Why do I need to grant browsing permissions?
Immediately after the first launch, Folders will present you with a window to choose the browsing locations. macOS will grant Folders access only to the locations you choose directly. This means that if Folders does not have access to a specific folder on your computer, such a folder will appear empty in the app, or not appear at all.
If you want to be able to use Folders in the manner you use Finder, i.e. to be able to browse all of your computer folders and files, you need to grant Folders access to your primary hard drive which is usually called “Macintosh HD”.
For more information and examples of usage, see User’s Guide.
How do I revoke or change browsing permissions?
From the “File” menu, select “Modify Browsing Access...”. All the currently open windows will close, all previously given permissions will be revoked, and you will be able to grant new permissions according to your needs.
After my free trial expires, will I be automatically charged for the full version?
NO. After your trial period comes to an end, you will see the purchasing information window once again, so that you can decide for yourself. The App Store will not charge you for the full version without your express consent.
How can I add a folder shortcut to the sidebar?
You cannot add any custom elements to the top level of the tree besides those listed in “Folders › Settings... › Sidebar”. Instead, you may use the “Add to Favorites” menu item with your frequently used folder and optionally enable the “Favorites” checkbox in “Folders › Settings... › Folder Tree › Expanded by default”. The resulting shortcut will not just be clickable (like in other file managers) but also fully interactive and expandable.
Can I reset the columns in the Table View?
Right-click on the table’s header. In the context menu, select “Reset columns”. The columns’ visibility, order, and width will be reset to their initial values.
Can I set Folders as the default file manager instead of Finder?
You can set Folders as the default file viewer, and almost every app (except the Desktop) will point to Folders when you choose “Reveal in Finder”, “Show in Finder”, or “Open in Finder” options. Paste the command for your version of the app into Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and hit return, then restart your Mac (it is possible that the setting will take several minutes AFTER the restart to activate):
Folders File Manager (App Store version):
defaults write -g NSFileViewer -string com.minttype.Folders;
defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices/com.apple.launchservices.secure LSHandlers -array-add '{LSHandlerContentType="public.folder";LSHandlerRoleAll="com.minttype.Folders";}'
Folders Pro:
defaults write -g NSFileViewer -string com.minttype.folders-pro;
defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices/com.apple.launchservices.secure LSHandlers -array-add '{LSHandlerContentType="public.folder";LSHandlerRoleAll="com.minttype.folders-pro";}'
To set Finder as the default file viewer again, use the following command regardless of the version you have installed, then restart your Mac (it is possible that the setting will take several minutes AFTER the restart to reset back to Finder):
defaults delete -g NSFileViewer;
defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices/com.apple.launchservices.secure LSHandlers -array-add '{LSHandlerContentType="public.folder";LSHandlerRoleAll="com.apple.finder";}'
If you set Folders as the default file viewer and later remove it from your system, Finder will automatically become the default file viewer again.
Please note that this command will not replace Open... / Save As... dialogs — those are hard-coded into the system and cannot be changed.
How do I upgrade to Folders Pro if I already have Folders File Manager purchased from the App Store?
- Update Folders File Manager to the latest version in the App Store app (upgrade requires v. 2.9.3 or later)
- Launch the updated version at least once (you don’t need to keep it open)
- Download and launch Folders Pro
- Folders Pro will detect the active license and automatically offer the reduced price
I’d like Folders to show previews for more file types.
Take a look at the list of modern Quick Look extensions on GitHub. Find your desired file format in the tables and follow the install instructions in the corresponding repository. Folders uses the system Quick Look functionality to display previews and will take advantage of the newly installed Quick Look extensions automatically.
Please note that macOS 15 Sequoia and later no longer load the legacy “.qlgenerator” plugins — a preview extension now has to be shipped inside an app. Older plugin catalogs mostly list “.qlgenerator” plugins, which will have no effect on a modern system.
Can I view and manage the contents of the system Trash Bin in Folders?
Viewing and managing the system Trash folder on macOS is only possible with Full Disk Access, so the answer depends on the version you use.
Folders Pro is not sandboxed and can be granted Full Disk Access. Enable “Trash” in “Folders › Settings... › Sidebar”, and Folders will offer to open “System Settings › Privacy & Security › Full Disk Access” for you. Once the access is granted, the system Trash appears in the Folder Tree, and you can browse, manage, and empty it.
Folders File Manager (the App Store version) is a sandboxed app per App Store requirements, which means, among other security-related limitations, being denied Full Disk Access regardless of the corresponding toggle in System Settings. Unfortunately, the system Trash cannot be viewed or managed there.
What the App Store version can show is the Private Trash — the folder Folders uses to keep undoable backups in the locations where the system Trash is unavailable, such as removable or network drives (see the “Use private Trash” setting in the User’s Guide). It can be displayed and manually managed in the Folder Tree.
When will you implement the Columns view?
The Columns view, similar to that found in Finder, conflicts with the folder tree because it offers a parallel way to navigate the filesystem. I cannot see how the Columns view could be seamlessly integrated into Folders.
If you have any feature suggestions, you are more than welcome to drop me a letter.
Will you implement the split window so that I can see two folders at once?
No, but you can use my free open-source utility Window Glue to imitate this behavior.
