Easy Access To Frequently Used Files

If you have a file you need to access quickly and easy every day, you may be tempted to put it on the Desktop. But you can use a variety of methods to leave the file in its proper place in your Documents folder, and still access it easily. You can place an alias on the desktop, put a shortcut to it in the Dock, or add it to one of two places in every Finder window.

Comments: 11 Responses to “Easy Access To Frequently Used Files”

    Joel
    8 years ago

    I tag the various files that I need quick access to with a tag I've called "Favorites". Then I've created a smart search for that tag, saved the search, and put THAT into the dock.

    Michael Burns
    8 years ago

    How do you create a smart search with a "Favorites" tag? ...and then place "it" in the Dock?

    8 years ago

    Michael: In a Finder window, File, New Smart Folder. Hit the little + button to add the first criterion. Then change "Kind" to "Tags" (select Other... and then search for Tags) and then "matches" and the name of the tag. Then click Save. By default it wants to be in the sidebar, but you can save it somewhere else and then drag that to the Dock.

    Jean-Claude
    8 years ago

    Hi Gary,

    Is it possible to set up a smart folder to search both the internal and external drives?

    jasper
    8 years ago

    Two more tips: 1. You can create clickable links to files/folders in TextEdit/Evernote. Add 'file://' to the path of the file/folder (e.g., 'file:///Users//Desktop/Folder/shoppingList.txt') and save it as a link. You can save typing in the path by dropping the file/folder into Terminal. 2. You can drag a webpage's URL from Safari and drop it into your project folder. This will create a webloc file that you can keep with other project files. Clicking the webloc file takes you back to the page.

    8 years ago

    Jean-Claude: Yes, if you select "The Mac" as the search area, it should do that.

    Karen Brown
    8 years ago

    Years ago I created a folder for aliases of my most frequently used files, then dragged the folder into the Dock. It only contains aliases of a half dozen files, but has proven to be extremely useful for those files I use often.

    Tim
    8 years ago

    I put a frequently used Excel file in the dock. It is stored on my iCloud drive.

    The only downside is that when I save it, it brings up the Save As dialogue and adds a one to the filename. So I have to change it back to the original name and confirm replacement.

    Still better than the old way of going through the finder, but slightly annoying all the same.

    8 years ago

    Tim: I just tried it and don't have that problem. The file is in my iCloud Drive. I dragged it to the right side of the Dock to put an alias to it there. I open it up, make changes, and save works normally, no "Save As." Perhaps try removing it from the Dock and adding it again.

    Tim
    8 years ago

    Gary:It only happens with Excel files. I tried with a text file and it didn't happen.
    I removed the excel file and added again with no sucess.

    I also tried it with a different Excel file and it still did it.

    8 years ago

    Tim: I was trying it with Excel too. Are you using the latest version of Excel?

Comments Closed.