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Ever browsed a network shared folder on your Windows PC and seen a bunch of mysterious “.DS_Store” files? These hidden files are a byproduct of macOS, storing information like icon view preferences and custom backgrounds for folders. While harmless, they can clutter up your shared drives and cause headaches for non-Mac users.
Luckily, there’s a simple way to prevent Macs from creating these .DS_Store files on network shares. Here’s how:
Using Terminal:
- Open the Terminal app (Applications > Utilities).
- Enter the following command and press return:
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores true
This command instructs macOS not to write .DS_Store files to network volumes.
- Restart your Mac for the changes to take effect.
Verifying the Setting (Optional):
If you’re curious, you can verify the setting with another Terminal command:
defaults read com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores
This should return “true” if the setting is enabled.
Run the following command in Terminal to delete existing .DS_store files (replacing /<YourShareName> with the location of your network share drive
find /<YourShareName> -name ".DS_Store" -delete
What to Expect:
After implementing this change, Macs will no longer create .DS_Store files on network shares. Existing .DS_Store files might remain, but they won’t cause any harm. You can manually delete them if desired.
Benefits:
- Cleaner Network Drives: No more clutter from hidden .DS_Store files.
- Improved Performance: Browsing network shares might feel snappier without the overhead of writing these files.
- Compatibility Boost: Prevents permission errors that can sometimes arise with .DS_Store files on shared drives.
Keep in Mind:
This setting only affects Macs. Windows and other operating systems won’t be impacted.
Conclusion:
By preventing the creation of .DS_Store files, you can streamline your network share experience and ensure a smoother workflow for all users, regardless of their platform. With this simple Terminal tweak, you can keep your shared drives organized and clutter-free.