Make toolbar buttons look like buttons on your Mac

Why it happens

Modern Mac toolbars show plain icons with no outline until you hold the pointer over them. That looks tidy, but it can be hard to tell what you can click. This switch draws a shape around each button so it stands out.

How to fix it

1. Open System Settings and click Accessibility in the sidebar.

2. Click Display and turn on Show toolbar button shapes. On macOS 27, turn on Show borders.

   macOS 26 Tahoe Accessibility›Display›Show toolbar button shapes

   macOS 27 Golden Gate Accessibility›Display›Show borders

3. Open a Finder window to check. The toolbar buttons should now have visible shapes.

On macOS 26 the switch is called Show toolbar button shapes. On macOS 27 it's called Show borders, in the same place in Accessibility > Display.

Still not fixed?

1. Want stronger outlines everywhere, not just in toolbars? Turn on Increase contrast in the same section.

   Accessibility›Display›Increase contrast

2. If see-through menus and sidebars make things hard to read, turn on Reduce transparency as well.

   Accessibility›Display›Reduce transparency

3. If one app still shows plain icons, quit it with Command-Q and open it again. Some apps draw their own toolbars and may not follow this setting.

4. If the setting won't stay on after a restart, contact Apple Support.