How to turn off the “Show files only” filter in Finder?
The Finder is an essential tool in MacOS that allows users to browse and search for files on their computer. One of the useful features of the Finder is the “Show files only” filter, which makes searching easier by showing only files without folders. However, there may be situations where you want to disable this feature. In this article, we will explore the technical steps required to disable the “Show only files” filter in Finder and see all folders and files in your file explorer again.
1. Introduction to the Finder and its “Show only files” filter
Finder is the file management application on the operating system macOS. Provides an easy way to access, organize and search files on your computer. One of Finder's useful features is its "Show Files Only" filter, which allows you to view only the files in a given folder and hide folders and other system items.
To use the “Show Files Only” filter in Finder, simply open a Finder window and navigate to the folder where you want to apply the filter. Then, select the “View” menu at the top of the screen and choose the “Show files only” option. Once selected, Finder will hide all folders and show only the files in that folder.
If you want to turn off the “Show files only” filter, simply select the “View” menu in Finder again and uncheck the “Show files only” option. This will show all the items in the folder again, including folders and other system items.
2. What is the “Show files only” filter in Finder and how does it work?
The “Show Files Only” filter in Finder is a useful tool that allows you to display only files instead of folders on your Mac. This can be especially useful when you're looking for a specific file and don't want folders to distract you. Below is how this filter works and how you can use it.
1. Open Finder on your Mac.
2. Click the “View” option in the top menu bar and select “Show viewing options.”
3. In the pop-up window, check the “Show files only” box.
Once you've enabled this filter, only files will be displayed in the Finder window. Folders will not be visible unless you disable the filter. This can make it easier to find and organize your files, especially if you have a large number of folders on your Mac. Remember to turn off the filter when you no longer need it to see all the folders and files in Finder again.
In short, the “Show Files Only” filter in Finder is a useful tool that allows you to display only files instead of folders on your Mac. You can enable this filter by following the steps mentioned above and disable it when you no longer need it. This can make it easier to find and organize your files by eliminating folder distractions. Give it a try and see how it can improve your Finder experience!
3. Common problems when having the “Show files only” filter activated
By having the "Show only files" filter activated in our application or operating system, we may encounter some common problems that can make it difficult to access and manage our files. In this post, we are going to describe the most common problems and how to solve them Step by Step.
1. Hidden files: Sometimes, by having the “Show only files” filter activated, we may not be able to see hidden files in our interface. Hidden files are those that have a special attribute in their settings and are not automatically displayed. To solve this problem, we must follow the following steps:
- On Windows: open File Explorer, click the “View” tab and select “Options”. Then, in the “View” tab of the options window, check the “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” box.
- On macOS: Open Finder, click “Finder” in the menu bar, and select “Preferences.” Then, in the “General” tab of the preferences window, check the “Show all files name.txt” box.
2. Unsupported files: Sometimes, by having the “Show only files” filter activated, we may find that some specific files are not displayed in the list. This can happen when the file format is not supported by the filter settings. To solve this problem, we can use file conversion tools to change the file format to a compatible one. In addition, we can also review the filter settings and adjust them according to our needs.
4. Why disable the “Show files only” filter in Finder?
Turning off the “Show Files Only” filter in Finder can be useful when you need to find and view hidden files and folders on your Mac. Sometimes having this option turned on does not show certain items in Finder, which can be frustrating. If you want to access these hidden files and folders, you must follow the following steps:
1. Open Finder by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock or selecting Finder from the top menu bar.
2. From the Finder menu, select "Preferences."
3. In the Preferences window, go to the “Advanced” tab.
4. Make sure the “Show all file names” option is checked.
5. Disable the “Show only files” option.
Once the filter is disabled, you will be able to see all files and folders, including hidden ones, in the Finder. Remember that some files and folders may be hidden for security reasons, so be careful when modifying or deleting anything that you are not sure of its origin or importance.
5. Steps to disable the “Show files only” filter in Finder
Turning off the “Show files only” filter in Finder is a simple process that will allow you to see all the items in your folder, including hidden folders and files. Below we show you the steps to follow to deactivate this filter:
- Open Finder by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock or selecting it in the menu bar.
- In the top menu bar, click "Finder" and then select "Preferences."
- In the Finder Preferences window, select the “Advanced” tab.
- Uncheck the “Show files only” box to disable the filter.
- You will now be able to see all the items in your folder in Finder, including hidden folders and files.
If you still can't see certain items after turning off the filter, they may be hidden individually. In that case, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + "." to show or hide hidden files individually within Finder.
Remember that disabling the "Show only files" filter in Finder will allow you to have more complete and visual access to all the items in your folder. If you want to turn the filter back on in the future, simply follow the same steps and check the appropriate box in Finder Preferences.
6. Method 1: Disable “Show Files Only” Filter in Finder from the Menu Bar
To turn off the “Show files only” filter in Finder from the menu bar, follow these steps:
- Open the Finder app on your Mac. You can find it in the dock or Applications folder.
- In the Finder menu bar, click "Finder" and then select "Preferences."
- In the Finder Preferences window, go to the “Advanced” tab.
- Uncheck the box that says "Show files only."
- You should now be able to view all files and folders in Finder without restrictions.
Hopefully these steps have solved your problem. If you still can't see all the files, you can try restarting Finder or restarting your Mac completely.
Remember to disable the “Show files only” filter can do Finder may display a large number of files and folders, which can make it difficult to find specific items. If you're just looking for specific files or folders, we recommend using Finder's search feature with keywords or filters to make the task easier.
7. Method 2: Disable “Show File Only” Filter in Finder from Finder Preferences
To turn off the “Show File Only” filter in Finder from Finder Preferences, follow these steps:
1. Open Finder by clicking the icon in the Dock or selecting it from the “Go” menu in the top menu bar.
2. In the top menu bar, click “Finder” and then select “Preferences.” You can also open Finder preferences by pressing the Command + (comma) keys on your keyboard.
3. In the “Advanced” tab, uncheck the “Show file only” option.
Once you've disabled this option, the Finder will return to showing all files instead of hiding non-files. This can be useful if you are looking for other information or specific file types on your system. Remember that you can reactivate the filter at any time by following the same steps and checking the corresponding option in the Finder preferences. We hope this guide has been useful to you!
8. Method 3: Disable “Show File Only” Filter in Finder Using Keyboard Shortcuts
In Finder, the “Show file only” filter is a useful feature to quickly find specific files on your Mac. However, on some occasions, you may want to disable this filter to see all file types in your folder. Here's how to do it using keyboard shortcuts:
1. Open Finder on your Mac.
2. Go to the menu bar and click “Finder”.
3. From the dropdown menu, select “Preferences”.
4. A Finder Preferences window will open. Click on the “Advanced” tab.
5. In the “Show these items in the Finder window” section, make sure the “Smart Folders” box is checked.
6. You can now close the Finder Preferences window.
7. Return to Finder and press the “Command + F” keys on your keyboard. This will open a new search window.
8. In the search bar at the top of the window, click the “Save” button and set the search criteria you want.
By turning off the “Show file only” filter in Finder, you will be able to see all file types in a specific folder. This is especially useful if you are looking for a particular file and are unsure of its exact type or name. Remember that you can use these keyboard shortcuts to quickly turn the filter on and off depending on your needs. If you have any questions or problems, check out the additional resources below to learn more about working with Finder on your Mac.
9. How to reset Finder preferences to turn off the filter by default
Sometimes when you use Finder on your Mac, you may notice that the filter is turned on by default. This can be annoying if you prefer to disable the filter by default. Fortunately, resetting Finder preferences can fix this problem. Follow the steps below to disable the filter by default in Finder:
- Open a Finder window on your Mac.
- Click the "Finder" menu in the menu bar and select "Preferences."
- Under the “General” tab, look for the “Show these items on the desktop” option and make sure it is unchecked.
- Next, click on the “Advanced” tab.
- In the “When I search:” section, select “Default search” from the drop-down menu.
- Close the Preferences window and restart Finder for the changes to take effect.
Once you have completed these steps, the filter will be disabled by default in the Finder. This means that every time you open a new Finder window, you won't have to manually turn off the filter. We hope this solution is useful to you!
10. Troubleshoot disabling the “Show File Only” filter in Finder
If you have accidentally disabled the “Show File Only” filter in Finder and are now struggling to restore it, don't worry, we can help you fix this problem. Follow these simple steps and you'll be able to reset your filter in no time.
1. Open the Finder app on your Mac. You can do this by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock or by selecting Finder from the "Go" menu at the top of the screen.
2. From the Finder menu, click "Preferences." This will open a window with several options.
3. Under the “Advanced” tab, make sure the “Show file only” option is checked. If the box is not checked, do it yourself by clicking on it.
If after following these steps the filter still does not restore, you can try restarting your Mac and check if that fixes the problem. Also, make sure you have the latest version of the operating system macOS installed, as updates can solve problems acquaintances. If the problem persists, it may be helpful to consult Apple Support or search the online community to get more help specific to your situation. We hope this guide was helpful to you in fixing the issue of turning off the “Show File Only” filter in Finder!
11. Alternatives to the “Show only files” filter in Finder
1 Solution: Use the advanced search feature in Finder. To access this feature, open Finder and click the toolbar "Search" or press the Command + F keys. Then, set the search parameters according to your needs. You can filter by file type, modification date, and other attributes. Plus, you can save your searches so you can easily access them in the future.
2 Solution: Use the “locate” command in Terminal. This option is especially useful if you are familiar with using the command line. Open Terminal and type "locate" followed by the name of the file or part of the name of the file you are looking for. The “locate” command will search the entire system and show you the corresponding results. You can use the "-i" option to perform a search regardless of whether the letters are uppercase or lowercase.
3 Solution: Use a third-party app like “EasyFind” or “HoudahSpot”. These applications offer more advanced functionality for searching files in Finder. You can perform more specific and detailed searches, and adjust the search parameters according to your needs. These tools also allow you to save your searches and export the results in different formats to facilitate its analysis and management.
12. Tips for Using the “Show Files Only” Filter in Finder Efficiently
Finding a specific file in Finder can be a challenging task, especially when you have a large number of files on your computer. Fortunately, the “Show files only” filter can help you simplify this process. Here are some tips for using this filter efficiently:
1. Access the filter: To start, you must open the Finder and go to the folder you want to search. Then, click on the “View” option in the menu bar and select “Show files only.” You will see that a filter will be applied and only files will be displayed in the folder view.
2. Filter by file type: If you are looking for a particular file, you can use the “Show only files” filter more specifically. Click the “Type” drop-down menu in Finder and select the type of file you want to find. For example, if you want to find only text files, select "Text."
3. Filter by Modified Date: Another useful way to use the filter is to set a specific modified date. Click the “Date Modified” drop-down menu and select a preset such as “Today,” “Yesterday,” or “Last Week.” If you prefer a custom date, select "Other" and choose the desired date through the calendar.
With these tips, you will be able to use the “Show only files” filter in Finder more efficiently. Remember that this feature can be especially useful when you need to quickly find a specific file among a large number of them. Don't waste any more time searching for files manually and make the most of this filtering tool in Finder!
13. FAQ on how to turn off the “Show files only” filter in Finder
Below are answers to common questions about how to turn off the “Show files only” filter in Finder:
- What is the “Show files only” filter in Finder?
The “Show Files Only” filter is a Finder feature that allows you to show only the files in a folder without showing the folders or directories. This can be useful when you are looking for a specific file and don't want to see the contents of the folders. - How do I turn off the “Show files only” filter in Finder?
To turn off the “Show files only” filter in Finder, follow these steps: - Open a Finder window on your Mac.
- Go to the “View” menu in the menu bar.
- Uncheck the “Show files only” option in the drop-down menu.
- Is there a keyboard shortcut to turn off the “Show files only” filter in Finder?
Yes, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Command + Shift + .” to turn the “Show files only” filter on or off in Finder. Simply press those keys at the same time to change the filter status.
Turning off the “Show only files” filter in Finder is a simple process that only requires a few few steps. If you follow the steps mentioned above, you will be able to see both files and folders in your Mac's Finder windows. If you prefer to use a keyboard shortcut, simply press "Command + Shift + ." to activate or deactivate the filter quickly and easily.
Remember that the “Show files only” filter can be a useful tool when you need to focus solely on files, but if you want to see both files and folders, be sure to disable the filter by following the steps mentioned above.
14. Conclusions about the process of disabling the “Show only files” filter in Finder
Turning off the “Show files only” filter in Finder can be a frustrating task for some users. However, by following the right steps, it is possible to solve this problem without difficulty. Below are the steps necessary to disable this filter and thus allow all files, including folders, to be visible in Finder.
1. Open Finder: The first thing you should do is open the Finder application on your Mac. You can find it in the menu bar or in the dock. Once open, make sure you are in the main Finder window.
2. Go to Finder preferences: In the menu bar, click on the “Finder” option and select “Preferences”. This will open a new window where you can customize Finder settings.
3. Disable the “Show files only” filter: In the Finder preferences window, select the “Advanced” tab. Here you will find an option called “Show files only”. Be sure to uncheck this option to allow both files and folders to be displayed in Finder.
In short, turning off the “Show Files Only” filter in Finder is a simple but important process to keep in mind to improve the organization and search of files on your Mac. Through the steps detailed above, you have learned how to access the Finder preferences, disable the option to show only files, and restore the display of all items on your system. Remember that you can use this knowledge not only to disable the filter, but also to customize other Finder settings to your needs. Explore the different options and find the ideal configuration that gives you an efficient searching and organizing experience on your Mac.