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If you’re new to Macs and OS X, you may have noticed that some of your app icons in the Dock have a small black dot under them. The black dot is normally always under the Finder icon no matter what.
The black dot basically indicates that the application is running. It’s kind of like when you launch a program in Windows and it shows up on the taskbar with a grey line underneath it.
On the Mac, most of the apps installed are listed on the Dock, so the only way to tell when something is open is by changing the icon. In OS X, it’s done by simply adding a small black dot.
By default, these indicators are turned on and overall, I find them pretty useful. However, if you prefer to simply use Mission Control or some other method to see your open apps, then you can disable the black dot indicators in System Preferences.
Disable Dot Indicators for Apps in Dock
To do this, click on the Apple icon at the top left and then click on System Preferences.
In the top row, you should see an icon for Dock.
When you click on that, you’ll be able to adjust several different settings related to the Dock. The main one we are interested in is at the bottom: Show indicators for open applications.
Once you uncheck that option, you will no longer see the black dots under the app icons. Clicking on an icon where the app is already opened will bring you to that app, just like before.
If you still need to view the currently open apps on your Mac, you can use Mission Control. Just swipe up using three or four fingers and it’ll show you all open windows that are not full-screen in the main area and any full-screen apps up at the top as icons.
Lastly, one other option that I sometimes change in Dock settings is Minimize windows into application icon. Normally, when you minimize an app in Windows, it simply goes to the icon in your taskbar and that’s it. On a Mac, it doesn’t go to the icon by default. Instead, another icon is added to the right side of the dock.
As you can see, if I open Calendar and Notepad at the same time and the minimize them, it creates two more icons at the far right. I find this annoying since I’m used to just having one icon like Windows. When you check that option in dock settings, it will minimize those apps into the app icon rather than separately.
Since Finder can never be closed in OS X, the Finder icon will always have a black dot underneath it. Hopefully, as you begin to learn more about your Mac, it’ll become easier to use. Enjoy!
App Icon
Every app needs a beautiful and memorable icon that attracts attention in the App Store and stands out on the Home screen. Your icon is the first opportunity to communicate, at a glance, your app’s purpose. It also appears throughout the system, such as in Settings and search results.
Embrace simplicity. Find a single element that captures the essence of your app and express that element in a simple, unique shape. Add details cautiously. If an icon’s content or shape is overly complex, the details can be hard to discern, especially at smaller sizes.
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Provide a single focus point. Design an icon with a single, centered point that immediately captures attention and clearly identifies your app.
Design a recognizable icon. People shouldn’t have to analyze the icon to figure out what it represents. For example, the Mail app icon uses an envelope, which is universally associated with mail. Take time to design a beautiful and engaging abstract icon that artistically represents your app’s purpose.
Keep the background simple and avoid transparency. Make sure your icon is opaque, and don’t clutter the background. Give it a simple background so it doesn’t overpower other app icons nearby. You don’t need to fill the entire icon with content.
Use words only when they’re essential or part of a logo. An app’s name appears below its icon on the Home screen. Don’t include nonessential words that repeat the name or tell people what to do with your app, like 'Watch' or 'Play.' If your design includes any text, emphasize words that relate to the actual content your app offers.
Download mac os x apple. Don’t include photos, screenshots, or interface elements. Photographic details can be very hard to see at small sizes. Screenshots are too complex for an app icon and don’t generally help communicate your app’s purpose. Interface elements in an icon are misleading and confusing.
Don’t use replicas of Apple hardware products. Apple products are copyrighted and can’t be reproduced in your icons or images. In general, avoid displaying replicas of devices, because hardware designs tend to change frequently and can make your icon look dated.
Don’t place your app icon throughout the interface. It can be confusing to see an icon used for different purposes throughout an app. Is microsoft word compatible with mac. Instead, consider incorporating your icon’s color scheme. See Color.
Test your icon against different wallpapers. You can’t predict which wallpaper people will choose for their Home screen, so don’t just test your app against a light or dark color. See how it looks over different photos. Try it on an actual device with a dynamic background that changes perspective as the device moves.
White Left Mac App Icon With Stop Sign
Keep icon corners square. The system applies a mask that rounds icon corners automatically.
App Icon Attributes
All app icons should adhere to the following specifications.
App Icon Sizes
Every app must supply small icons for use on the Home screen and throughout the system once your app is installed, as well as a larger icon for display in the App Store.
Provide different sized icons for different devices. Make sure that your app icon looks great on all the devices you support. Backgammon masters free download mac.
Mimic your small icon with your App Store icon. Although the App Store icon is used differently than the small one, it’s still your app icon. It should generally match the smaller version in appearance, although it can be subtly richer and more detailed since there are no visual effects applied to it.
Spotlight, Settings, and Notification Icons
Every app should also provide a small icon that iOS can display when the app name matches a term in a Spotlight search. Additionally, apps with settings should provide a small icon to display in the built-in Settings app, and apps that support notifications should provide a small icon to display in notifications. All icons should clearly identify your app—ideally, they should match your app icon. If you don’t provide these icons, iOS might shrink your main app icon for display in these locations.
Don’t add an overlay or border to your Settings icon. iOS automatically adds a 1-pixel stroke to all icons so that they look good on the white background of Settings.
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TIP If your app creates custom documents, you don't need to design document icons because iOS uses your app icon to create document icons automatically.
User-Selectable App Icons
For some apps, customization is a feature that evokes a personal connection and enhances the user experience. If it provides value in your app, you can let people select an alternate app icon from a set of predefined icons that are embedded within your app. For example, a sports app might offer icons for different teams or an app with light and dark modes might offer corresponding light and dark icons. Note that your app icon can only be changed at the user’s request and the system always provides the user with confirmation of such a change.
Change Mac App Icons
Provide visually consistent alternate icons in all necessary sizes. Like your primary app icon, each alternate app icon is delivered as a collection of related images that vary in size. When the user chooses an alternate icon, the appropriate sizes of that icon replace your primary app icon on the Home screen, in Spotlight, and elsewhere in the system. To ensure that alternate icons appear consistently throughout the system—the user shouldn't see one version of your icon on the Home screen and a completely different version in Settings, for example—provide them in the same sizes you provide for your primary app icon (with the exception of the App Store icon). See App Icon Sizes.
For developer guidance, see the setAlternateIconName method of UIApplication.
Best Mac App
NOTE Alternate app icons are subject to review by App Review and must adhere to the App Store Review Guidelines.
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December 2020
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