Mac Hot Corners transform the four corners of your screen into instant shortcuts for common macOS functions. By moving your cursor to any corner, you can trigger actions like launching Mission Control, locking your screen, or showing the desktop—without clicking or keyboard shortcuts. This feature works across all modern Mac devices (MacBook Air/Pro, iMac, Mac mini) and macOS versions including Ventura, Monterey, and Big Sur. The most powerful aspect is customization: each corner can perform a different action, and you can add modifier keys (Shift, Control, Option, Command) to prevent accidental triggers when you don’t intend to activate them.

Key takeaways from the sources:

• 11 available actions can be assigned, including Mission Control, Notification Center, screen lock, and screensaver activation ^[8][7]
• Modifier keys prevent accidental activation—hold Shift/Control/Option/Command while moving to a corner ^[2][3][6]
• Setup path: System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Hot Corners (bottom-right) ^[8][4]
• Works with any mouse/trackpad, but is especially useful for non-Apple mice lacking gesture support ^[6]

Configuring and Using Mac Hot Corners

Setting Up Hot Corners in macOS

Hot Corners are configured through macOS System Settings, with the same steps applying to Ventura, Monterey, and earlier versions. The process takes under a minute and requires no third-party tools. Start by opening System Settings (Apple menu > System Settings), then navigate to Desktop & Dock. Scroll to the bottom of this panel and click Hot Corners in the lower-right corner ^[8][4][7].

Once in the Hot Corners menu, you’ll see a dropdown menu for each of the four screen corners (top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right). Click any dropdown to view the 11 available actions ^[7][8]:

• Mission Control
• Application Windows
• Desktop
• Notification Center
• Launchpad
• Quick Note
• Start Screen Saver
• Disable Screen Saver
• Put Display to Sleep
• Lock Screen
• (None) – to disable a corner

Critical setup tips from sources:

• Assign Lock Screen or Put Display to Sleep to a corner for instant security when stepping away ^[7][9]
• Use Desktop (show/hide all windows) for quick file access without minimizing apps ^[6]
• Notification Center in a corner streamlines checking alerts without clicking the menu bar ^[9]
• Avoid assigning Mission Control to adjacent corners to prevent confusion ^[5]

After selecting an action for a corner, test it immediately by moving your cursor there. If the action triggers too easily, proceed to add modifier keys (covered in the next section). Changes save automatically—no confirmation button exists ^[2][4].

Preventing Accidental Triggers with Modifier Keys

Accidental Hot Corner activation is a common frustration, especially when using a trackpad or moving the cursor quickly across the screen. All sources emphasize modifier keys as the solution: these require you to hold a key (Shift, Control, Option, or Command) while moving to a corner, preventing unintended actions ^[2][3][6][7].

How to add modifier keys:

1. In the Hot Corners menu (System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Hot Corners), click the dropdown for your chosen corner.
2. While the dropdown is open, press and hold the modifier key(s) you want to use (e.g., Command + Option).
3. The selected keys will appear next to the action name (e.g., "Mission Control ⌘⌥").
4. Release the keys and close the menu—your setting is saved ^[7][2].

Recommended modifier key setups from sources:

• Command + Option: Balances ease of use with accident prevention ^[3]
• Shift + Control: Less likely to conflict with other shortcuts ^[6]
• Single key (e.g., Command): Simpler but slightly higher risk of accidental triggers ^[2]

Troubleshooting modifier keys:

• If a corner stops working, reopen the Hot Corners menu and reapply the modifier keys—sometimes they reset after updates ^[4].
• Modifier keys do not work with all actions. For example, "Put Display to Sleep" and "Lock Screen" may ignore modifiers on some macOS versions ^[7].
• Test modifier combinations in a text editor first to ensure they don’t conflict with app shortcuts ^[3].

Disabling or Resetting Hot Corners

To disable a single corner, open the Hot Corners menu and select (None) from its dropdown ^[7][5]. This removes the action while keeping other corners active. To disable all Hot Corners, set each corner to (None) individually—there is no master toggle ^[4].

Resetting to default (no Hot Corners):

1. Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Hot Corners.
2. For each corner (top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right), select (None) from the dropdown.
3. Close the menu—no further steps are needed ^[5].

Common issues and fixes:

• Hot Corners stop working after updates: Reopen the Hot Corners menu and reselect your actions/modifiers ^[4].
• Modifier keys not registering: Ensure you’re holding the key before moving the cursor to the corner ^[2].
• Conflicts with third-party apps: Some apps (e.g., BetterTouchTool) override Hot Corners. Check app settings or disable conflicting software ^[6].