Hide Desktop Icons on Mac for Presentations and Screenshots

Is your computer desktop cluttered with files? Additionally, you need to share your screen during a presentation, work call, or take a screenshot without these distracting elements. The most convenient solution is to hide desktop icons on a Mac. Fortunately, there are several utilities to quickly and easily clean up your screen. Pay attention, as we will provide you with some recommendations to organize the chaos on your screen.

How to hide all desktop icons with a single click?

You probably have many pending tasks and need to quickly hide the icons on your desktop. There are effective methods, such as applications specifically designed to organize the screen with one click. Below, we present them:

1. Hiding Desktop Icons on Our Mac:

a. Hide icons using One Switch? This application makes it very easy to hide desktop icons on your Mac. One Switch is ideal for organization, as it instantly hides or displays all previously downloaded application and document icons.

b. Hide icons using Almighty? This powerful tool is perfect for optimizing your Mac’s operating system without having to delve into programming knowledge you may not have. With just a few clicks, you can manage your work according to your needs, to be more productive.

2. One Switch Vs. Almighty:

a. Advantages of One Switch:

• Easy-to-use switches.
• Hide cluttered desktop icons with one click.
• Display all hidden files on the Mac platform.
• Immediately organize the screen with a black background for better visualization.

b. Advantages of Almighty:

• Hide menu bar elements.
• Show only active application icons.
• Remove desktop icons.
• Configure custom shortcuts.
• Show and hide hidden files.
• Clear the system clipboard content.
• Disable file synchronization.

How to Hide Mac Desktop Icons Using Terminal?

Follow these steps to clean your screen with Terminal commands:

1. Open Terminal from the “Applications” menu under “Utilities.”
2. Enter the command: defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool false, then press Enter.
3. Enter the command: killall Finder, then press Enter immediately.
4. Finder windows will restart, icons will be hidden, and the desktop will look clean and tidy. Your icons are now located in the “Finder” section of the “Desktop” menu for when you want to locate them.

 

How to Hide Desktop Icons During a Presentation and Optimize Your Mac

You have an urgent presentation, and it’s necessary to show your desktop content to attendees without distractions. But you don’t know how to quickly remove desktop icons without losing important files or folders. With the PliimPro app, you can handle this matter instantly. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Locate the PliimPro icon in the menu bar.
2. Click on the tool.
3. It will automatically hide icons, close active apps, disable notifications, change the wallpaper, and mute the speakers.

How to Hide Icons for Taking a Screenshot

Screenshots are commonly taken during meetings. However, your colleagues don’t need to see the clutter of files and folders on your desktop. The CleanShot X tool can help you with this situation.

1. Hover over the CleanShot X icon in the menu bar.
2. Click on the tool.
3. Select the “Hide Desktop Icons” option.
4. Now you can use all functionalities, like capturing the entire screen, specific areas, or scrolling, as well as adding annotations, recording videos, inserting timers, and more.

Use Finder Preferences to Hide Desktop Icons

1. Locate the “Finder” option.
2. Open the contextual menu and click on “Preferences.”
3. Uncheck the “Show these items on the desktop” option.
4. Close the tab and check the desktop to see the changes.
5. To see these icons again, enable the option.

 

If you want to hide external hard drive icons and those connected to your desktop, you can easily do this with Finder.

How to Hide System Folders

Maybe your Mac’s hard drive is full of unnecessary files, folders, and apps. To organize and optimize your system, you should clean up your computer by removing what you don’t need with CleanMyMac X Magnifying Glass.

1. Open CleanMyMac X from Launchpad. On the left panel, choose the Files subsection, then select Magnifying Glass.
2. In the main Space Lens screen, click the “Grant Access” button.
3. For unlimited access, go to “System Preferences,” choose “Security & Privacy,” click the “Privacy” tab, and select “Full Disk Access.” If asked for a password, click the lock and enter the password. Click the “+” button and select CleanMyMac X in the “Applications” folder. Back in CleanMyMac X, click “Analyze.”
4. Start the disk scanning process.
5. You’ll see the storage space analyzer interface. Click on folders and files to select them.
6. The app will show the file sizes. Choose the folders to delete. The “Remove” button at the bottom will activate for you to start cleaning.
7. Wait a few seconds while the files are deleted.

Conclusion

If you have piles of icons on your desktop or unnecessary files on your Mac’s hard drive, it’s urgent to organize and clean up. Sharing your screen or taking screenshots may reveal your clutter to others. It’s also crucial to optimize your computer for better productivity.

Fortunately, several desktop icon-hiding apps are available on GoStart.Biz, like Almighty, PliimPro, One Switch, CleanShot X, and CleanMyMac X. You can get them for free during a 7-day trial period. Now is the time to work more comfortably and boost your computer’s performance with just a few clicks.

FAQ

What are some applications to quickly hide desktop icons on a Mac?

One Switch and Almighty are two applications that can quickly hide desktop icons on a Mac. One Switch is ideal for organization as it instantly hides or displays all previously downloaded application and document icons. Almighty is a powerful tool for optimizing your Mac’s operating system and allows you to manage your work according to your needs, with just a few clicks.

How can I hide desktop icons on a Mac using Terminal commands?

To hide desktop icons on a Mac using Terminal commands, open Terminal from the “Applications” menu under “Utilities.” Enter the command: defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool false, then press Enter. Next, enter the command: killall Finder, then press Enter immediately. Finder windows will restart, icons will be hidden, and the desktop will look clean and tidy.

What is PliimPro, and how can it help during a presentation?

PliimPro is an app designed to help you quickly remove desktop icons and optimize your Mac during a presentation. It automatically hides icons, closes active apps, disables notifications, changes the wallpaper, and mutes the speakers, allowing you to focus on your presentation without distractions from your desktop.

How can CleanShot X be used to hide icons when taking a screenshot?

CleanShot X is a tool that helps you hide icons when taking a screenshot. Hover over the CleanShot X icon in the menu bar, click on the tool, and select the “Hide Desktop Icons” option. Now you can use all functionalities, like capturing the entire screen, specific areas, or scrolling, as well as adding annotations, recording videos, inserting timers, and more.

How can I use CleanMyMac X Magnifying Glass to clean up my Mac’s hard drive?

To use CleanMyMac X Magnifying Glass to clean up your Mac’s hard drive, open CleanMyMac X from Launchpad, choose the Files subsection, and select Magnifying Glass. Grant access, analyze the disk, and use the storage space analyzer interface to select folders and files to delete. Click the “Remove” button at the bottom to start cleaning and wait a few seconds while the files are deleted.