Tutorial

Control which System Settings panels users can access on macOS Ventura and later versions. This tutorial shows how to disable or hide specific preference panes to maintain security and prevent unwanted configuration changes across your Roundfleet.

Understanding System Settings vs System Preferences

macOS Ventura (13.0+) replaced "System Preferences" with "System Settings". The management approach differs between versions:

• macOS 13.0+: Use DisabledSystemSettings and bundle identifiers ending in .extension
• macOS 12.x and earlier: Use DisabledPreferencePanes with different bundle identifiers

Disable System Settings Panels

Basic Disable Script

#!/bin/bash

# Disable specific System Settings panel
defaults write "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings -array "com.apple.Battery-Settings.extension"

echo "System Settings panel disabled successfully"

Disable Multiple Panels

#!/bin/bash

# Disable multiple System Settings panels
defaults write "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings -array \
    "com.apple.BluetoothSettings" \
    "com.apple.Network-Settings.extension" \
    "com.apple.Battery-Settings.extension"

echo "Multiple System Settings panels disabled"

System Settings Bundle Identifiers

Open System Settings Panels Remotely

Open Specific Panel

#!/bin/bash

# Open Network settings panel
open "x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.Network-Settings.extension"

echo "Network settings panel opened"

Conditional Panel Opening

#!/bin/bash

PANEL_ID="com.apple.Battery-Settings.extension"

# Check if panel is not disabled before opening
if ! defaults read "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings 2>/dev/null | grep -q "$PANEL_ID"; then
    open "x-apple.systempreferences:$PANEL_ID"
    echo "Battery settings panel opened"
else
    echo "Battery settings panel is disabled"
fi

Re-enable Disabled Panels

Re-enable All Panels

#!/bin/bash

# Remove all disabled System Settings restrictions
defaults delete "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings

echo "All System Settings panels re-enabled"

Re-enable Specific Panels

#!/bin/bash

# Get current disabled panels
CURRENT_DISABLED=$(defaults read "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings 2>/dev/null)

# Remove specific panel from disabled list (requires custom logic)
# This example shows the concept - implement based on your needs
defaults write "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings -array \
    "com.apple.BluetoothSettings"
    # Add other panels you want to keep disabled

echo "Specific System Settings panels re-enabled"

Enterprise Management Script

#!/bin/bash

# Enterprise System Settings Management
# Restricts access to sensitive configuration panels

RESTRICTED_PANELS=(
    "com.apple.Network-Settings.extension"
    "com.apple.BluetoothSettings"
    "com.apple.Security-Privacy-Settings.extension"
    "com.apple.Software-Update-Settings.extension"
    "com.apple.Users-Groups-Settings.extension"
)

# Apply restrictions
defaults write "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings -array "${RESTRICTED_PANELS[@]}"

# Verify restrictions
echo "Disabled System Settings panels:"
defaults read "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings 2>/dev/null || echo "No panels currently disabled"

# Log the action
logger "Roundfleet: System Settings panels restricted on $(date)"

Troubleshooting

Check Current Restrictions

# View currently disabled panels
defaults read "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings

# Check if specific panel is disabled
if defaults read "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings 2>/dev/null | grep -q "com.apple.Battery-Settings.extension"; then
    echo "Battery panel is disabled"
else
    echo "Battery panel is accessible"
fi

Clear All Restrictions

# Emergency reset - re-enable all panels
sudo defaults delete "/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences" DisabledSystemSettings
sudo killall cfprefsd

Common Use Cases

Important Notes

• macOS Compatibility: These scripts work only on macOS 13.0 (Ventura) and later
• User Experience: Disabled panels appear grayed out but remain visible
• System Restart: Changes take effect immediately without restart
• Persistence: Settings persist across user sessions and system reboots

For devices running macOS 12.x and earlier, use the legacy System Preferences management approach with different bundle identifiers.