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

I am old and set in my ways. I like having the Finder open a new window when I double click a folder. Since 1984 I've arranged Finder windows in positions and sizes that suit me and I have never seen any reason to change.


In Mavericks however there does not seem to be a way to default to, "double click opens new Finder window". My choices under Finder preferences are, open in the same window; or open in a tab. I don't care for either.


Does anyone know of a way to restore the traditional Finder behavior in Mavericks? Thanks in advance.

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9), 18 GB RAM

Posted on Oct 22, 2013 5:54 PM

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547 replies

Aug 29, 2014 2:33 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Howdy,


I wish I could make no toolbar the default behavior.


Also, the Finder's Keyboard Shortcuts work differently than using the mouse and clicking! If I have a folder selected (and I've set that folder to NOT have a Toolbar!) Opt-Double Click will properly open that folder (without the Toolbar) and close the enclosing folder while Opt-Cmd-O opens the folder WITH A TOOLBAR! In the past they behaved the same.


Good Luck,

Herb Schulz

Sep 17, 2014 6:35 AM in response to beneley3

I know it's a long topic, but you couldn't have read it to give this same answer (which has been posted at least three other times), which is not what the OP and many others in this topic are looking for. Until Mavericks, you've never had to hold any modifier key down to open a folder in its own window. All it took to do that was a check box in the System Preferences. That is now gone, and there's no way in Mavericks to make it behave as every version of OS X before it.

Sep 17, 2014 6:47 AM in response to Kurt Lang

Howdy,


Supposedly you can get the old behavior (Cmd-O or Double-Click opens the selected folder in a New Window while keeping the old window open and Opt-Cmd-O or Opt-Cmd-Double-Click opens the selected folder in a New Window and closes the old window) by removing the toolbar. But my experience is that (Opt)-Cmd-Double-Click behaves correctly while while (Opt)-Cmd-O tends to open the new window with a toolbar present even though the folder was set up with the toolbar turned off.


Good Luck,

Herb Schulz

Sep 17, 2014 7:19 AM in response to Herbert Schulz

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.

Oct 17, 2014 7:33 PM in response to Helgason

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!

Dec 10, 2014 7:38 AM in response to John Dorsey

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.

Dec 10, 2014 8:03 AM in response to Angele M. Florisi

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.

Jan 23, 2015 11:06 PM in response to bblonshine

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.

Jan 24, 2015 12:05 AM in response to domban

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.

Jan 24, 2015 5:07 AM in response to John Dorsey

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.

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

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