The Finder is your gateway to all of the files, apps, and downloads on your Mac. Everything, from your Dropbox folders to your cool new desktop wallpaper, can be located in the Finder. You also have a lot of control over what the Finder will show you, and how different parts of the Finder will work.
Renaming the problematic file; Once the name becomes editable, rename it however you want but don’t forget to also change the extension to a different file type (the safest bet is.txt) Renaming the file + Extension. Note: You will be asked to confirm the extension change. When this happens, click on Use.text to migrate to the new extension.
Follow this guide to take control of the Finder and make it work for you.
How to open a Finder window
There are a few methods for opening windows in the Finder to let you get at your files.
- Click on your desktop (don't select an app or program), then click on File in the Menu bar and choose New Finder Window.
- On your Dock, click on the Finder icon (looks like a smiling face).
- On your keyboard, hit 'Command-N' while you have the desktop selected.
How to customize the Finder toolbar
Be default, the Finder toolbar offers a number of different buttons you can use to do things like change the view of the Finder or perform an action, but you can customize the bar to your liking with several different tools.
- Open a new Finder window.
Right-, control-, or two-finger-click on the toolbar.
- Click Customize Toolbar…
Click and drag different tools onto the bar. Here are some that you can choose from:
- Quick Look: The first tool I would pick. The Quick Look button is a great way to get a glance at a document or photo that you have in the finder.
- Delete: Delete an item from the Finder after highlighting it.
- Connect: Connect to an external server if you know the address. You can store a number of favorite servers and switch between them using this button.
- Get Info: Highlight something in the Finder and press this button to get a detailed set of information on it.
Click Done once you've added all of the tools to the toolbar that you want.
How to use Quick Look
After adding Quick Look to the Finder toolbar, use it to take a peek at a document, photo, or other files that you've got in the Finder.
- Open a new Finder window.
Find the file you wish to use Quick Look with and click it once.
Click the Quick Look button on your Finder's toolbar
Alternatively, tap the Space bar on your keyboard.
How to use the Info button
After adding the Info button to the Finder's toolbar, you can use it to get information on a given item in the Finder.
- Open a new Finder window.
Click on the item for which you want information.
Click the Info button.
How to show or hide hard disks, external disks, CDs, and connected servers on your desktop
- In Finder, click on Finder in the Menu bar and select Preferences.
Click General.
Check the boxes for the types of items you want to display on your desktop.
How to set a new Finder window's default section
- In Finder, click on Finder in the Menu bar and select Preferences.
Click General.
In the drop-down menu, click on the folder or storage device new Finder windows should show when it opens.
If your desired section isn't immediately available, choose Other.
How to use Tags
- In Finder, click on Finder in the Menu bar and select Preferences.
Click Tags.
Check the boxes next to your tags to select which tags are displayed in your Finder's sidebar.
Drag a favorite tag to the bottom of the Tags tab to make it available for quick access in Finder menus.
How to create custom Tags
- In Finder, click on Finder in the Menu bar and select Preferences.
Click Tags.
Below the list of tags, click the + button.
Enter a name for your tag.
Click the circle next to your tag to assign it a color.
- In Finder, click on Finder in the Menu bar and select Preferences.
Click Sidebar.
Check the boxes next to the items you want to see in your Finder's sidebar.
How to use Stacks in Finder
- Click View in the Menu bar of your Mac when on your desktop with no apps in the foreground.
Click Use Stacks.
- Control-click, right-click, or two-finger-click on your desktop.
Hover your mouse cursor over Group Stacks By. Choose between Kind, Date Last Opened, Date Added, Date Modified, Date Created, and Tags.
How to use Gallery View in Finder
- Click on the Finder icon in your Dock to open a new Finder window.
Navigate to the folder or section that you want to view.
Click the Gallery View button on the right-most side of the view selection buttons on the Finder window.
How to view file metadata in Finder
- Click on the Finder icon in your Dock to open a new Finder window.
Choose the view you want to use.
- Click on the file whose information you want to use.
Click View in the Menu bar.
- Click Show Preview.
Click Show More in the Preview pane to view additional metadata.
How to use Quick Actions in Finder
- Click on the Finder icon in your Dock to open a new Finder window.
Choose the view you want to use.
- Click on the file or files on which you wish to perform a quick action.
Click View in the Menu bar if the Preview pane isn't already visible.
- Click Show Preview.
Choose one of the actions available at the bottom of the Preview pane to perform it on the selected file or files.
Click More… to find any other actions that you might be able to take.
How to use Quick Look tools in Finder
Quick Look's updates in macOS Mojave make it more powerful than ever. Here's how you use it.
- Click on the Finder icon in your Dock to open a new Finder window.
Choose the view you want to use.
- Click on the file you want to use with Quick Look.
- Tap the space bar on your keyboard to bring up Quick Look.
Click the action button to take an action on the file. What actions you can take and what the button looks like will depend on the file type.
- Documents will have a Markup button. This allows you to draw, write, and highlight on images and documents, add text boxes to them, and even sign documents with a pre-saved signature. Images can be cropped and rotated as well.
- In addition to Markup, images may also have a Rotate button. Press this to rotate your image to the left.
- Audio and video files will have a Trim button. Press this, then grab the sliders on either end of the Quick Look preview to trim the length of an audio clip or video.
- Tap the space bar again when you're done with Quick Look.
Any questions?
Do you have any questions about how to use Finder on the Mac? Drop them in the comments and we'll help you out.
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Despite its shortcomings, iCloud Drive still provides the most convenient way to back up and sync files within the Apple ecosystem. But if left unmanaged, it can turn into a cesspool of random file names generated by Safari downloads and other programs. That's why renaming files and folders can often be crucial.
Renaming iCloud Drive files and folders on the Mac and the PC require nothing special on your part. However, the process can confuse you while using the iPhone or iPad.
Furthermore, the iCloud Drive web app on iCloud.com also makes the process of renaming items quite unintuitive. So let's check out how you can go about performing this otherwise simple task without hassle on any device.
Note: iCloud Drive will prevent you from renaming certain folders (Pages, Keynote, Shortcuts, etc.) located in the root/home screen of iCloud Drive since they are used by native Apple apps to save files.Rename Files and Folders on iPhone
With the introduction of iOS 11, Apple got rid of the iCloud Drive app and instead integrated it into the Files app. Fast forward to iOS 13, and the Files app is more polished than ever before with a boatload of new functionalities, allowing you to manage both iCloud Drive and other cloud storage services easily. But where is the option to rename files and folders? That is where Haptic Touch comes into play.
Start by long-pressing the file or folder that you want to rename. After a couple of seconds, you will receive haptic tactile feedback, followed by a context menu. Then, tap Rename.
All you should then do is insert a new name for the file or folder. Tap Done to finish, and your changes will save and sync over to the rest of your devices automatically.
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Read MoreRename Files and Folders on iPad
Renaming iCloud Drive files and folders on an iPad running iPadOS is the same as on the iPhone. Long-press an iCloud Drive file or folder via the Files app, and then tap Rename on the context menu. After changing the file name, tap Done.
If you use Column View on the Files app, then there’s also another way to rename files. With the file selected, simply tap the three-dot icon, and then tap Rename.
Rename Files and Folders on Mac
On the Mac, renaming an iCloud Drive file or folder doesn’t require you to do anything out of the ordinary. Open Finder, and then click iCloud Drive in the left navigation pane.
Next, right-click the file or folder that you want to rename, and then click Rename. Perform your changes, and then press Enter.
Tip: You can also change multiple file names simultaneously. Select the files (click while holding down the Command key), click the gear-shaped icon to the top of Finder, and then click Rename Items. Modify the rename parameters as required (Name Format, Custom Format, etc.), and then click Rename.Also on Guiding Tech
#icloud
Click here to see our icloud articles pageRename Files and Folders on Windows
Windows lets you gain access to iCloud Drive via File Explorer, provided that you have iCloud for Windows installed. Otherwise, you have two ways to get it — using the downloadable installer from the Apple website or installing the app directly via the Microsoft Store.
While both versions are mostly similar to each other, I would recommend getting the Microsoft Store version since it features superior syncing capabilities akin to Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage service. Also, it throws fewer issues compared to the regular downloadable version.
With iCloud for Windows installed and iCloud Drive enabled, click the iCloud icon on the taskbar, and then click Open iCloud Drive. That should take you to the location of iCloud Drive automatically.
To rename a file or folder, right-click the item, and then click Rename. Make the changes and then press Enter. Your changes will sync immediately.
Tip: To rename multiple files, select the files (click while holding down the Ctrl key), and then right-click and select Rename. Insert a name, press Enter, and the selected files will be renamed in numerical order.Rename Files and Folders on iCloud.com
On iCloud.com, renaming is super-easy, but only if you are aware how to do it. Click the file or folder that you want to rename. Place the cursor over the selected item, and you should see a tiny i-shaped Get Info icon — click it.
On the floating box that shows up, type in a file name into the box at the top, and then press Enter. And that's it.
Note: When renaming files, you will see the file extensions displayed prominently. However, you can’t modify or change them.Also on Guiding Tech
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Read MoreName Change
Renaming files and folders is important from an iCloud Drive storage management perspective, and is also quite useful before sharing items with others. Hopefully, the instructions above helped, and you won't have to deal with any weird-looking file names from now onward.
Next up: Google Drive is an excellent alternative to iCloud. Find out how they stack against each other in this in-depth comparison.
Batch Renaming Files
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.File Renaming Program
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