My macOS Brewfile

0. Before beginning, consider exporting existing macOS Preferences (whether you use to import later or keep as reference, it can't hurt):

# Create a backup directory
mkdir -p ~/macos_prefs_backup

# Export all user defaults
defaults read > ~/macos_prefs_backup/macos_preferences_backup.plist

# Finder Preferences
defaults read com.apple.finder > ~/macos_prefs_backup/finder_prefs.plist

# Dock Preferences
defaults read com.apple.dock > ~/macos_prefs_backup/dock_prefs.plist

# Global System Preferences (Trackpad, Keyboard, etc.)
defaults read NSGlobalDomain > ~/macos_prefs_backup/global_prefs.plist

# Screenshot Preferences
defaults read com.apple.screencapture > ~/macos_prefs_backup/screencapture_prefs.plist

# Terminal Preferences
defaults read com.apple.terminal > ~/macos_prefs_backup/terminal_prefs.plist

# Mission Control & Spaces
defaults read com.apple.spaces > ~/macos_prefs_backup/mission_control_prefs.plist

# Hot Corners
defaults read com.apple.dock wvous-tl-corner > ~/macos_prefs_backup/hotcorners_tl.txt
defaults read com.apple.dock wvous-tr-corner > ~/macos_prefs_backup/hotcorners_tr.txt
defaults read com.apple.dock wvous-bl-corner > ~/macos_prefs_backup/hotcorners_bl.txt
defaults read com.apple.dock wvous-br-corner > ~/macos_prefs_backup/hotcorners_br.txt

# Archive everything for easy transfer
tar -czvf ~/macos_prefs_backup.tar.gz ~/macos_prefs_backup/

echo "✅ macOS preferences backed up to ~/macos_prefs_backup.tar.gz"

Save macos_prefs_backup.tar.gz to an external drive or cloud storage.

1. Install Homebrew

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

If forced to download Xcode command tools, let's not download ALL of Xcode but the bits we need:

xcode-select --install

2. Sign into the Mac App store, so that mas app installs work via Homebrew.

3. Drink from that Brewfile goodness

curl -o ~/Brewfile https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jeffpaul/homebrew-brewfile/main/Brewfile

Then...

brew bundle --file=~/Brewfile

• Restore SSH Keys & Configs From SSH key backup:

mkdir -p ~/.ssh && cp /path/to/backup/.ssh/* ~/.ssh/
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
chmod 644 ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Restoring dotfiles:

cp /path/to/backup/.zshrc ~/
cp /path/to/backup/.gitconfig ~/
source ~/.zshrc

• Validate installed files

brew list

If any apps are missing, re-run:

brew bundle --file=~/Brewfile

• If you want to import macOS Preferences:

# Unpack the backup
tar -xzvf ~/macos_prefs_backup.tar.gz -C ~

# Restore system-wide preferences
defaults import NSGlobalDomain ~/macos_prefs_backup/global_prefs.plist

# Restore Finder settings
defaults import com.apple.finder ~/macos_prefs_backup/finder_prefs.plist
killall Finder

# Restore Dock settings
defaults import com.apple.dock ~/macos_prefs_backup/dock_prefs.plist
killall Dock

# Restore Screenshot preferences
defaults import com.apple.screencapture ~/macos_prefs_backup/screencapture_prefs.plist
killall SystemUIServer

# Restore Terminal preferences
defaults import com.apple.terminal ~/macos_prefs_backup/terminal_prefs.plist

# Restore Mission Control & Spaces
defaults import com.apple.spaces ~/macos_prefs_backup/mission_control_prefs.plist

# Restore Hot Corners
defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-tl-corner -int $(cat ~/macos_prefs_backup/hotcorners_tl.txt)
defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-tr-corner -int $(cat ~/macos_prefs_backup/hotcorners_tr.txt)
defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-bl-corner -int $(cat ~/macos_prefs_backup/hotcorners_bl.txt)
defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-br-corner -int $(cat ~/macos_prefs_backup/hotcorners_br.txt)
killall Dock

# Restart to apply all settings
echo "✅ macOS preferences restored! Restarting now..."
sudo reboot

4. macOS Preferences:

• Control Center > Bluetooth > Show in Menu Bar

• Control Center > Menu Bar Only > Clock > Clock Options > Show date: Always

• Control Center > Sound > Don't Show in Menu Bar

• General > Software Update > Automatic updates > (!) > Install macOS updates

• General > Software Update > Automatic updates > (!) > Install application updates from the App Store

• Desktop & Dock > Minimize windows using: Genie Effect

• Desktop & Dock > Minimize windows into application icon (ENABLE)

• Desktop & Dock > Automatically hide and show the Dock (ENABLE)

• Desktop & Dock > Show suggested and recent apps in Dock (DISABLE)

• Desktop & Dock > Windows > Drag windows to screen edges to tile (DISABLE)

• Desktop & Dock > Windows > Drag windows to menu bar to fill screen (DISABLE)

• Displays > Night Shift > Schedule: Sunset to Sunrise

• Network > Firewall (ENABLE)

• Privacy & Security > Security > Allow applications downloaded from: App Store & Known Developers

• Privacy & Security > FileVault > On (makes sure SSD is securely encrypted)

• Trackpad > Point & Click > Quiet Click (ENABLED)

• Trackpad > Point & Click > Secondary click > Click with Two Fingers

5. Terminal commands:

• Show Library folder: chflags nohidden ~/Library
• Show hidden files: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES
• echo 'export PATH="/usr/local/sbin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
• Keep Homebrew current:
  • touch .bash_profile
  • alias brewup='brew update; brew upgrade; brew cleanup; brew doctor'
  • source ~/.bash_profile Ensure a DAILY CHECK to run: brewup.

6. Dropbox settings:

• Sign in with Dropbox
• Select folders to sync to this Mac > Select folders:
  • Downloads
  • Family photos - 2015
  • Family photos - 2019
  • Family photos - 2021
  • Music > Amazon Music
  • Music > iTunes > iTunes Media > Music
• General > Dropbox badge > Never show
• Sync > Default sync state for new files: Online-only
• macOS Settings > Screen Saver > Other > Photos > Style: Vintage Prints > Options > Choose folder: Dropbox > Family photos - 2021

7. Keybase settings:

• Files > Enable Finder Integration

8. Chrome settings:

• Sign in to Chrome (work & personal)
• Appearance > Show warning before quitting with commandQ (DISABLE)
• Downloads: Dropbox/Downloads
• Browse to https://meet.google.com, click "Install" for the PWA app.

9. Firefox settings:

• SIGN IN
• General > Files and Applications > Downloads > Save files to: Dropbox/Downloads
• Search > Default Search Engine: DuckDuckGo
• Privacy & Security > Passwords > DISABLE ALL
• Privacy & Security > Autofill > DISABLE ALL
• Privacy & Security > Firefox Data Collection and Use > DISABLE ALL
• Privacy & Security > History > Firefox will: Use custom settings for history > (DISABLE) Remember search and form history
• about:config > dom.forms.selectSearch <> true

10. Safari settings:

• General > File download location: Dropbox/Downloads

11. Choosy prefs:

• Make default browser
• Browsers > Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari
• Advanced > Start Choosy at login
• Advanced > Display Choosy icon in the menu bar (DISABLE)
• Rules > +
  • Title: Google Video > Chrome
  • Any of the following are true
  • Rule: Web address contains: hangouts.google.com
  • Rule: Web address contains: meet.google.com
  • Rule: Web address contains: google.com/hangouts
  • Always use this browser... Browse: Google Meet
  • Enabled > OK
• Rules > (EDIT) Default behavior
  • Always user this browser... Firefox
  • Enabled > OK
• About > Register

12. Manually install:
~ - 1.1.1.1 DNS [setup instructions](https://1.1.1.1/dns/) ~
~ - [Beardie](https://github.com/Stillness-2/beardie) ~
~ - [Blue Sherpa for Blue Yeti mic](https://www.bluedesigns.com/products/sherpa/) & [Logitech G Hub](https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/innovation/g-hub.html) ~
~ - [Brother iPrint&Scan Push Scan Tool](https://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadlist.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=ads2800w_all&os=10072) ~
~ - [Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920](https://support.logi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360053977993-Downloads-C922x-Pro-Stream-1080p-Webcam) ~
~ - [Sonos](https://support.sonos.com/s/downloads?language=en_US) ~

13. Amazon Music preferences:

• Music Management > Download Location > /Users/jeffpaul/Dropbox/Music/Amazon Music
• System Preferences > Show notifications for track playing (DISABLE)

14. Bartender preferences:

• General > Startup: Launch Bartender at login
• Apply License Key

15. HP Easy Scan preferences
- Scan to Computer > Save as Editable Text (OCR) > Scan To: Dropbox/Downloads
- Scan to Computer > Save as JPEG > Scan To: Dropbox/Downloads
- Scan to Computer > Save as PDF > Scan To: Dropbox/Downloads

16. Local preferences:

• LOG IN

17. Mail preferences:

• General > Downloads folder: Dropbox/Downloads

18. Memory Clean 3 preferences:

• Activate License
• Dock Window
• General > Start at login
• General > Hide window at startup
• App Management > Notify me when apps become inactive (DISABLE)
• Advanced > Threshold level: 2000 MB
• Advanced > Auto clean

19. Messages settings:

• iMessage > Enable Messages in iCloud
• iMessage > Sync Now
• Launch Contacts app > Settings > Accounts (+) > Google > > Select Contacts only

20. Music settings:

• Files > Music Media folder location: /Users/jeffpaul/Dropbox/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music

21. Slack settings

• Workspaces:
  • 10up
  • wordpress
  • woocommerce
  • newspack
  • poststatus
  • thewpcc
  • thetodogroup
  • cmssecuritysummit
  • indieweb
  • gatherpress
• Settings > Advanced > Download Location: Dropbox/Downloads

22. Sound Control preferences:

• Check for updates automatically
• Appearance > Menu Bar Icon:
• Options > Launch Sound Control at startup (ENABLE)
• Device Order > Input > Yeti then C922

23. VS Code

• Sync to and from other devices > Enable Settings Sync > Sign in with GitHub

24. Wavebox settings:

• Show warning before quitting with commandQ (DISABLE)

25. Zoom preferences:

• SIGN IN
• General > Ask me to confirm when I leave a meeting (DISABLE)
• General > Add Zoom to macOS menu bar (DISABLE)
• General > Activate the following emojis based on hand gesture recognition (ENABLE)
• Video > Camera > HD
• Video > Always display participant name on their videos (DISABLE)
• Audio > Automatically join computer audio when joining (ENABLE)
• Background & effects > Adjust for low light: Auto (ENABLE)
• Recording > Local Recording > Store my recordings at: Dropbox/Downloads

26. GPG Keychain

• Import
• Verify git commits

27. GitHub Desktop settings:

• SIGN IN
• Git > Email:
• Git > Default branch name for new repositories > Other: trunk
• Advanced > Usage > Help GitHub Desktop improve by submitting usage stats (DISABLE)
• Migrate .gitconfig from backup

28. Keep in Dock:

• Finder
• Wavebox
• Slack
• Messages
• Signal
• Firefox
• Google Chrome
• Google Meet
• Local
• GitHub Desktop
• VS Code
• Cursor
• Amazon Music
• Pocket Casts
• Notes

29. Finder settings:

• General > Show these items on the desktop: External disks (DISABLE)
• General > Show these items on the desktop: CDs, DVDs, and iPods (DISABLE)
• General > New Finder windows show: Dropbox/Downloads
• Advanced > Show all filename extensions (ENABLE)
• Advanced > Show warning before removing from iCloud Drive (DISABLE)
• Advanced > When performaing a search > Search the Current Folder
• Advanced > Remove items from the Trash after 30 days (ENABLE)
• Command + Shit + 5 > Options > Save to Dropbox>Downloads

30. Finder sidebar:

• (KEEP) AirDrop
• (KEEP) Appications
• (KEEP) Desktop
• (REMOVE) Documents
• (REMOVE) Downloads
• (ADD) Dropbox/Downloads
• (KEEP) Dropbox
• (ADD) jeffpaul
• (KEEP) Keybase
• (KEEP) Recents

31. Load fonts

• open Font Book, import from fonts

32. Papriaka

• Login & Sync

33. FINALLY... Run brew doctor to ensure everything is set up correctly:

brew doctor

Restart Mac for a fresh start!