Your Mac desktop's Finder app is a hub of constant activity. You use the app, for starters, to install and launch apps, preview files, organize, back up and share your data.

Given that Finder comes in handy in so many ways, learning how to navigate it faster is sure to boost your productivity. And that's where this cheat sheet comes in. It shows you how to take care of various Finder tasks mostly without taking your hands of the keyboard.

If you're new to Finder, take a detour through our Finder tips for macOS newbies and top tips for using Finder efficiently before you explore the shortcuts below.

FREE DOWNLOAD: This cheat sheet is available as a downloadable PDF from our distribution partner, TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access it for the first time only. Download Finder Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet for Mac.

The Finder Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet for Mac

Shortcut

Action

Basic Finder Actions

Cmd + N

Open new window

Cmd + T

Open new tab

Cmd + W

Close active window OR ¹Close active tab

Shift + Cmd + W

¹Close active window

Option + Cmd + W

Close all windows OR ¹Close all tabs except the active tab

Option + Shift + Cmd + W

¹Close all windows

Cmd + O

Open selected item(s)

Option + Cmd + O

Open selected item(s) and close active window or ¹active tab

Shift + Cmd + N

Create new folder

Control + Cmd + N

Create new folder and move selected item to it

Cmd + I

Show Get Info pane for selected item(s)

Option + Cmd + I

Show Inspector pane for selected item(s)

Cmd + P

Open selected file for printing

Enter

Rename selected item

Cmd + C

Copy selected item(s) to clipboard

Option + Cmd + C

²Copy pathname of selected item to clipboard

Cmd V

Paste item(s) from clipboard

Option + Cmd + V

Move selected item(s) to active location i.e. cut-paste item(s)

Cmd + Z

Undo last action

Shift + Cmd + Z

Reverse “Undo action”

Cmd + D

Duplicated selected item(s)

Control + Cmd + A

Create alias for selected item(s)

Option+ Control + Cmd + A

Locate original item for selected alias(es)

³Space

Open Quick Look preview of selected item(s)

³Cmd + Y

Open Quick Look preview of selected item(s)

³Option + Cmd + Y

Open slideshow or fullscreen Quick Look preview of selected item(s)

Control + Cmd + T

Add sidebar shortcuts for selected item(s)

Control + Shift + Cmd + T

Add selected item(s) to Dock

Cmd + Delete

Move selected item(s) to Trash

Option + Cmd + Delete

Delete selected item(s) immediately

Shift + Cmd + Delete

Empty Trash

Option + Shift + Cmd + Delete

Empty Trash immediately i.e. without warning dialog

Cmd + E

Eject the selected disk or volume

Cmd + F

Open a Finder search window (search bar is activated automatically)

Option + Cmd + Space

Open a Finder search window even when Finder is not active

View and Sort Options

Cmd + 1

Switch to Icon view

Cmd + 2

Switch to List view

Cmd + 3

Switch to Column view

Cmd + 4

Switch to Gallery view

Control + Cmd + 0

⁴Sort items into Groups

Control + Option + Cmd + 0

Sort items by None

Control + Option + Cmd + 1

Sort items by Name

Control + Option + Cmd + 2

Sort items by Kind

Control + Option + Cmd + 3

Sort items by Date Last Opened

Control + Option + Cmd + 4

Sort items by Date Added

Control + Option + Cmd + 5

Sort items by Modified

Control + Option + Cmd + 6

Sort items by Size

Control + Option + Cmd + 7

Sort items by Tags

Option + Cmd + 1

Clean up items by Name

Option + Cmd + 2

Clean up items by Kind

Option + Cmd + 5

Clean up items by Date Modified

Option + Cmd + 6

Clean up items by Size

Option + Cmd + 7

Clean up items by Tags

Option + Cmd + S

Toggle sidebar

Option + Cmd + T

Toggle toolbar and sidebar

Shift + Cmd + T

Toggle tab bar

Option + Cmd + P

Toggle path bar

Shift + Cmd + P

Toggle Preview sidebar

Cmd + / (Forward slash)

Toggle status bar

Cmd + J

Show View options for active folder

Shift + Cmd + . (Period)

Toggle visibility of hidden files

Up Arrow

Icon View, Gallery View: Select last item

List View: Select item above

Column View: Select last item if no item selected, otherwise select item above

Down Arrow

Icon View, Gallery View: Select first item

List View: Select item below

Column View: Select first item if no item selected, otherwise select item below

Left Arrow

Icon View: Select item on the left

List View: Collapse folder

Column View: Select parent folder

Gallery View: Select last item if no item selected, otherwise select first item on the left

Right Arrow

Icon View: Select item on the right

List View: Expand folder

Column View: Select child item

Gallery View: Select first item if no item selected, otherwise select first item on the right

Tab

Icon, List, and Gallery View: Cycle through items in the forward direction

Shift + Tab

Icon, List, and Gallery View: Cycle through items in the backward direction

Cmd + Up Arrow

Open enclosing (parent) folder

Cmd + Down Arrow

Select first item or open selected item(s)

⁵Cmd + [

Go one step backward

⁵Cmd + ]

Go one step forward

Accessing Standard Finder Locations

Shift + Cmd + F

Open Recents window

Shift + Cmd + O

Open Documents folder

Shift + Cmd + D

Open Desktop folder

Option + Cmd + L

Open Downloads folder

Shift + Cmd + H

Open Home folder of current user account

Shift + Cmd + C

Open Computer window

Shift + Cmd + R

Open AirDrop window

Shift + Cmd + K

Open Network window

Shift + Cmd + I

Open iCloud Drive

Shift + Cmd + A

Open Applications folder

Shift + Cmd + U

Open Utilities folder

Shift + Cmd + G

Open dialog to jump to folder using pathname

Cmd + K

Open Connect to Server utility

Cmd + , (Comma)

Open Finder preferences

Window Management

Cmd + M

Minimize active window

Option + Cmd + M

Minimize all windows

Cmd + ` (Backquote)

Cycle through (unminimized) windows

Cmd + H

Hide Finder

Option + Cmd + H

Hide all apps except Finder

Cmd + Q

Quit Finder

Mouse-Based Shortcuts

Cmd-Click

Open sidebar item in new tab or window

Cmd-Drag Toolbar/Sidebar Item

Add item to or move/remove item from toolbar/sidebar

Cmd-Drag File/Folder

To toolbar/sidebar: Add a shortcut

To any location on disk: Move item there

Esc

Cancel drag-and-drop action midway

Double-click divider in Column View

Resize corresponding column to fit item with longest name

Option + Double-Click divider in Column View

Resize all columns to fit items with the longest name in each

Option-Drag divider in Column View

Resize columns equally

Option-Click Go Menu

Reveal link to Library folder

¹When window has multiple tabs ²If multiple items are selected, pathname of first item will be copied. ³If no item selected, preview parent folder with Quick Look. ⁴Does not work in Gallery View. ⁵Based on tab/window history

There's a Lot More to Discover in Finder!

Our Finder tips don't end here. We can also help you find your files quicker with tags, complete various macOS tasks with Finder's Quick Actions, and discover hidden features.

Speaking of hidden features, did you notice that many of the keyboard shortcuts above are secret Option key shortcuts?

Image Credit: Kaitlyn Baker on Unsplash