50 macOS Tips and Tricks Using Terminal (the last one is CRAZY!)

A fast tour of macOS Terminal commands turns everyday Mac tasks—speech, screenshots, Wi‑Fi password retrieval, file management, networking diagnostics, and system monitoring—into one-liners, then escalates into “installable” Terminal toys via Homebrew. The practical through-line is simple: most useful Mac workflows can be automated or accelerated from the command line, and many can be made more convenient (clipboard copying, plain-text pasting, custom screenshot naming, and even Touch ID for sudo).

Early commands focus on quick wins. Terminal can make the Mac speak using `say`, and it can reveal saved Wi‑Fi credentials by querying the system keychain with `security find-generic-password -w -a <network name>`. For sharing, output can be copied straight to the clipboard using `| pbcopy`, which pipes any command’s results into the clipboard. The transcript also highlights productivity shortcuts: plain-text pasting with `pbpaste`/`pbcopy`-style workflows (via `Shift`+`Command`+`V`), keeping the Mac awake with `caffeinate`, and capturing screenshots with `Command`+`Shift`+`3` (whole screen) or `Command`+`Shift`+`4` (selection). Screenshot behavior can be customized by changing defaults for filename, file type (e.g., JPEG), and save location using `defaults write com.apple.screencapture ...`.

Beyond convenience, the command set digs into visibility and control. macOS keeps a download history in a SQLite database, retrievable with a command that queries the relevant `com.apple.LaunchServices` database; clearing browser history doesn’t necessarily erase what’s stored there. Password changes can be handled without leaving Terminal using `passwd`, and the transcript emphasizes using unique passwords per service. That’s where Dashlane enters as a sponsor: it manages passwords, monitors password health (including compromised credentials via dark web monitoring), supports password sharing, and includes built-in two-factor authentication.

A large middle section speeds through Unix-style fundamentals that carry over from Linux: `cd`, `ls`, `pwd`, `whoami`, `mv`, `cp` (and macOS’s `ditto`), `df -h` for disk space, `nano` for editing, `man` for command help, and `open` to launch files like screenshots. Networking commands add troubleshooting muscle: `ping` to test reachability, `ifconfig` (and a more targeted `ifconfig en0` approach) to find IP addresses, `grep`-filtered interface output to extract IPv4/IPv6 addresses, `traceroute` to map router hops and latency, and `dig` to inspect DNS records. Process management is covered with `ps`, `ps -ax`, `top` (including memory-focused sorting), and `kill -9 <PID>` after locating a process ID.

The final stretch turns Terminal into a playground. It checks the active shell with `which $SHELL`, switches between `zsh` and `bash`, reports uptime with `uptime`, and flushes DNS cache using `sudo`-prefixed commands. File and web utilities appear via `qlmanage -p` (Quick Look preview), `diff` (file comparison), and `curl` (downloads and even a weather example). There’s also a built-in “leave” alarm, command history via `history`, and a Gatekeeper toggle using `sudo spctl --master-disable` (with a warning not to do it casually).

The most dramatic segment depends on Homebrew: after installing it, the transcript installs Terminal-native “apps” like `cmatrix` (the red “Matrix” effect), `asciiquarium` (animated ASCII fish), `toilet` (ASCII art text), and `tetris` (playable in the terminal). It also shows a quick Python web server (`python3 -m http.server`) and power controls (`shutdown -h now` / `shutdown -r now`). The capstone is security convenience: editing `/etc/pam.d/sudo` to allow Touch ID (`pam_tid`) so sudo prompts can use fingerprint instead of typing a password—framed as the “best command ever” for anyone tired of repeated sudo entries.