Mainspring is a macOS utility from Everyday Mac Tools that applies the hidden settings power users normally dig out of Terminal — 90+ of them — through one-click power-ups, bundled recipes, and context-aware scenes, with every change snapshotted so it reverts in a single click.
What is Mainspring?
Mainspring is a Mac app that writes hidden macOS system settings for you, labels each one in plain English, and remembers how to undo it. Its input is your choice — a single power-up toggle, a recipe bundle, or a scene — and its output is a changed macOS setting covering Finder behaviour, Dock and animation speed, screenshot defaults, sleep and power behaviour, and privacy toggles. It runs on macOS only, installs from an Apple-signed and notarized .pkg with a normal double-click, and is made by Everyday Mac Tools, the studio also behind Shoji, Trill, and Punchcard. Everything happens on your machine: Mainspring changes settings locally and the only network calls are to verify your license.
What makes Mainspring stand out?
- 90+ named power-ups — every setting is a real macOS default, grouped into Finder, Speed, Privacy, and Power, such as "Show hidden files," "No .DS_Store on drives," "Quit Finder with ⌘Q," and "Dock size & magnify."
- Recipes — curated bundles of 3-6 power-ups that belong together (Speed Boost, Screenshot Studio, Privacy & Security, Declutter & Focus, Writer's Focus, Power Windows, Finder Power, Developer Setup) applied as a set and reverted as a set.
- Scenes — build a scene from any mix of power-ups and flip your whole Mac between contexts like Work, Focus, or Presentation; nothing changes until you switch to it.
- Automation triggers — Mainspring watches power state, display connections, time of day, and app launches, then applies the matching scene (unplug goes to Battery Saver, a display connect goes to Desk Mode, Zoom opening goes to Meeting Mode).
- One-click undo — each setting is snapshotted before it changes, so a single click flips it back; the page calls this out as the whole point of the app.
- No Terminal required — instead of pasting
defaults writecommands and hoping you remember the reverse, you get a toggle and a revert button. - 3-minute guided tour — an 8-chapter, captioned video walkthrough on YouTube shows recipes, Clean Mode, Tidy windows, Private folders, Hot Corners, and Mac Health step by step.
Who should use Mainspring?
- Mac power users who currently keep a notes file of
defaults writecommands and want the same tweaks as toggles with reliable undo. - Mac developers who want the Developer Setup recipe — hidden files visible, all file extensions shown, faster key repeat — without hand-editing plists.
- Writers and focus workers who want Writer's Focus (no autocorrect, no smart quotes, no UI sounds) and a hidden desktop during deep work.
- Laptop users who move between contexts — on battery, docked to a display, or presenting — and want power, display, and Do Not Disturb settings to switch themselves.
What can you do with Mainspring?
- Speed up a sluggish Mac: apply the Speed Boost recipe (4 power-ups) for an instant Dock, no window animations, faster Mission Control, and reduced transparency.
- Tighten screenshots: the Screenshot Studio recipe removes the shadow and floating thumbnail and writes smaller files, plus a custom screenshot folder power-up.
- Keep a Mac awake when needed: power-ups for never sleeping with the lid closed and Caffeinating on a timer, useful for long downloads or builds.
- Reduce tracking and lookups: the Privacy & Security recipe covers password on sleep, disabling personalized ads, Siri, and lookup leaks, and saving locally instead of to iCloud.
How does Mainspring work?
You download the .pkg and install it with a double-click, then work from a single window listing every setting. Choosing a power-up, recipe, or scene writes the underlying macOS defaults and stores a snapshot of the previous value; reverting is one click per setting or one action per recipe. Scenes can be applied manually or left to automation, which watches power, displays, time, and app events in the background.
Pricing
Mainspring is paid software with a one-time license: $29 once, covering every recipe and all 90+ power-ups, scenes and automation, power controls, use on up to three Macs, and free updates forever. A free one-day trial unlocks every feature with no account or card. Some recipes are labelled FREE and others PRO; checkout runs through Dodo Payments and prices adjust to your country.
Alternatives
Onyx, TinkerTool, and MacPilot are other macOS utilities for reaching hidden system settings and maintenance options.
