Invisible icons

[IronicTrout]

I'm trying to make invisible icons on my desktop because I hate the way things look on it, but I want to still be able to click them. My original idea was to make the icon the same as the background, but i can't seem to get the size right. Any ideas on a better way?

 

[Consultant]

I'm trying to make invisible icons on my desktop because I hate the way things look on it, but I want to still be able to click them. My original idea was to make the icon the same as the background, but i can't seem to get the size right. Any ideas on a better way?

Just use spotlight or dock to launch apps

 

[firedept]

Here you go. Works great with files. Have not tried it with icons but I can not see it not working for you.

http://osxdaily.com/2011/09/30/make-an-invisible-folder-hide-in-plain-sight/

 

[davedee65]

I use a combo of DeskShade to hide everything and Alfred to open stuff

D

 

[Apple Key]

Here you go. Works great with files. Have not tried it with icons but I can not see it not working for you.

http://osxdaily.com/2011/09/30/make-an-invisible-folder-hide-in-plain-sight/

This is very cool. Thanks for sharing!

On a side note, I'm surprised the OS allows you to do this, because if you create one and forgot where you put it, it would be quite difficult to find.

 

[chown33]

On a side note, I'm surprised the OS allows you to do this, because if you create one and forgot where you put it, it would be quite difficult to find.

1. Click the desktop.
2. Press command-A (Edit menu > Select All).
3. Observe all items on desktop are hilited in your hilite color.

 

[Apple Key]

1. Click the desktop.
2. Press command-A (Edit menu > Select All).
3. Observe all items on desktop are hilited in your hilite color.

Yeah, but that's only if you know where you put it. If you put it in a random folder and forgot about it, how would you search for it?

 

[firedept]

This is very cool. Thanks for sharing!

On a side note, I'm surprised the OS allows you to do this, because if you create one and forgot where you put it, it would be quite difficult to find.

Just open finder and search. It only hides them on your desktop, not in finder.

 

[Apple Key]

Just open finder and search. It only hides them on your desktop, not in finder.

This might be a silly question, but how can you search for something called " " (just a space)?

 

[firedept]

You still name the folder that is hidden.

 

[chown33]

Yeah, but that's only if you know where you put it. If you put it in a random folder and forgot about it, how would you search for it?

I would use the command-line:

locate "  "

which tells me the pathname of everything it knows about whose name contains two spaces.

Any Finder view other than "View as Icons" will also show something there. Try it. Put your invisible folder in your Documents folder, then open that window and View as List, as Columns, and as Cover Flow. You never see absolutely nothing; there's always some indication of something.

In general, make an effort not to misplace things you can't see. Perhaps plan ahead and put a sub-folder in the invisible folder named "This is invisible", so you can search for "invisible" later.

Nothing will be 100% fool-proof, since fools can be so ingenious.