"Quickly" move a file to another folder

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"Quickly" move a file to another folder

OK, this is about as basic as it gets. Don't read too much into this.

Years ago, when I was forced to use Windows, the explorer allowed users to move files from one directory to another. (Note, I asking about "move", not copy).

In Windows, when file(s) were selected, you could simply type CTRL-X (meaning 'cut"). Then, you'd just navigate to the target directory and type CTRL-V (meaning 'paste'). Pretty simple.

Sadly, In OS X, this feature does not work (with CMD-X). It wasn't implemented, and there is no equivilent alternative.

You might be tempted to exclaim how easy it is to navigate to another folder, and how easy it is to drag and drop. But the reality is it a pain in the behind going from a single Finder window on your screen, opening a second finder window. Resizing both windows so you simultaneously viewthe file-list portion of each Finder window, and then dragging-and-dropping. When you're done, you close the other window, and re-adjust the size and position of the original on your limited desktop (Macbook Air).

Does anyone know of a CMD-X or similar feature availble to OS X?

Posted on Mar 27, 2013 8:31 AM

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Answer 1

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sunlydu

Level 1

4 points

Dec 16, 2017 11:59 PM in response to cwebber1

Source: http://osxdaily.com/2011/07/29/cut-and-paste-mac-os-x-lion/

How to Cut & Paste Files and Folders in Mac OS X with Keyboard Shortcuts

What you need to do first is select files in the Mac file system browser, known as Finder, and then combine a series of keyboard shortcuts. The keystrokes necessary for cutting and pasting files on the Mac are as so:

FIRST: Command+C copies the files or documents in the Finder, note they won’t be ‘cut’ yet
SECOND: Command+Option+V pastes the documents into the new desired location on the Mac, cutting it from the prior locating and moving it to the new location

Remember, you must have a file selected for the cut & paste to work on Mac.

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Answer 2

cwebber1 Author

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81 points

Mar 27, 2013 12:23 PM in response to cwebber1

The key (in case somebody reading this doesn't notice) is adding the OPTION key.

To Copy: COMMAND + V

To Move: OPTION + COMMAND + V

Thanks again CT.

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Answer 3

CT

Level 7

24,239 points

Mar 27, 2013 8:40 AM in response to cwebber1

Use command-c and then option-command-v to get Apple's version of cut and paste for files.

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Answer 4

Mar 27, 2013 8:39 AM in response to cwebber1

This is a quick link to keyboard shortcuts on your mac - http://www.danrodney.com/mac/.

This is another good one, but keep in mind "Apple = Command" in this article - http://lixlpixel.org/mac-keyboard-shortcuts/.

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Answer 5

meisert1

Level 1

4 points

Nov 10, 2015 6:48 AM in response to cwebber1

This doesn't paste into the folder I've selected but the folder showing at the top level in my finder window I'm pasting to? Why is that. If I select a folder to paste to (for a move action using OPTION + COMMAND + V) intuitively I'd expect it to paste to the folder selected. But tried twice and that's not the case.

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Answer 6

cwebber1 Author

Level 1

81 points

Dec 21, 2017 8:27 AM in response to sunlydu

Thanks again for the information.

I will say, I like the Windows method better for the following reasons

When you CUT with Windows, you're looking at what you are cutting, when you're cutting it. I even think it goes grey when you cut, just to enforce that you're making it go away.
The CTRL C,X,V are a worldwide standard used by pretty-much every electronic device ever built. I'm fine using the CMD instead of CTRL. But since the vast majority of people are forced to use both Apple and non-Apple products, I think Apple, at a minimum, should have an option for the "CMD-X" cut functionality to mimic all of the other electronics in the world.

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