📑 Organize Your Mac: Finder Tips & Tricks

[@SteveandAngBatson]

I'm new to Mac world as a decades old MS guy. Excellent video, thanks to putting together such a comprehensive video.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Glad I could help you navigate the Mac world! Welcome. I have a playlist of videos new Mac users should watch... make sure to check those out, and let me know if you have questions.

[@MrGroganmeister]

Same here. That was a brilliant video

[@IanJHarmon]

The tip about quicklook is a game changer. I'm one week into moving from windows to macos and your video was super helpful. Thanks

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Awesome, glad that helped. Have you checked out the other videos in the new2mac section? They will probably also help you. Here are a few I recommend: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqKyeYavrLx1f5I kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4m3i5ihrLKIl9U kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6Cxg6yLorx0eZI

[@Uns_Maps_8]

I am watching your video to help my daughter with her new Mac and organizing her files. I have used Windows my whole life and Linux the last decade or so. I do not find my way easily around Mac OS and your video helped me lots. Thank you so much

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I'm glad it was helpful. If you have other questions about how to help your daughter out, please let me know. Linux and windows are very functional operating systems, but require you to learn their peculiarities. I've always been on a Mac, so I know the finder and most of the tools like the back of my hand… It just takes a little time to become fluent, and then it makes sense. With many other operating systems, everything feels a little counterintuitive… Once you've used it long enough, it makes sense, but it never feels natural. Part of learning how to use the Mac is unlearning the counterintuitive workarounds and complicated processes that became second nature… I compare it to driving an automatic transmission after learning on a stick shift. It's certainly easier, but you have to learn what to do with your clutch foot so it doesn't keep getting in the way… Thanks for watching, let me know if I can help further.

[@Uns_Maps_8]

@@TheMacWhisperer thank you. I will consider that offer if we encounter something specific 👍

[@theabyssaldemon]

imma be honest chief I've been using OS X for 15+ years and didn't know you could do a lot of these finder tricks. Thank you!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I'm so glad I could help you learn some new tricks. Now you know… And his G.I. Joe always said knowing is half the battle! Thanks for watching!

[@OneCatholicSpeaks]

I went heavy into using the sidebar and Smart Folders. The storage folder for my docs are organized by year with month inside. I have a smart folder which lists docs created or opened within the last 2 weeks. When I create a new document it is saved right into the current month. Other Smart Folders by project. All Smart Folders search my yearly folders. I also have a tag pinned if I want to keep a document handy for a while. When looking for documents, I go through my Smart Folders. Setting this to column view seems like a great idea. This has resulted in documents essentially always being organized.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

That’s awesome. Personally, I like to sort my notes a little more manually but it looks like you’ve created an amazing system that works well for you. I recommend against smart albums for most people because it will not actually sort them but we just end up with a ton of smart albums and all of your notes still in one folder. If you leave all of your notes unsorted without putting them into separate folders it can overload the system and cause notes to be very slow and unresponsive. But it looks like you’ve created a beautiful system for you, and I thank you for sharing.

[@bradlawrenz4143]

Thanks Dylan, Just found your Academy. Great presenting done simply to help make things easier, along with plenty of "I didn't know I could do that" tips for us "garden variety" Mac users. Appreciate you my man. Cheers!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Thanks so much for watching! Glad to have you aboard! Please let me know if you have any specific questions or topics you would like me to cover!

[@FromtheShires]

Didn’t expect to find anything here I didn’t already know. But everyday is a learning day. Great informative video, no matter how long you’ve been using your Mac.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Thanks so much for that! Glad you got value. I would love to hear what tips really resonated with you.

[@FromtheShires]

@@TheMacWhisperer batch renaming in the finder. Why I’ve never hooked up on that before I’ll never know.. thanks 👍🏼

[@bobshoe1]

Thank you. I’ve been using Macs for 30 years and just learned some valuable tips on the finder! I subscribed and will watch many more of your videos.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Fantastic to hear! The Finder is such a key component of the computer and it gets completely overlooked. Make sure to check out my recent video on how to use the Dock, since that's another critical tool that is massively underutilized. You can find that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqKyeYavrLx1f5I

[@ADancingFlamingo]

You helped me understand how to use my Finder better. Great Video. Thank you

[@wendyrae4694]

Thank you for this, so helpful! Tools I didn’t know I had. I do have a question though-on my Finder sidebar, the bottom third is “Tags” with a list of colored dots and an “All Tags” button. What are these for and how do I use them? Maybe you’ve already covered this in another video??

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Thanks for asking about that... I actually filmed info about it for this video and then decided it needed it's own video to properly explain it. It is a way to simply categorize and easily find important files on your computer. Keep your eyes out for the Tags video... I hope to have it ready in the next week or two.

[@wendyrae4694]

@@TheMacWhisperer Thank you! Will keep an eye out.

[@nathan6899]

Excellent, thank you 🙏🏾. The Quick Look using the space bar is my favourite, I never knew about that. The tip for renaming multiple files/photos is also an excellent tip and something I’ve used regularly since I found out how to do it a few years back.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@rickbooks428]

Hey bud, thanks for the video. I've been using Macs since 1995 and after a while one (me) can become complacent with file management because "that's just what I'm used to". I learn new things about my Mac all the time and this video is no exception. I laughed out loud with the Quick Look tutorial because I am guilty of opening a file and saying, damn, that's not it. Thanks again, you have another subscriber.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

So glad you're on board and got great value. I've been using Apple since the very beginning in the 80s, and even though there are lots of ways to become complacent and disorganized, I find investing the time in simplifying and decluttering your system pays massive dividends. Anything you would like to learn more about in a future video?

[@roselaukaitis6143]

Thank you so much - you have made my life so much better as I have been storing things all wrong and now I will be able to find what I am looking for.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Glad I could help! I find that one of the biggest problems people have on their computers is knowing where to put things and how to organize them. It's one of the things I teach in my live classes. Let me know if you want more information or if you have suggestions for future videos!

[@nickyd3572]

I can’t thank you enough for showing me how to rename multiple files at once 🤯-it felt like experiencing colors for the first time.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Awesome! It’s a super handy trick that I use all the time… Glad to share it with you.

[@Ib_just_eve]

i moved to mac a fair while ago and i've just been wowed. i didn't know about the renaming options and its going to make my life so much EASIER , very thankful for you making these videos. thank you

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Glad it's been helpful for you! There's a lot of other videos coming that will help with new and even experienced Mac users to make the most of their machines and get super organized. Make sure to let me know if there's something you want to learn more about specifically!

[@VillageAlive]

So glad I found you. I am transitioning from 30 years of PC to Mac. Just bought a new MacBook Air. Which of your videos do you recommend I start with? Thanks much.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I am creating a series of "New to ______: Start here" videos, but those won't be ready for a little bit. Now that you have watched the Finders video: I recommend learning about keycodes and shortcuts here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4m3i5ihrLKIl9U Learning the best Mac settings here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnfRoWlqgsZsnLM Learn about the Right Click here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2qQi5adoLJ-oLM Learning about the Dock here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJ3FgZt3aruEgtk Learning about MacMail here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boKQpHeuhZZsqJo Learn about organizing Safari (my preferred browser) here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIiTcmN6rqZ5sMU Learn how to scan on your Mac here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXvTl56erbJ-oM0 And then do some digging into my collection of videos on Notes and Reminders. Feel free to let me know if you have a question or need help around anything. Welcome!!!

[@VillageAlive]

@@TheMacWhisperer thanks for the detailed reply. 👍👍

[@sherigaynorcreativeawakenings]

WOW! Mac user for...years and years. I have SUCH a challenge with the search piece,. I've never been able to break it down for specific searches, so all the junk shows up. This was excellent! Thank you. Can you do one on finding duplicate files! :)

[@jwoodman]

Very helpful, especially the Quick Look tip. First video of yours I have watched, and I will certainly look at the others. I have used my Mac for years without really understanding it - now at 80 years old I am making a big effort to master it.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

It's never too late to learn something new! Welcome to the channel, and I'm so glad you found it helpful! Let me know if there are any particular challenges you're having, and I will try and point you to a video to solve them.

[@jwoodman]

@ Bad day today trying and failing to add folders to the Finder side-bar, until I realised that Favorites was collapsed. Settling down to your Photos series tonight to see if I can finally understand where the files are stored. Tannee sauchey - stay safe, in Manx.

[@GameboyMufti]

Hi , can you create some video for Final cut pro, need to learn it but have no clue where to start. Thanks for all your assistance, I am learning a great deal from you.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Interesting request and quite specialized. There are other people in my live Q&A classes that have similar questions with Final Cut Pro, and we take time to dive into these topics 1:1. Let us know if you’re interested in joining us for one of the sessions-we’d love to help you out more in-depth! 😊

[@EnriqueRivera-sz2ph]

I never comment on these kinds of videos, but as a college student and teacher, I can’t stress how much you just helped me. Thank you and you earned my subscription!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Fantastic, thank you and welcome aboard!

[@rodlemond2056]

Thanks!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Wow, thank you for the Super Thanks! 💥 Your tip means the world to us and helps us keep creating helpful, ad-free videos. We’re so grateful for your support and for being such an awesome part of the MacWhisperer fam! 🎉🚀 If you have any specific Apple questions, feel free to reach out!

[@charlotteskadal6539]

Lots of Thanks! I just found your channel. I love your format and will be watching until I don't have to call my sons to help me FIND a file, or send me another copy of an image or video of my grandchildren that is probably still on my computer but I can't FIND it! Blessings to you Dylan!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Perfect Charlotte! That's my dream... empowering people to learn how to use their technology so they don't have to degrade the relationships with their friends and family by asking for help all the time. I've got tons of videos to help you out... and if you really want to jumpstart your knowledge, come check out my free live classes later this week. You can register for them here. www.themacwhisperer.com/digital-declutter-3class-workshop

[@Quince828]

KZbin had this vid appear on my feed and already I’ve learned some finder tips that I didn’t know about. Thanks. I’ve subscribed to learn more.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I love that! Welcome aboard! Please let me know if there are any topics you would like me to cover!

[@mariogarcia1415]

I never knew u can use the finder in such a useful way. Quick view is a game changer. Now i can be more proactive while saving files.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

That's great! I'm so happy that the video helped! Thanks for watching!

[@diana.findingstory]

Thank you. This is so helpful.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

So glad!

[@IamYogi]

WOW i dont hv words for the work u hv created. Thanks a lot

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Sorry... not sorry 🤷‍♂️ Thanbks for watching! What was the biggest takeaway for you?

[@kodilutv]

Your content is amazing and very helpful-thank you for that! I have a question: is there a way to automatically resize the last column in Finder to fit the longest filename? I know some third-party tools can do this, but they tend to be a bit clunky. I’ve been hoping for this feature natively in Finder for many years but haven’t been able to figure it out. Perhaps it’s hidden in the settings somewhere? Thank you!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

If you double-click on the hash marks at the bottom of the column, it will auto-expand to the full width of that column. It's not a new feature, it's been that way for decades. Hope that helps!

[@kodilutv]

@@TheMacWhisperer Thank you. One last question: what are "hash marks"? Is it those vertical hair-thin lines that separate each finder column? Or something else? Thanks

[@TheMacWhisperer]

@@kodilutv Yes, at the bottom of the page, between each column, you will see two vertical lines (aka hash marks). Double-clicking on those lines will expand the column automatically.

[@ruthlobner8114]

Oh my goodness, I'm gonna binge you now, man. Just so you know. THANKS!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Bring it on. Glad to have you onboard.

[@chasvox2]

I am a composer and also narrate audiobooks. You can imagine my “search” issues. Many of these tips I had already figured out…however I learned a LOT from your tips to add to my workflow. Great job, young man!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I really appreciate the compliment! What software are you using for your work, and how do you organize your files to minimize the need to search?

[@chasvox2]

@@TheMacWhisperer DAW...Studio One Pro...music and voiceover....(I also have Logic but rarely use it..)...And Dorico Pro for notation. numerous SSD's for instrument libraries and SSD's for production; i.e. composition and audiobook production. Subfolders ad hoc for projects and/or categories...i.e. Noir-ish music cues, orchestral cues, etc....audiobooks by title and dates...

[@watchrepairwithchris4346]

Finally can get organized. Many thanks

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I’m so happy this video was helpful to you! Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help you get organized!

[@nevillesmith2244]

Thanks for this very useful and as a Mac user for many years didn’t know a lot of this. Question. When in finder is there a way of finding which notes have not been added to a folder? Thanks

[@TheMacWhisperer]

So the finder doesn’t have anything to do with Notes. The Notes app is its own application and entity. When you open the Notes app, there are two folders at the top of the folder list. The all folder, which contains every note no matter what folder it’s in, and the notes folder. The notes folder is essentially the unsorted folder and will tell you what hasn’t been put away yet. If you’d like some more tips on organizing notes check out this video:kzbin.info/www/bejne/onO7lmmBndWWhJY

[@nevillesmith2244]

@@TheMacWhisperer Many thanks. got the applications muddled. rewatched your video and now have all sorted and in folders. thanks for the great videos

[@RobinYellin-z2l]

Would love to see a video on organising apple photos in the best way. Have you anything?

[@frank23mm]

A really helpful video, thanks a lot..

[@PatriciaMuirMaestroQ]

I’m a Finder List gal with an efficient folder and file naming convention. It drives me insane when I see my partner using the icon view. It’s like splatter on the wall. I will share this video with him. Traditional filing protocol is undervalued and needs to be in the education curriculum as a basic life skill. Just how much more efficient could we all be? However, I learned so much more from this video. I was blown away by the many Finder features that I was not aware of even as a longtime Mac user. I am going to retrain my brain to use columns more effectively. The multiple rename is going to be a major time saver for me. Thank you.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I love it when someone who knows what they're doing stumbles into this channel and learns new tools! Yes, proper naming convention is critical... and completely overlooked by most people who figure "I can just search for it later"... then they call me and tell me they can't find anything and ask how they should organize things... and I told them they should start by giving things proper names, and they look at me like I've said a bad word. Thank you for getting me... Thank you for watching the channel... Let me know if there's anything specific I can help you with.

[@jamietimko2455]

Thank you for this. It was very helpful. Can you please make a video of your workflow when downloading documents to your Mac? I constantly download things from email or websites, they go into an automated folder,which I don’t completely understand, and then get lost in the shuffle. I have a never ending sea of things I brought onto my computer that I don’t even remember or need at this point- all the way back from 2015. Also, do those automated folders have to remain on the desktop?

[@TheMacWhisperer]

So, there's a lot to unpack in your comment. Let's start with the workflow of downloading documents to your Mac. Every application you use for downloading (Mac mail, Safari, chrome, etc.…) Has a preference section where you select your download folder. For me, I have set the download folder to the desktop… So I can find it easily. Many people save it to one of the two downloads folders on the computer (one is in your home folder, and one is in your iCloud. To me, the downloads folder is like sticking things under the rug, and wondering why it's hard to walk across it. By putting things on my desktop I am forced to file or delete them regularly, keeping things where they should be and out of the rarely explored downloads folders. Your question about automated folders is something I'm not clear on. What exactly do you mean by automated folders. You don't need to have anything on your desktop if you don't want to… So I'm happy to continue making videos about organizing and workflow, but the first step is being clear on where things download… And then regularly cleaning them out from that location and filing them into proper folders on your computer. I believe every computer user should have a main "home" for their stuff. It can be Dropbox, iCloud, your desktop, or your documents folder… But once you pick a specific home, then you can organize it properly with folders that make it simple for you to find what you're looking for without having to search. I have some other videos about these topics and more to come… Thanks for watching!

[@kenvis6389]

Nice. I think the only one I didn’t know was the last tip about the space bar. Thanks for that.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Happy to help!

[@kentowne2462]

Thank you for the Power Tip - Quick Look! You Got me to Subscribe right there! Awesome....can't wait to check out your other stuff!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Fantastic! It's a great tool! Thanks for watching!

[@786Muzik]

Thanks for sharing... Amazing👍🏼

[@abhay21849]

Dillon, awesome video. But what about smart folders and tags?

[@TheMacWhisperer]

It's funny you're the third person in the last week to ask for those exact two topics. I will get into them in a future video… Stay tuned! Thanks for watching. And not that it matters, but my name is spelled Dylan.

[@veenayys]

This was very interesting and knowledgable

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Glad you enjoyed it. Any specific takeaways you'd like to share?

[@psychology4introverts]

Hi, thank you for those tips! 2 Simple questions: 1: What's the fastest way to save files from web when you know exactly in which folder they should go and it's not the download folder? 2: Fastest way to open and close the finder window, sometimes it just won't close. Thank you so much

[@TheMacWhisperer]

There are a couple of different settings you can use (especially if you are using Safari) to decide where things download. For me, I have all downloads go to my desktop so that I can quickly file them afterward. If you want to file things as soon as you download them, you should change the Safari download location setting (under the general tab) to ask every time. Then, whenever you download something, it will ask you where you would like it to go. As far as opening and closing the Finder window. To open it, simply click on the Finder face on the dock. To close it, you can either click the red button in the upper left corner of the Finder window or use the key code ⌘ + W, which can be used to close any window. Be aware that you should never try quitting the Finder… It is a necessary component of the computer, and well closing a window can be done anytime, quitting the Finder can cause problems. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!

[@billscott643]

Wow! You know exactly what I've been doing wrong all these years; I never know Finder could be so useful! I have subscribed 😃 I wonder - my eyesight isn't so good, so Icon view works best for me - is there any way, in Icon view, to create separate areas within a file, to sort sub-files into groups? The sub-files in this case, are jobs. Typically, I'm only working on 10 - 20 jobs at a time, so they easily fit within the screen frame, even when enlarged. Each job goes through a few stages, so I want to be able to track their progress easily, by seeing at a glance which stage each one is at, then drag each file to the next area, once it's ready. I tried it with a background picture of coloured boxes, but that doesn't provide expandable areas, which is what I really need.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

You might want to consider using tags to color-code things based on the stage of the process they are in. Then you can glance at the color (or sort by the tags) and know which stage it is without having to create subfiles and subsubfiles, which is going to complicate everything. In a future video, I will explain how to properly use tags.

[@davidgory1757]

You can add the path to any file to the bottom so it is always visible

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Absolutely true. You can also right click on the header bar of any folder, file or document to see the path. Great tip!

[@Rs-zc2xw]

That "Power Tip" Thank you! 🤯😎

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Boom! Thanks for watching!

[@kodilutv]

Thanks

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Thank 🫵 You!!!

[@eeeekkkk783]

nice vid. how do you manage the sidebar favourites when there are multiple folders having the same name. how do you tell which is which?

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Why do you have multiple folders with the same name? If I had a similar situation, I would put a prefix before the name to delineate one work folder from another (ie DJS Work, TMA Work, Charity Work)… But if you really get yourself organized, you shouldn't have four or five folders with the same name. Folders with the same name should get consolidated so that it's easy to find what you're looking for without having to remember whether it's in this work folder, that work folder, this other work folder, etc. You can also change the image of the folder, to help clarify which is which... one could be shaped like a car or a circle... you can edit your folder icons pretty easily and that might also help. Planning out your file structure and eliminating irrelevant or duplicate folders will pay dividends in the long run. Thanks for watching!

[@jeffharmed1616]

Thanks. Great ideas. My preferred view is list view because I’m usually processing files within a folder, but you made me think about the other views and when they are more suited. Perhaps you wanted to keep this video small but it might have been the perfect time at the end to introduce tags

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I actually recorded footage about tags, and then it didn't feel like it fit. It felt like tags needed their whole own video, so I will be prepping and releasing that in the near future. Tags are complicated and, for most people, unnecessary. Learning where to file stuff, how to access it, and how to search is much more critical… Tags are just an additional way, once you know where things are to quickly access stuff. But you're right, it could have worked on this video I just didn't feel like it fit the flow I was going for... Thanks for watching!

[@sddoumbia]

Thank you for power tip it is a gaming changing. Appreciated🎉

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Quick look has saved me more time than I can even count! It's just one of the tips that allows me to be super productive and super functional without compromising simplicity.

[@writeaboutjesus]

So helpful! Could you do a similar video about how to organize on the iPad?

[@TheMacWhisperer]

It's in the works. It should be out in a week or two. I've been waiting for the new operating system that will get released on 9/9 before filming it.

[@SitiNuraisyah-q9n]

thank you sir!

[@RLinFL]

😎 Thank you so much for your help in using finder. I wish I would have known this info Years ago. Great job.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

It's never too late to learn! Glad you know that info now! Thanks for watching!

[@tonym9635]

Thank you, this was very helpful. I will subscribe!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Awesome, thank you for subscribing! 🎉 I’m glad you found the Finder tips helpful. If you ever have more questions or want to learn more, join us during our weekly live broadcasts-it’s a great way to dive deeper into all things Mac and Apple! Hope to see you there! 😊

[@JeffLComstock]

Wow this was very helpful. Thank you!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@MInnaMansky]

I like using the Finder as I can get rid of items or articles that are out-of-date, or articles that repeat.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Awesome! Great use of the finder.

[@davidjohn9006]

Good instructions/explanation 👍🏼 informative… I learned somethings new 😉

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Awesome, glad you found it valuable. Any specific tips or tools that really stood out for you?

[@7775Kevin]

Thanks for this. Very helpful

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I'm so glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@williampomerantz5996]

Excellent video.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Thank you! And Thanks for watching!

[@TheProperDom]

Great video - thank you ☺️

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@TheOneOriginalPolo]

Another great tip for the Finder sidebar? You can drag the entire categories anywhere you’d like. So, for instance, I like having my Locations at the top, followed by my Favorites. Cheers!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

That is absolutely true, you can re-organize the sidebar in any way that you want so that the things you need or where you want them rather than scattered up and down, forcing you to scroll. Great tip! Thanks for watching!

[@marionb6154]

Fantastic super helpful information thank you 🙏 😊

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@LindaKing-ff5vc]

This is EXCELLENT!! I'm so glad I found you!! Small business owner/baby boomer

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I'm really glad you found me... I have a whole playlist with other Mac basics tips in it that you should check out! What was your big takeaway?

[@LindaKing-ff5vc]

@@TheMacWhisperer Finding a nice person to answer my specific questions in a way I can understand.

[@B4andafterbeauty12]

Some of the tips were helpful, but others weren’t possible to do on my system, if that makes sense; i.e., the pop-up preview feature when you click on a doc/file and press the space bar. When I tried it, the file name was erased and other times nothing happens. Could it be a different iOS? My MacBook Air is running macOS Ventura 13.4.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

The reason it didn’t work for you to use QuickLook is because when you clicked on the document, you clicked on the title field so that when you click the spacebar it deleted the title. This happens sometimes, if you catch it quick you can just press the escape button to Reinstate the title. Try clicking on the image of the file rather than the name and it will work better.

[@marcusallenyt]

amazing thank you

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@mmhuq3]

Just subscribed thanks for the video

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Welcome aboard! Thanks for watching! Please let me know if there are any topics you would like to learn more about!

[@sh.online.577]

please more of this and thank y;ou so much

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Believe me, I have a lot more in the pipeline that I will be putting out soon. Are there any specific topics you would like to learn more about?

[@gopalvenkat3348]

Dylan, As a newcomer to MAC - I am not seeing the correct dates WHEN a Photo was Taken - The Creation Date is the date on Which the Photo was copied to the MAC from my SD Card - Is there a way to Find / Display the Original Date when the Photo was taken? Thanks

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Assuming the images were imported properly, and had the proper meta data on the files, when you import them and put them into the Photos app you will be able to see the captured date on the file. Remember, most Windows users have never worked with a photo program before, preferring instead to leave their pictures in folders or use Google photos. But on the Mac, the Photos app is 100% the way to go, so if you are just looking at things in folders, put them in the Photos app and they will most likely grab the right date (again, assuming that the photos had the right date put on them in the first place and that they were imported correctly). Coming from Windows to the Mac, there will be a lot of things that you've done the long, hard, arduous way without realizing that it was always supposed to be easy and simple. Photo management is a big part of that situation. Do you also have an iPhone? If so, make sure to turn on iPhone iCloud Photos so that all your pictures can synchronize properly between your devices (and if you are using Google Photos... stop that nonsense. Apple's Photos App is the way to go.) You can learn more about the Apple Photos App Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJPTgIyMr5eNo8U and here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6iaqZeKm9yLock

[@gopalvenkat3348]

@@TheMacWhisperer Dylan, thank you for the detailed and prompt reply. Here's some additional Info - I did not provide in my earlier comment :) As a Photographer, I use Lightroom and Photoshop to Manage my Photos and catalogs. All my Photos reside on External drives. (The Photos on the SD cards are copied to the External Photo drives - after a trip_. Lightroom is used to Name / Tag the Photos. When I open these external drives under windows File Explorer, the creation date perfectly matches the METADATA info - from the camera. So, the date I took the Photo, is displayed correctly in Windows. When viewing the Same External drives on MAC under FINDER, the creation date is shows as the date on which these Files WERE COPIED from the SD Card to the External drive! Is there a way to Display the METADATA Date - when viewing in FINDER - as opposed to the Date they were COPIED to the External Drive. (or is there an Alternate FINDER that can display the correct dates - perhaps something from the App Store?) Fortunately, Lightroom and Photoshop, grab the metadata date and I am able to do searches and selections (for editing) based on the Original Date of the Photo shoot. Thank you.

[@MourneTTC]

All 100% man but POWER TIP for FINDER CONTEXT- as space bar to quick view?????? The horse s… Neither you are looking for comments or OMG! Too good for this man!!!!!!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I'm not sre if this was a compliment, or a dig... either way, thanks for watching!

[@ThomsonLive]

Is there any Chance, i can open a new Finder Window, when i click on the finder-icon in the dock? Is it possible somehow?

[@TheMacWhisperer]

If no Finder window is currently open, clicking on the Finder icon on the dock will open one. If there currently is a Finder window open already, you can right-click on the Finder icon to open a new one. However, I strongly recommend learning the keyboard shortcut Command + N to open a new Finder window - that way it's not such a big struggle. When you start talking about the basics of using the Mac, there are 3 keys that are really helpful: - Knowing how to use the Finder (THIS VIDEO) - Knowing how to use the dock (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqKyeYavrLx1f5I) - Knowing your keyboard shortcuts (kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4m3i5ihrLKIl9U) In the near future, I will be making more videos in this series, including how to properly manage Windows and how to organize your files. Stay tuned.

[@roncohen2904]

Your video was FANTASTIC, as usual!! Do you ever do tutorials on mail on Mac? I use gmail.........Your videos are sooooo user friendly and informative!!! Thanks!!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Absolutely, I have a few videos on Mac Mail that are available right now. I'll post them down below... Gmail is so annoying and complicated it makes me crazy. That's why I've always recommended people set up Mac Mail with their Gmail accounts so they can avoid having to go to Google to get their mail. Which usually results in people leaving 10-20 tabs open on Chrome or Safari just so that they can check their junk. I'd always rather have it come to me directly. Check out these videos, there will be updated new ones in the very near future. kzbin.info/www/bejne/boKQpHeuhZZsqJo

[@TheMacWhisperer]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4eqp4NpnNWhhNk

[@patpres]

One thing I find most useful with QuickLook is choosing a group of files first (eg. a bunch of jpgs) Select one file, then Shift-click a non adjacent file in the list, to select all files between them, or select a file, then Command-click individual, non-adjacent files to select a group of non-adjacent files, then hit the spacebar for Quicklook. Now in the top bar there is a group, or contact sheet icon that displays all selected pics at once to easily view all of them or step thru with the arrow keys to select and/or edit if desired. One thing that seems to have been lost in the finder (at least for me) is the ability to display the full path to a file that used to be an available option. If anyone knows if that option still exists, please post.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I love that! Super efficient. If you go into the view menu and click show status it will reenable a bar at the bottom of your finder that will show you the file path. There’s some other tools and key codes that can also do it, but for me the status bar is a perfect fix.

[@patpres]

Ah. Great. Thank you. I guess I lost site of the Finder - View menu. I kept looking for it under Finder Settings - that may have been where it was before.. Yes, the bar at the bottom of the Finder window is where the pathway belongs. Your Finder video was a nice summary of tools. I do find that folks are thrilled to find out about using Shift-click and Command-click for file selection - extremely handy.

[@billioneryt888]

Thank you

[@TheMacWhisperer]

You’re welcome! 😊 If you’re looking for more Mac tips or have any questions, feel free to join one of our weekly live broadcasts-it’s a great way to dive deeper and learn more. Hope to see you there! 🎉

[@itstheniceguyme]

Column view has a bug when organising by tags. The columns just collapse when opening a folder in column view when organised by tags. It has been there for several years. I use tags to have sections in my columns. (Finals, drafts, etc…)

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I'll look into that bug and see if I can replicate it and/or resolve it. I'll get back to you.

[@CorkyBallasdancewithme]

Nice video do one on smart folders 1🙏🙏🙏

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Good suggestion. I will add it to my list!

[@chrisharbin623]

Again, I'm so glad I found your channel. Much youboob stuff is just clutter (see what I did there? ) and your vids are clear and to the point. And I feel like I'm on a tropical island to boot!

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Haha, love the “youboob” comment! 😄 I’m really glad you’re finding the videos clear and clutter-free-it’s what I aim for! If you ever want to dive deeper or have more questions, check out themacwhisperer.com for more 1:1 guidance or join one of our live broadcasts for real-time tips. And hey, who doesn’t love a tropical island vibe while learning tech? 🌴😊

[@CashflowsClub]

So basic but so good

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Things don’t need to be complicated to bring value. Sometimes keeping it simple is the way to really change your understanding of how to use something. Thanks for watching!

[@joem6234]

When you moved the folder “Desktop”out of the iCloud Section in sidebar will it then stop saving the desktop files to the cloud

[@Hiddeny.2044]

No, the side bar is just a grouping. The only way to stop your desktop from saving to iCloud is in settings.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

No, it is still "IN" iCloud. It is just showing it in the favorites section instead. If you click on iCloud Drive, you will see it is still there. Just an easy way to create a shortcut for easier access...

[@donbiagio1]

Hi Dylan 👕😎your friend here. Another home run presentation. It was great to revisit the Finder again. Awesome. Stay safe B B ❤️👕😎

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Thanks as always for watching!!!

[@dotnet6385]

if you left click the icon view you can sort

[@TheMacWhisperer]

True!!! Great tip! Thanks for watching! There are so many tips and functions that I just can't really cover them all! I appreciate your help in covering the nuances of using your Mac better!

[@vanjamesalcayde7688]

can you help me? even though i followed indexing process or fixing spotlight ,. I still cant use search on my ssd

[@TheMacWhisperer]

What did you do for the spotlight fix? There’s several ways to do it… What I have found best is using the following code inside of the terminal. It’s a pretty much solid fix the majority of the time: You want to copy this text exactly, and paste it into the terminal… And it should fix that issue. sudo mdutil -E /

[@deanenettles206]

Nice rename function.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Yeah, that’s a pretty valuable trick… Glad you picked up on it.

[@montreall6480]

I gave you 1.000 thumb up :-)

[@markymaarty]

How do you permanently make Finder expand or show the length of the folder name or filename?

[@TheMacWhisperer]

You can't permanently expand it, but if you double-click at the bottom-right side of the column it will auto-expand to the full width.... but when you open a new Finder window, it will be back to the old way. Still, a double-click is better than having to click and drag.

[@markymaarty]

yup. That's why I asked. Because that's why I hate apple's native finder app. I used pathfinder app to fix that issue. But they went with subscription based now lol

[@mohammedali-rh7cq]

I am new to apple coming from windows. I find finder a pain to use in comparison to windows folders.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Once you get the hang of the tools, features, and the ways to make the most out of it, it will really improve your workflow. Right now you're working against a bit of a learning curve based on the way you used things before. What is the biggest difference in the way Windows Folders works? Maybe I can give you some tips to replicate that workflow.

[@ivancarlson953]

Finder > View > Customize Toolbar... > Path

[@TheMacWhisperer]

That’s a great tip. However they are simpler ways to find the file path. But I love that you have the skills to use it that way!! Thanks for sharing.

[@Tanguero]

Or you could just install Default Folder X and have a much improved navigation system on your Mac.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Sure, Default X is pretty good... but if I can do it natively with the Finder I generally do.

[@louishurr393]

Ok Gary. You’re not fooling us with that mustache. We know it’s you.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

lol. I’ll take that as a compliment. After all you’ve never seen the two of us in the same room together…

[@louishurr393]

@@TheMacWhisperer Ha ha 😂

[@imJohnLD]

Just Show Path Bar by keyboard shortcut Option+Command+P

[@TheMacWhisperer]

This is absolutely true, but the average user doesn't know that key code and in most cases can't even remember two button key codes let alone three button codes. Knowing that you can right click on the header bar or open up the Finder in the right way to see the file path is easier for most people. I am impressed that you know that shortcut though… Thanks for sharing!

[@mariarasquiño]

5:58 Misinformation. There’s an option called “Snap to Grid”, so please learn a bit more before making a video.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

Thank you for pointing this out. I absolutely do know about snap grid it is just not always on as a default, and since the icon view is not what I really wanted to focus on, it didn't make sense to point out that you could adjust to the grid if you wanted to. But you're right… Thanks for the comment!

[@finch4708]

finder keeps making everything glitched out looking. no matter what i do, it's fine for a moment then i scroll and bam. been like this since high seirra. should sue them for never fixing the only os an an apple computer comes with.

[@TheMacWhisperer]

That’s not something I experience at all, and has not been a problem for me in the past either. What computer are you on, what operating system are you on, and can you describe that issue a little more clearly so that maybe I can help you figure out what’s causing it?

[@do9138]

Thanks for this. But there is something seriously wrong with a culture if the customers who PAY for products have to explain to others how to use them. What do we pay corporations for? Not service, obviously. Tech is the worst offender of all. It was the first field to refuse to provide instruction manuals. Apple's Web site is nothing but a bunch of pretty pictures, which is nothing but ads.

[@superchip010368]

If you look at the web site properly you find absolutely everything on how to use every detail of their products

[@CorkyBallasdancewithme]

​@@superchip010368exactly

[@TheMacWhisperer]

I don't disagree at all… But Apple users are generally simple technology users. Many of them don't want to know the deeper workings of their tools, they just want to click around and figure it out themselves. Apple has tons of resources to help you learn to use the products… And if you download the beta software when it's released and practice with it you can learn a lot of it yourself… But there are literally thousands of changes every single year to every one of their products, making education an endless issue… Complicated all the more by all the people who don't have current software or current devices, and because of that don't get the same tools and won't understand the instructions. KZbin, and many other websites provide excellent explanations and tools. But at the end of the day, we all need the right teacher. There is almost no place in the world where the information is just laid out for you without someone to help you organize it. I've been on Apple products since 1980, and I've made it my whole career for decades to stay on top of the changes to help the average user learn how to use their tools better. Sure, Apple could do it… And they did for a while with their Apple one to one service… But when people stopped showing up to get the lessons, Apple stopped providing them. Now it's up to us, the people who are actually using the tools to explain how to use them properly, rather than relying on a corporation with hundreds of different programs, devices and features, to teach us how to do everything.

[@Leoleocappa123]

This is not hammer we are talking about if you know what I mean)

[@lindalyn2490]

@@TheMacWhisperer😊 Thank You D now I know why one on one has to stopped I used drive 4 hours to go to Apple shop and stay in Melbourne for days to learn things I needed I love go the one on one once a month now I wish I could have you to be my teacher. But watch your videos has been helpful Thank you for that ❤

[@Ac-bp2in]

Best teacher on line🎉wow I learned so much today and i have been using finder for years😅

[@TheMacWhisperer]

That's what I love to hear. Most people have their systems and have learned how to make things work, but with a little bit of help, it can ALL be so much easier!!! Thanks for watching!

[@1949LA-ARCH]

Thanks 😊

[@TheMacWhisperer]

You're welcome!