Useful macOS defaults: Finder

2010-07-12 17:00

com.apple.finder controls how Finder looks and behaves. Finder has more hidden settings than almost any other macOS app.

After changing most of these, restart Finder:

killall Finder

Show hidden files

Show files that start with a dot (like .gitignore, .zshrc, .env):

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true

To hide them again:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool false

You can also toggle this with the keyboard shortcut Command Shift Period.

Show the full path in the title bar

Display the folder path at the top of each Finder window:

defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool true

To turn it off:

defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool false

Show the path bar at the bottom

The path bar shows your current location as a clickable breadcrumb trail at the bottom of the window:

defaults write com.apple.finder ShowPathbar -bool true

Show the status bar

The status bar at the bottom shows how many items are in the current folder and how much disk space is free:

defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true

Set the default view style

Finder can show files as icons, a list, columns, or a gallery. Set the default:

defaults write com.apple.finder FXPreferredViewStyle -string "Nlsv"

The codes are:

icnv = icon view
Nlsv = list view
clmv = column view
glyv = gallery view

Set the default folder for new windows

When you open a new Finder window, it shows a default folder. To change it:

defaults write com.apple.finder NewWindowTarget -string "PfLo"
defaults write com.apple.finder NewWindowTargetPath -string "file:///Users/yourname/Documents/"

Common values for NewWindowTarget:

PfDe = Desktop
PfDo = Documents
PfHm = Home folder
PfLo = a custom path (set in NewWindowTargetPath)
PfVo = the computer (shows all drives)

Search the current folder by default

When you type in the Finder search box, macOS searches your whole Mac by default. To search only the current folder:

defaults write com.apple.finder FXDefaultSearchScope -string "SCcf"

Other options:

SCev = search the whole Mac
SCcf = search the current folder
SCsp = use the previous search scope

Turn off the warning when changing a file extension

defaults write com.apple.finder FXEnableExtensionChangeWarning -bool false

Turn off the warning when emptying the Bin

defaults write com.apple.finder WarnOnEmptyTrash -bool false

Show drives on the desktop

Show hard drives, external drives, and servers on the desktop:

defaults write com.apple.finder ShowHardDrivesOnDesktop -bool true
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowExternalHardDrivesOnDesktop -bool true
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowMountedServersOnDesktop -bool true
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowRemovableMediaOnDesktop -bool true

Set any of these to false to hide them.

Keep folders on top when sorting by name

Put folders before files in list view:

defaults write com.apple.finder _FXSortFoldersFirst -bool true

Keep folders on top on the Desktop too

defaults write com.apple.finder _FXSortFoldersFirstOnDesktop -bool true

Disable window animations

Turn off the animation when opening a new Finder window or Quick Look:

defaults write com.apple.finder DisableAllAnimations -bool true

Spring-loaded folders

When you drag a file over a folder and hold, the folder opens after a short delay. Set the delay in seconds:

defaults write NSGlobalDomain com.apple.springing.delay -float 0.5

The default is about 0.5 seconds. Set it lower for faster opening.

Turn spring-loaded folders on or off:

defaults write NSGlobalDomain com.apple.springing.enabled -bool true

Show the Library folder

The ~/Library folder is hidden by default. To show it in Finder:

chflags nohidden ~/Library

This is not a defaults command but fits well here. To hide it again:

chflags hidden ~/Library

Avoid creating .DS_Store files on network and USB drives

This lives in a different domain but is closely tied to Finder behaviour:

defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores -bool true
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteUSBStores -bool true

Read all current Finder settings

defaults read com.apple.finder

This shows every Finder preference, including ones you have not changed. It is useful for finding settings not listed here.

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