Tinker Tool Mac
The tool makes sure that preference changes can only affect the current user. You don't need administrative privileges to use the tool. With this design, it is no problem to use TinkerTool in professional networks where users have restricted permissions. The program will never change any component of the operating system, so the integrity of your system is not put at risk, and there will be no negative effect on system updates. Compliance with these security rules is additionally guaranteed by the application sandbox of macOS.
Tinker Tool Mac
All preference settings changed by TinkerTool can be reset to Apple's defaults, or to the state that existed before using the tool. No dangerous background processes are used for TinkerTool's operation.
The tool makes sure that preference changes can only affect the current user. You don't need administrative privileges to use the tool. With this design, it is no problem to use TinkerTool in professional networks where users have restricted permissions. The program will never change any component of the operating system, so the integrity of your system is not put at risk, and there will be no negative effect on system updates.
All preference settings changed by TinkerTool can be reset to Apple's defaults, or to the state that existed before using the tool. No dangerous background processes are used for TinkerTool's operation. You may send bug reports here.
Many of the features you will find in TinkerTool are however duplicated in free applications such as Onyx but there's no doubt that this app does go a bit deeper and offers more at the end of the day. For example, the uninstaller is useful because it removes associated files for all users on a system whereas free removal tools such as AppDelete only usually remove files for the logged-on user.
TinkerTool System is a collection of system utility features helping you in performing advanced administration tasks on Apple Macintosh computers. The application makes use of a self-adapting user interface which automatically adjusts to the computer model and to the version of OS X you are running. All options available in the current situation are accessible via "panes", very similar to the techniques you already know from the System Preferences application. The features are controlled via a single window which allows you to use the application as a general toolbox and First Aid assistant. This includes:
You can change various login or startup settings, and ACL permissions for files. There is an application uninstall feature that removes all related files and objects of an application you want to delete from the system (contrast this to dragging an app to the trash; all that gets removed is the app itself, but all the hidden preferences and cache files remain behind). It can be used to remove old log files and core dumps from process crashes. TinkerTool System is a comprehensive, as well as reliable and stable, systems administration tool for a reasonable price (10 Euros / about US$13).
Finally, MacPilot has a number of utilities and tools built-in that make system management, if not easier, then at least quite convenient. It has a built-in log viewer, can perform routine maintenance by starting cron jobs, flushing DNS caches, updating application prebinding, and verifying preference file integrity. It also provides a GUI frontend to viewing application manpages; you can search manpages for a specific search string or navigate the UNIX filesystem and select a file to see its manpage. It also has a file browser built in that can be navigated to obtain and configure very detailed information on files.
Sometimes Apple, with all its advanced wizardry, overlooks the little things in its operating system that make some of us Mac users scratch our heads and say, "what the heck are they thinking?!" But rest assured, third party developers come along with awesome applications that help the rest of us tinker around with the system just enough to remain on the safe side of not crashing into a dead end wall.
Let's start off with the most obvious tweaks you might want Tinkertool to make. In the recent release of iTunes 10, Apple did a makeover of the media player's interface that some users, including myself, are not too happy about.
If you want to bring back the design interface like it was in iTunes 9, all you need to do is check the "Use standard window with title bar and horizontal buttons" box in Tinkertool, log out and log back into your user account, and presto the buttons and title are back where they used to be.
One of the best Tinkertool tweaks for Safari is the ability to disable the warning you get when closing a window that includes an unsubmitted form. For me it's just one less click that I have to make, thanks to Tinkertool.
In its fourth version, Tinkertool seems to be a pretty stable tool that allows you to do some cool little makeovers in Mac OS X without monkeying around too deeply in hidden territory. In other words, it's a safe program that you might try just to see what it can do.
Sorry I forgot to mention earlier, I've also tried tinker tool. While it does increase the font size for most mac apps it doesn't allow customizing other apps (such as the adobe suite that I tend to use day in day out). Also another aspect the problem for which I require a solution is UI resolution (I know mac doesn't fully support it yet). The toolbars and other panels in the adobe suite is are so tiny that it's almost a nightmare to use it. I do get around it sometimes by changing to a lower resolution like 1200x800 but it isn't effective cause it display get blurry (due to non-native resolution).
Like aforementioned tools, Deeper and OnyX, the main interface shows system tweaks in the form of toggles. All the available tweaking options are categorized into tabs, including Dock, Finder , iTunes, Safari, Font Smoothing, Resume, QuickTime X. These categories provide an easy way for navigating to system utilities, which you want to customize.
TinkerTool System is the maintenance app. Tinkertool is just preferences. TinkerTool System has been updated for Big Sur and Silicon. It is the only such app I have had on my machines for some years, though not used very often, and not yet in Big Sur on my M1 MBA.
I keep all three in my toolkit. For the most part they simply provide a GUI interface for a series of Terminal commands, but I have more confidence manipulating the GUI rather than typing the Terminal series. Note that Onyx and Tinker Tool are available at no charge while the cost of Cocktail is nominal.
Many of the features you will find in TinkerTool System are duplicated in free applications such as Onyx but there's no doubt that this app does go a bit deeper and offers more at the end of the day. For example, the uninstaller is useful because it removes associated files for all users on a system whereas free removal tools such as AppDelete only usually remove files for the logged-on user.
It is however the sheet range of features in TinkerTool System which boggles the mind. You can tweak and tinker with absolutely everything from your startup sequence to easy removal of excessive language support files installed on your system. There really is little to fault. The only thing that some existing users may complain about is the fact that no discount is offered for upgrades but for the modest price the developer asks for such a great app, it's a small price pay.
Version 3.0: Added new feature to remove outdated lock files when verifying the integrity of preferences files. Added new feature to remove HTML5 databases and HTML5 local storage of Safari as part of the Internet privacy functions. Added new feature to display the current status of the operating system's anti malware protection system. Added new feature to the standalone emergency tool to reset all preference settings of the login window or login screen. Added startup setting for OS X Mountain Lion, enforcing the power control for displays to behave more like Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Added startup setting for OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to disable the "dark wake" features of the operating system. Added settings for OS X 10.7 Lion and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to enable legacy authentication modes when connecting to old AFP file servers. Added setting for OS X 10.7 Lion and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to disable the Bonjour Sleep Proxy feature independent of the Wake-On-LAN settings. Added setting for OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to enable or disable the Time Machine feature to create local snapshots. Added setting for OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to restrict the App Store application to its OS X Software Update component only. Added workaround for a technical defect of OS X Mountain Lion to avoid that the preferences subsystem of the operating system ignores commands when the application works with a high number of preference settings within a short time interval. The application is now starting significantly faster for users with a high number of Safari cookies. Access to cookies in the Users pane is postponed until they are actually needed. The feature to uninstall applications now supports preference lock files. The feature to verify the integrity of preference files now supports programs using an application sandbox. Enhanced support for cleaning Microsoft font caches on systems running Office:mac version 14.2.3 or later. Clarified technical description of HiDPI mode for systems actually equipped with a Retina display. Due to critical issues with Apple's login screen software on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, the settings to control features of the login screen are no longer supported until further notice when running OS X 10.8 or later. Corrected a problem where displaying the user interface of an integrated copy of TinkerTool did not allow a mix of languages. Corrected a problem where the emergency standalone tool offered to run a file system check with OS X 10.8 more than once, although Mountain Lion is not capable of handling this.