Delay until repeat to the shortest value.
3. Shortcuts -> Screenshots -> Change the shortcut for Copy picture of selected area to the clipboard to ⌘ + Shift + S
4. Text Replacement -> Add mgg -> your_email@domain.com

Trackpad

1. Increase Tracking Speed to 8/10
2. Turn on Tap to click

Apple Intelligence & Siri

1. Turn off Apple Intelligence
2. Turn off Siri

Spotlight

1. Search Results: Uncheck every unwanted box for the Spotlight search.

Finder Settings

1. Order Sidebar + Remove every folder you don’t use from there.
2. New Finder windows shows: Desktop.
3. Advanced → Check off all the Show warning before… boxes.
4. Advanced → When Performing a Search: Search the Current Folder.
5. Customize the Toolbar (Right click on the toolbar): Add AirDrop, and Create New Folder action. Remove everything else.
6. View → Show Toolbar
7. View → Show Path Bar
8. View → Show Status Bar
9. Right Click on Desktop -> Sort By -> Name

In your User folder:

• View → Show View Options
  • Group by none, Sort by name
  • Uncheck everything except for Date Modified and Size.
  • Check use relative dates
  • Save as Defaults

Additional Tips

If you want to add some spacers to the Dock, you can run:

defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{"tile-type"="small-spacer-tile";}';
killall Dock

To stop workspaces from stealing focus:

defaults write com.apple.dock workspaces-auto-swoosh -bool false
osascript -e 'tell application "Dock" to quit'

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can ensure that your MacBook is up-to-date, decluttered, and customized to your needs.

What am I missing?

Related Articles

• My Xcode Setup and Shortcuts
• Freeing up space on your Mac