Disable Caps Lock Indicator on macOS Sonoma

A feature has been added to macOS Sonoma - the onscreen caps lock indicator.

While i am sure this may be useful for some, for me it is not, is there any way to disable it?



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Posted on Sep 27, 2023 5:14 AM

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Posted on Oct 30, 2023 11:51 AM

19JAAM65 wrote:

Can someone explain how to do this to a lay person who is not technologically adept. How does the unsavvy internet user do this?


To permanently disable the new Caps Lock icon/indicator that came with macOS Sonoma, do the following easy steps:


1. Go to your Applications folder (Finder: menu: Go: Applications). Sort alphabetically and go down to the Utilities folder. (alternatively, in the Finder, hit ⌘-Shift-U and the Utilities folder window should pop up.)


2. In the Utilities folder, you'll find an app called Terminal. Double click to open it.


3. In the resulting Terminal window, you'll see some text and a blinking box (instead of a cursor). None of that really matters, it's just to let you know you're in the right place.


4. Copy and paste this line of text in your Terminal window:


sudo mkdir -p /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain


Then hit the Return key.


(don't type out that line of code, to avoid missing proper spacing, etc. Just copy and paste it into your Terminal window).


5. Now copy and paste this next line of text in your same Terminal Window:


sudo /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Add 'redesigned_text_cursor:Enabled' bool false" /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/UIKit.plist


Then hit the Return key.


6. You'll now see the Terminal window say "Password:_" with a key icon in place of the cursor. Go ahead and slowly and carefully type out your Mac's user account password. Note: you won't see the Terminal window respond to your keystrokes as you type out your standard user account password. Just know that it's accepting the keys. Hit Return.


You'll see some a line or two more of resulting text in your Terminal Window, probably something like "redesigned_text_cursor: Enabled"


7. Quit Terminal. (Command-Q).


8. Restart your Mac, and the stupid Caps Lock Indicator should now be permanently gone.

335 replies

Feb 18, 2024 11:35 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

IdrisSeabright wrote:

I'm not exactly sure why you're replying to me? I really like the feature.

I also prefer the feature as it is and will not be disabling it. I probably didn't pick the right "reply to" person, you seemed to be better informed than some others here, sorry about that, perhaps better directed to the OP in fact or others who share their concerns.

Feb 18, 2024 3:07 PM in response to steve626

steve626 wrote:


IdrisSeabright wrote:

I'm not exactly sure why you're replying to me? I really like the feature.
I also prefer the feature as it is and will not be disabling it. I probably didn't pick the right "reply to" person, you seemed to be better informed than some others here, sorry about that, perhaps better directed to the OP in fact or others who share their concerns.

Got it! I kind of wish the forum had some sort of "reply to the thread" option as there are certainly times that I'd like to make a general reply. Sorry if I sounded curt.

Feb 25, 2024 5:02 AM in response to DistinctlyMe

Absolutely on point! It did not work for me. It is in the hand of Apple. I'm sure they'll talk about whether or not annoying their users is a priority.


Terminal solutions are uncomfortable to users...and for good reason! We don't know what we're typing. What if the posted code does something the we definitively would not choose to do if we knew what we were doing? I was an IT professional for twenty-five years and I don'tI wanna mess with code I don't understand because they've stuck a cute little button on the screen. The accessibility option is the definitive solution. That can't be that difficult to implement.


This one is worth giving users a choice.

Mar 4, 2024 10:48 AM in response to Piranha0908

Just to counterpoint this – you're thinking about this in very limited terms of your own usage scenario.


For years I couldn't understand why this feature was not added sooner and welcome it as someone who a) writes a lot, b) uses a mechanical keyboard without led indicators, c) does not wish to be nodding their head up and down all the time to confirm the caps-lock state moment to moment.


Adding the on-screen indicator is smart and way overdue, by any means. Adding an option to switch the feature on and off rather than removing it outright would certainly make sense though.

Mar 6, 2024 8:12 AM in response to richardm04

Caps lock Sonoma crashes Archicad 26. Without fail.

I'm training myself to hold down the shift key while typing for letters, lifting for numbers and special characters. (Industry standard for architectural drawings are upper case.)

I'll probably give up and go into Terminal, but there are a lot of users even less comfortable than me "going under the hood".

Mar 19, 2024 6:38 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

It's nice that you like this "feature", however, it's intended for those who accidentally turned on caps lock. But for those of us who know when caps lock is on, we don't need it, since 1) we intentionally turned it on, 2) there's a light on the caps lock key when it's on, and 3) the letters on the screen are typing in all caps. To make this something that cannot be disabled in preferences is remarkably shortsighted by Apple.

Apr 16, 2024 6:56 AM in response to richardm04

This “helper” icon is apparently meant for when someone accidentally turns on caps lock. And what about those who use caps lock intentionally? It could have been added in preferences for those who want it. Instead, the rest of us who intentionally use caps lock have to get through our work every day with that intrusive blue helper icon and no way to get rid of it. Having to run a terminal command may be helpful for some who want to risk it, but it is not a fix. It's a workaround that lets Apple off the hook for an ill-conceived idea that wasn't thought through. It should be made an option in preferences for those who want it, not forced on the rest of us who don’t.

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Disable Caps Lock Indicator on macOS Sonoma

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