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Create and remove aliases on Mac

To make it easier to find a file, folder, app, or disk, you can create an alias for it and put the alias in an easy-to-find location. When you open an alias, the original item opens.

Create an alias

On your Mac, do one of the following:

  • Select the item, then choose File > Make Alias.

    You can create as many aliases for an item as you want, then drag them to other folders or to the desktop.

  • Press Option-Command while you drag the original item to another folder or to the desktop to create an alias and move it in one step.

Add an alias to the Finder sidebar or Dock

The items you see in the Finder sidebar and the Dock are aliases. For example, in the sidebar, Documents is an alias for the Documents folder located inside your home folder. You can add your own aliases to the sidebar or the Dock.

On your Mac, do one of the following:

  • Add a folder, app, or disk alias to the Finder sidebar: Drag the original item to the Favorites section.

  • Add a file, folder, or app alias to the Dock: Drag the original item to the Dock.

    Drag apps to the left side of the line that separates the recently used apps. Drag files and folders to the right side of the other line that separates recently used apps. If you moved the Dock to the side of your desktop, drag files and folders below the separator, and apps above.

    A portion of the Dock, showing the separator lines between apps, recently used apps, and files and folders.

Remove an alias from the Finder sidebar or Dock

On your Mac, do one of the following:

  • Remove an alias from the Finder sidebar: Drag the item out of the Finder sidebar until you see the remove sign .

  • Remove an alias from the Dock: Drag the item out of the Dock until you see Remove.

    If you remove an item from the sidebar or Dock, only the alias is removed. The original item isn’t removed from your Mac.

Find the original item for an alias

  • On your Mac, select the alias, then choose File > Show Original.

See alsoUse the Dock on MacDrag and drop items on MacOrganize files in stacks on MacIf you can’t find a file on MacWays to quickly see items in the Finder on Mac
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