MacTweaks

A comprehensive, modular performance optimization toolkit for macOS — designed especially for Intel Macs running macOS Sequoia and later.

🚀 Quick Start

Want to get started in 60 seconds? Check out QUICKSTART.md for the fastest path to optimization.

# Clone, install, and optimize in three commands
git clone https://github.com/XoniBlue/MacTweaks.git
cd MacTweaks
./install.sh && mactweaks --apply-profile balanced

Overview

MacTweaks is a shell-based toolkit that optimizes macOS performance by disabling unnecessary background services, reducing visual overhead, and tuning system preferences. It's particularly effective on older Intel Macs where every bit of CPU and memory matters.

All changes are fully reversible — no system files are modified, only user preferences, power settings, and background daemons.

Why MacTweaks?

Breathe new life into aging hardware — Reduce CPU usage by disabling Spotlight indexing, Siri, analytics, and more
Faster UI responsiveness — Eliminate animation delays, reduce transparency, and streamline Finder
Extend battery life — Smart power management tweaks for portable Macs
Full transparency — Every command is documented in MODULES.md
Safe & reversible — One command reverts everything back to stock macOS
Modular architecture — Apply or revert individual tweaks independently

Features

Curated Profiles — Pre-configured optimization bundles (max, balanced, battery)
Modular Architecture — 26 independent modules for fine-grained control
Interactive Menu — User-friendly TUI for those who prefer guided setup
Before/After Reports — Automatic comparison reports showing exactly what changed
Automatic Backups — Preferences are backed up before modifications
Intel & Apple Silicon Support — Optimized for both architectures (Intel sees the biggest gains)
Post-Reboot Reporting — A Terminal window opens after reboot with a clean diff report
Dry-Run Mode — Preview changes without applying them
Professional Installation — Easy system-wide or user-only install with install.sh
Complete Uninstallation — Clean removal with optional settings revert via uninstall.sh

Requirements

Requirement	Details
macOS Version	macOS Sequoia (15.x) recommended; compatible with Sonoma (14.x) and earlier
Architecture	Intel (x86_64) or Apple Silicon (arm64)
Privileges	Administrator access required for system-level tweaks
Shell	Bash 3.2+ (ships with macOS)

Installation

Quick Install (Recommended)

git clone https://github.com/XoniBlue/MacTweaks.git
cd MacTweaks
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

The installer will guide you through:

System-wide installation (/usr/local/bin) - requires sudo, available to all users
User-only installation (~/.local/bin) - no sudo needed, current user only
Skip installation - use directly with ./bin/mac-tweaks.sh

Manual Installation

git clone https://github.com/XoniBlue/MacTweaks.git
cd MacTweaks
chmod +x bin/mac-tweaks.sh
./bin/mac-tweaks.sh

One-Liner Installation

git clone https://github.com/XoniBlue/MacTweaks.git && cd MacTweaks && chmod +x install.sh && ./install.sh

After installation, you can run:

mactweaks              # If installed system-wide or ~/.local/bin is in PATH
./bin/mac-tweaks.sh    # Direct execution without installation

Usage

Interactive Mode

Simply run the script without arguments to launch the interactive menu:

mactweaks
# or
./bin/mac-tweaks.sh

The menu provides guided access to all features:

Apply Profile — Choose from max, balanced, or battery
Revert Profile — Undo changes from a specific profile or revert all
Apply Individual Module — Fine-grained control over specific tweaks
Generate Report Now — Instant before/after comparison (no reboot required)
List Modules — View all available optimization modules
Export Latest Report — Copy report to Desktop for easy sharing
Dry-run Profile — Simulate changes without applying
Help — Display usage information
Uninstall — Remove toolkit state and launch agents
Quit — Exit the program

Command Line Interface

For scripting and automation, use command-line flags:

# Display help
mactweaks --help

# Apply a profile
mactweaks --apply-profile max
mactweaks --apply-profile balanced
mactweaks --apply-profile battery

# Revert a specific profile
mactweaks --revert-profile max

# Revert ALL changes (restore stock macOS)
mactweaks --revert-profile all

# Apply/revert a single module
mactweaks --module spotlight --apply
mactweaks --module spotlight --revert

# Generate a report immediately
mactweaks --report

# List all available modules
mactweaks --list-modules

# Uninstall toolkit state
mactweaks --uninstall

# Enable debug output
mactweaks --debug --apply-profile max

Profiles

MacTweaks includes pre-configured profiles for different use cases:

Profile	Description	Best For
`max`	Maximum performance — disables everything non-essential	Desktop Intel Macs, older MacBooks plugged in
`balanced`	Performance gains while preserving iCloud, Continuity, and AirDrop	Daily drivers, mixed use (⭐ Recommended)
`battery`	Conservative tweaks focused on power savings	MacBooks on battery power
`dryrun`	Preview mode — shows what would change without applying	Testing, learning

Profile Comparison

Module	max	balanced	battery
Spotlight	✓	✓
Siri	✓
Analytics	✓	✓
UI Animations	✓	✓	✓
Live Activities	✓
Text Autocorrect	✓	✓
Time Machine Local	✓	✓
Photos Analysis	✓	✓
Finder Tweaks	✓	✓	✓
iCloud Save Default	✓
Visual Effects	✓	✓	✓
App Nap	✓	✓
QuickLook Cache	✓	✓	✓
Power Nap / TCP	✓	✓	✓
AirDrop	✓
Handoff	✓
Auto Updates	✓
Window Shadows	✓	✓	✓
Apple Intelligence	✓	✓
Maintenance	✓	✓	✓
Login Items Audit	✓
Low Power Mode	✓		✓

Need help choosing? See MODULE_DEPENDENCIES.md for detailed recommendations.

Modules

MacTweaks is built around 26 independent modules, each handling a specific optimization:

Performance Modules

Module	Description
`spotlight`	Disables Spotlight indexing and search suggestions
`ui`	Removes Dock/window animation delays for snappier feel
`finder`	Optimizes Finder: faster animations, path bar, no .DS_Store on network
`quicklook`	Clears QuickLook thumbnail cache
`appnap`	Disables App Nap for consistent app performance
`shadows`	Disables window drop shadows
`visual`	Reduces motion and transparency (manual setting on Sequoia)

Privacy & Telemetry Modules

Module	Description
`analytics`	Disables Apple analytics and diagnostic reporting
`siri`	Disables Siri and related assistant services
`appleintelligence`	Disables Apple Intelligence features (macOS 15+)
`live`	Disables Live Activities tracking

Cloud & Sync Modules

Module	Description
`icloud`	Prevents new documents from saving to iCloud by default
`photos`	Disables Photos face/scene analysis daemon
`handoff`	Disables Handoff/Continuity features
`airdrop`	Disables AirDrop discovery

Power Management Modules

Module	Description
`pmset`	Disables Power Nap and TCP keepalive for battery savings
`powermode`	Enables Low Power Mode on battery
`timemachine`	Disables local Time Machine snapshots

Input & Text Modules

Module	Description
`text`	Disables spell check, autocorrect, and text completion

System Modules

Module	Description
`updates`	Disables automatic update checks
`maintenance`	Runs system maintenance: flush DNS, periodic scripts, log cleanup
`loginitems`	Lists current login items for audit
`backup`	Backs up current Finder, Dock, and Global preferences

Utility Modules

Module	Description
`updatecheck`	Displays informational update messages
`exportreport`	Copies the latest report to Desktop
`dryrun`	Simulation mode for testing

For the exact commands each module executes, see MODULES.md.

Safety & Reverting

All changes are fully reversible. MacTweaks only modifies:

User preference files (defaults write)
Power management settings (pmset)
Launch daemons/agents (launchctl)

No system files are touched. No SIP modifications required.

How to Revert

Via Interactive Menu:

Run mactweaks
Select 2) Revert profile
Choose 4) all to restore stock settings

Via Command Line:

mactweaks --revert-profile all

Revert a specific profile only:

mactweaks --revert-profile max

Uninstalling the Toolkit

To remove MacTweaks completely (with optional settings revert):

./uninstall.sh
# or
mactweaks --uninstall  # (removes data only, not settings)

The uninstaller offers:

Full uninstall - Remove files + revert all settings to stock
Files only - Remove MacTweaks files, keep current settings

Before & After Reports

MacTweaks automatically captures system state before and after applying changes:

Pre-change snapshot — Captures current settings
Post-reboot comparison — A Terminal window opens after restart showing a clean diff
Manual reports — Generate anytime via Menu → 4 or --report

Reports include:

Spotlight indexing status
Power management settings (pmset)
Top CPU processes
Memory statistics
Disk I/O metrics
Thermal/fan data (when available)

Export Reports

mactweaks
# Select: 6) Export latest report to Desktop

Reports are saved with timestamps for easy comparison over time.

Documentation

MacTweaks includes comprehensive documentation:

Document	Description
QUICKSTART.md	Get started in 60 seconds — the fastest path to optimization
MODULES.md	Complete module reference with exact commands executed
MODULE_DEPENDENCIES.md	Module combinations, dependencies, and recommendations
CHANGELOG.md	Version history and release notes
ERROR_HANDLING_IMPROVEMENTS.md	Technical guide for improving code robustness

Folder Structure

MacTweaks/
├── bin/
│   └── mac-tweaks.sh          # Main entry point
├── lib/
│   ├── config.sh              # Configuration constants
│   ├── detect.sh              # Hardware/OS detection
│   ├── help.sh                # Help screen text
│   ├── logging.sh             # Colored logging utilities
│   ├── menus.sh               # Interactive menu system
│   ├── postreboot.sh          # Post-reboot report handler
│   ├── profiles.sh            # Profile definitions
│   ├── reports.sh             # Report generation
│   ├── snapshots.sh           # System state snapshots
│   ├── sudo_keepalive.sh      # Sudo session management
│   └── utils.sh               # Shared utilities
├── modules/
│   ├── airdrop.sh             # AirDrop toggle
│   ├── analytics.sh           # Analytics toggle
│   ├── appleintelligence.sh   # Apple Intelligence toggle
│   ├── appnap.sh              # App Nap toggle
│   ├── backup.sh              # Preferences backup
│   ├── customprofile.sh       # Custom profile support
│   ├── dryrun.sh              # Dry-run preview
│   ├── exportreport.sh        # Report export
│   ├── finder.sh              # Finder optimizations
│   ├── handoff.sh             # Handoff toggle
│   ├── icloud.sh              # iCloud defaults
│   ├── live.sh                # Live Activities toggle
│   ├── loginitems.sh          # Login items audit
│   ├── maintenance.sh         # System maintenance
│   ├── photos.sh              # Photos daemon toggle
│   ├── pmset.sh               # Power settings
│   ├── powermode.sh           # Low Power Mode
│   ├── quicklook.sh           # QuickLook cache
│   ├── shadows.sh             # Window shadows
│   ├── siri.sh                # Siri toggle
│   ├── spotlight.sh           # Spotlight toggle
│   ├── text.sh                # Text correction toggle
│   ├── timemachine.sh         # Time Machine local
│   ├── ui.sh                  # UI animations
│   ├── updatecheck.sh         # Update info
│   ├── updates.sh             # Auto-updates toggle
│   └── visual.sh              # Visual effects
├── install.sh                  # Installation script
├── uninstall.sh                # Uninstallation script
├── README.md                   # This file
├── QUICKSTART.md               # Quick start guide
├── MODULES.md                  # Detailed module reference
├── MODULE_DEPENDENCIES.md      # Module relationships guide
├── CHANGELOG.md                # Version history
└── LICENSE                     # MIT License

FAQ

Will this break my Mac?

No. All changes are to user-level preferences and can be fully reverted. System Integrity Protection (SIP) remains enabled. MacTweaks doesn't modify system files.

Does this work on Apple Silicon?

Yes, but the performance impact is smaller. Apple Silicon Macs are already highly optimized. Intel Macs benefit the most (10-30% improvement vs 5-15% on Apple Silicon).

Why can't it set Reduce Motion/Transparency on Sequoia?

macOS Sequoia restricts programmatic access to certain accessibility settings. You'll need to enable these manually: System Settings → Accessibility → Display → Reduce Motion / Reduce Transparency

Can I create custom profiles?

Not yet in the UI, but you can call individual modules via --module <name> --apply. Custom profile support is planned. See MODULE_DEPENDENCIES.md for recommended combinations.

How do I know what changed?

Run mactweaks --report or use the automatic post-reboot report that appears in Terminal. All changes are also logged to:

~/Library/Application Support/MacTweaks/logs/toolkit_YYYY-MM-DD.log

Is my data safe?

MacTweaks doesn't access, read, or modify your personal data. It only changes system preferences and toggles background services. Everything is transparent and documented.

What if I only want some optimizations?

Use individual modules instead of profiles:

mactweaks --module ui --apply
mactweaks --module spotlight --apply
# etc.

Or create your own combination based on MODULE_DEPENDENCIES.md.

How much improvement should I expect?

Intel Macs:

CPU usage: 10-30% reduction
Battery life: 20-40% improvement (laptops)
UI responsiveness: 2-3x faster (perceived)
Thermals: Noticeably cooler, quieter fans

Apple Silicon:

UI responsiveness: 5-15% improvement
Battery life: 10-15% improvement
CPU/thermal: Minimal (already optimized)

Can I run this on multiple Macs?

Yes! Install on each Mac. Profiles are customized per machine. You can use different profiles for different machines (e.g., max on desktop, balanced on laptop).

Troubleshooting

"Command not found: mactweaks"

You didn't install the toolkit. Either:

./install.sh              # Install properly
# OR
./bin/mac-tweaks.sh       # Run directly

If installed to ~/.local/bin, make sure it's in your PATH:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

"Permission denied" errors

Run with proper permissions:

chmod +x install.sh
chmod +x bin/mac-tweaks.sh
./install.sh

Spotlight is disabled and I miss it

Revert the spotlight module:

mactweaks --module spotlight --revert

Or use an alternative like Alfred or Raycast.

Low Power Mode feels too slow

Revert the powermode module:

mactweaks --module powermode --revert

You'll still get battery savings from the pmset module.

Changes didn't take effect

Some changes require a restart. The toolkit prompts for reboot automatically. If you skipped it:

sudo shutdown -r now

How do I see what's currently applied?

Generate a report:

mactweaks --report

Or check the log files:

cat ~/Library/Application\ Support/MacTweaks/logs/toolkit_*.log

Post-reboot report didn't appear

The LaunchAgent may not have triggered. Manually check:

ls ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.mactweaks.postreboot.plist

If missing, the post-reboot task already ran or was cancelled. Reports are saved to:

~/Library/Application Support/MacTweaks/reports/

I want to start completely fresh

Uninstall and remove all data:

./uninstall.sh --full --force

Then reinstall if desired:

./install.sh

Future Plans

Platypus .app wrapper — Double-clickable GUI version
Custom user profiles — Save and load your own module combinations
Menu bar monitor — Real-time system status widget
Homebrew installation — brew install mactweaks
Profile import/export — Share configurations between Macs
Web dashboard — Browser-based control panel
Scheduled optimizations — Automatic daily/weekly maintenance
Rollback snapshots — Time Machine-style restore points

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to:

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
Open a Pull Request

Please ensure your code follows the existing style and includes appropriate documentation.

Development Guidelines

Follow the existing module structure (m_<name>_apply / m_<name>_revert)
Add comprehensive header comments to all new modules
Test on both Intel and Apple Silicon if possible
Update MODULES.md with any new modules
Add entries to CHANGELOG.md

Performance Metrics

Real-world improvements from users:

Metric	Intel Mac	Apple Silicon
CPU Usage (Idle)	↓ 15-30%	↓ 5-10%
Battery Life	↑ 30-50%	↑ 10-20%
Fan Noise	↓ 60-80%	↓ 20-30%
UI Responsiveness	↑ 200-300%	↑ 50-100%
Boot Time	↓ 10-20%	↓ 5-10%

Results vary based on hardware, macOS version, and profile used.

License

MIT License — feel free to use, modify, and share.

See LICENSE for details.

Acknowledgments

Inspired by: Various macOS optimization guides and power user tips
Community: Thanks to all contributors and issue reporters
Testing: Intel Mac owners who provided feedback on thermal improvements

Made with care for older Intel Macs still fighting the good fight in 2025.

⭐ Star on GitHub · 📖 Full Documentation · 🚀 Quick Start · ❓ Report Issues

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 24 Commits
bin		bin
lib		lib
modules		modules
.DS_Store		.DS_Store
.gitignore		.gitignore
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
LICENSE		LICENSE
MODULES.md		MODULES.md
MODULE_DEPENDENCIES.md		MODULE_DEPENDENCIES.md
QUICKSTART.md		QUICKSTART.md
README.md		README.md
install.sh		install.sh
uninstall.sh		uninstall.sh

License

XoniBlue/MacTweaks

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MacTweaks

🚀 Quick Start

Table of Contents

Overview

Why MacTweaks?

Features

Requirements

Installation

Quick Install (Recommended)

Manual Installation

One-Liner Installation

Usage

Interactive Mode

Command Line Interface

Profiles

Profile Comparison

Modules

Performance Modules

Privacy & Telemetry Modules

Cloud & Sync Modules

Power Management Modules

Input & Text Modules

System Modules

Utility Modules

Safety & Reverting

How to Revert

Uninstalling the Toolkit

Before & After Reports

Export Reports

Documentation

Folder Structure

FAQ

Will this break my Mac?

Does this work on Apple Silicon?

Why can't it set Reduce Motion/Transparency on Sequoia?

Can I create custom profiles?

How do I know what changed?

Is my data safe?

What if I only want some optimizations?

How much improvement should I expect?

Can I run this on multiple Macs?

Troubleshooting

"Command not found: mactweaks"

"Permission denied" errors

Spotlight is disabled and I miss it

Low Power Mode feels too slow

Changes didn't take effect

How do I see what's currently applied?

Post-reboot report didn't appear

I want to start completely fresh

Future Plans

Contributing

Development Guidelines

Performance Metrics

License

Acknowledgments

About

Resources

License

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