If you have multiple windows open in macOS, you can click the wallpaper to reveal your desktop. While this is handy when you're multitasking, you might find it annoying especially if you accidentally clicked the wallpaper.
So, if you don't want all open windows and apps to vanish to reveal the desktop when you click the wallpaper, read on to learn what you need to do.
Why Does Your Mac Show the Desktop When You Click the Wallpaper?
Not all macOS versions have this feature. Apple included it in the macOS Sonoma update, and it's enabled by default. So, if you updated to macOS Sonoma without knowing about this method of accessing your desktop items and widgets, you'd have immediately wondered where all the open app windows disappeared.
Fortunately, all the app windows that vanished will return to their original positions when you click the desktop again. And if you're not a fan of this change, Apple gives you the option to disable this feature.
How to Disable Click Wallpaper to Reveal Desktop on macOS
The action of clicking the wallpaper to reveal the desktop is one of the customization options in macOS. However, if you think it interferes with your workflow, follow these simple steps to disable it:
- Click the Apple logo in the menu bar.
- Choose System Settings from the dropdown.
- Select Desktop & Dock from the left sidebar
- Scroll down till you find the Desktop & Stage Manager section.
- Set the Click wallpaper to reveal desktop setting to Only in Stage Manager using the dropdown.
Now, if you click the wallpaper, macOS will no longer make all your open windows disappear from the desktop.
Access Your Mac's Desktop the Way You Prefer
Luckily, Apple isn't forcing everyone to adapt to this change and gives you the option to disable the feature if it hinders your workflow. However, if you change your mind, you can always enable it again from System Settings by following the same steps above.