Ways to quickly see items in the Finder on Mac
If you use a particular file, folder, or app frequently, there are several ways to see and open the item faster.
Group items
When grouping items by name, you can keep folders (in alphabetical order) at the top of the list; you can also click , then choose an option. For example, to sort according to folders or files you used recently, choose Date Last Opened. See Sort and arrange items in the Finder.
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 an alias; the original item isn’t moved from its original location. See Customize the Finder sidebar.
Tag files
Select the file or folder, click , then enter a new tag, or choose one from the list. You can also Control-click the file or folder, 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
A Smart Folder automatically collects 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.
Customize an item’s icon
You can create a custom icon for a file or folder to make it stand out. See Change icons for files or folders.
Create an alias
An alias is a shortcut to an item on your Mac. You can place the alias in a convenient location—such as the desktop—and double-click it to open the item quickly. See Create and remove aliases.
For other ways to quickly find and open documents or apps, see Open documents and Open apps.