How To

Finding the right setting on your Mac isn’t always straightforward, especially if Apple has moved it or the instructions you’re following still mention System Preferences. System Settings is where you control how your Mac looks, works, connects, and manages your privacy.

This guide explains how to open and navigate System Settings, search for specific options, and find the privacy, security, and everyday controls you’re most likely to use.

Where is System Settings on Mac?

You can also open it in either of these ways:

• Use Spotlight: Press Command-Space, type System Settings, and press Return.
• Open the app: If System Settings is in your Dock, click its icon, or open it from the Applications folder.

Once System Settings opens, you’ll see its categories in the sidebar and the options for the selected category on the right. You might need to scroll down to see all the available categories.

Is System Settings the same as System Preferences?

Yes. System Settings is the current version of the System Preferences app found in older macOS versions. Apple changed the name and redesigned the app starting with macOS Ventura 13, but its main purpose remains the same: it lets you view and change system-wide options on your Mac.

The main difference is how Apple organizes the controls. System Preferences uses a grid of preference icons, while System Settings uses a sidebar with categories and displays the selected options on the right.

If older instructions tell you to open System Preferences, open System Settings instead. The setting may have a different name or location, so use the search field if you can’t find it where the older instructions suggest. Macs running macOS Monterey 12 or earlier still use System Preferences.

How to find and change a setting quickly

You don’t need to browse every category in System Settings. Use the search field to go directly to the option you want:

1. Click the Search field at the top of the sidebar.
2. Enter the setting or feature you want to change, such as “microphone,” “wallpaper,” or “automatic updates.”
3. Select the most relevant result in the sidebar.
4. Change the setting using the available switch, checkbox, menu, or other control.

If you know which category contains the setting, you can select it directly from the sidebar. You may need to click an Info or Details button to see additional options. Some changes also require your password or Touch ID to confirm you have permission to make them.

Common Mac settings and where to find them

System Settings covers everything from Wi-Fi connections to software updates, but the option you need isn’t always listed under an obvious name. Here are the main areas most people use and the specific controls available in each one:

• Wi-Fi and Network: Select Wi-Fi to connect to a network, view known networks, check connection details, or change automatic connection settings. Open Network to manage Ethernet, VPNs, firewalls, and other network services.
  
• Notifications, Focus, and Sound: Open Notifications to control which apps can send alerts and how those alerts appear. Use Focus to reduce interruptions at certain times, and select Sound to change the volume, alert sound, audio output, or microphone input.
  
• Displays: Select Displays to adjust brightness, resolution, color, and refresh rate. If you use multiple screens, you can arrange them and choose whether an external display mirrors or extends your desktop.
  
• Keyboard, Mouse, and Trackpad: Open the section for the device you want to adjust. You can change keyboard shortcuts, Dictation, key repeat speed, pointer speed, scrolling direction, clicking behavior, and supported Multi-Touch gestures.
• Users & Groups: Go to Users & Groups to add or remove user accounts, change account types, manage the Guest User, and control automatic login. Some changes are only available to a Mac administrator.
  
• General: General is a catch-all category. It holds Software Update, Storage, Login Items & Extensions, Time Machine, and other system-level settings.
  
• Apple Account and iCloud: Click your name at the top of the sidebar to manage your Apple Account, payment details, subscriptions, Family Sharing, and devices linked to your account. Select iCloud to manage storage and choose which apps and features sync with your Mac.
  

You can also find separate sidebar categories for settings such as Bluetooth, Appearance, Wallpaper, Screen Saver, Lock Screen, Accessibility, and Screen Time.

Privacy & Security settings worth reviewing

Open System Settings > Privacy & Security to control which apps can access sensitive parts of your Mac and review several built-in security protections. You shouldn’t automatically remove every permission, since some apps need access to work properly. Instead, check that you recognize each app and understand why it needs the access you’ve granted.

An app generally appears in a permission list after it requests that type of access. Turning off a permission may stop a related feature from working, and macOS may ask you to quit and reopen the app before the change takes effect. For more ways to strengthen these protections, see our Mac security and privacy tips.

Check your Mac-wide security protections

Scroll below the app permissions to review these broader controls:

• Allow applications from: Choose whether your Mac can open apps from the App Store or from the App Store and Known Developers. This setting works with Gatekeeper to reduce the risks associated with downloading Mac apps from untrusted sources.
  
• Allow accessories to connect: On supported Mac laptops with Apple silicon, choose when your Mac requires approval before allowing a USB, Thunderbolt, or SD card accessory to connect.
• FileVault: Check whether it’s turned on to help protect your stored files if your Mac is lost or stolen. Make sure you can use the recovery method you’ve chosen.
  
• Lockdown Mode: This optional protection limits certain apps, websites, and features for people who believe they may face a highly sophisticated cyberattack. Apple says most users are never targeted by attacks that require it.
  

Review these settings periodically and after installing unfamiliar software. If an app requests a sensitive permission that doesn’t match what the app does, leave the permission off until you can confirm why it needs access.

System Settings vs. Control Center

System Settings and Control Center can manage some of the same features, but they serve different purposes. Control Center provides quick access to frequently used controls, while System Settings contains the full configuration options for your Mac.

Click the Control Center icon on the right side of the menu bar to open it. Some controls include an arrow or expandable area that provides additional options without opening System Settings. You can also customize the Control Center to show the controls you use most and place selected items directly in the menu bar for faster access.

Why some settings are missing or different

If you can’t find a setting, it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. The options shown in System Settings can depend on your Mac, its macOS version, and who manages it.

Common reasons include:

• Your Mac’s hardware: Some controls only appear on Macs that support them. For example, Touch ID settings require compatible hardware.
• Your macOS version: Apple sometimes moves or renames settings. Older instructions may point to a different location or refer to System Preferences.
• Connected devices: Some options only appear after you connect a display, keyboard, mouse, printer, or other accessory.
• Your user account: Some changes require administrator approval. If your Mac asks for administrator credentials, contact the person who manages it.
• Screen Time restrictions: Content & Privacy restrictions can prevent changes to certain settings.
• Work or school management: Your organization may restrict some controls. Signing in as an administrator won’t necessarily remove these restrictions.
• Your Apple Account: Some options require you to sign in or turn on a related service. Availability can also vary by region.

Start by searching for the setting in System Settings. If you still can’t find it, check Apple’s instructions for your macOS version. For a work or school Mac, ask your organization’s IT team.

How Intego ONE complements your Mac’s built-in settings

System Settings helps you manage app permissions and Apple’s built-in protections. If you also want to check files for malware or control how apps connect to the internet, Intego ONE provides those tools in a separate app.

Every Intego ONE plan includes:

• Antivirus: Scan your Mac for malware and use real-time monitoring to check files as you use them.
• Firewall: Manage incoming and outgoing connections, including whether an app can connect to the internet.

The Advanced plan adds SmartClean to help remove unnecessary files. Complete also includes a VPN, which encrypts traffic between your Mac and the VPN server. Intego ONE requires macOS 12.4 or later.

A clean malware scan does not guarantee that your Mac is free of threats. Keep malware definitions up to date and grant the permissions Intego ONE needs to scan protected files, including Full Disk Access. Keep Apple’s built-in protections enabled and continue installing macOS and browser updates. Intego ONE complements these protections; it doesn’t replace them.

Get Mac protection

Make your Mac work the way you want

There’s no single “correct” setup for every Mac user. The right choices depend on how you work, which apps you use, and the level of access you’re comfortable granting.

Don’t change an unfamiliar option just because it sounds useful. Read the description, consider how the change could affect your Mac, and adjust only the controls that serve a clear purpose. And when an instruction sends you to System Preferences, you’ll know where to look.

Frequently asked questions

Where is System Settings on Mac?

System Settings is in the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of your Mac’s screen. Click the Apple menu > System Settings to open it. You can also open the System Settings app from the Dock or Applications folder, or press Command-Space, search for System Settings, and press Return.

Is System Settings the same as System Preferences?

Yes. System Settings replaced System Preferences starting with macOS Ventura 13. It serves the same purpose, but Apple changed its name, layout, and the location of some options. Macs running macOS Monterey 12 or earlier still use System Preferences.

How do I search for a setting on Mac?

Open System Settings, click the search field at the top of the sidebar, and type the name of the setting or feature you want to find. Select the most relevant result from the list to open its location and view the available options.

Where is Privacy & Security on Mac?

Privacy & Security is in the System Settings sidebar. Click the Apple menu > System Settings, scroll down, and select Privacy & Security. From there, you can manage app permissions and built-in protections such as Location Services, camera and microphone access, FileVault, and Lockdown Mode.

How do I open System Settings with Spotlight?

Press Command-Space to open Spotlight, type System Settings, and press Return. You can also click the Spotlight icon in the menu bar and search for System Settings.

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