TinkerTool is an application that gives you access to additional preference settings Apple has built into OS X. This allows to activate hidden features in the operating system and in some of the applications delivered with the system. The tool makes sure that preference changes can only affect the current user. 7 Mac OS X System Utilities Compared, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2003.11.10. So many free and shareware OS X system utilities - which ones should you try on your Mac? Jan 13, 2011 Question: Q: Onyx VS Cocktail VS Tinkertool System. Hi everybody! Well, I'm new in the Apple forum and I'm going to receive my first Apple Notebook, that's the new MacBook Air 13. Actually, I'm looking for a system utility software to take care of my new Mac. May you help me in this choice with your comments and feedback.? OnyX is a multifunction utility that you can use to verify the structure of the system files, to run miscellaneous maintenance and cleaning tasks, to configure parameters in the Finder, Dock, Safari, and some Apple applications, to delete caches, to remove certain problematic folders and files, to rebuild various databases and indexes, and more. The features marked with an asterisk (.) are available without any restrictions even if TinkerTool System runs in demo mode. In demo mode, TinkerTool System lets you check out the other features, but you need to register in order to apply them. TinkerTool System is fully compliant with Apple's security guidelines for Mac OS X.
TinkerTool running on macOS Mojave with 'General' preferences pane open. | |
| Initial release | December 7, 2010 |
|---|---|
| Stable release | |
| Operating system | macOS |
| Available in | Multilingual |
| Type | Utilities |
| License | Freeware |
| Website | www.bresink.com/osx/TinkerTool.html |
| Usage | |
TinkerTool is a freeware application for macOS that allows the user to customise the system by exposing hidden preferences to a graphical user interface (GUI).[1] It is developed by German developer Marcel Bresink Software-Systeme. Its latest release is version 7.4.2, which is optimised for macOS Catalina and many features that came with it.[2]
Features[edit]
TinkerTool gives users access to hidden system and application preferences that Apple has built into macOS, but not integrated into GUI preferences menus. Although users can typically access these through Terminal operations, TinkerTool assembles them and provides a GUI similar to Apple’s System Preferences application for easier access.
By using Apple’s hidden preferences, the application only commits changes that are reversible and affect the preferences of the current user account. Administrative privileges or background processing are not required. The application also supports a reset option to reset all preferences to Apple's defaults, or to the state that existed before using the application.
History[edit]
Initially, TinkerTool worked with all versions of macOS. However, over the years, compatibility with particular versions of macOS was spun off into separate applications: TinkerTool Classic, TinkerTool Classic Generation 2, TinkerTool 4, TinkerTool 5, TinkerTool 6, and the current TinkerTool. Support therefore goes back to Mac OS X 10.1 Puma and later.[3]
Versions[edit]
TinkerTool versions are specific to versions of macOS and are not backward compatible. The program will not work correctly if used with an OS for which it was not designed.
- Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar: TinkerTool Classic, v3.9.5
- Mac OS X 10.3 Panther: TinkerTool Classic, v3.9.5
- Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger: TinkerTool Classic Generation 2, v4.5
- Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: TinkerTool Classic Generation 2, v4.5
- Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard: TinkerTool 4, v4.97
- Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: TinkerTool 4, v4.97
- OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion: TinkerTool 4, v4.97
- OS X 10.9 Mavericks: TinkerTool 5, v5.7
- OS X 10.10 Yosemite: TinkerTool 5, v5.7
- OS X 10.11 El Capitan: TinkerTool 5, v5.7
- macOS 10.12 Sierra: TinkerTool 6, v6.5
- macOS 10.13 High Sierra: TinkerTool 6, v6.5
- macOS 10.14 Mojave: TinkerTool, v7.4.2
- macOS 10.15 Catalina: TinkerTool, v7.4.2
The macOS Catalina (10.15) build is actively maintained. However, all previous versions in support of past operating systems are still available for download from the developer's website
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Bresink, Marcel. 'TinkerTool: Description'. Software-Systeme. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^Bresink, Marcel. 'TikerTool: What's new?'. Software-Systeme. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^TinkerTool versions