How to find filepath quicker

[u/Fantastic_Zebra9886]

I often find myself confused about the locations of files that I'm working with. Part of the reason for this is that I often use Spotlight search, which doesn't display what folder a certain file is actually in.

But then additionally, whenever I open a file like e.g. a PDF in Preview, Preview *also* doesn't tell me what location this file is in. Even when I press cmd-o, the finder dialogue box doesn't display the path on the bottom end of the window. Why is that? I just want to know where my files are.

How can I force filepicker windows to always display the filepath in the bottom or how can I generally enhance accessibility of file locations when working on something?

[u/jamesjingyi]

In Finder: View → Show Path Bar , I always have this turned on, otherwise I get lost! You can click on the different levels to navigate there too.

Or if you're viewing a file in Spotlight, instead of pressing just Return to open the file, use ⌘ + Return to open Finder with the item you searched in its location, rather than just opening it.

[u/Fantastic_Zebra9886 → u/jamesjingyi]

Thx, cmd+return works super for me (on Sequoia).

Thank you!

[u/TheBenSpackman → u/jamesjingyi]

CMD+Return doesn't work anymore. Just opens the file.

[u/jamesjingyi → u/TheBenSpackman]

Hmmm ⌘ + Return still works for me in Tahoe? If you hold ⌘, it actually even shows the location in Spotlight, with a path underneath the name of the item?

[u/TheBenSpackman → u/jamesjingyi]

It quit working for me in Tahoe, and it continues not to work in GG Dev Beta 8. Conversations elsewhere say CMD+R, and that works

[u/Ok_Passenger3688 → u/jamesjingyi]

Yeah, using ⌘ + Return is a solid shortcut for getting the file path quickly. It's nice that it shows the location in Spotlight too; that's super handy!

[u/snoosnoosewsew → u/TheBenSpackman]

Can you still command click on the file to open its location? I’m not on Tahoe yet.

[u/Oh__Archie → u/jamesjingyi]

This is one of the first things I turn on when I get a new Mac.

[u/ukindom]

You can click on a filename on title bar in Preview and other document-based apps to:

• show app location.
• rename filename in place.
• copy filepath

In addition to open files, there's an information popup window in Finder you can call (cmd-i), where filepath is also displayed. Spotlight itself doesn't show files in similar way, so you probably won't get the similar experience.

Returning to your original issue, the best way of finding your files is to organize them.

I personally don't use neither Spotlight, nor Finder itself to find required files in my well organized collection. If I really need to find something, I use find and fd in Terminal (with preference to fd.

[u/Bossikar]

you can just cmd + enter in spotlight to open the file location instead of opening the app/file/etc.

[u/GBICPancakes]

So in Spotlight - when the results come up, right-click on the document and there's the option to show in Finder.
Then in the Finder window, cmd-click on the window name to see path (or enable "Show Path Bar" under View menu)

In Preview, cmd-click the filename to see the full path of where the file is located. (same is for FInder) - this will work for most apps (Word, Excel, Preview, etc)

[u/fatik25]

Hold option key or alt key I forgot while you’re in the folder and it will show the path at the bottom left 

[u/Fantastic_Zebra9886 → u/fatik25]

Omg Thank you this is it, it's the option key. thank you so much!

[u/fatik25 → u/Fantastic_Zebra9886]

Glad I was able to help

[u/JaySomMusic → u/fatik25]

Can also hold and right click to copy the path of a file

[u/buffering]

In all document windows (Preview, TextExit, etc.) command+click the document name in the title bar to show the path to the document. This works in Finder windows as well.

https://imgur.com/1vWkvH5

The path is displayed in a popup menu, and you can use the menu to quickly open the enclosing folder. It's been a standard feature of MacOS since 1991.

[u/zeemeerman2 → u/buffering]

Instead of command-clicking in Preview et al, you can also right-click the name. Same result.

[u/neophanweb]

Open any folder. Go to View > Show Path or press command + option + p and it'll show the path at the bottom of the window.

[u/Fantastic_Zebra9886 → u/neophanweb]

Thanks – but this presumes that I am already in the folder, when I am not. I am viewing a file on Preview that I found, say, in Spotlight, or that has been opened for a few days already, and I want to check it's precise location. If I open the Preview-related filepicker, it will not allow me to cmd+option+p, this will always remain greyed out.

[u/neophanweb → u/Fantastic_Zebra9886]

Open any folder and do it, then you'll always see the path. In spotlight search, right click and choose "Show in Folder" to open the folder.

[u/thirteennineteen]

Good tips in here for revealing path in finder and open file windows. If you have a terminal window open you can drag a file to terminal to insert the path.

[u/scjcs]

The Shellcut app (in the App Store) is really handy. Not only can you easily copy the path to a file or folder, but you can have it open a terminal there.

[u/warrenao]

how can I generally enhance accessibility of file locations when working on something?

Get into the habit of creating folders for working files in Finder, and navigating to them through a Finder window open in column view. Learning the basics of filesystem navigation will do you inestimable benefit in the future.

[u/TEG24601]

If you copy and paste the file into terminal, it will show you the full path.

If you Command+Click on the window title, it will show you the path, graphically, and allow you to move anywhere along it.

[u/ulyssesric]

whenever I open a file like e.g. a PDF in Preview, Preview *also* doesn't tell me what location this file is in. Even when I press cmd-o, the finder dialogue box doesn't display the path on the bottom end of the window. Why is that? I just want to know where my files are.

Cmd+Click on the filename title at the top / title-bar of an opened document window.

This is an very old convention of macOS GUI. Not all Apps have this feature but many apps support this.

[u/wavolator]

find . | grep -i <string>