Change Finder preferences on Mac

On your Mac, use Finder preferences to set options for Finder windows, file extensions, and the Trash.

To change these preferences, click the Finder icon in the Dock, then choose Finder > Preferences.

A blue arrow pointing to the Finder icon at the left side of the Dock.

General

Option	Description
Show these items on the desktop	Select any items you want to see on the desktop.
New Finder windows show	Choose which folder is displayed when you open a new Finder window.
Open folders in tabs instead of new windows	Select what happens when you press and hold the Command key and double-click a folder. When selected: Folders open in tabs. When deselected: Folders open in windows.

Option

Description

Show these items on the desktop

Select any items you want to see on the desktop.

New Finder windows show

Choose which folder is displayed when you open a new Finder window.

Open folders in tabs instead of new windows

Select what happens when you press and hold the Command key and double-click a folder.

When selected: Folders open in tabs.
When deselected: Folders open in windows.

Option	Description
Show these tags in the sidebar	Customize the tags you see in the Finder sidebar. See a tag in the sidebar: Select the checkbox to the right of the tag. Change a tag color: Click the color next to the tag , then choose a new color. Change a tag name: Click the tag, click the tag’s name, then enter a new name. Create a new tag: Click the Add button . Delete a tag: Select the tag, then click the Remove button .
Favorite Tags	Customize the tags you see in the shortcut menu that appears when you Control-click a file. Add a tag: Select it in the list above the Favorite Tags section, then drag it over the tag you want to replace. You can have up to seven tags in the shortcut menu. Remove a tag: Drag it out of the Favorite Tags section until you see the remove sign .

Sidebar

Option	Description
Show these items in the sidebar	Select the items you want to see in the Finder sidebar. These items also appear in Open and Save dialogs.

Option

Description

Show these items in the sidebar

Select the items you want to see in the Finder sidebar.

These items also appear in Open and Save dialogs.

Advanced

Option	Description
Show all filename extensions	A filename extension—the period followed by a few letters or words that you see at the end of some filenames (for example, .jpg)—identifies the type of file. This option affects most, but not all, filenames. When selected: All file extensions are shown, even for files that have “Hide extension” selected. When deselected: File extensions are shown or hidden based on their individual “Hide extension” settings.
Show warning before changing an extension	Display a warning if you accidentally try to change an extension. As a rule, you shouldn’t change filename extensions.
Show warning before removing from iCloud Drive	Display a warning so you don’t accidentally delete items from iCloud Drive.
Show warning before emptying the Trash	Display a warning so you don’t accidentally delete items in the Trash.
Remove items from the Trash after 30 days	Remove items permanently 30 days after being moved to the Trash.
Keep folders on top: In windows when sorting by name	In a Finder window, folders appear in alphabetical order first, and files appear alphabetically after folders when sorting by name.
Keep folders on top: On Desktop	On the desktop, folders appear in alphabetical order first; files appear alphabetically after folders.
When performing a search	Choose what you want to search by default when you use the search field in Finder windows. You can search your entire Mac, the folder that’s currently open, or the scope you specified the last time you searched in a Finder window.

For even more ways to customize Finder windows, see Customize the Finder toolbar and sidebar.

Helpful?

macOS User Guide

Change Finder preferences on Mac

General

Tags

Sidebar

Advanced