Live: Customizing and Using Your Finder Sidebar

In This Tutorial

Learn how to fully customize the Finder Sidebar on your Mac, including showing and hiding it, rearranging sections, adding folders, using tags, and creating custom Smart Folders to replace “Recents.”

Show & Hide the Sidebar (00:37)

• Use View > Show/Hide Sidebar to toggle visibility.
• Drag the edge to resize; double-click to snap to optimal width.
• Collapse and expand sections using the small disclosure button next to headings.

Sidebar Sections: Favorites, Locations, Tags (01:57)

• Favorites: Quick access to your most-used folders.
• Locations: Internal and external drives, network shares, and cloud storage.
• Tags: Lets you view items grouped by color or custom tags.

Using Finder Settings to Customize the Sidebar (02:21)

• Open Finder > Settings > Sidebar to check or uncheck items to show.
• Control which folders, drives, and tags appear in each section.
• Some items can only be added or removed through these checkboxes.

Understanding “Recents” (03:25)

• “Recents” is a saved search showing files by last opened date, not a real folder.
• Deleting a file from Recents deletes the actual file.
• Files not yet opened, like new downloads, won’t appear.

Favorites Section — Add, Remove, Rearrange (06:40)

• Drag any folder between existing items to add it to Favorites.
• Remove by dragging out until an X appears or using “Remove from Sidebar.”
• Hold Command to add files or apps as clickable shortcuts.
• Reorder by dragging; use temporarily for projects you’re working on.

Locations Section — External Drives, Network Shares (10:55)

• Includes iCloud Drive, internal/external disks, connected servers, AirDrop, and Trash.
• Customize by checking/unchecking each item in Finder Settings.
• Drag iCloud Drive or Home into Favorites to remove it from Locations if desired.

Tags Section — Organizing With Custom Tags (14:40)

• Click a tag to see all files with that tag; “All Tags” shows the entire list.
• Manage which tags appear in Finder Settings > Tags.
• Create custom tags (e.g., “Favorite”) and optionally assign colors for quick access.

Create Custom Smart Folders for Better “Recents” (18:50)

• Use File > Find or Command-F to define search criteria like kind, date added, or date modified.
• Save the search as a Smart Folder and check “Add to Sidebar.”
• Create multiple Smart Folders for different file types or time ranges.
• Modify criteria later with “Show Search Criteria.”

Final Tips & Fully Customizing Your Sidebar (29:35)

• Drag to reorder entire sections; remove all items in a section to hide it.
• Temporarily add folders to Favorites as drop zones for organizing projects.
• Adjust sidebar text size in System Settings > Accessibility > Display using the slider.
• Experiment and change items dynamically—treat the sidebar as a flexible workspace.

Summary

Use the Finder Sidebar as a customizable hub for quick access and organization. Add and remove folders, files, and tags freely, hide unused sections, and create Smart Folders to replace or improve “Recents.” Dynamic use of Favorites and Tags can greatly speed up your workflow.