{"id":8771,"date":"2023-10-28T16:03:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-28T20:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tcn.tidbits.com\/?p=10124"},"modified":"2023-11-07T18:47:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T22:47:00","slug":"four-solutions-to-gotchas-in-macos-14-sonoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.macworks.com\/blog\/four-solutions-to-gotchas-in-macos-14-sonoma\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Solutions to Gotchas in macOS 14 Sonoma"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re seeing an increasing number of people switching to macOS 14 Sonoma, and for the most part, things are going well. However, Apple introduced some new features\u2014and turned them on by default\u2014that are causing some consternation. If you\u2019ve switched to Sonoma or are planning to soon, here are four features you might want to know about.<\/p>\n

Hide Windows when Clicking on the Desktop<\/h3>\n

The most immediately surprising thing you\u2019ll notice when you upgrade to Sonoma is that clicking an empty area on the desktop moves all windows off to the side to give you full access to icons and widgets on your desktop. It\u2019s not a bad feature, but if you\u2019re accustomed to clicking the desktop simply to switch to the Finder, it can be off-putting. To keep windows where they are, open System Settings > Desktop & Dock, and under Desktop & Stage Manager, where it says \u201cClick wallpaper to reveal desktop,\u201d choose Only in Stage Manager.<\/p>\n

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Apple has introduced additional interlocking settings here, so you might want to play with them to see if they support your preferred working style. In particular, note the Show Items checkboxes\u2014if you don\u2019t like seeing all your desktop icons, deselect the On Desktop box to make those icons appear only when you click the desktop.<\/p>\n

Print Queue Apps Are Now Part of Print Center<\/h3>\n

For many years, when you printed from a Mac, a print queue app launched to show the progress of your print job and quit automatically once the job was completed. Some people kept those print queue apps in the Dock afterward, perhaps as a way of accessing a multifunction printer\u2019s scanner. Upgrading to macOS 14 Sonoma broke those Dock icons because individual print queue apps have been replaced by the new Print Center app.<\/p>\n

Print Center now launches automatically to show print job progress, but you can also open it manually from the Application folder\u2019s Utilities folder. It also offers options to manage the printer and launch Image Capture, Apple\u2019s default interface for scanning. If you\u2019ve been surprised by printing changes in Sonoma, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with Print Center.<\/p>\n

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Gestures Can Trigger Fireworks and Other Effects<\/h3>\n

In Sonoma, when you\u2019re in a video call using FaceTime, Zoom, Webex, or another supported videoconferencing app, making certain hand gestures will trigger special effects. (This works only on a Mac with Apple silicon or when using an iPhone as your webcam.) These reactions are fun\u2026 except when they\u2019re not. A double thumbs-down gesture that generates rain during a therapy session may be utterly inappropriate, and causing balloons to fall during a serious business meeting just because you inadvertently made a V with your index and middle fingers might not be considered amusing. Here are the gestures and what they trigger.<\/p>\n

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To ensure you don\u2019t accidentally generate a reaction with a stray gesture, click the green video camera icon that appears in your menu bar when using one of the apps that supports reactions. (You must be actively sending video\u2014just having the app open may not be sufficient to make the green icon appear.) Then click Reactions under your preview so it goes from having a green icon to a gray icon. Reactions are now disabled. That app should remember your preference, but you\u2019ll have to turn off reactions separately in every app where they\u2019re available.<\/p>\n

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New Privacy Awareness Icons<\/h3>\n

That green video camera icon that appears in your menu bar when sending video in Sonoma isn\u2019t the only one that can appear in that spot, and we\u2019ve fielded questions from people who are surprised and confused by these icons appearing. Don\u2019t worry; they aren\u2019t an indication of malware on your Mac! Apple added them so you\u2019d always be aware when an app was using your Mac\u2019s camera or microphone, or recording the screen. You can think of them as an expansion of the tiny green LED that lights up next to the Mac\u2019s camera when it\u2019s in use.<\/p>\n

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The three icons you might see are:<\/p>\n