Displays

Everything under System Settings › Displays, as Nix options. Each one is named after the control you'd click, and set under programs.nix-plist-manager.options in home-manager.

7 options 4 verified against System Settings

True Tone

System Settings › Displays › True Tone

home-manager · per user Not verified

applications.systemSettings.displays.trueTone = true;

true or false

Where it's stored and what runs

For false:

/usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript -e 'ObjC.import('\''Foundation'\'');$.NSBundle.bundleWithPath('\''/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreBrightness.framework'\'').load;$.NSClassFromString('\''CBTrueToneClient'\'').alloc.init.setEnabled(false);' >/dev/null

For true:

/usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript -e 'ObjC.import('\''Foundation'\'');$.NSBundle.bundleWithPath('\''/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreBrightness.framework'\'').load;$.NSClassFromString('\''CBTrueToneClient'\'').alloc.init.setEnabled(true);' >/dev/null

When connected to TV

System Settings › Displays › When connected to TV

home-manager · per user ✓ Verified on macOS 27

applications.systemSettings.displays.whenConnectedToTv = "Ask What to Show";

One of: "Ask What to Show""Choose Window or App""Mirror Entire Screen""Use as Extended Display" "unset" puts back macOS's default.

Where it's stored and what runs

• com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy (current host)

For Ask What to Show:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy -int 0 || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy -int 0' >&2

For Choose Window or App:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy -int 2 || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy -int 2' >&2

For Mirror Entire Screen:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy -int 1 || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy -int 1' >&2

For Use as Extended Display:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy -int 4 || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy -int 4' >&2

For unset:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost delete com.apple.windowserver.displays TVConnectPolicy 2>/dev/null || true

Night Shift…

Color temperature

System Settings › Displays › Night Shift… › Color temperature

home-manager · per user Not verified

From less warm (0) to more warm (1).

applications.systemSettings.displays.nightShift.colorTemperature = 0.0;

A number from 0 to 1

Where it's stored and what runs

For 0.0:

/usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript -e 'ObjC.import('\''Foundation'\'');$.NSBundle.bundleWithPath('\''/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreBrightness.framework'\'').load;$.NSClassFromString('\''CBBlueLightClient'\'').alloc.init.setStrengthCommit(0.000000, true);' >/dev/null

For 1.0:

/usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript -e 'ObjC.import('\''Foundation'\'');$.NSBundle.bundleWithPath('\''/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreBrightness.framework'\'').load;$.NSClassFromString('\''CBBlueLightClient'\'').alloc.init.setStrengthCommit(1.000000, true);' >/dev/null

Schedule

System Settings › Displays › Night Shift… › Schedule

home-manager · per user Not verified

applications.systemSettings.displays.nightShift.schedule = "Off";

One of: "Off""Sunset to Sunrise"

Where it's stored and what runs

For Off:

/usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript -e 'ObjC.import('\''Foundation'\'');$.NSBundle.bundleWithPath('\''/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreBrightness.framework'\'').load;$.NSClassFromString('\''CBBlueLightClient'\'').alloc.init.setMode(0);' >/dev/null

For Sunset to Sunrise:

/usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript -e 'ObjC.import('\''Foundation'\'');$.NSBundle.bundleWithPath('\''/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreBrightness.framework'\'').load;$.NSClassFromString('\''CBBlueLightClient'\'').alloc.init.setMode(1);' >/dev/null

Advanced…

System Settings › Show resolutions as list

System Settings › Displays › Advanced… › System Settings › Show resolutions as list

home-manager · per user ✓ Verified on macOS 27

applications.systemSettings.displays.showResolutionsAsList = true;

true or false "unset" puts back macOS's default.

Where it's stored and what runs

• com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension showListByDefault

For false:

/usr/bin/defaults write com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension showListByDefault -bool false || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults write com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension showListByDefault -bool false' >&2
/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost delete com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension showListByDefault 2>/dev/null || true

For true:

/usr/bin/defaults write com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension showListByDefault -bool true || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults write com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension showListByDefault -bool true' >&2
/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost delete com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension showListByDefault 2>/dev/null || true

For unset:

/usr/bin/defaults delete com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension showListByDefault 2>/dev/null || true
/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost delete com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension showListByDefault 2>/dev/null || true

System Settings › Link to Mac or iPad › Allow your pointer and keyboard to move between any nearby Mac or iPad

System Settings › Displays › Advanced… › System Settings › Link to Mac or iPad › Allow your pointer and keyboard to move between any nearby Mac or iPad

home-manager · per user ✓ Verified on macOS 27

applications.systemSettings.displays.universalControl.allowPointerAndKeyboardToMoveBetweenNearbyDevices = true;

true or false "unset" puts back macOS's default.

Where it's stored and what runs

• com.apple.universalcontrol Disable (current host)

For false:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.universalcontrol Disable -bool true || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.universalcontrol Disable -bool true' >&2

For true:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.universalcontrol Disable -bool false || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.universalcontrol Disable -bool false' >&2

For unset:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost delete com.apple.universalcontrol Disable 2>/dev/null || true

System Settings › Link to Mac or iPad › Push through the edge of a display to connect a nearby Mac or iPad

System Settings › Displays › Advanced… › System Settings › Link to Mac or iPad › Push through the edge of a display to connect a nearby Mac or iPad

home-manager · per user ✓ Verified on macOS 27

applications.systemSettings.displays.universalControl.pushThroughTheEdgeOfADisplayToConnect = true;

true or false "unset" puts back macOS's default.

Where it's stored and what runs

• com.apple.universalcontrol DisableMagicEdges (current host)

For false:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.universalcontrol DisableMagicEdges -bool true || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.universalcontrol DisableMagicEdges -bool true' >&2

For true:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.universalcontrol DisableMagicEdges -bool false || echo 'nix-plist-manager: failed: /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.universalcontrol DisableMagicEdges -bool false' >&2

For unset:

/usr/bin/defaults -currentHost delete com.apple.universalcontrol DisableMagicEdges 2>/dev/null || true

Not covered

What this pane shows that can’t be declared, and why:

15 settings

• Ambience Section › Display Brightness — changes often; a declared value would fight the user
• Arrangement Section › Arrange multiple displays — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Arrangement Section › Relocate menu bar — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Characteristic Section › Overscan — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Characteristic Section › Screen Rotation — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Characteristic Section › Underscan — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Displays Section › Display Settings — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Miscellaneous Section › High Dynamic Range — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Miscellaneous Section › Refresh rate — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Profile Section › Display colors and calibration — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Profile Section › Display Presets — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Resolution Section › Display Options — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Resolution Section › Screen Resolution — per display hardware state, kept by the display system rather than in preferences
• Automatically adjust brightness on the main display — kept by CoreBrightness, not in preferences
• Advanced › Automatically reconnect to any nearby Mac or iPad — no preference key found in the system libraries, and switching it changes no preference file