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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

Jan 11, 2017 9:17 AM in response to John Dorsey

Wow, three full years of complaints and Apple has not bothered to put in a simple checkbox that existed in Mountain Lion. I hung on to ML for as long as possible because Mavericks trashed too many of my useful programs. Had to bite bullet because Apple is killing ML and the web won't work with earlier "unsecure" browsers that run under ML.


BUT the issue remains--YES, there is some "logic" for the "open in same window" option, but there is more reason (30 plus years of consistency) to ALLOW the other option. It is so simple, but they won't do it. Instead, they force you to command click to get it. ACHTUNG! YOU VILL DO AS APPLE ORDERS. They are dictating themselves out of usefulness. Will Linux finally kill them, or Google/Android?

Oct 22, 2013 7:55 PM in response to John Dorsey

Interestingly the Finder under Mavericks appears to refuse to honor whichever setting I give it, when I double-click on a folder. All folders, when I double-click, open in place in the same window. This is the same whether I have it set to open in 'tabs' or 'windows'. The settings *do* affect the listing that shows when I right-click on a folder, appropriately reflecting "open in new tab" or "open in new window"; and those work as expected.


So perhaps my question is a different one, namely, why is the Finder treating my double-clicks to mean one and only one thing?

Oct 22, 2013 8:12 PM in response to bblonshine

It's not easy to find much on this issue out on the web, on the day of Mavericks' release, but I am seeing indications here and there that this is intentional behavior, to make the Finder act more like a browser. So, double-click means "open this link right here" (like a hyperlink in a browser), with options to right-click or command-click and open instead in a new window or new tab (you choose which, in preferences).


If true this would make operating the Finder a two-handed operation, and require the unlearning of a whooole lot of muscle memory.


Let me ask: Are other users able to double-click on a folder in window and get *either* a new tab or a new window out of it?

Oct 22, 2013 9:10 PM in response to John Dorsey

YOU CANT

.....unfortunately


see here:

http://www.macworld.com/article/2043164/hands-on-with-os-x-mavericks-finder-tabs-and-tagging.html




Thats actually a VITAL feature to myself, .....the reason behind removing this feature, is to remove a desktop full of a bunch of windows open.......



.....however i need it,....... its not a "bug" of Mavericks.... but there should be a patch for this missing feature people find important.


It is a vital missing feature to a lot of people


I can live without it, but juggling sometimes 5 attached hard drives and doing file transfers,..., it is a Near-Vital feature

Oct 22, 2013 9:32 PM in response to TomW123

Whoa - I've found a partial fix, set up Secondary Click. If you have the Apple trackpad or MagicMouse, it's in your Preferences Pane. Secondary click gives you a menu, the first option of which is Open in New Window. Nowhere near as fast or convenient as double-clicking ... which should still be a Finder Preferences option.

Oct 22, 2013 10:01 PM in response to nerdguy

There is a great deal of logic behind this change actually


And youll find me the LAST PERSON to complain about Mavericks really,...... 😍😍


not ONLY is it FREE,.......its made my new Air just blazing fast


My boot time now is 8 SECONDS (my goodness)


Switching APPS is ultra-fast.........even on my Air, Photoshop opens up LIGHTNING FAST,.....just mind numbingly FAST!




Thank You to Apple, MAVERICKS IS AWESOME!!!! I REALLY LOVE IT!!! 😍

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

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