Whitepaper
Windows Explorer tricks and their Finder equivalent on the Mac
Anyone switching from Windows to Mac quickly misses a handful of Explorer tricks: copying a file’s path, briefly showing hidden files, or quickly jumping between folders. The good news is that Finder can do almost everything Explorer can, just in a different place or with a different key combination. Here is the list that gets missed most often, with the Mac version right next to it.
Copying a file’s path
In Windows 11 you right-click a file and choose “Copy as path” directly (on Windows 10 you had to hold Shift while right-clicking). On the Mac the same feature is one small step further: hold down Option while right-clicking a file or folder, and “Copy… as Pathname” appears in the menu, replacing the regular “Copy”. That copies the full path as text, ready to paste into Terminal, a text editor, or anywhere else.
Copy a path
Hold Option and right-click a file, then choose “Copy… as Pathname”. Also works with the shortcut Option-Command-C on recent macOS versions.
Always show the path
Turn on the path bar at the bottom of every Finder window via View > Show Path Bar, or the shortcut Option-Command-P. The full folder structure is then always visible at the bottom.
Jump to a specific path
Command-Shift-G opens “Go to Folder”, where you can type or paste a path, just like the address bar in Explorer.
Showing hidden files
In Explorer you turn on hidden files via View > Hidden items, or Ctrl+H. On the Mac this is a simple shortcut: Command-Shift-period (.) instantly shows all hidden files and folders, even on the desktop. Pressing it again hides them. Worth knowing: files that start with a period (like .zshrc or .git) are hidden by default on the Mac, just like system files are on Windows.
Always showing file extensions
Explorer has the View > File name extensions option to make .docx, .pdf and other extensions visible everywhere. On the Mac this sits under Finder > Settings > Advanced, with the option “Show all filename extensions”. Want this for just one specific file? Use Command-I (Get Info) under Name & Extension.
Moving files without dragging
In Windows you cut and paste a file with Ctrl+X and Ctrl+V. Finder has no traditional cut function for files, but the same result is possible: copy a file with Command-C, go to the destination folder and press Command-Option-V. That moves the file instead of copying it. When right-clicking with Option held down, “Paste Item” visibly changes to “Move Item Here” in the context menu too.
File information and properties
Alt+Enter on a file in Explorer opens the properties window. On the Mac you do this with Command-I, which opens the Info window with size, creation date, permissions and more. If you have multiple files selected and want to see all their info at once without windows piling up, use Command-Option-I for the Inspector panel, which automatically updates with your selection.
Sorting, grouping and viewing
Explorer has Details, Large icons, List, and grouping by type or date. Finder has similar views via the toolbar buttons or the View menu: Icons, List, Columns, and Gallery. Command-J opens the view options for the current folder, where you set sort order, grouping, and icon size. Column view (Command-3) is often the fastest way to navigate deep folder structures, similar to expanding folders in Explorer’s left pane.
Previewing a file without opening it
Where Explorer has a preview pane on the side, the Mac takes this further: select a file and press the spacebar for Quick Look, a full preview of photos, PDFs, videos, text documents, and even some Office files, without having to open the associated app.
Quick access and favorites
Explorer has Quick access with pinned folders at the top. Finder has the sidebar (Favorites), where you can drag any folder to pin it, or use Command-Control-T while a folder is selected. Tabs work too: Command-T opens a new tab in the same window, Command-N opens a whole new window.
Searching
Explorer has a search bar with filters like size or modified date. On the Mac you can search within Finder using Command-F with similar criteria (kind, date, size, tag), or open Spotlight directly with Command-Space, which also searches inside document contents and is faster for a quick hit anywhere on the whole Mac.
Deleting and the Trash
Shift+Delete removes a file instantly in Windows, without going to the Recycle Bin. On the Mac the equivalent is Command-Option-Delete, which deletes a file immediately without first going to the Trash. Regular delete (Command-Delete) moves a file to the Trash, just like in Windows, after which you empty the Trash later via the Finder menu or by right-clicking it.
Opening a terminal or command prompt at a location
In Explorer you can right-click and choose “Open in Terminal” or “Open PowerShell window here”. Finder does not have this by default in the right-click menu, but you can drag a folder onto the Terminal icon in the Dock to open that folder directly, or add your own Quick Action via the Automator app so “New Terminal at Folder” appears in the context menu too.
A practical scenario for SMBs
An IT contact at an SMB who has just moved a handful of employees from Windows to Mac tends to hear the same questions come back: where is my address bar, how do I copy this path, why can’t I see those configuration files. By sharing this page as a reference during the first week after the switch, with emphasis on Command-Shift-period, Command-I, and the Option trick when right-clicking, nine out of ten Explorer habits are replaced with the Finder version within a few days, without the same question coming back to the helpdesk each time.