Mac Finder Options: What They Are and How to Use Them
Mac Finder is the file browser built into every Apple computer. It's how you navigate your hard drive, organize files, and access folders. But Finder itself has built-in options—settings and features that change how it looks, behaves, and works for you. Understanding these options helps you work faster and keep your files organized in a way that matches your habits.
What Are Finder Options?
Finder options aren't a single feature—they're a collection of preferences, view settings, and built-in tools that let you customize how the Finder window displays and functions.
When you open Finder and look at the menu bar, you'll see "Finder" at the top left. Click it, then select "Settings" (or "Preferences" on older macOS versions). This opens a window with several tabs, each controlling different aspects of how Finder behaves.
You can also access view options without going into Settings. When a Finder window is active, click "View" in the menu bar to find quick toggles for how files appear—as icons, in a list, in columns, or in a gallery view.
Core Finder Settings and What They Control 📋
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| General | Chooses what appears on your desktop and what opens when you start Finder |
| Sidebar | Shows or hides folders and services in the left panel of Finder windows |
| Advanced | Controls search behavior, file deletion, and language preferences |
| View Options | Changes how files are displayed—icon size, spacing, sorting, and more |
General Settings
In the General tab, you can decide what folders appear when you open a new Finder window (Desktop, Documents, or a custom folder). You can also choose what shows on your desktop—files, external drives, or removable media. This is useful if you want a cleaner desktop or prefer to access everything through Finder windows instead.
Sidebar Customization
The sidebar (the left panel in Finder) acts as a shortcut bar. Through Finder Settings, you control which folders, drives, and services appear here. Most people keep Favorites, Recents, and AirDrop visible, but you can add any folder or remove options you don't use.
Advanced Options
The Advanced tab contains less obvious but important controls. One popular option is "Empty Trash securely," which overwrites deleted files to make them harder to recover. Another is search behavior—you can choose whether Finder searches "This Mac" by default or just the current folder. You can also set Finder to keep folders on top when sorting by name, and adjust language and keyboard settings.
View Options
When a Finder window is open, go to View > Show View Options (or press Command+J). This opens a panel where you can:
- Change icon size and spacing
- Switch between four view modes: Icon View, List View, Column View, and Gallery View
- Sort files by name, date, size, or kind
- Show or hide file previews, file extensions, and the preview panel
These settings apply to the current window, but you can click "Use as Defaults" to apply them to all Finder windows of that type.
Why These Options Matter 🎯
Different workflows suit different people. A video editor might want large thumbnails and file previews. A software developer might prefer a list view with file extensions visible. Someone organizing photos might use gallery view to see images at a glance.
View settings are not one-size-fits-all. The variables that shape your choice include:
- How many files you typically browse at once
- Whether you work with file types where seeing a preview matters (photos, videos, documents)
- How you sort and search for files
- Your monitor size and personal eyesight comfort
- Whether you use external drives frequently
Accessing Finder Options Across Your Mac
Finder options live in a few places:
- Finder menu → Settings (or Preferences on older versions)
- View menu in any active Finder window
- Toolbar customization: Right-click an empty area of the Finder toolbar to add or remove buttons
- Search options: Click the magnifying glass in a Finder search to refine how Finder searches
macOS versions change menu locations slightly over time, but the core options remain consistent. If you're on a recent version, the Settings terminology is standard; older Macs use "Preferences."
Making Finder Work for You
The landscape of Finder options is straightforward—the right combination depends on your daily workflow. If you find yourself scrolling through a long list of files often, switch to icon or column view. If you need to see file details, use list view and toggle the file extension column. If you work with media files, gallery view and previews are worth enabling.
You can adjust these settings anytime without risk—Finder options don't change your files, only how you see and interact with them. Test different view modes and sidebar configurations to find what feels natural, then save those as your defaults.
