Ways to quickly see items in the Finder on Mac

Group items

When grouping items by name, you can keep folders (in alphabetical order) at the top of the list; you can also click the Group button , then choose an option. For example, to sort according to folders or files you used recently, choose Date Last Opened. See Sort items, arrange icons, and resize columns.

Put an item in the Finder sidebar

You can put an item in the Finder sidebar so you can get to it quickly. Adding an item to the sidebar only creates a shortcut to the item; the item isn’t moved from its original location. See Customize the Finder toolbar and sidebar.

Tag files

Select the file or folder, click the Tags button (or use the Touch Bar), then enter a new tag, or choose one from the list. You can also Control-click the file or folder or tap it with two fingers, then choose a tag from the shortcut menu.

To quickly see tagged items, click a tag in the Tags section of the Finder sidebar. See Use tags to organize files.

Set up a Smart Folder

Smart Folders automatically collect documents based on criteria you set. For example, you can set up a Smart Folder for all of your spreadsheets, or for all documents with the phrase “Paris Vacation” in the title. See Create or change a Smart Folder.

Create an alias

Select a file, folder, or app, then choose File > Make Alias. You can place the alias in a convenient location, and double-click it to open the item quickly. See Create and remove aliases.

Customize an item’s icon

You can create a custom icon for a file or folder to make it stand out. See Create custom icons for files or folders.