Regina Tech News

The hot corners feature in macOS allows users to perform specific actions by moving their mouse cursor to the screen’s four corners. The default hot corner actions are to activate Mission Control to view open windows and applications in the top-left corner, to open the Notification Center in the top-right corner, to show the Desktop by minimizing all open windows in the bottom-left corner, and to activate the screen saver or put the display to sleep in the bottom-right corner. If you don’t like the design, here’s how to turn it off:

Here’s a detailed guide on disabling Hot Corners on your Mac, whether you are using macOS Monterey or the latest macOS Ventura.

Disabling Hot Corners on macOS Monterey or Earlier

1. Open System Preferences:
   • Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your screen.
   • Select System Preferences from the drop-down menu.
   • Click on Desktop & Screen Saver.
2. Access Hot Corners:
   • Click on the Screen Saver tab at the top.
   • Click the Hot Corners button in the bottom right corner.
3. Disable Hot Corners:
   • A new window will pop up with four drop-down menus, each corresponding to one of the four corners of your screen.
   • Click on each drop-down menu and select the “-” option to disable the respective Hot Corner.
   • You can choose to disable all four corners or just a few, depending on your preference.
4. Apply Settings:
   • Click OK to save your changes.

Remove Hot Corners on macOS Ventura

1. Open System Settings:
   • Click on the System Settings icon from your Mac Dock.
2. Navigate to Desktop & Dock Settings:
   • From the navigation menu on the left, select Desktop & Dock.
3. Find Hot Corners:
   • Scroll down until you find the Hot Corners option.
   • Click on Hot Corners.
4. Disable Hot Corners:
   • Click on each Hot Corner you wish to disable.
   • Select the “-” option from the drop-down menu.
   • Repeat this process for each corner you want to disable.
5. Apply Settings:
   • Click Done to save your changes.

Disabling Hot Corners Using Terminals 

Another option for disabling Hot Corners is to use Terminal. However, you must be familiar with or have a better understanding of command-line interfaces. Here are the steps to disable Hot Corners using the Terminal:

Step 1: Open Terminal. on your Mac. You can do this by going to Launchpad -> Others -> Terminal.

Step 2: Type defaults. Write: com.apple.dock wvous-tl-corner -int 0. This disables the top-left hot corner. Press “Return”.

Step 3: Type defaults. Write com.apple.dock wvous-tr-corner -int 0, This disables the top-right hot corner. Press “Return”.

Step 4: Type defaults. Write: com.apple.dock wvous-bl-corner -int 0. This disables the bottom-left hot corner. Then press “Return”.

Step 5: Type defaults. Write: com.apple.dock wvous-br-corner -int 0. This disables the bottom-right hot corner. Press “Return”.

Step 6: Type killall Dock and press “Return”.

What are the Main Functions of the Hot Corners?

Before you disable the “annoying” hot corners, maybe you could consider their importance. Maybe, just maybe you should know the functions first, or what you could do with it.  With Mac Hot Corners, you can complete tasks quickly by dragging your mouse to a corner of the screen. They can assist you in launching other programs, displaying the desktop, activating Mission Control, and starting the screensaver. 

Workflows are streamlined and time is saved with this feature. Hot Corners can help you work more efficiently if you frequently switch between tasks. Each corner can also be altered to meet your specific requirements. They may be too sensitive for some users, despite their convenience. In that case, adjusting or disabling them is simple. This adaptability guarantees that your Mac operates the way you desire.

How You Can Stop Activating Hot Corners Accidentally

If you want to avoid accidentally activating Hot Corners on your Mac, try using the Modifier Key. This simple tweak requires you to press specific keys before the Hot Corner action is activated. It’s a handy way to avoid unintended triggers. Simply set up your Hot Corners using a Modifier key, and you’re done. This straightforward approach keeps your Hot Corners functional while preventing accidental activations.

• Navigate to System Preferences > Mission Control, then select Hot Corners.
• When you select any of the screen’s four active corners, a drop-down menu appears.
• To assign a modifier key, press and hold the desired key (Shift, Command, Control, or Option), then select the action; we’ll use Launchpad as an example here.
• Once you’ve finished configuring, click OK to confirm the changes.

Conclusions 

Hot corners on a MacBook can be turned off by accessing the System Preferences and disabling them in the Desktop & Screen Saver or Desktop & Dock settings. Alternatively, they can also be disabled using Terminal commands. Hot corners can be useful for quickly accessing certain functions on the Mac, but if they are causing accidental activations, a modifier key can be assigned to prevent this.

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