14 Mac OS Ventura Settings You Need to Change Right Away

In this video, Andrew shares 14 settings that you should change immediately after upgrading your Mac operating system to Ventura.

Rapid Security Response Feature

• Enable the new rapid security response feature by going into System Preferences > General > Software Update > Install security responses and system files.

• This feature provides automatic security updates in the background without requiring a system restart.

Hide My Email Feature

• Customize the Hide My Email feature by going into System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Hide My Email.

• This feature hides your email and forwards emails through a dummy account to protect your identity and privacy.

Spotlight Customization

• Customize what Spotlight searches for by going into System Settings > Siri & Spotlight.

• Remove or enable certain areas where you want Spotlight to search for or not search for, so it performs much faster.

Ambient Sounds Feature

• Access ambient sounds by opening System Settings > Accessibility > Audio.

• Choose from different background sounds such as ocean, dark noise, bright noise, stream, etc.

• Add them to Control Center for quick access by opening System Settings > Control Center.

Quick Look and Quick Action Functions

• Ventura features quick look and quick action functions much like on an iPhone.

• Bring up Spotlight with Command + Spacebar to set timers directly from Spotlight or get images directly from your albums and search engines right from Spotlight.

Battery Life Optimization

• Optimize battery life by going into System Preferences > Battery.

• Turn on "Optimized Battery Charging" to reduce battery aging.

Safari Customization

• Customize Safari settings by going into Safari > Preferences.

• Change the default search engine, enable/disable pop-ups, and more.

Siri Customization

• Customize Siri settings by going into System Settings > Siri & Spotlight > Siri.

• Enable/disable "Listen for 'Hey Siri'", change the voice, language, and more.

Dock Customization

• Customize Dock settings by going into System Preferences > Dock & Menu Bar.

• Change the size of icons, position of the dock, and more.

Touch Bar Customization

• Customize Touch Bar settings by going into System Preferences > Keyboard > Customize Control Strip.

• Add or remove buttons from the Touch Bar to suit your needs.

Desktop Stacks Feature

• Use Desktop Stacks to organize files on your desktop automatically.

• Right-click on your desktop and select "Use Stacks" to enable this feature.

Dark Mode Customization

• Customize Dark Mode settings by going into System Preferences > General.

• Choose between light mode, dark mode, or set it to switch automatically based on time of day.

Automatic App Termination Feature

• Enable automatic app termination by going into System Preferences > Battery.

• This feature automatically quits apps that haven't been used in a while to save battery life.

Time Machine Backup Feature

• Set up Time Machine backup by going into System Preferences > Time Machine.

• Connect an external hard drive and turn on Time Machine backup to keep your data safe.

How to Turn on Memories in Photos App

This section explains how to turn on the memories feature in the Photos app on a Mac.

Turning On Memories Feature

• To turn on the memories feature, open the Photos app and click on "Photos" in the top menu bar.

• Click "Settings" and toggle on "Memory Notifications," "Featured Content," and "Holiday Events."

• Reset suggested memories to clean it up and start getting suggested memories.

Improved Font Book Appearance

This section explains how to access and download additional official fonts for your Mac using Font Book.

Accessing Font Book

• Type in "Fontbook" to bring up Font Book.

• Download additional official fonts for your Mac by clicking the download icon next to the grayed-out fonts that you want.

Stage Manager Feature

This section explains how to turn on Stage Manager, a new feature that allows users to easily switch between apps and windows.

Turning On Stage Manager

• Go into system settings, then desktop and dock, and scroll down into stage manager.

• Toggle it on.

• All apps will now be open on the side of your screen.

Live Captions Feature

This section explains how to turn on live captions, which generates captions almost anywhere on screen.

Turning On Live Captions

• Go into system settings, then accessibility, then hearing.

• Under live captions (or captions), toggle it on.

• Customize background look as desired.

Weather Notification Settings

This section explains how to customize weather notifications for multiple locations of your choice.

Customizing Weather Notifications

• Open the new weather app and click on settings.

• Turn on severe weather and next hour precipitation notifications.

• Customize which notifications are sent to you for which location.

Setting up Smart Folders and iCloud Syncing

In this section, the speaker explains how to set up smart folders and sync important folders to iCloud.

Setting Up Smart Folders

• To create a smart folder, click on the plus icon under "New Smart Folder."

• Add parameters such as file type and name to filter out specific files.

• Highly recommend setting up smart folders as it can save time in organizing files.

Syncing Important Folders to iCloud

• Go into system settings, then Apple ID, then iCloud.

• Scroll down to iCloud Drive and click options.

• Choose desktop and document folders to start syncing.

Finding Duplicate Photos and Turning off Natural Trackpad Movement

In this section, the speaker explains how to find duplicate photos on your Mac and turn off natural trackpad movement.

Finding Duplicate Photos

• The new duplicates photo folder automatically finds duplicate photos in your library.

• To access the folder manually, go into the Photos app and look for "Duplicates" under "Photos" in the side panel.

Turning Off Natural Trackpad Movement

• Go into settings, then trackpad.

• Turn off natural scrolling if desired.

Pairing Nintendo Controllers with Your Mac

In this section, the speaker explains how to pair Nintendo controllers with your Mac for gaming purposes.

Pairing Controllers

• Go into Bluetooth settings under system settings.

• Hold down the button on the controller until it flashes, then connect to your Mac.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes the video and provides additional resources for viewers.

• Drop the code word "Mac Vendetta" in the comments if you made it to the end of the video.

• Check out the speaker's must-have Mac apps video for more information.

• Direct link to custom wallpaper provided in description box.