Enter key does not open the file

You made an excellent point and seriously, I've said this from the beginning of time and I'll say it again, it's the Apple fanboys that make me hate Apple and their products. It's just like talking to a cult fanatic.

Whenever a user of multiple platforms uses a Mac or any other Apple product and says "This doesn't really make sense", Apple fanboys come and say one of two things: "You don't really need it" or "You've been brainwashed." Well, guess what. As a Windows user, I respect some features that Mac OS X has and wish that Windows might have it. And I'm pretty sure any Windows user would say "I wish Windows would have this." But you talk to a Apple fanboy and tell them Apple might've done it wrong, they can't admit that Apple actually could do something worse than Microsoft and get super defensive. Sorry, but don't identify yourself with Apple that much because Apple just sees you as a consumer.

Back to the original point. You go to a website. You type in a keyword and press enter. What do you expect? You expect an execution. You press tab and your selection cursor moves to the "search" icon. You press enter. What do you expect? You expect an execution. Now, let's say, when doing the same thing in Safari, the default behavior was change text or show properties of the icon. What would you say?

There's a million other ways to prove that Finder is backwards. You go to Terminal and type in a file name and press enter. What do you expect? You expect execution. Because that's most likely behavior to be expected when you select a file--or type a filename, for that matter. If the default behavior of "./filename + return" combination was to rename a file and in order to run the file you actually had to type something like "./filename run + return" that would be called unintuitive because "it adds an extra step for something that you do most often." Selecting a file in Finder is quite the same as typing in a filename and waiting. Pressing the return key to run a file, makes much more sense.

Dear Apple fanboys,

Please do one of two things: either admit you're an Apple fanboy and that you'd buy whatever they sold even if they sold a bag of crap, or accept some constructive common-sense criticism and think for yourself, instead of mindlessly saying "we don't need that."

I get that the Mac is different that Windows and I know most people here hate it when Windows users come in and ask for their Mac to work like Windows. However, when it comes to being able to open a file or launch an app by hitting the enter key, I have to respectfully disagree.

Don't think of this request as a Windows user trying to change the Mac. Think of it as normal, logical behavior for a user interface. A good UI should default to whatever the most common task is and for files its open them not renaming them. Can anyone actually say they rename files more often than they open them? Its absurd when you think about it.

If that argument doesn't work, then how about being consistent across Apple OS's? iOS certainly defaults a tap on an application to launch it, not rename it. Virtually all iOS apps that I've used that manage files also default to opening a file when you tap on it as well.

At the very least, this should be a simple SETTING in the OS. They did this when they introduced reverse scrolling in Lion (made it optional via a setting) and they absolutely do this for the default behavior of the enter key in Finder. This is dead simple to implement and die-hard Mac users that still want enter to rename their files can leave the setting that way.

Of course you don't hit enter on an iPhone, but I would say its pretty commonly agreed that pressing enter on a file s the equivalent to clicking on it with a mouse or tapping on it from a touch-screen device.

This is normal behavior for everything except for Finder on the Mac. In fact, the built-in and 3rd-party Mac apps that display a list of files let you press enter on the file or directory to open it. Its ONLY Finder that doesn't work that way.

At any rate, my whole point is NOT to try to get everyone to agree on what the enter key should do in Finder, but rather to have Apple simply give us the OPTION to either have it open or rename the file. This really should be a no-brainer.

"You expect an execution."

Absolutely agree!

Apple, please, we don't ask You to change your fanboys, we asking to give as possibility 'Think different'. We need only another option.

Thank you in advance.

chenchao wrote:

whenever i hit the enter key on a file in finder, the highlighted file does not open rather is ready to be renamed. how can change this? thanks.

You don't change it. You use the correct commands, like cmd-O, cmd-downArrow, or double-click it.

To all the users who think the Enter/Return key does not need any change,

I will have to wholeheartedly agree with user timnicholson on this issue. Just because this is how Apple has made their keyboard layout since however many years ago, does NOT mean it is logical. I will have to ask again: SERIOUSLY, how many times will you rename a file?!

Just because you're used to Mac's Enter/Return key's function, again, does not make it logical. In order to open a file on a Mac, you need to press either Command + O, Command + [down] or double click with your mouse (also right click and select open). Tell me how that is MORE LOGICAL than pressing the Enter key to open a file???

Opening a file should be a simple ordeal. Mac has made it so you need to press TWO keys to open a file, whereas in Windows the users only press ONE key. To whomever reads this, I'm sorry but if you think Mac's Enter/Return makes sense or is BETTER than Windows' Enter key function, you are stupid in regards to this matter.

Bob,

Thanks for the suggestion. Your link was not found, but when I just stopped after 'feedback' it worked well. I did leave some feedback for Apple in the 'iMac' category since there didn't seem to be any choice for OS X itself.

Thanks,

Doug

Hi,

I am a new Mac user facing the same problem with enter-key. It is very illogical the way in which I can open a file on a Mac. I would like to show my criticisms in detail.

Firstly, why should I press not one, but two keys (cmd+O) in order to open a file which is such a frequent action! I do think Apple should apply Occam's razor to improve its operative system, namely entia non suntmultiplicanda praeternecessitatem(Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity).

Secondly, Apple should be more consistent. If to open a file I am obliged to press cmd+O, so to exit I should press cmd+E. On the contrary, it is possible to exit just pressing ESC. Why?

Thirdly, the word "enter" literally means 'to go into': e.g.: "the door opened and Karl entered". When I press ENTER key I am willing to go into a folder or a file.

Thank you for your understanding, Apple.

George,

I'm kind of in the same boat. I certainly wouldn't want to change the default since there are ton of legacy users who would be disappointed. But an option in System Preferences would be nice so that I could use the file manager in a way that makes sense to me.

Since Apple doesn't necessarily read these posts, several folks suggested that I post my suggestion in: apple.com/feedback

For category, go down to MacOS Apps, then over to MacOS.

I have done that and I suggest you do the same. Another vote couldn't hurt!

Thanks,

Doug

Firstly, why should I press not one, but two keys (cmd+O) in order to open a file which is such a frequent action!

Because it's consistent not just from the desktop, but through every single app you use. Open is assigned to Command+O everywhere.

(Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity).

You mean like in Windows? Where if you're already in an app, you must first press Alt to get to the menus attached to whichever document is in front, then press S to save, or whichever command is your second keyboard action. Command+S - one keyboard action. Command+O - one keyboard action. And so on. There's no key you need to press just to get to the menu actions.

exit I should press cmd+E

What's wrong with the equally valid Q for Quit? Exit the app, quit the app. Same difference.

Enter has various meanings, as many words in English do. In fact, one of them directly relates to computers, and has nothing to do with its usage as in entering a room. You could be entering into an agreement (contract). Here's one definition of the word. The noun entry says it all.

en·ter

ˈen(t)ər/

verb

1. come or go into (a place).

"she entered the kitchen"

synonyms: go in/into, come in/into, get in/into, set foot in, cross the threshold of, gain access to,

infiltrate, access

"police entered the house from the side"

2. begin to be involved in.

"in 1941 America entered the war"

synonyms: get involved in, join, throw oneself into, engage in, embark on, take up; participate in, take part in, play a part/role in, contribute to

"he entered politics in 1979"

3. write or key (information) in a book, computer, etc., so as to record it.

"children can enter the data into the computer"

synonyms: record, write, set down, put down, take down, note, jot down; More

noun

1. a key on a computer keyboard that is used to perform various functions, such as executing a command or selecting options on a menu.

Basically, it's the same tired argument. The Mac OS doesn't do what you're used to in Windows. That doesn't make it wrong. Two different companies - two independently different ideas of how an OS should behave and be interacted with.

Kurt,

Yeah, I get it. After about 9 months I've learned the keystrokes. Despite what my wife thinks, I can be trained! :-)

I think what amazed me was not so much what the <Enter> key doesn't do, but what it does do, which is rename files. I remember thinking, wow, am I going to be spending a lot of time renaming files? But I'm glad to report that I don't rename any more files than I did in Windows!

I am very much enjoying my 27" 5K iMac for my photography work. The screen is gorgeous. I haven't let the difference in keystrokes get in the way of that. For anyone contemplating their first iMac, I would highly recommend getting the expanded keyboard with not only the numeric keypad, but the 5 keys missing on the magic keyboard (Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, Delete). I think those keys more than save me the 2 keystrokes for opening files! :-)

Thanks again for participating in this thread. I've said before that I very much appreciate all the help I've gotten from experienced Mac users in these discussions.

Thanks,

Doug

I think what amazed me was not so much what the <Enter> key doesn't do, but what it does do, which is rename files.

I agree. Neither action makes true logical sense. Why should the Enter key launch a file's associated app in Windows? Or activate the file/folder name on the Mac? You can sort of connect them as Enter the app for Windows, and Enter a name for Mac. But these OS choices aren't always based on a logical connection, but rather, simplicity. It's one of the larger keys on a keyboard, so let's assign a frequently used, one key action to it type of thing.

There's no logic at all to Command+E to place an image (Import) in Quark, which is Command+D (Place) in InDesign. Neither letter represents even part of the action's word. So why those letters? They were likely chosen for reach. Both are highly used actions in both apps, so choose a key combination that requires little finger gymnastics. Same as Command+X, C and V (Ctrl+X, C and V for Windows). C is obvious for Copy, but X and V? No logic at all by letter. They're grouped next to each other for ease of reach and use. Copy, move your finger over one key, paste.

This is a user-to-user support forum. You are not talking to Apple

You need to double click with the mouse or press command+O to open a file.

I don't have an enter key on my iPhone. How do I hit the enter key to open an app on the iPhone?