Find the System Preference you need
Mac Tip #330, 19 March 2008

System Preferences offer loads of settings for dozens of features on your Mac. Desktop images, Internet settings, mouse speed, printing, sharing files, date and time — they’re all there. Each has numerous settings and multiple choices.

Finding the one you want has often been tricky, but now Leopard allows you to search the System Preferences window.

Go to the Apple menu and choose System Preferences. The window that appears is full of icons.

For each letter you type all possible preferences are highlighted.

Also as you type, possible options appear in a drop down list. If the one you want appears, select it from the list and the relevant setting is highlighted and opened for you.

Note: you need to type words correctly, without leaving out any letters. Looking for ‘private’ for example, pri highlights 5 icons, while prv highlights none.

To clear the search field click the small x at the right hand end of the search box. The x is only visible if there is text in the search field.