Looking for TinkerTool? Here is Why You Need it

If you like to tweak and customize your devices to work just the way you want them, then you’ll love TinkerTool. It is a freeware application that is specifically designed for macOS. 

There are some concealed features that Apple has built-in macOS in the form of additional preferences. These features can be activated with the help of TinkerTool. 

With TinkerTool, there’s no limit to the ways you can make your Mac work for you. But it would be best if you kept your customizations in check to prevent any damage to your system. 

This is where we come for help. In this article, we will discuss the capabilities of TinkerTool for Mac in detail so that you can easily customize your system without worrying about anything. 

 

What is TinkerTool?

TinkerTool is designed by a German Developer who goes by the name of Marcel Bresink. This app was initially released on December 10, 2010, but the stable version was later released in October 2019. 

TinkerTool for mac allows you to customize your system by disclosing hidden preferences. It exposes the preferences of GUI (Graphical User Interface). 

GUI is a form of interface that allows users to interact with different electronic devices in various ways, such as primary notation or typed command labels. 

 

Version History of TinkerTool:

Initially, it was designed in a way that it was compatible with all versions of macOS. Within growing time, its compatibility with some versions is distributed into separate applications. 

The other versions of TinkerTool that were designed are TinkerTool Classic, TinkerTool Classic Generation 2, and many others. 

Preferences and ratings were given to different forms of these applications over the years. The current version was released on June 15, 2022, and is version 8.5.

Following are the five different product generations with different titles for TinkerTool:

• TinkerTool System (version 1): For macOS X 10.2 jaguar, For macOS X 10.3 panther and for macOS X 10.4 Tiger
• TinkerTool System Release 2: For macOS X 10.5 Leopard. For macOS X 10.6 Snow-Leopard, macOS X 10.7 Mountain lions, and macOS 10.8 Mavericks
• TinkerTool System 4: For OS X 10.10 Yosemite and OS X 10.11 El Capitan
• TinkerTool System 5: For macOS 10.12 Sierra and macOS 10.13 High Sierra
• TinkerTool System 6: For macOS 10.14 Mojave and macOS 10.15 Catalina
• TinkerTool System 7: For macOS 11.0 Big Sur

TinkerTool for macOS:

TinkerTool is a native macOS application and it doesn’t use any false mechanism to perform functions. It is a collection of system utility features that help you in completing some advanced administrative tasks on macOS.

While using it on Mac laptops or computers, the application utilizes its self-adapting user interface which adjusts to the model of the computer and the version of macOS running by a user.

The GUI of TinkerTool is completely separated from the operational core. The core is strictly monitored by the macOS security subsystem which is responsible for accepting or denying every single operation and asks for authentication if necessary.

What Are The Benefits of Using TinkerTool?

TinkerTool is designed to perform multiple tasks on macOS X. This application serves as a general toolbox capable of controlling all functions and programs on your system.

Following is a list of some benefits that you can avail yourself by using TinkerTool.

Access Advanced System Settings:

TinkerTool provides access to numerous hidden preference settings in macOS that are usually not visible in the System Preferences application.

These include, for example, settings to modify the way in which Finder handles filename extensions, or to activate a “Secret” menu in the Finder’s contextual menu.

Remove or Add Individual Menu Items:

TinkerTool lets you activate or deactivate specific menu items in the Finder and other applications.

This can be useful, for example, if you want to remove the Connect to Server command from the Finder’s Go menu because you never use it.

Enable or Disable System Animation Effects:

macOS features a number of animations, such as the “Genie Effect” used when minimizing windows.

If you find such animations annoying or if they reduce your system’s performance, TinkerTool can deactivate them with a single click.

Reveal Hidden Files in the Finder:

The Finder application hides certain types of files by default, for example, files that begin with a dot.

If you need access to such files, TinkerTool can make them visible with a click.

Change the Default Location for Saving Screenshots:

By default, macOS saves screenshots as PNG files on the desktop. With TinkerTool, you can specify any other location, such as a subfolder in your Pictures folder.

Besides the above-mentioned benefits, you can also use this application to collect advanced information about hardware, operating system, and applications.

And while performing any of the above-mentioned functions, TinkerTool doesn’t violate Apple’s guidelines. 

Things You Can Do With TinkerTool

There are a lot of things that you can do with TinkerTool. To make it easy for you, we have organized all the features in TinkerTool into four categories.

File Operation:

You can use TinkerTool to perform various file operations such as creating a new file, renaming a file, copying a file from one location to another, and deleting a file. 

You can also use TinkerTool to compress or decompress files.

User Settings:

TinkerTool lets you customize various user settings such as the default web browser, the default email client, the desktop background, and the screen resolution. You can also use TinkerTool to manage font files and printer settings.

System Settings:

With TinkerTool, you can access hidden system settings that are not available in the System Preferences application. This includes settings for the Dock, the Finder, QuickTime, Safari, and more. 

You can also use TinkerTool to disable or enable various startup items.

Advanced Features:

The Advanced section of TinkerTool contains features that are designed for power users and system administrators. These features include resetting Launch Services, emptying the Trash securely, repairing disk permissions, and much more.

System Maintenance:

TinkerTool also includes a set of tools for system maintenance tasks such as finding and removing duplicate files, uninstalling applications, and cleaning up various caches and log files. 

These are just some of the things that you can do with TinkerTool. For more information, please refer to the TinkerTool User Manual.

System Requirements for TinkerTool:

If you want to use TinkerTool, you’ll need an Apple computer running one of the following operating systems: 

• macOS 10.14 Mojave
• macOS 10.15 Catalina. 

It’s important to keep your device up-to-date if you’re going to be using this software, as modern versions of macOS have some limitations that allow TinkerTool to perform in specific domains. 

One such limitation is that it restricts access if the user has an empty password. Despite these requirements, TinkerTool is a powerful and useful tool for customizing your Mac experience. 

With it, you can change a variety of system settings and preferences that are normally hidden from users. So if you’re willing to meet the system requirements, TinkerTool can be a great asset in making your Mac work just the way you want it to.

How to Install TinkerTool on macOS?

Installing TinkerTool on macOS is pretty easy, however, there are a lot of things that can go wrong during the installation process.

That is why we recommend referring to our detailed guide (mentioned below) if you want to install TinkerTool on macOS. Let’s take a look at it:

• The first thing to do is to download the application from the developer’s official website. There isn’t any cost to download this app. It is available for free. 
• Once you’ve downloaded it, click on the package and you will see a set of instructions on your screen.
• Follow the on-screen instructions and within a few minutes, you will manage to install this app on your computer.

Post-Installation Process:

After installing the app, open it, and you will be able to see the main control window of TinkerTool. The duration of the control window depends upon which version of TinkerTool you’re using and your device model.

During the time of start-up, this program runs multiple validations and security checks which will need some time. These validations and security checks are compulsory to make sure that the application can run successfully even if the system is a little bit damaged.

The structure of the controlled view is divided into multiple bars. These bars contain some icons. These icons can be clicked and opened to the control pane with the respective feature. Jumping from one control pane to the next is easy with the navigation arrows.

Getting Familiar With the Features:

TinkerTool offers multiple features. One cannot simply remember every aspect of the application. But you can search for it through the search bar. 

The search bar is a feature of the software that offers you suggestions as soon as you start typing the first letter of the keyword. This makes it easier for the users to search for the features they want to use. 

The search bar also highlights the keywords and dims the remaining pane. This makes the search bar more useful to the users. By just typing the first letter, the suggestions will start showing up to make your work easier. Highlighting the keywords and dimming the remaining pane will make this feature more useful to the users.

Context Help for Functions:

If you are confused about the particular function of any pane then context help will assist you to understand its context. By just clicking the round button you can open a new window. 

This new window will explain thoroughly the pane with all the detailed answers. This detailed answer contains each piece of information yet is shorter in size. The context of the pane will be explained in the following manner:

• What it does: A short description of the actual function of such a feature
• When to use: A precise description of the situation in which the function can be useful
• When it shouldn’t be used: A list of areas where the specific function should not be used 
• Additional Info: Some additional information about the function and its uses.
• More information from Apple: The stance of the computer manufacturer is also important which is mentioned in the context of a particular function.

Fields for File System Objects:

The TinkerTool system uses special paths to display file system objects, together with their UNIX path. This allows the user to know the exact location of the files, and to use the functions of the this program system on them. 

The paths are displayed in the dock menu and in the touch bar. The dock menu provides an overview of all open paths, and the touch bar allows the user to access frequently used paths. This application system uses these features to provide a convenient way to access and manipulate files and folders.

How Long Does It Take for TinkerTool to Initiate The Changes?

TinkerTool is designed to be as simple and effective as possible. In most cases, changes are made immediately after you select an option. 

However, some functions are more complex and require a textual report. These reports are generated when the operation is finished and can be saved for future reference. 

Keep in mind that some features may require administrator privileges. If this is the case, you will be prompted for your password before the change is made. Overall, This software is a powerful tool that can help you modify many aspects of your system.

Latest Updates:

Currently, TinkerTool is under different modifications and developments. New versions of this application are released without any specific time intervals. 

The best part is that it is completely free to use, and updating it doesn’t require any fee as well. 

You can find the latest versions of this application on their official website. The only drawback is the lack of an auto-download option. But still, it is the best application if you want to discover and use all the features of your Mac without paying anything.

Conclusion:

So this was everything that you should know about TinkerTool and its working mechanism.

We have tried to cover everything regarding this app, from its installation process to benefits of using it. Still, if you have any questions then feel free to comment them down below.