How To Organize Files On Your Mac

[@howarddunn4600]

Just bought a new mac and want to ensure I have a clean build. Your advice has proved absolutly brilliant. Thanks

[@Walkwalk88]

The best 12 mins I spent today

[@Roy19870716]

Hi Gary, it has been so many years and I’m glad to see you again. I remember it was about fourteen years ago around 2010, when I was a student in California, I was your fan on podcast and learned a lot from you. Then after graduation, I came back to China and didn’t use podcast or see you for many years until recently I found you on YT. How time flies! Life has changed so much, and I am getting old. Miss the days back in the States, I usually watched your podcasts while eating pizzas. And you are not “that” young any more but the voice is so familiar to me and brings back all the good memories. Thank you so much for making the videos for all of us. Cheers and wish you all the best! Love from China.

[@rdfuhr]

Another organizing technique, which supplements, but does not clash with, iCloud Drive > Documents, is to use tags. A file or folder can have one tag, many tags, or no tag, and using tags can provide an additional way of organizing your files.

[@razorbackroar]

I use tags all ready what’s the difference between tags in folders on the desktop vs iCloud

[@orincywhytedesigns]

I just recently started getting into tags 👌🏾

[@Realist-m9c]

Custom folder icons are a great way to identify a folder visually from all the other standard “Blue” folders. Even aliases “or shortcuts” will adopt the custom folder icon. Even external drives can also have custom folder icons.

[@michaelcaldwell7107]

Just what I needed. I’ve felt like I needed to reorganize for awhile as it was getting hard to figure out where things were and it took too long to find them. Now I can use your suggestions and this way of doing things makes a lot of sense to me. Yet again, this proves you have one of the best channels out there. Thank you!

[@l3martin]

Hello Gary, As a veteran IT professional, I spent most of my career on Windows, Linux, and Unix. In fact, the last time I used an Apple was an Apple II in 1983! As a novice MacOS user, I got my first Macbook last week. I must say, to some extent, it feels like I've come home. But did Apple really had to design keyboard shortcuts that are so much different from everyone else's? LOL Thanks for this - it is really great! It makes my learning so much easier!

[@IamChasityAwells]

Thank you so much! You made it easy to follow along without unnecessary information.

[@mayeearcusa8909]

I'm not even a MAC person but my husband has a mac and it is so intimidating for me to open. But this has been sooo helpful. So clearly explained it even gave me an idea on how to organize on my windows laptop. Will definitely your other videos to help me organize my files and my husband's 😊

[@albertross-ndt]

Brilliant, I’ve said it before and, I’ll say it again! I’m an old timer now and I can never find items that I made the day before, this will help me I’m sure of that and it all makes sense. However I live in the UK and sometimes I might not understand certain terms applicable to North America. I always screen record anything that I find applicable to me on Gary’s Mac most page and watch them over and over hoping that some of it might sink in. Thank you ❤

[@macmost]

No need to "screen record." Just bookmark the page with the video so you can return to it.

[@khan49337]

I have adopted a Windows-like organization method for my files on my Mac computer. I created three folders named 'Disk 1', 'Disk 2', and 'Disk 3', and changed their icons to resemble disks for easy identification. 'Disk 1' is dedicated to all my software, and 'Disk 2' holds all my work-related documents. This approach has greatly simplified file management and access for me."

[@jozsefbognar5896]

This is what I am thinking of. In which root folder did you create these Disk1..2..3?

[@RaySawhill]

Not just helpful but inspiring.

[@mtm101designs9]

Your a Mac wizard - thanks for your help.

[@angelar.174]

Thank you! I'm use to manila folders and paper! I didn't know what all those folders were when I opened my Mac or how to efficiently organize my records with them - this was so helpful.

[@hemondey4558]

hello, I just bought new MacBook Air, and previously I were using windows. some settings are bit different from windows to Mac. thank you for the video to guide a beginner, how to use Mac.

[@eliasguerrero4476]

Thank you so much, I just bought my first MacBook and I´m learning how to use macOS 🙏🏻

[@allisonwendell9942]

Very helpful I'm prepping to migrate some PC files to my iMac and wasn't sure How to organize them.

[@mhouslay7281]

Even a long term Mac user learned some super useful tips from this. So clear, full of insight, great pace and a pleasure to watch. 🎉

[@theinkychronicles]

Thank you so much for this video. I have a bad habit of starting folders and then not keeping them organized but this gave me the oomph I needed to really get to the nitty gritty of organization!

[@chucksaeger7500]

Fantastic video! I’ve learned so much already by watching your videos but mostly to not be afraid to move about on my Mac. Thanks so much!

[@Lola.004]

This is exactly what I needed to learn to help organize my messy files. Thank you for your clear instructions.

[@davidis7]

Great video Gary. Is there a way to easily change the color of a folder and/or add an icon to it? If so, have you ever made a video about that? Thanks!

[@macmost]

Several. Here's one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5zYk4CIi7-inNk

[@huzefamalik6690]

Every video I watch of yours, makes my life easier with mac Thanks!!!

[@raymondw.stevensjr.5756]

Thank you so much for this video, it helped organize my files and; more important to me, how to store documents just on the Mac, without using iCloud storage.

[@scottboettcher1344]

This just simplified my Screenshots world; thanks Gary!!

[@zchovan]

What's best practice for the Pictures and Movies folders in the Home folder? I have put a lot of pictures in there (not just my Photos library) and I thought that was what was best practice. This video suggests I keep them in the Documents folder (like with the Images folder example). Now I'm torn, lol.

[@macmost]

Depends on what you like. Personally, I like the idea of keeping folders with other photos in there, like scans of older family photos and such. But if the photos have to do with work projects I put them with the rest of the project in a folder in the Documents folder.

[@UNSEENpro_io]

The best explanation I've found on the subject... Keep up the great work! 💯

[@edwardfitz-gibbon6484]

Excellent. I’m relatively new to Mac. I’m always loosing files. This is so helpful. Many thanks 🙏 the ‘“downloads as” tip is a revelation 👍.

[@georgee3401]

Excellent tutorial. Very useful clarification and tips on this important topic. As usual from your videos, I learned some new useful techniques. Many thanks!

[@krismccormack6630]

This is incredible thank you for dumbing this down

[@rickphillips350]

You are good and I value your tips a great deal. You explain things easily and you talk at a good pace. Essential viewing.

[@GuiOpsDev]

As a computer tech, I personally stay away from storing my user folders to the cloud. I've had quite a few customers that can't access (or later have problems accessing) their computer after they've tried using their computer during an internet outage. And this is Windows, as well as Mac. If you want to share photos, music, etc. that's perfectly fine. But don't share your desktop computer accounts completely, across the board. I saw it first tried when Microsoft started their "remote office access" stuff with Windows 98 and it collided with their NT domain accounts. I haven't seen it get any better, Windows or MacOS.

[@thehealinghiker]

So glad i found you! I was wondering how to deal with all my downloads. I didn’t have a clue about folders but now I do! But do you mind if I ask a question? If my downloaded music is in iTunes can I delete it from my downloads? I’m so scared to do that because I don’t want it deleted from iTunes as well. I don’t know how connected everything is. Thanks for helping this noob 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@macmost]

iTunes? So you have an older Mac with an older version of macOS? iTunes hasn't been around for a long time. As long as your iTunes settings are such that imported music is copied to your Media Library, then you no longer need the original in your Downloads folder. You can always test with one song and see.

[@thehealinghiker]

@@macmost ha ha, that really dates me and you'd think I would know more about my computer after all these years. I actually have a MacBook Pro M1, so it's just called music now eh? Anyway thanks for your response 🙏🏻 I was actually thinking about your suggestion earlier, just delete a song and see if it deletes in my "iTunes" library 😉 I'll go watch more of your videos now, clearly I need to get up to snuff!

[@alohakeithb]

thanks, Gary! I like watching your new tips. I'm getting better with my Mac thanks to you :)

[@lebate.j.1368]

Nice teaching Sir.... 🤝

[@benny584]

Excellent Tutorial. I learned some new useful techniques. Many thanks!

[@tarvsingh6241]

EXCELLENT PRESENTATION-WELL DONE ,CONGRATS.

[@jeanlucvassort6411]

Hello dear Gary, watching tonight your recent videos on numbers / expenses and this video. You are so golden informative, Since years i watch most of your videos and use my Mac a lot, you are my golden reference. lot of useful details. Wishes for an happy end of the year and so many thanks ...

[@dilawarmunir]

very nicely explained, thank you

[@dplj4428]

I’m still working on a plan for storage. The documents folder on icloud is one way. Some apps have their own app-specificfolders, might favor different storage providers if syncing is part of their ecosystem (dropbox, etc). My real problem is ignoring where i can find anything. Even though you mention adapting to 5:40 change as needed, I need to be consistent instead of guessing each time. 8:29 oops, i didn’t think of Download as temporary.

[@susanweber6861]

Great video~ easy for this senior brain to understand. I have so much stuff in Downloads - how do I move to documents?

[@macmost]

Just drag and drop. One way is to open two Finder windows, one showing Documents, the other showing Downloads. Drag and drop from one to the other. But you'll probably want to create subfolders and such, like I show.

[@davidpatrick1813]

Finest kind of A HUGE help. Have a great weekend.

[@BobVogel-t1u]

In a perfect world A) I'd have seen a video like this 20 years ago, and B) (more important) I'd be an organized and systematic person. Then there are all the folders labeled "Old Computer", which are all the documents from a Windows computer, which itself had folders labeled (from work computer). Luckily most old things really aren't accessed that often. An thank goodness for spotlight search, which I just used this AM to find the Christmas card address list, which was tucked away in SOME random folder. 🙂

[@adamellebardem]

Thank you very much for very useful and clear information! Glad to have found your channel!

[@peazmo]

Another great video Sir! 🫡 How about Pages, Numbers, Keynotes (found on side bar) how are they being organized? Is it a sub-folder under Documents?

[@macmost]

These are the initial default locations for files created in these apps. Up to you if you want to use those folders. Personally, I don't as I put everything organized by project or category in my Documents folder.

[@dimasyudopratomo]

Thank you. Very helpful tutorial. 👍

[@JDolan6206]

Great help!!

[@joehopper2274]

Love and follow videos. Should you keep all your Photos/videos in the Picture Folder. I’ve got tens of thousands of them through the years.

[@macmost]

It depends on a lot of factors. So you don't have your photos in the Photos app? They are just files? You a put them where you want, and the Pictures folder is a good place. But it is up to you.

[@abodarsh2000]

you are the best ... thank you so much.

[@hallchristian1]

Great video as usual! Wish somebody could explain the difference between the images folder and the photo library

[@macmost]

Do you mean the Pictures folder? That's a folder in your Home folder that usually contains your Photos Library (the default location). But you can also put other things in the Pictures folder. Most people probably have it empty besides the Photos Library, but others may want to include other folders that make sense (clipart collections, folders of files that are photos they don't want in their Photos Library like if they are for work or such).

[@hallchristian1]

Thanks - I guess I mean Pictures folder ("Bilder") in Norwegian (my Nationality). Anyhow I see that my Pictures folder is 14 GB . I have the iCloud switched on for this so thats fine - but in your video you created an images folder in your documents folder. These images are not automatically synced to the iCloud pictures collection?? @@macmost

[@macmost]

@@hallchristian1 Right. I just created a folder and named it. You can create folders in your Documents folder and name them whatever you want: Images, Things, George, anything. Put any kinds of files in there you like.

[@hallchristian1]

Great - I get it. Thanks again

[@HeartDrivenTarot]

Helpful - I have a mess in that I have two sets of "Document" folders! I failed to call one "Local" documents and everything is all confused!

[@macmost]

So is one in iCloud Drive and the older in your Home Folder? And you have Desktop & Documents turned on for iCloud? If you are confused by that, then just rename your Home Folder one to "Local Documents" or something similar.

[@Oldnose63]

Thank for this much needed video. Wish I had this 5 years ago. Is dragging and dropping the only way to replace documents or folders? No cmd x-cmd p cutting and pasting commands? I think dragging and dropping is very clumsy and you can easily misplace something. If so how can you open multiple finder windows and cut and paste?

[@macmost]

Not sure what you mean. You can use copy and paste to copy or move files in the Mac Finder, yes. But you are asking about a "way to replace documents or folders" -- not sure what that means. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5Wrgp-Jd96enpY

[@Oldnose63]

@@macmost I have not succeeded copying and pasting folders in other folders in Finders at all. That’s why I asked. I’ll keep on trying with your tips. You really help !

[@Oldnose63]

Option command V That’s what I needed. Coming from Windows this is not what I could imagine or discover.

[@nicktannen]

Hi! I'm confused about using the documents folder for everything. I understand that macs automatically store lots of files in the documents folder, and I don't want to mess with that

[@macmost]

Macs don't store anything in the Documents folder unless you put things there. Apps should only "install" things into your Library folder, or perhaps a special folder in the Home folder (some games annoyingly do that). An app can choose to put things in your Documents folder, but they should let you choose exactly where. The whole point of the Documents folder is that it is your place to organize your Documents.

[@AnilAtluriWord]

Thank you Gary, this is a useful tutorial. Small doubt though. What happens if I delete a file from Docs folder or any other folder there or a sub folder? would it be deleted in the iCloud drive too?

[@macmost]

If you delete a file on iCloud Drive it is deleted from iCloud Drive, yes. Not sure what else would be expected.

[@robertrobinson9904]

Really great information

[@jumbolarge108]

Gary, if you are someone who uses lots of large files regularly (such as if you are a videographer), do you still recommend people to keep their Documents and Desktop in iCloud?

[@macmost]

Depends. First, do you have really good fast bandwidth? Second, are you OK with larger storage costs? Third, do you really need to have the files available across your devices? If not, then still keep Desktop and Documents in iCloud, but store those large video files elsewhere. I use the Movies folder in my Home folder for this, for instance.

[@djmarcos69]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@tm2290]

Nice! Needed this sir!

[@KingNothing0087]

I love your videos and I have a question. In my company, we use onedrive. It can be integrated but I'm not really happy with it. Sync runs really slow sometimes and also using one drive files in other tools when browsing files is a bit cumbersome. Is there any trick to improve onedrive on macOS?

[@macmost]

Sorry, I don't use OneDrive so I don't know.

[@yikuairou]

I'm using an app called Desktop Organizer, which allows me to organize my desktop files into different zones.

[@shriidharkulkarni6648]

Excellent technic Garry. Only problem is a birdbrain like me needs to watch this video repeatedly to understand the nuances of it. Good work by you anyway. Thanks a lot.

[@robsonrobinhocross]

Eu peguei a pasta documentos do iCloud Drive, etiquetei de amarelo e renomeei esta etiqueta para "nuvem", então eu sei que tudo amarelo estará sincronizado! Todos os arquivos que eu quiser na nuvem, basta arrastar para lá! Aproveitei e renomeei outras etiquetas por prioridade, como vermelho para urgente, etc. obrigado!

[@Ginsontechtips]

❤️ Nice presentation like always.Please help me to solve my problem. My MacBook ,Desktop document are before getting synced with my Iphone files-Desktop folder.I used to delete the desktop folder always in my IPhone before.Now need to bring back Desktop folder in Iphone files App. How can I Get it back😊

[@macmost]

Not sure. I would think that if you delete the Desktop folder in the Files app on your iPhone (in iCloud Drive) that it either wouldn't let you or it would delete all of your Desktop files on iCloud Drive. Not willing to test it out.

[@Ginsontechtips]

Thanks for your reply.. Now I don’t have any documents in the MacBook desktop.But if I put any kind of documents in desktop ,usually immediately icloud drive files app in iPhone will create a desktop folder and will show the same document in that,even if I deleted that folder by mistake.Now its not happening If I added a document in my MacBook desktop,the folder “desktop “ is not getting created now in iPhone files app .I need to solve this issue.Hope you understood my issue..

[@macmost]

@@Ginsontechtips Right, that's what should happen. You should see the same files in iCloud Drive across all of your devices. Maybe you aren't looking in the right place in the Files app on your iPhone this time? Note that you shouldn't "create" a Desktop folder, since that is a reserved name. But instead turn on Desktop & Documents if that is what you want. Look at some of the other tutorials on my channel about iCloud Drive to better understand how it works. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIXLdKSwpsaWq6c

[@Ginsontechtips]

Hi Boss..❤❤❤ Thanks a lot for your support.I saw your video and In system preferences the desktop and Document folders for iCloud was actually ON.But my be its a kind of Synchronising issue… I turned OFF and ON again the “desktop and document folder “.No I came see my desktop folder in Iphone files app….Thanks for your kind advice ❤❤❤❤

[@ChinhNguyen-yb3cp]

This is great too. Thank you Sir!❤

[@mustafabahsheemy]

Very useful thank you

[@loisskiathitis8926]

A very useful and informative video tutorial today! Thank you, Gary!👏🏻❤️

[@TPELaoY]

That was sooooo helpful!!!

[@hhahoanggallery1490]

hi gary, is there a way to set or change the path of the default Pictures, Downloads, Musics, Documents (local, not iCloud) to another Drive (external drive or Disc partition)? i want this same idea of this tutorial/ organizing, but locally on partition or external drive.

[@macmost]

Depends on which one. For instance, if you mean the Photos App Library, you can change that in the Settings in the Photos app. Same for Music. As for document files, you can put those wherever you want.

[@dmengle-6538]

Great tips as always Gary! BTW, if you create a folder with the “.nosync” designation in an otherwise synced iCloud Documents folder, will the contents of that folder remain unsynced to iCloud?

[@macmost]

Probably. But I wouldn't use that as it isn't really supported. Here's how to store files outside of iCloud Drive the right way: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJ6pqIGqa7Gnm7c

[@scott5x5]

Great video as always, the clearest tutorial on KZbin! I'm following your advice here, but finding a few folders and files that have been created by other apps (eg. Adobe) in my Documents folder. There's even a system folder called Library, which is presumably different than the one in the Users folder (but I'm not sure because the system won't allow me to open it). Do I have to leave these things in my Documents folder or can I move them to create the clean space you're recommending? (I'm using the Documents folder with iCloud.)

[@macmost]

Are these in your Documents folder, or in the main iCloud Drive folder above it? Either way, if an app insists on putting things there there's not much you can do other than refuse to use the app or see if there is a setting in the app for this. Or, of course, complain to the app developer.

[@MoisesBowe]

Hi Gari! Thanks for the tips as always. How do you do to organise your videos? Because if I change the name of the folder then my edition program will say that it does not find the videos. I am always struggling with that kind of things. Thank you!

[@macmost]

Not sure what you mean by "my edition program." I simply store my video projects in a folder with the name of the project.

[@demodrift8605]

Hey Gary. Long time no see! I’m returning to watch your great videos! Ps: have you ever see the PARA method of folder organization? May you make a video about this?

[@Oliver-zy8sq]

Wouldn't it also be clearer to rename the doocuments folder, if I use it that way?

[@macmost]

Not sure which technique you mean.

[@Oliver-zy8sq]

@@macmost If I use it as THE folder for everything

[@Javster]

I need this so baddd!!!!!!

[@myothurazaw]

The best approach I believe, is to use labels rather folders

[@Pterodactyl-kn3ve]

Until you don’t remember the label you used per file. In essence, a folder is a label, except it’s always visible AND it’s a container. The problem when you use multiple labels per file, you don’t want multiple versions of a file across multiple folders.

[@airpilikia]

I have a question. When I open a folder and there are numerous folders on my external HD and you have to scroll thru them to pick one. You open it, look at what you need and click the back arrow back to the original folder but is never high lighted and it goes back to the beginning so you have to remember what folder you had open. Or it switches to another one. Example is I have a LOT of pics and I organize them by the date. I mostly use the preview tab with the pics on the bottom and a big pic above them. I'd like to be able to click back to the original folder and then pic the next folder in order and not have to scroll thru all the folders because it went back to the beginning. Hope you understand what I'm trying to convey. Thanks for your time.

[@macmost]

It depends on which button you mean and how you navigate, exactly. Hard question to answer without being able to see what you are doing and which Finder mode you are in.

[@airpilikia]

@@macmost Thank you for the reply I posted a comment in your macmost forum with a short video. Thanks, Carl

[@airpilikia]

Solved! Thanks for the reply in your Macmost Forum. Command + Up Arrow key.

[@nogood_ideas]

How would I differentiate between storing images in Pictures vs in Documents?

[@macmost]

That's up to you and how you work. For instance, if I have a project folder for something and this project has some images associated with it, then I will probably want those images in that folder or in a subfolder of that folder. But if I have a collection of photos that I don't want in my Photos Library but don't belong in my Documents folder, like scans of old family photos, I may put them in Pictures. But you make your own decisions based on your needs.

[@ivanwill]

Great info, as always. Curious, when using Finder, are there any gestures to go back and forth when in folders? Cheers…

[@macmost]

Not sure what you mean by "go back and forth."

[@ivanwill]

@@macmost besides clicking the arrows in the top left side to go back and forth (using list view). A gesture would be great.

[@macmost]

@@ivanwill There are lots of keyboard shortcuts for things. But I'm not sure what you are describing here as "back and forth." Do you mean the Back and Forward buttons in the toolbar?

[@ivanwill]

@@macmost Yes, those. Thanks

[@SteveHendrickson]

I would love to use the Documents folder for nothing but my personal files, but nearly every app I install insists on using it for their files. I swear, I have more app files in my Documents folder than personal files! Is there any way to prevent this?

[@macmost]

In each app see if there is a setting for that. Otherwise, just get used to having them there. Their presence doesn't stop you from creating your own folders as needed.

[@SteveHendrickson]

Thanks Gary! I'll check that out.

[@geolazakis]

9:45 How do you get the "Screenshots to Photos" option for alternative screenshot locations?

[@macmost]

I think that is from this tutorial: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKHSaqqpqLieiLc

[@livineternity]

how can I delete / rename a folder inside my home folder? (for example Movies / Pictures folders)

[@macmost]

In general, you don't. What's your goal here? Leave the default folders alone. If you like, you can create other folders.

[@tanlines86]

THank you - question i notice when i move a file it leaves a blank spot - i have to manually go to list - name and it reorganizes it.

[@macmost]

Which Finder view are you using? Icon? List? Column? Only Icon should leave a space. But if you have a Sort By option set, then it will automatically move the icons to keep things neat.

[@jakesmith327]

Can you access files in iCloud Drive without an internet connection?

[@macmost]

Depends. If you have Optimize off then yes. If Optimize is on then only if the item is cached locally. See m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWitinuOZ86Hb7M

[@eliteconditioningivicaklun7507]

Thank you :)

[@alohakeithb]

I just tried something though - Is "documents" a reserved name? I just tried renaming my documents folder in MS OneDrive to "OneDrive Documents" but it still shows as "documents" in the finder sidebar even though, when I click on it it shows the file name correctly in the finder title bar as OneDrive Documents ...

[@macmost]

Not sure about OneDrive, but for your Home folder and iCloud Drive it is a special name, yes.

[@alohakeithb]

@@macmost ok. Thats explains it. It must be the same for the OneDrive documents folder. Thanks a lot Gary.

[@elizabethtorres1205]

thanks you

[@zoltanzana]

Thank you

[@desertpatient]

Thanks bunches

[@gregnelson5796]

How do I create a Home folder like you refer to at the end of the video? Thanks

[@macmost]

You don't create a Home folder. Each Mac account already has one. Do you mean how do you create a Local Documents folder? Just go into your Home folder and create a new folder there. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJ6pqIGqa7Gnm7c

[@LetsTravelThisYear]

Maybe this is common knowledge ... but how do you get to the home folder? Is it called HOME? @@macmost

[@macmost]

@@LetsTravelThisYear Your Home folder has the same name as the short name for your Mac account. You can easily get to it in the Finder by choosing Go, Home in the menu bar.

[@LetsTravelThisYear]

Perfect@@macmost Thank you.

[@marcilk7534]

@@macmostSo if I have photo files I want to save not on the cloud or my photos library, I would create a folder in my home location, right?

[@manuelcalleja92]

Whats your recommendation on files that should be stored in iCloud vs local? iCloud seems to be the cheaper alternative compared to configuring a new Mac with expensive SSD storage from Apple.

[@macmost]

Depends on the person, how they use their Mac, what the files are, speed and consistency of an Internet connection, etc.

[@Oldnose63]

I always thought that what is in iCloud is in local too. So how would you save money?

[@macmost]

@@Oldnose63 Yes, with Optimize OFF, then what is in iCloud is in local too. If you want to save money and not use iCloud you can do that too. I find it way too useful to have all my files available everywhere myself. But that is up to you.

[@covetbookkeeping]

Why do you put all of the folders under documents instead of right on the iCloud Drive?

[@macmost]

Neatness and best-practice standards. The "Documents" folder has traditionally been the place where you store your documents. Plus a lot of other apps and processes use the top level of iCloud Drive, so it is nice to have Documents set up as under your complete control.

[@covetbookkeeping]

@@macmost Perfect. Thanks -

[@Panglos]

How is it that your iCloud Documents folder is empty? Applications put related files and folders in my Apple-mandated Documents folder, cluttering it up. Because of that, I use a separate iCloud folder to hold my documents.

[@macmost]

Usually apps put things in the main iCloud Drive folder, not the Documents folder (either is annoying though I agree). But in this case I don't have any apps that are doing this, at least not for the Documents folder.

[@JorgePerez-lk2lq]

please make a video how to transfer music from iPod to a Mac

[@macmost]

You don't. Music "syncs" from Mac to iPod, not the other way around. If you have music on an iPod, then it must have originally been on a Mac (or PC with iTunes) so go back to that copy of the music.

[@JorgePerez-lk2lq]

@@macmost I had a new computer

[@macmost]

@@JorgePerez-lk2lq So you don't have those old files anymore? You lost them in the transition somehow, no backups? In that case, you should to go back to the source: the CDs or sites you downloaded the music from.

[@giorgos7six]

Suppose i don't want my files to be accessed by anyone, only me, is it ok and safe to put them in the Clouds folder to work with (either they are Word, or Powerpoint, or Photoshop, or Illustrator files), will saving them directly to the cloud be ok?

[@macmost]

Why would someone else have access to your iCloud Drive folders? These are your folders and files. Someone else would need your iCloud ID, password and two-factor code to access them.

[@giorgos7six]

You are correct , I didn’t phrase it correctly. Im mostly worried about the saving procedure, if it’s safe and fast to work directly/live with files that are located in the cloud.

[@Jon1ya]

Excellent

[@ezequielplayz]

Garry can explain why my macbook the cursor and keyboard ain't workin i havent spilled anything on it?

[@macmost]

Try a restart and if that doesn't work connect Apple Support.

[@ezequielplayz]

@@macmost apple support kinda expensive

[@macmost]

@@ezequielplayz It should be free to take it into the Genius Bar and have them look. If a repair is needed, they will tell you the cost.

[@ccmmkk]

why I can't see the drop down icon ( > ) in the List

[@macmost]

Are you sure you are in List View?

[@jimcappellino926]

I have been downloading many categories of pictures for manipulation files and I’m running out of names for these folders. You might call my behavior “picture hoarding”, but I often try to move these “folder workflow of the day” off the Mac to an external hard drive. Am I out of control here, or is this obsession with pictures nothing to be worried about with the way I’m using my organizational skills. My iMac is 12 years old…and slowing down!!

[@macmost]

Personal pictures? Or for work? If personal, why are you not using the Photos app instead? You have a lot more options in there.

[@jimcappellino926]

@@macmost they are personal in nature…architecture, design etc. I have been downloading them to desktop and then moving them into file folders to retrieve and use them in a Photoshop type app (Affinity Photo). As I’m a retired art director, this “habit” keeps my mind in motion. It involves tasks that require a good memory of the software capabilities.

[@jimcappellino926]

@@macmost the pictures are in “work” folders. I call them that because they contain elements (pictures) that I want to isolate for future editing purposes. I’m a retired graphic designer but I still like to keep my mind busy doing these little projects. I also don’t like to have hundreds of pictures sitting dormant on the photos app. I have about 100 in there now, and those are mostly screen shots, most of which I either back up on external drive or delete them when they’re not needed any more. Th Mac is around 12 yrs old and just opening apps make the wheel spin for too long a time.

[@psych0_06]

If you put two named folders in the same folder, two options appear (Skip and Replace). If you click on Replace, one goes away. How will it come back? 😢

[@macmost]

You replace it. It can't come back. If you just did it you should be able to Undo. If not, then restore it from your Time Machine backup.

[@rockerzaki8877]

The problem is that some programs, like games, create their own folders with game save files in the Documents folder, which can take up a lot of space.

[@macmost]

Check in the settings for the app and see if you can customize the location where it saves data. Contact the developer about it if you can't find it. In 2023 no app or game should be saving to Documents without offering another option. The developer should know better.

[@rockerzaki8877]

ill try it, tnx !