macOS · Personalization
Assign actions to screen corners
Set each corner of your screen to instantly trigger an action such as Mission Control, Desktop, Notification Center, or starting a screen saver when you move your cursor there.
How to open Hot Corners
- Open System Settings
- Select Desktop & Dock
- Click Hot Corners at the bottom of the pane
- Choose an action for each corner from the dropdown menus
What you should know
- Configured under System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Hot Corners
- Four independent corners, each with its own assignable action
- Options include Mission Control, Application Windows, Desktop, and Screen Saver
- Can be combined with modifier keys for additional actions
Why it matters
Hot corners give users a fast, mouse-driven shortcut to common actions without memorizing keyboard combinations. They're especially useful for quickly revealing the desktop, triggering Mission Control, or locking the screen when stepping away. Because the trigger is purely spatial, hot corners are also easy to use accidentally, so configuring them thoughtfully avoids unwanted interruptions.
Best practices
- Avoid assigning frequently-brushed corners to disruptive actions like sleep or screen saver
- Use modifier-key variants to add extra actions without conflicts
- Assign one corner to 'Desktop' for quick file access during multitasking
Common problems and fixes
- A corner triggers unintentionally
- Reassign that corner to '-' (none) or add a modifier key requirement.
- Hot corner doesn't respond
- Check that the cursor actually reaches the extreme pixel corner, not just near it.
Tips and tricks
- Set one corner to instantly start the screen saver as a quick privacy lock
- Use 'Application Windows' on a corner for fast window switching within one app
Frequently asked questions
Can I require a key press along with reaching the corner?
Yes, each corner has a dropdown for an optional modifier key like Shift or Command.
Do hot corners work in full-screen apps?
Yes, they remain active even when an app is in full-screen mode.
Related settings
- Desktop & DockDesktop & Dock settings control the size, position, and behavior of the Dock, along with desktop options like Stage Manager, widgets, and how windows and Mission Control behave. It's the main place to make the Dock and desktop work the way you want.
- Lock ScreenLock Screen settings control when your Mac requires a password after sleep or screen saver, how long it waits before locking, and what's shown at the login window — all central to protecting your Mac from casual tampering or unauthorized access.
More Personalization guides for macOS
- Menu Bar & Control CenterControl Center gives you quick access to frequently used settings like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Focus, and display brightness from a single menu bar icon. You can customize which controls appear in Control Center and which ones show directly in the menu bar for one-click access.
- Wallpaper & Screen SaverWallpaper settings let you set the desktop picture — from Apple's built-in dynamic and aerial images to your own photos — and configure the screen saver that appears after your Mac sits idle. Recent macOS versions combine both into a single Wallpaper settings pane.
- Appearance (Light, Dark & Auto)Choose whether macOS displays a light, dark, or automatically switching interface theme across the Dock, menu bar, Finder, and supported apps.
- Accent Color & Highlight ColorSet the accent color used for buttons, checkboxes, and links, and a separate highlight color used for selected text and list items.
- Focus & Do Not DisturbCreate and schedule Focus modes such as Do Not Disturb, Work, or Personal that filter which notifications and apps can interrupt you.
- Stage ManagerEnable Stage Manager to automatically arrange open windows into a single focused workspace with recent windows shown as thumbnails along the side.