Showing full file path in Save As dialog box

You can ctrl-click in the list and choose "Show in Finder."

You could copy the path by going up a folder, cmd-uparrow and copy as pathname, option-cmd-c.

In a Save dialog, use cmd-shift-G for "Go to Folder." You can paste the path, there.

Another option if you have the folder visible in Finder is just drag the folder into the Save dialog.

My point was I'd like to show the full file path in the Save As dialogue box, not a recent folder.

When I talked about recent folders, it was in reference to being able to copy the path to use later. The "use later" should be handled by the recently used folder list or the app setting it as the "default" for the next save.

Also I tried looking for "Recent folders" when I was in the "Save As" screen (holding down the option key), but couldn't see it, or find a way to make it visible.

Recent folders are the list in the middle of the toolbar. Nothing changes about those when you hold down the Option key. They should change to show which folders were recently visited.

The full path is show as a popup at the bottom of the file list when you hold down the Option key.

You can see it in my screenshot.

it is much quicker to copy the path, and paste it into the save as dialogue box.

In the Save sheet, type cmd-shift-g, then paste in the path.

Works in Finder, also.

I find the Mac much more difficult because I can't navigate so easily.

I gave up trying to figure out how to navigate around windows. Then, they keep changing the location of all the buttons to do things like create a new folder.

Oh, I use one computer on Windows 11 and others on Windows 10.

Check out Default Folder X, an enhancement to Open/Save dialogues that allows you to (among other things) set favourites, recall recent locations and so much more

https://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/

If you are using List view you should see the path at the bottom as shown here: Then you can right click and choose copy as pathname. Choose Finder menu 'View' .... click on show 'Path Bar'.

It's needed anytime you have folders with the same name but on different drives or folders.

For example, if you have a backup drive, you want to know which drive it's showing you in the dialog.

You could name all your folders differently to differentiate them, but this seems ... clunky.

Guern2020 wrote:

There was an interesting discussion a couple of years ago about how one could show the full file path in the Save As dialogue box. It must be frequently referred to, as it came top in the Google search.

Showing full file path in Save As dialog … - Apple Community1.

It got a bit acrimonious, but was useful. There are two useful bits of information that one can add:

In Windows, the full file path is not only shown in the File Save As box, but many other places such as Explorer, so one can easily copy it to memory, and then, when onewishes to save a document to that same directory one just clicks before the filename in the SaveAs window and Ctl+V to paste the filename, then type a backslash (/), and click save. That way it takes a minimum of clicks and keystrokes and the file is saved in the right directory which can be burried many layers deep. A very useful trick that Apple could consider implementing (and repay Microsoft for misappropriating so many of Apple's tricks)

2.

I don't think Apple's default Save As dialogue shows "Columns". (At least I did not know about it before seeing that article). However, if one clicks on the column Icon (as indicated below), the path does becaome visible, albeit in a broken up,section by section, manner.

eg

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/8759c6b4-eef1-4a18-ad0b-c500ad6dd4a8

Hope this helps someone.

Not sure I get it, I never use the Column View—strictly List View.

The Finder has a "Show Path Bar" option however...you see it when visible at the bottom of the Finder Window

Get to know the Finder on your Mac - Apple Support

But if you want to see what the path is for saving a document, I don't see a better way than using columns.

This seems better, to me.

Hold down the Option key while the Save dialog is open.

No, you can't copy it.

The folder should appear in the Recent folders list. Also, there may be some, but I don't know of any apps that don't set the most recently used folder as the default when saving again.

And, as an aside, I wonder why Apple make something so useful so difficult.

Well, I don't find the ability to copy a file path to paste into a subsequent save dialog useful at all. I have never needed to do that. I can easily get to the same folder without even knowing the path.