How do I install the Macos Font Defaults skill?

Run npx skillmds add terrylica/macos-font-defaults in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Macos Font Defaults safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: executes scripts. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Macos Font Defaults?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Macos Font Defaults free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Macos Font Defaults?

terrylica (@terrylica) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Macos Font Defaults by terrylica — Agent Skill

Name: Macos Font Defaults
Rating: 4.666666666666667 (3 reviews)
Author: terrylica

Macos Font Defaults

Set macOS's "user fixed-pitch font" and per-app fixed-width fonts (TextEdit plain text, Stickies default note) to a chosen font — by default JetBrains Mono NL Nerd Font. Idempotent and parameterized, so it doubles as a fresh-machine setup step. Use when the operator wants their default monospaced/fixed-width font changed, or asks "make my fixed-width font X", "default mono font", "set Stickies/TextEdit font". TRIGGERS - default fixed-width font, monospaced font default, set my mono font, fixed-pitch font, Stickies default font, TextEdit plain text font.

terrylica 46fc42a 2 files · 8.4 KB Updated Sep 9, 2026

File contents

macos-font-defaults — set the system fixed-width font

Self-Evolving skill — if a macOS release changes these defaults keys or Stickies' storage, fix this SKILL.md and apply.sh; see the Post-Execution Reflection at the bottom.

macOS has no single system-wide monospaced-font setting. This skill sets the three levers that exist, in one idempotent command:

Resolve the script first — $CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is NOT a shell variable and expands to empty in a Bash call (it exists only inside plugin manifests and hook/MCP subprocesses):

APPLY="$(cc-plugin-root macos-font-defaults)/skills/macos-font-defaults/apply.sh"

Lever	What it controls
global `NSFixedPitchFont`	`+[NSFont userFixedPitchFontOfSize:]` — TextEdit plain text and other standard-text-system apps
`com.apple.TextEdit NSFixedPitchFont`	TextEdit's plain-text font explicitly (belt-and-suspenders)
Stickies `DefaultFont`	new Stickies notes (archived `NSFont` in the sandbox container plist)

Usage

"$APPLY" check                          # report current values, change nothing
"$APPLY" apply                          # set everything to JetBrains Mono NL (size = macOS default)
"$APPLY" apply --font "Menlo-Regular"   # a different font (PostScript name)
"$APPLY" apply --size 13                # also pin a size (omit to keep macOS default ~11pt)

Always run check first and show the operator the current values before apply.

What it does NOT cover (be honest)

Terminal / iTerm / VS Code / editors keep their own font settings — unchanged.
Apple Notes hardcodes its monospaced face and cannot be redirected to a custom font. Its only mono lever is the per-note Monostyled style (the draft-park skill uses it).
This is not a system-UI font override; menus/Finder are unaffected.

Notes

The default font is the JetBrains Mono NL Nerd Font regular PostScript name JetBrainsMonoNLNF-Regular. apply fails fast if the font isn't installed.
The Stickies step only runs when the stored default differs, and quits a running Stickies first (it would otherwise overwrite the plist on exit). Re-running is safe.
Relaunch target apps to pick up changes; already-running apps cache the font.
Reverse the global lever with defaults delete -g NSFixedPitchFont NSFixedPitchFontSize.

Post-Execution Reflection

After running apply, check before closing:

Did check confirm all three levers? — if a value didn't stick, the key or write path drifted; fix apply.sh.
Did an app fail to pick up the font? — note the relaunch requirement, or add that app's own font key.
Did a macOS update move/rename the Stickies plist or change NSFixedPitchFont semantics? — update the levers table here.

Only update if the issue is real and reproducible — not speculative.

---name: macos-font-defaultsdescription: Set macOS's "user fixed-pitch font" and per-app fixed-width fonts (TextEdit plain text, Stickies default note) to a chosen font — by default JetBrains Mono NL Nerd Font. Idempotent and parameterized, so it doubles as a fresh-machine setup step. Use when the operator wants their default monospaced/fixed-width font changed, or asks "make my fixed-width font X", "default mono font", "set Stickies/TextEdit font". TRIGGERS - default fixed-width font, monospaced font default, set my mono font, fixed-pitch font, Stickies default font, TextEdit plain text font.---  # macos-font-defaults — set the system fixed-width font > **Self-Evolving skill** — if a macOS release changes these defaults keys or Stickies' storage, fix this SKILL.md and `apply.sh`; see the Post-Execution Reflection at the bottom. macOS has **no single system-wide monospaced-font setting**. This skill sets the three levers that exist, in one idempotent command: Resolve the script first — `$CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT` is NOT a shell variable and expands to empty in a Bash call (it exists only inside plugin manifests and hook/MCP subprocesses): ```bash APPLY="$(cc-plugin-root macos-font-defaults)/skills/macos-font-defaults/apply.sh" ``` | Lever | What it controls | | ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | global `NSFixedPitchFont` | `+[NSFont userFixedPitchFontOfSize:]` — TextEdit plain text and other standard-text-system apps | | `com.apple.TextEdit NSFixedPitchFont` | TextEdit's plain-text font explicitly (belt-and-suspenders) | | Stickies `DefaultFont` | new Stickies notes (archived `NSFont` in the sandbox container plist) | ## Usage ```bash "$APPLY" check # report current values, change nothing "$APPLY" apply # set everything to JetBrains Mono NL (size = macOS default) "$APPLY" apply --font "Menlo-Regular" # a different font (PostScript name) "$APPLY" apply --size 13 # also pin a size (omit to keep macOS default ~11pt) ``` Always run `check` first and show the operator the current values before `apply`. ## What it does NOT cover (be honest) - **Terminal / iTerm / VS Code / editors** keep their own font settings — unchanged. - **Apple Notes** hardcodes its monospaced face and cannot be redirected to a custom font. Its only mono lever is the per-note **Monostyled** style (the `draft-park` skill uses it). - This is **not** a system-UI font override; menus/Finder are unaffected. ## Notes - The default font is the JetBrains Mono NL Nerd Font regular PostScript name `JetBrainsMonoNLNF-Regular`. `apply` fails fast if the font isn't installed. - The Stickies step only runs when the stored default differs, and quits a running Stickies first (it would otherwise overwrite the plist on exit). Re-running is safe. - Relaunch target apps to pick up changes; already-running apps cache the font. - Reverse the global lever with `defaults delete -g NSFixedPitchFont NSFixedPitchFontSize`. ## Post-Execution Reflection After running `apply`, check before closing: 1. **Did `check` confirm all three levers?** — if a value didn't stick, the key or write path drifted; fix `apply.sh`. 2. **Did an app fail to pick up the font?** — note the relaunch requirement, or add that app's own font key. 3. **Did a macOS update move/rename the Stickies plist or change `NSFixedPitchFont` semantics?** — update the levers table here. Only update if the issue is real and reproducible — not speculative.

Frequently asked questions