Organising Files and Folders with Finder

Create a dependable file system and safely find, move, rename and recover files.

What you will learn

• Navigate Finder and its sidebar
• Organise search and preview files
• Use Trash and iCloud locations carefully

Before you begin

Use non-sensitive practice files and save your work before changing settings. Menu names can vary with the macOS version and MacBook model, so use System Settings search or the Help menu when an option is not immediately visible.

Navigate Finder

Finder is the home base for files, folders, connected drives and many devices. Open it from the smiling-face icon in the Dock.

The sidebar provides locations such as Recents, Applications, Desktop, Documents, Downloads and iCloud Drive when enabled. Confirm the current folder before moving or deleting anything.

Organise and find

Create descriptive folders and filenames. Use views, sorting and tags only when they help you retrieve information consistently.

Press Space to use Quick Look for a selected file and Command-F to start a Finder search. Narrow the search location and criteria when results are too broad.

Move and recover

Dragging normally moves a file within the same drive. Hold Option while dragging when a copy is intended, or use copy and paste commands.

Deleted items go to Trash until it is emptied. Cloud and external locations may behave differently, so keep backups of important files.

Guided practice

1. Create a Practice folder in Documents with three subfolders.
2. Create and rename a harmless file, then preview it with Space.
3. Move the file to Trash and restore it.

Knowledge check

1. What does the Finder sidebar show?
2. Which key opens Quick Look?
3. Why should cloud deletion be treated carefully?

Completion standard

Continue when you can complete the guided practice safely and explain the knowledge-check answers in your own words.