Keep in mind that this method does not work in the Finder’s Icon view, which lets you arrange icons in free space as they do not have any particular order to them. To select a range of files that are listed together in a Finder window, do the following:Ģ) Press and hold the Shift key and click the last item to define your range.Īll files in between will be automatically included in your selection. I’d select all files or a group of contiguous files, then Command-click any items that I’d like to exclude from the group.

I often use this method to subtract files from selections. Once you have made the selection, let go of the Command key.ĭon’t forget that you can scroll through a Finder window to select additional items To select several files that are not alongside each other in a Finder window, press and hold the Command key on the keyboard and click each file separately. Tip: You can also choose the Select All option from the Finder’s Edit menu. To select everything in a window, click a window to make it active, and hit Command + A keys.

To select a single document, folder, app, disk, or another item available through the Finder, click it.Ī single click highlights the file under the mouse pointer. Memorize these handy tips so you can select multiple files in Finder windows, Open dialogs (note that some apps may not support opening multiple documents at once), on your desktop and elsewhere where such interactions are allowed.

Select All: Quickly select all files of that folderĮach of the methods listed above is supported across all versions of the Macintosh operating system and works in any Finder view, be it Icon, List, Columns, or Cover Flow.

Command-click: Make a discontinuous selection of multiple files.

Shift-click or click-and-drag: Select groups of contiguous files.

MacOS supports these basic file selection methods: If you’re perplexed by multiple file selection, memorize the following Mac selection tips to increase your efficiency and productivity. Like many other computer operating systems, macOS provides a few different ways to select one or multiple files. Among other things, the Finder’s graphical user interface shell lets you perform common file actions like moving, copying, duplicating, and making other changes to one or more items on your disk(s).Įven the simplest file interaction in a Finder window begins with highlighting one or more items. The Finder is the default file manager used on Macs. Most, if not all file interactions in macOS are handled through the Finder.

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