Q: Mavericks Finder - how default to "double click opens new window"?

Yes, I mentioned that in one of my first posts in this topic. That's the way I have all of my commonly folders set up; so they look like OS 9 in list view. No toolbar or sidebar. Set that way, you don't need to hold any keys down to open a child folder into its own window.

However, the OP wants these bars open and to have double clicked folders open in their own window as they did before Mavericks. That's the issue.

Helgason: Thank you so much for this solution. I have been using it since March. But I just upgraded to Yosemite. And as you have noted on your website, it breaks the functionality of typing Command-Shift-A to go to Applications and such. Now that Yosemite has officially been released, are you going to create an update?

Also, an update that returns the green button to being maximize instead of full screen (without having to hold down Option) would also be welcome!

I cannot believe Apple did not fix this nasty bug before releasing Yosemite!

Well, that too is part of the problem. It's not a bug; it's the way Apple intentionally changed it. Just like they thought no one needed Save As anymore in Lion.

I ran across this post when looking to solve another window setting problem that I cannot find an answer to.  I'm an Apple certified tech and also a Mac user since the original 128K.  I too like my windows set to double click them to open separately.  Here's how to do it system wide.  Close all your windows.  Click on the desktop to activate the finder.  Under the finder menu select preferences. Click the general button at the top of the window. Make sure the hard drive is checked and selected to show on the desktop. Set new finder window to show the internal hard drive.  Uncheck the open folders in tabs.  Close the preferences window and double click the internal hard drive icon.  Under the View menu click hide toolbar.  If you do this to the main hard drive window it will apply to all the other windows EXCEPT for a new folder you create on the desktop, but once you move that holder into the hard drive and off the desktop the hidden toolbar will be applied to the window.  Alternately, you can apply the change to the folder on the desktop individually if you plan to leave it there.

You just described (in a very roundabout way), the same thing I and a couple of other people have already mentioned. And that's to hide the side and toolbars of an active window. All folders within that window will also then open in a new window without the bars when double clicked, without having to hold a modifier key. Since the hard drive icon is the root location of any drive, it of course then cascades down through that entire drive.

This, again, does not help the OP at all. He wants the side and toolbars open, and still be able to open a nested folder without having to hold down the Option key to have those nested folders open in their own window.

I am very very dissapointed with Apple. Little features like double clicking a folder to open in a new window, I use constantly. Now to find it's not an option. This latest operating system is terrible. There's other features like the 'search' feature that doesn't work either. The whole flat graphics interface is also regressive and iTunes... well I won't go on about how unfriendly that now is to navigate around. A few years ago Apple were king. Now I really feel they've dropped the ball big time. Considering renewing my apple iPhone with a Samsung, who seem to be leading the way for ease of use. Word up Apple, - sort it out or lose market share.

Apple design team is really poor now. The flat, half gray interface with thin text is a graphic design no-no. It's the kind of design elements that places a fashion over form.

Then simple things like, not being able to open two windows at the same times makes me think that SJ (rip) wasn't a genius but was merely there to enforce basic common sense.

Being unable to double click windows on an supposedly advance flexible OS really breaks down to no form of logic, and is very counter productive to professionals.  It's like someone threw a Mickey in my Mouse.

The Searches seem utterly useless. I can't find anything on my drive any more. Yes the system is so unsecures, hackers, and data miners know my content better than I do.  Search gives me everything at once and doesn't allow my to curtail the criteria of the search.

Now Mac can't figure out it doesn't have enough space to copy files over to an external volume... It actually start copying A decades ago, one thing that I use to laugh at PC users for that.

So you would sit there an hour and then it would tell you not enough space. When Mac use to say "Not enough space, right up front

All the extra clicking, and finger twisting amounts to wasting time.

I think either Disney or Microsoft had taken over Apple. It's more like oranges instead of Apple.

And let's not talk about BluRay

Apple phones and computers seems to only serve data collectors, marketers, and advertisers. ;-(

I don't mean this maliciously but it's my actual experience and professional evaluation.

That is your opinion. Tell Apple not us. These are user  to user technical forums, not a place to vent.

Pete

Ok. I am running Mavericks 10.9.5 on one machine with a Magic Mouse, and Yosemite 10.10.1 on my 2014 MacBook Air with only the trackpad.

A rapid, double-click with the Magic Mouse, or single-finger, double-tap respectively, will open n-folders in n-new Finder windows. I configured nothing to achieve this. In System Preferences, my Mouse tracking speed is one increment left of maximum. In Trackpad, it is on the third mark from maximum.

PeterMac

I would tell Apple if that were a solution.

Apple is clueless.  They probably think 38 pages of users support is only opinions as well.

Here's some helpful info to the forum. Command Control "O" will open a new window.

But it's slow, tedious and lame compared to double clicking. Fact.

As I said, contact Apple feedback. None of us can pop around to your house and perform magic.

Cheers

Pete

One easy workaround to have the natural* behaviour of opening folders in new windows with toolbars visible is to use AppleScript.

* To everyone who used a Mac for the last 25 years

Open the AppleScript Editor and write this:

tell application "Finder"

  open selection

end tell

Then save the script as an application. To use it, place (command-drag) the script icon to the toolbar. When you want to open a folder in a new window, select it and then click on the script icon on the toolbar.

This is not as convenient as the LostFinderNewWindow SIMBL plugin, but it's less intrusive since it does not require any other software to function.

P.S. I don't know if anyone else suggested this, and I'm not about to read though 38 pages of posts. And I don't see a topic-specific search function anywhere (thanks Apple).

P.S.#2 Apple, if I wanted the Windows Explorer functionality* as the default behaviour in the Finder, I would use Windows, not a Mac.

* Which is user-customizable unlike the Finder i.e. you can choose "open in new window" as the default behaviour when double clicking on a folder.

Thanks for your Applescript suggestion. That helps although I still feel, that Apple should finally fix this nasty bug.

I am reporting the bug at each and every new OSX update, just to keep them pointing at the bug that crippled the Finder, that had been just fine for about 25 years, until Mavericks was born, making it an irritating, time-demanding, frustrating piece of software.

You should note that the Finder DOES have a way to customize it's behaviour.

In Finder menu -> Preferences -> General tab   I keep making sure the checkbox 'Open folders in tabs instead of new windows' is UNchecked.

In my opinion that should mean: 'Open folders in new windows, not in tabs'.

It is that option that doesn't work. Instead of opening a new window the Finder keeps destroying the window I was double-clicking a folder in, overwriting it with the contents of the folder I just double-clicked on.

Adam van Gaalen wrote:

You should note that the Finder DOES have a way to customize it's behaviour.

I am aware of the checkbox you mention, but it only works in 10.8 or older. In newer versions, this option does not exist. It is replaced by the "Always open in Tabs" option, which has different functionality.

I am reporting the bug at each and every new OSX update, just to keep them pointing at the bug that crippled the Finder, that had been just fine for about 25 years, until Mavericks was born, making it an irritating, time-demanding, frustrating piece of software.

I used to do that for iWork after Apple nerfed it. Made no difference. Apple is not going to listen to us. Get used to it.

By the way, apart from the LostFinderNewWindow SIMBL plugin, there are two other utilities that "fix" the Finder. Most users will know of them already, but I felt it was useful to mention them anyway:

TotalFinder is a powerfull Finder customizer with many features.

XtraFinder is more modest if features, but it does allow opening new windows via clicking the middle mouse button. And its free.