macOS Ventura System Settings Problems, Shortcuts, Requests
The macOS Ventura System Settings represent the biggest UI change in macOS 13. The old System Preferences section has been totally revamped and reconfigured in the style of the iPadOS 16 Settings app.
Let’s check out the common problems, improve the experience with shortcuts and voice out expected updates!
macOS Ventura System Settings Problems
In this section we list all issues reported for this macOS 13 app, along with available fixes and workarounds:
- 1. System Settings window can’t be expanded horizontally. You can only enlarge it vertically. This is a dealbreaker because the Mac screen is much wider than the iPad or iPhone one.
- 2. System Settings loads slow when you initially open the app.
- 3. To be updated! (Contribute with bug reports in the comments. We submit feedback to Apple daily!)
macOS Ventura System Settings Shortcuts
Improve your experience with this revamped macOS 13 app with the help of the following shortcuts:
- 1. option + F2 combo opens up the Displays menu in System Settings.
- 2. command + space combo brings up Spotlight Search. Type “s” and System Settings will instantly show up as a suggest result. Press Return key to open the app.
- 3. command + H shortcut can be used to hide System Settings.
- 4. command + Q combo is available when you want to quit the app.
- To be updated! (Are we missing a shortcut? Share it in the comments)
macOS Ventura System Settings Feature Requests
Missing functionality from the old System Preferences app is listed here:
- 1. Power Schedule Missing – In fact it’s only the UI that’s missing, because if you had a power sechedule already set from Monterey it will still continue to work after macOS Ventura update. You can edit it though!
Issue: System Settings doesn’t come with an option to set MacBook to sleep at a predefined time and wake up at a set time. This used to be available in the old System Preferences app.
- 2. Custom Time for turning off display on battery or power not available anymore! The new System Settings app in macOS Ventura only allows set values (minutes or hours timers).
Fact: These options are now available in the Lock Screen menu. In System Preferences they used to be in the Battery menu.You could set a custom time for turning display off on battery/power, now it is set values. This setting used to be in the Battery menu but is now in the Lock Screen menu.
- To be updated! (You’re not finding an option? Report it in the comments!)
Conclusion: Opinions are split when it comes to the new Mac system settings. While some love the change and consider it very intuitive others hate it because it’s not tailored to the Mac’s needs!
How do you find the new macOS Ventura System Settings app? Help us fine tune it by sharing your feedback in the comments!
Related: For more macOS 13 features please check our extended review available here.
As we get older the use of real keyboard, a full mouse and a large screen become increasingly essential and still remain the main strength of the mac. Ask those with dual monitors if they would give them up. A tool for all, young and old. I do not want my mac to emulate my iphone whch is becoming increasingly hard to use and too complex with its “gestures” to accomodate its technological fragility. The Mac is primaryfor me and the main reason to stay with the whole platform.
I am not a Luddite and I do like and appreciate developments in MacOS. But there is a great saying in IT: “if it isn’t broke don’t fix it” . Ventura does have a great many developments even if it does only run on newer machines. However, System Preference, for so long, was the gateway into the Mac from a Windows machine. Now we stutter along trying to learn the new presentation of our system preferences which I fail to see improves my use of the Mac. Another great saying “never give a program designer of Version1 the opportunity to create Version 2. it will become far too complex in its persuit of perfection. Geekism rules.
Thanks for the feedback Rae. Your statements definitely make sense. These changers are definitely affecting older users and especially those that use their Mac as their primary device. Curious to see how fast you can get use to them and if you will have a different opinion in a couple of months.
Agree. Not the best upgrade. I have to reset my display every time I start my Mac. Extremely annoying and support is unable to help. They suggested it may be a monitor problem. But same thing happens with 3 different monitors.
On a MacBook Pro, System Settings cannot be expanded (vertically) sufficiently to display all the sidebar items unless icon size is set to “small”. That then applies to Finder sidebar and all other sidebars.
I want to be able to drag the sidebar items into a different order. I will never use Screen Time or Focus, so I would drag those to the bottom, and drag Keyboard and Trackpad upward.
Thanks for your feedback. Indeed that would be ideal to be able to edit sidebar items. We can send that as a suggestion for the upcoming OS. Are you encountering any bugs that you would like to report?
Where did the shortcuts for texts go? I am unable to create a few keystroke to input longer strings of text that I use often.
Good question. I managed to find them in System Preferences -> Keyboard – > Text Replacements (Under Text Input).
Since installing Ventura 13.1 Beta 2 the alias from the display no longer work although the apps are fine.
Can you please send a screenshot (photo) to contact[at]iphonetricks.org to better highlight the problem.
Where did the ability to connect a Mouse or change Mouse settings go with Ventura 13.1? I cannot find it. Did they remove it? Was this a mistake?
It should be in System Settings -> Mouse (scroll the left-sidebar all the way down) -> Set Up Bluetooth Mouse.
Thank you Patricia for your quick reply. I just posted back on this as well. It appears that the Mouse item in the left nav does not show up *until* a mouse is connected via Bluetooth….Then it shows up!
Actually I just figured it out myself: The Mouse list item does not show up on the bar on the left as an option until it is connected. So you need to go to Bluetooth in the System Settings first, connect the Mouse, and then the Mouse control options will be made available. Hope that helps someone that might have been puzzled, like me.
Thanks for sharing this. Yes, that will surly help others in your situation.