- Luckily, the graphical interface of MacOS makes it possible, most of the time, that you don’t need to know the access paths of your files or folders. But sometimes you will need them
- What are the steps to follow to view and copy a file path on MacOS?
Copying a file path is something you’re probably used to if you’re coming from Windows operating system. Now, in case you have just moved to an Apple device, you may be wondering if it is possible to do the same on these devices. That’s why, In case you need to perform this procedure, you should know the steps to copy a file path on your Mac. There are several ways to achieve your goal.
The first thing we must say is that the graphical interface of MacOS makes it possible, most of the time, that you do not need to know the access paths of your files or folders. You can navigate to any of them simply through the relevant icons within the Finder, ignoring the blissful Windows paths..
However, there are times when you may need to know the full path of a file or folder. Even if you can fix it from the parent directories, typing a long file path is a complex job if you’re not used to it. That is why we want to recommend some outings.
Why would you need to copy a file path on Mac?
From its first generations, MacOS was designed to rely heavily on its graphical interface. Basically, they want the user to not have to deal with some common Windows processes.
However, there will be times when there is no other choice. But you can easily copy a file path on Mac, and best of all, you even have enough leeway to choose how to do it.
From the context menu
Right-clicking on any file or folder will bring up a context menu that doesn’t seem to have anything weird. That being said, the secret is that the option is hidden so you will have to “unhide” it in order to access it.
- Find the file or folder you want to copy its path from
- Right-click on the file or folder
- The context menu will appear on the screen.
- Hold down the Alt (Option) key to reveal this function
- The Copy function will now say Copy as pathname. Click on the button
- To paste the file or folder path where you want, use the keyboard shortcut Cmd + V
From the Get Info window
The Get Info window allows you to view detailed data about a file or folder in Finder. Eventually, you’ll be able to review the location of the file or folder and copy to the clipboard if that’s your intention.
- Find the file or folder you want to copy its path from
- Right-click on the file or folder
- The context menu will appear on the screen.
- Now right-click on the location of the file or folder, next to Where in General
- Click Copy as path. The path of the file or folder will be on the clipboard for you to paste
From Go to folder
Finder has a Go To Folder feature that allows you to navigate directly to a folder if you know the file path. However, you can also take advantage of this in reverse by dragging and dropping a file or folder directly into the Go To Folder window. By doing so, you will automatically have access to your route.
If the file or folder you want to find the file path for is on the desktop, simply drag it onto the Go To Folder window to see the file path. But if you want to find the file path of a file or folder that isn’t on the desktop, you’ll need to open a second Finder window in order to perform this trick.
conclusions
Learning how to copy a file path on Mac can save you a lot of time and hassle. Regardless of which of all the tricks listed here is your favorite and why you prefer it, the interesting thing is that there are so many unique and different ways to get out of it. Sure, there are plenty of other secret macOS features you should know about.
Have you been able to copy a file path on Mac? With which of these procedures have you done it?
