How to hide desktop icons on a Mac
Open System Settings › Desktop & Dock and, under Desktop & Stage Manager, turn off Show items: On Desktop. Your files stay in the Desktop folder; they just aren’t drawn on the desktop until you turn the setting on again.
The built-in ways
- System Settings › Desktop & Dock › Show items: On Desktop — switch it off before you share your screen, and on again after.
- Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop false; killall Finderhides them; the same withtrueshows them again.
One click from the notch
Questions
Does hiding the icons move or delete my files?
No. They stay in the Desktop folder exactly as they were; only the desktop stops showing them.
Can I still open my desktop files while they are hidden?
Yes. In Finder, choose Go › Desktop (⇧⌘D) and they are all there.
How do I get the icons back?
Turn Show items: On Desktop back on, run the Terminal command with true, or click Hide Desktop Icons in Still Studio again.