A completely cluttered desktop is the last thing I want to see on my Mac. However, I do have to deal with the messed up display quite often. Many a time, I save files on the desktop to find them a bit more conveniently. And if I forget to clean them up in time, they pile up to clutter the entire screen. But when that happens, I run to some of the easy-to-use tricks to hide desktop icons on Mac to get rid of the mess immediately. So, why not give them a try straight away!

How to Hide Desktop Icons on Mac Using Terminal

Mac Tip: Create custom icons for external hard drives. Mac user Alex mounts a few different hard drives on his Mac, and wanted an easy way to tell them. While using the Terminal to hide desktop icons on a Mac isn’t a difficult task, if you need to hide/unhide desktop icons in macOS on a very regular basis, using the Terminal might not be the most efficient method for you. In such a case, you can use a third party app that will let you hide desktop icons or unhide them with just a click.

Step #1. Launch the Terminal app on your Mac. (Simply search it in the Spotlight and open it.)

Step #2. Now, you have to type the following command:

Step #3. Next, press Enter and then type the second command given below:

Step #4. Next up, hit the enter key.

Voila! Check out the desktop; there won’t be any files on the screen.

Don’t worry, they are just hidden and you can still find them in the Finder → Desktop section.

However, if you ever want to show them on the desktop again, simply enter the following command and hit return/enter key.

Use HiddenMe App to Hide Desktop Icons on Mac

If you want to have an even easier option or don’t wish to deal with the Terminal commands too often, there is an app called HiddenMe that can let you quickly remove all the files from the desktop. Moreover, it’s available for free and works like a native feature on the Mac.

Step #1. First off, download HiddenMe on your computer and launch it.

Step #2. Now, check out a circle icon in the menu bar. Click on it and then select Hide Desktop Icons.

Now, all the files will go away from the screen. If you want to bring them back, click on the circle icon and then select Show Desktop Icons.

Note: if you ever want to remove the HiddenMe icon from the menu bar, click on it and select Quit.

Use Desktop Stacks on Mac

Apple has introduced a new Stacks feature in macOS Mojave to let users keep the desktop neat and clean. So, how does this feature work? Well, it basically organizes all the files into file types and then places them on the right edge of the screen.

However, you have the option to stack them based on date added, date modified, and more. To use it, right-click on the View menu and select Use Stacks. To sort or group stacks based on your preference, right-click on the desktop and then select Sort stacks by/Group stacks → choose the preferred option.

Disk Icons For Mac Os

Workaround: The Old-Fashioned Way of Cleaning Up the Mess

It’s the old-fashioned way of clearing out the mess. And I think you probably already know about it.

Just drag the icons from the desktop to another folder for removing it.

Alternatively, you can drag the unwanted icons to Trash to remove them. Alternatively, you will also right-click on the icon and choose “Move to Trash.”

Wrapping up:

Hopefully, you have got all the tricks required to keep your Mac desktop clean or remove the clutter instantly. Let us know your feedback down below in the comments.

You would like to refer these posts as well:

Jignesh Padhiyar is the co-founder of iGeeksBlog.com who has a keen eye for news, rumors and all the unusual stuff that happens around Apple products. During his tight schedule, Jignesh finds some moments of respite to share side-splitting contents on social media.

• https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/iosblogger/
• https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/iosblogger/

  How to Share Purchased Apps Between iPhones and iPads
• https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/iosblogger/
• https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/iosblogger/

Custom icons for AKiTiO storage drives:

Where Is My Sandisk Icon

How to change a drive icon on Mac OS X

Disk Icons For Mac

1. Turn on the external drive and connect it to your computer.
2. Download the icon for the corresponding drive from above and store the ZIP file on your computer.
3. Unzip the file and store the image found inside it (*.icns) on the desktop.
4. Click on the drive on your desktop to select it and then choose Get Info from the file menu or click Command + I.
   
5. Make sure that you have permissions to access and edit the drive. Usually, there is no need to change anything but if you have read only access, it's not possible to change the drive icon.
   
6. Drag the *.icns image from your desktop to the little drive icon in the top left corner of the Info window. When you see a green plus sign, drop it to change the icon.
   
7. Done! You can now delete the *.icns image from your desktop.
   
8. To restore the default drive icon, go back to Get Info. Select the little drive icon in the top left corner of the Info window and then select Cut from the edit menu.