Finder keyboard shortcuts for Mac
Find files, switch views, inspect folders and move around your Mac without losing your place.
Documentation reviewed 2026-11-03 · 14 task guides · Mac bindings and focus notes
What do you want to do?
Choose the right Finder view from the keyboard
Command-1 through Command-4 select icon, list, column and gallery views in Finder. Pick the view that exposes the information your task needs.
Steps, keys and context ↗Connect to a server or eject a Finder volume deliberately
Command-K opens Connect to Server. Command-E ejects a selected disk or volume when Finder supports that action.
Steps, keys and context ↗Choose duplicate, alias or move in Finder
Command-D duplicates a selected Finder item, Control-Command-A makes an alias and Option-Command-V moves files previously copied to the Clipboard.
Steps, keys and context ↗Search Finder files without overlooking the search scope
Command-F starts Finder search. Check the location and filters before deciding that a missing file is not present.
Steps, keys and context ↗Inspect a Finder selection before opening or sharing it
Select an item and press Command-I for Get Info. Use that information to check which file you are handling before continuing.
Steps, keys and context ↗Jump to Home, Desktop or Downloads in Finder
Finder has direct folder shortcuts: Shift-Command-H for Home, Shift-Command-D for Desktop and Option-Command-L for Downloads.
Steps, keys and context ↗Keep Finder windows and the tab bar under control
Command-N opens another Finder window and Shift-Command-T toggles the tab bar. Closing a window is a separate action from changing its layout.
Steps, keys and context ↗Navigate Finder folders from the keyboard
In Finder, Command-Up Arrow opens the enclosing folder. Command-[ returns to the previous folder and Command-] goes forward.
Steps, keys and context ↗Create a normal Finder folder or a Smart Folder
Shift-Command-N creates a normal folder. Option-Command-N starts a Smart Folder, which represents a saved search rather than a new storage container.
Steps, keys and context ↗Open the selected Finder item without changing the wrong folder
Command-Down Arrow opens the selected Finder item. In list view, Right Arrow expands a selected folder and Left Arrow collapses it.
Steps, keys and context ↗Open Computer, Network or Utilities in Finder
Finder’s Shift-Command shortcuts jump to Computer, Network and Utilities without requiring a folder-by-folder journey.
Steps, keys and context ↗Show Finder’s path, sidebar and status information
Option-Command-P toggles Finder’s path bar, Option-Command-S toggles the sidebar and Command-/ toggles the status bar.
Steps, keys and context ↗Preview and compare files in Finder
Select a file in Finder and press Command-Y for Quick Look. Command-2 changes the folder to list view; Command-4 changes it to gallery view.
Steps, keys and context ↗Move Finder items to Trash without skipping the checks
Command-Delete moves the selection to Trash. Shift-Command-Delete starts emptying Trash; inspect its confirmation and contents before proceeding.
Steps, keys and context ↗
Quick reference
Selected bindings from the linked task guides. Check the context before pressing a key: the focused control, app version and your custom settings can change what it does. This is a documentation reference, not an exhaustive live menu reading.
| Action | Keys | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Use icons | Command-1 | A visual arrangement of the current folder’s items. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Open Connect to Server | Command-K | Inspect the destination and authentication request before proceeding. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Duplicate in place | Command-D | Creates a separate copy of the selected Finder item. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Search in Finder | Command-F | Read Finder’s scope controls before narrowing the query. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Inspect selected item | Command-I | Make the selection in Finder before opening its information window. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Open Home | Shift-Command-H | Targets the current user’s Home folder. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Open another Finder window | Command-N | Creates a separate Finder browsing window. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Open enclosing folder | Command-Up Arrow | Moves to the folder containing the current folder. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Create a folder | Shift-Command-N | Creates a storage container at the current Finder location. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Open the selection | Command-Down Arrow | A selected file may open its associated application. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Open Computer | Shift-Command-C | Displays the Computer location in Finder. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Toggle path bar | Option-Command-P | Shows or hides the current location’s path information. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Preview selected files | Command-Y | Uses Quick Look; select the item first. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Move selected items to Trash | Command-Delete | Check the current Finder selection before using it. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Use a list | Command-2 | Makes sortable file details available. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Eject selected storage | Command-E | Applies to a selected ejectable disk or volume, not arbitrary files. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Make an alias | Control-Command-A | Creates a reference to the selected original. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
| Open file-oriented search | Option-Command-Space | A system shortcut that opens a Finder search interface. Source ↗Read the task guide → |
When a shortcut behaves differently
- Confirm you are using the Mac binding, and check whether the guide describes a desktop app or its web version.
- Put focus in the control named in the guide. Editing text, selecting an object and navigating a sidebar can use different keys.
- Look up the command in the app's menu or shortcut settings. Customized keys and non-US keyboard layouts can differ from documented defaults.
The cited documentation was checked for these guides; a documentation review is separate from testing your particular running app. How we verify and update guides →
Official sources
- Mac keyboard shortcuts — Apple Support — checked 2026-11-03
- Create and remove aliases on Mac — Apple Support — checked 2026-11-03
- Organize your files in Finder — Apple Support — checked 2026-11-03