Open System Settings on General option?

[scouser75]

Folks, when opening System Settings, is it possible to set a default for it to open on the General tab?
Mine currently opens on Appearance and would prefer that it opened on General?

 

[bogdanw]

I think it's a bug in System Settings, as the CurrentExtensionURL is saved in com.apple.systempreferences.plist, but not respected when opening the app again.
You can create a simple app with Script Editor to open it at any desired tab

do shell script "open x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.systempreferences.GeneralSettings"

"Opening macOS Ventura’s System Settings to desired locations via the command line"
https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2...gs-to-desired-locations-via-the-command-line/
Similar example of small app/"launcher" https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...c-app-icon-for-freeform.2376497/post-31865630

 

[scouser75]

Thanks for the tip bodanw. I'll see if Apple fixes this over next couple of months and if not I'll try your tip.

 

[kkclstuff]

HI
Unfortunately, this is still happening in Sonoma... will the above options still work?

 

[bogdanw]

Yes, I just tested in Sonoma 14.0 (23A344).

 

[kkclstuff]

Hi Thanks bogdanw!

im a 35yr Mac user but a noob to any kind of coding, but isn't there a way to 'edit' the prefmapping.plist file to open 'General' instead of 'Appearance'?

Im baffled at how  is moving away from obvious/helpful things like this.

 

[bogdanw]

isn't there a way to 'edit' the prefmapping.plist file to open 'General' instead of 'Appearance'?

I'm sorry... where is prefmapping.plist?

 

[kkclstuff]

hi sorry, this was in a comment added to the above links: /System/Library/CoreServices/HelpViewer.app/Content/Resources/prefsmapping.plist

I tried to edit a dup of the plist, but access denied to replace the original? (also tried to unlock the plist in 'get info')

 

[bogdanw]

You can't, that's on a read-only cryptographically signed volume.

 

[kkclstuff]

or maybe a plist in the ~user/library/Pref or Prefpanes?

 

[kkclstuff]

im guessing more knowledgable Mac users have probably gone down these roads... but again its baffling why Apple would do this—Its a very WIN98 move.

anyway, appreciate your input and posts👍

 

[MacDaddyPanda]

It's 2024 and this is still the case. WTF? Granted it's technically not broken or causing problems, but I've seen countless google searches on this topic after I went looking that they should surely know it's annoying problem for a bunch of people. Unless statistically people are clicking to "Appearance" way more than the other settings when opening MacOS settings.

 

[kkclstuff]

[SOLVED] Sequoia 15.0.1 — System Preferences System Settings... finally opens to 'General' now.

 

[bogdanw]

[SOLVED] Sequoia 15.0.1 — System Preferences System Settings... finally opens to 'General' now.

Warm congratulation to the brilliant team of Apple software engineers that worked tirelessly for two years to fix this bug