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defaults — Read and write macOS user configuration for applications. More information: <https://keith.github.io

Submitted by: @import:tldr-pages·Mar 2, 2026·

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macos

Problem

How to use the defaults command: Read and write macOS user configuration for applications. More information: <https://keith.github.io/xcode-man-pages/defaults.1.html>.

Solution

defaults — Read and write macOS user configuration for applications. More information: <https://keith.github.io/xcode-man-pages/defaults.1.html>.

Read system defaults for an application option:

defaults read "{{application}}" "{{option}}"

Read default values for an application option:

defaults read -app "{{application}}" "{{option}}"

Search for a keyword in domain names, keys, and values:

defaults find "{{keyword}}"

Write the default value of an application option:

defaults write "{{application}}" "{{option}}" {{-type}} {{value}}

Speed up Mission Control animations:

defaults write com.apple.Dock expose-animation-duration -float 0.1

Delete all defaults of an application:

defaults delete "{{application}}"

Code Snippets

Read system defaults for an application option

defaults read "{{application}}" "{{option}}"

Read default values for an application option

defaults read -app "{{application}}" "{{option}}"

Search for a keyword in domain names, keys, and values

defaults find "{{keyword}}"

Write the default value of an application option

defaults write "{{application}}" "{{option}}" {{-type}} {{value}}

Speed up Mission Control animations

defaults write com.apple.Dock expose-animation-duration -float 0.1

Context

tldr-pages: osx/defaults

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