Make MacOS 26 consistently bad (unironically) | La Vita Nouvavita nouvadiary·microblog·blog·topicsbibliography·films·music·guestbookMar 27, 2026¶※ ※ ※Make MacOS 26 consistently bad (unironically)Alongside the various bugs you get, one of the issues of upgrading to MacOS 26 is that it has one of the most notorious inconsistency issues in windows corners. I'm not sure what exactly pushes product designers to like the excessive roundness11. One of the ugliest roundness examples I've ever seen is the current one in the YouTube UI design. I believe that UI design is the most influential field ever since designers just try to follow whatever big companies do (in fact I see this a lot in my work, when two designers are having an argument, one of them would resolve it to, let's see how apple draw that button), which means that we are probably going to see this ugly effect elsewhere very soon. Anyway, many I had to upgrade recently to MacOS 26 too. And I found the edges ugly, like everyone else did. However, what's even uglier, is the inconsistency. Many people try to resolve this by disabling MacOS system integrity, which results in making them possibly vulnerable22. Arguable, since you just loose security over /root, which is not a big deal if someone already gained access to your machine, at least for me.. The reason why you need to disable SIP, is that to edit the dynamic libraries that system apps like Safari (which has crazy bad corners) use, you need to edit under the root. To me though, I don't find the corners so bad, but I find the inconsistency very annoying. So I think a better solution to this is; instead of making everything roundless, make everything more rounded. I forked a solution that makes things roundless to modify it to have my approach. It's simply as follows:#import <AppKit/AppKit.h>
#import <objc/runtime.h>

static CGFloat kDesiredCornerRadius = 23.0;

static double swizzled_cornerRadius(id self, SEL _cmd) {
return kDesiredCornerRadius;
}

static double swizzled_getCachedCornerRadius(id self, SEL _cmd) {
return kDesiredCornerRadius;
}

static CGSize swizzled_topCornerSize(id self, SEL _cmd) {
return CGSizeMake(kDesiredCornerRadius, kDesiredCornerRadius);
}

static CGSize swizzled_bottomCornerSize(id self, SEL _cmd) {
return CGSizeMake(kDesiredCornerRadius, kDesiredCornerRadius);
}

__attribute__((constructor))
static void init(void) {
// Only apply to third-party GUI apps; skip CLI tools, daemons, and Apple system apps
NSString *bid = [[NSBundle mainBundle] bundleIdentifier];
if (!bid || [bid hasPrefix:@"com.apple."]) return;

Class cls = NSClassFromString(@"NSThemeFrame");
if (!cls) return;

Method m1 = class_getInstanceMethod(cls, @selector(_cornerRadius));
if (m1) method_setImplementation(m1, (IMP)swizzled_cornerRadius);

Method m2 = class_getInstanceMethod(cls, @selector(_getCachedWindowCornerRadius));
if (m2) method_setImplementation(m2, (IMP)swizzled_getCachedCornerRadius);

Method m3 = class_getInstanceMethod(cls, @selector(_topCornerSize));
if (m3) method_setImplementation(m3, (IMP)swizzled_topCornerSize);

Method m4 = class_getInstanceMethod(cls, @selector(_bottomCornerSize));
if (m4) method_setImplementation(m4, (IMP)swizzled_bottomCornerSize);
}Then compile, sign, and store:clang -arch arm64e -arch x86_64 -dynamiclib -framework AppKit \
-o SafariCornerTweak.dylib \
SafariCornerTweak.m

sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/lib/
sudo cp SafariCornerTweak.dylib /usr/local/lib/
sudo codesign -f -s - /usr/local/lib/SafariCornerTweak.dylib
cp com.local.dyld-inject.plist ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.local.dyld-inject.plistYou can have this plist too to load it in once your computer loads:<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN"
"http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.local.dyld-inject</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>launchctl</string>
<string>setenv</string>
<string>DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES</string>
<string>/usr/local/lib/SafariCornerTweak.dylib</string>
</array>
<key>RunAtLoad</key>
<true/>
</dict>
</plist>Load it:launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.local.dyld-inject.plistNow at least everything is consistently bad. #ProgrammingFootnotes1One of the ugliest roundness examples I've ever seen is the current one in the YouTube UI design2Arguable, since you just loose security over /root, which is not a big deal if someone already gained access to your machine, at least for me.topicsProgrammingconnections · 1→
Programmingstats~3 min · 510 words1 sections · 1 refs · 4 codeyesterdayat time of writingday 8,505 · week 1,21523.3 solar orbits completed~7,227 conscious days283 full moons · 93 seasons31.8% of expected lifespanon this day2025
Selected Works of Selected Works of Chekhov♫ listening togitexhibition* Advertisements *[AD] Free license of UFS Standard[AD] egylinux archive© 2026 lr0
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The provided text expresses a persistent and critical dissatisfaction with Apple’s MacOS 26, focusing primarily on its visual inconsistencies. The author’s core grievance centers around what they perceive as an excessive and haphazard use of rounded corners across the operating system’s interface, exemplified by examples like the YouTube UI design. This inconsistency, they argue, represents a troubling trend influenced by the tendency of designers to blindly follow prevailing patterns set by large corporations, leading to aesthetic homogeneity and stylistic lapses.

The writer’s approach to addressing this issue involves a technical workaround utilizing code modification to override corner radius settings within several system applications, specifically targeting Safari. This is achieved through a dynamic library – SafariCornerTweak.dylib – which utilizes Objective-C runtime manipulation to redefine corner radii within the NSThemeFrame class and related methods. The code demonstrates a relatively sophisticated understanding of MacOS architecture, including the use of `NSBundle`, `class_getInstanceMethod`, and `method_setImplementation` to inject custom implementations of corner radius functions. This approach is designed to be applied selectively, primarily to third-party GUI applications, excluding Apple’s own system apps and tools, preventing potentially destabilizing changes to core system functionality. The deployment of this solution involves a series of steps, including compiling the code, signing the dynamic library, creating a plist file for dynamic library injection via launchd, and utilizing launchd to load the injected library into the system.

The author acknowledges the potential security implications of disabling System Integrity Protection (SIP) – a common workaround used to modify system libraries – arguing that the risk is minimal given the already compromised state of a machine. This suggests a pragmatic, yet somewhat cynical, view of system security, prioritizing usability over robust protection. The author recognizes the drive to modify Safari's corner radii by editing under the root level, addressing the fundamental cause of the inconsistency.

The overall tone is one of frustrated exasperation toward design choices within MacOS 26, bordering on satirical. The author highlights the perceived absurdity of the issue – the consistent criticism of rounded corners – and employs a somewhat dismissive attitude toward conventional design approaches, advocating instead for a uniform application of rounded design. The text includes a scatter of tangential observations, stylistic commentary, and technical details relating to the implementation of the workaround, showcasing a combination of technical proficiency and a highly critical aesthetic viewpoint. The inclusion of the plist file and associated instructions demonstrates a focus on practical application and a willingness to provide detailed steps for others to replicate the solution. Finally, the various references to personal activities, GitHub discussions, and related topics, provide further context to the author's stance.