TinkerTool for MAC
Free Mac utility that unlocks extra preference settings Apple has built into macOS, from Finder and Dock tweaks to turning off Liquid Glass.
TinkerTool Overview
TinkerTool is a free utility that gives you access to additional preference settings Apple has built into macOS but does not show in System Settings. With it you can switch on hidden features of the operating system and of some apps that come with it: show hidden files in the Finder, add spacers to the Dock, change the screenshot file format, turn off Liquid Glass or keep chosen apps light while dark mode is on. Every change applies only to your own user account, and all settings can be reset to Apple's defaults or to the state before you used the tool.
TinkerTool never changes any part of macOS itself, does not need administrator rights and runs inside Apple's application sandbox, so it can also be used on networks where you have limited permissions. Changes never require a restart; quitting and reopening the affected app, or logging out and back in, is enough. Settings can be exported and imported to another account or Mac. TinkerTool is made by Marcel Bresink Software-Systeme and is distributed as a notarized disk image, not through the App Store. Version 11.72 adds support for macOS 27.2. This version needs macOS 26 or macOS 27; the developer offers separate older generations, such as TinkerTool 10 for macOS 13 to 15.
Key Features
TinkerTool brings Apple's hidden macOS preferences into one simple window.
- Finder: show hidden files, add a Quit command and stop .DS_Store files on network volumes.
- Dock: change the show delay, add spacers and use the suck-in minimize effect.
- Screenshots: pick the file format and turn off window shadows.
- Appearance: turn off Liquid Glass and restore earlier window corner rounding.
- Dark mode: keep Finder, Mail, Terminal, Music or Safari light.
- Safari: navigate back with the backspace key and set the initial page zoom.
- Fonts and formats: default font sizes, number, currency, date and time formats.
- Safe to undo: reset any setting, or export and import your whole setup.
What’s New in Version 11.72
TinkerTool 11.72 is a compatibility update.
- Adds support for macOS 27.2
TinkerTool FAQ
Is TinkerTool free?
Yes. TinkerTool can be downloaded and used at no charge. It is freeware, not open source.
What does TinkerTool do?
It gives you access to additional preference settings Apple has built into macOS, so you can activate hidden features of the system and of some apps that come with it. TinkerTool adds no features of its own; it only switches settings that already exist.
Is TinkerTool safe to use?
TinkerTool only changes your personal preference settings, never any part of the operating system, and runs in Apple's application sandbox. Every setting can be reset to Apple's defaults or to its state before you used the tool.
Do I need administrator rights for TinkerTool?
No. Settings only affect the user account that runs TinkerTool, so standard users can use it too, for example on a school or company network.
Can TinkerTool turn off Liquid Glass?
Yes. It has settings to disable Liquid Glass and switch back to the appearance of macOS 15, to disable floating Liquid Glass sidebars, and to restore the window corner rounding of earlier macOS versions. The corner setting needs macOS 26.4 or later.
Do I have to restart my Mac after changing a setting?
No. For many apps it is enough to quit and reopen them; in all other cases logging out and back in is enough.
Which macOS version does TinkerTool need?
TinkerTool 11.72 is for macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 27. For macOS 13 to 15 the developer offers TinkerTool 10, and for macOS 11 and 12 TinkerTool 8.
What is the difference between TinkerTool and TinkerTool System?
TinkerTool changes personal settings and needs no administrator rights. TinkerTool System is a separate product for administrators that changes system-wide settings affecting all users of a Mac.
Is TinkerTool on the Mac App Store?
No. It is distributed as a notarized macOS disk image from the developer's website.
Where does the TinkerTool download on tinkertool.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official TinkerTool download page at https://www.bresink.com/osx/0TinkerTool/download.php. tinkertool.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
Similar Apps
MaCursorMaCursor gives you control over the system cursors on macOS. You can replace them with your own artwork or with ready-made themes, fine-tune every detail in a visual editor, and switch between themes instantly with global hotkeys. The Theme Gallery offers more than 80 ready-to-apply themes, and a double-click on a theme replaces every system cursor. A Restore button puts the macOS defaults back at any time.Customization
MosMos makes scrolling with a mouse wheel on your Mac feel as smooth as a trackpad, while keeping the precision of a mouse. On macOS a mouse wheel often scrolls in abrupt jumps; Mos intercepts the wheel events and turns them into smooth, continuous movement. It also lets you set the scroll direction for the mouse separately from the trackpad, so you can keep natural scrolling on one and not the other. Mos is a small menu bar app made by Caldis and loved by more than 21,000 people who starred it on GitHub.Customization
Karabiner-ElementsKarabiner-Elements is a free, open-source keyboard customizer for Mac. It can change any key into another, such as Caps Lock into Control or Escape, and with complex modifications it can do much more: make a key act as Escape when tapped and Control when held, add a "hyper" key, or set different rules for different apps and keyboards. Karabiner-Elements is made by Takayama Fumihiko (pqrs.org) and released into the public domain.Customization
LeftHandyLeftHandy is a small menu bar app that adds left-handed mouse and cursor support to your Mac. It mirrors the system cursors, including the arrow, the pointing hand, the resize handles and the crosshair, so their tip points the way that feels natural to a left-handed user. It can also swap the left and right mouse buttons in real time, without changing anything in System Settings.Customization
DeckleDeckle is a free, open-source menu bar app that lays a subtle paper-grain texture over your entire Mac screen. The idea is to make long reading and writing sessions feel more like paper than glass. You pick a paper, set how strong it is, and keep working: the overlay is fully click-through, so every window underneath stays usable. It comes with 26 built-in papers, from a plain dimming veil with no grain to warm, tinted, dark and fiber-heavy finishes, and you can save up to eight named desk setups such as Read, Write or Unwind.Customization
NotchlyNotchly is a lightweight native app that turns the notch on a MacBook screen into a small, interactive control area, similar to the Dynamic Island on iPhone. Around the notch it shows what is playing with music controls, battery and charging status, Lock Screen playback, focus mode animations and swipe gestures. For developers it can also show alerts from Codex, Cursor and Claude Code, so you see when an AI agent needs approval or has finished a task.Customization
FULLMAC.app does not host this app. Download buttons lead to the developer’s own pages.