![](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A8106E7C69B635140E606E/65A81072C0272B1FFA02DE51/en_GB/058e4af8e726290f491044219d2eee73.png)
Change Finder settings on Mac
On your Mac, use Finder settings to change options for Finder windows, file extensions and the Bin. Learn how to organise your files in the Finder.
To change these settings, click the Finder icon in the Dock, then choose Finder > Settings.
![The left side of the Dock; the Finder icon is at the far left.](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A8106E7C69B635140E606E/65A81072C0272B1FFA02DE51/en_GB/24c0db6f0eda41f9445c3b333389cbbf.png)
General
Option | Description |
---|---|
Show these items on the desktop | Show connected hardware on the desktop. |
New Finder windows show | Choose which folder is displayed when you open a new Finder window. |
Open folders in tabs instead of new windows | Open folders in tabs instead of windows when you press and hold the Command key and double-click a folder. |
Tags
Option | Description |
---|---|
Show these tags in the sidebar | Customise the tags you see in the Finder sidebar.
|
Favourite Tags | Customise the tags you see in the shortcut menu that appears when you Control-click a file.
|
Sidebar
Option | Description |
---|---|
Show these items in the sidebar | Show the items you use often or want to open quickly in the Finder sidebar. These items also appear in Open and Save dialogues. See Customise the Finder sidebar. |
Advanced
Option | Description |
---|---|
Show all filename extensions | Show all file extensions, even for files that have “Hide extension” selected. When deselected, file extensions are shown or hidden based on their individual “Hide extension” settings. A filename extension — a full stop followed by a few letters or words that you see at the end of some filenames (for example .jpg) — identifies the type of file. This option affects most, but not all, filenames. |
Show warning before changing an extension | Display a warning if you accidentally try to change an extension. As a rule, you shouldn’t change filename extensions. |
Show warning before removing from iCloud Drive | Display a warning so you don’t accidentally delete items from iCloud Drive. |
Show warning before emptying the Trash | Display a warning so you don’t accidentally delete items in the Trash. See Delete files and folders. |
Remove items from the Trash after 30 days | Remove items permanently 30 days after being moved to the Trash. |
Keep folders on top: In windows when sorting by name | Show folders in alphabetical order first, then show files alphabetically after folders when sorting by name in a Finder window. See Sort and arrange items in the Finder. |
Keep folders on top: On Desktop | Show folders in alphabetical order first, then show files alphabetically after folders on the desktop. |
When performing a search | Choose what you want to search by default when you use the search field in Finder windows. You can search your entire Mac, the folder that’s currently open, or the scope you specified the last time you searched in a Finder window. |