Change the Finder search default to Find by Name (search by file name) rather than Find by Content

I just discovered another way to set the finder Find option to default to "find by name" (search by file name). I'm using Mac OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion. I'm not sure if this works on other OS versions, but it probably does.

Here's a step by step:

#1: Open System Preferences

#2: Click on "Keyboard"

#3: Click on "Keyboard Shortcuts"

#4: Click on "Application Shortcuts" (on my system this was the last item located on the left-hand side window)

#5: Click the little "+" right below the right-hand side window

#6: Click on the "Application" menu and choose "finder.app"

#7: Click into the field "Menu Title:" and type "Find by Name..." (Type it exactly like that including the three dots. Don't type the quotes BTW.)

#8: Click into the field "Keyboard Shortcut:" and press the command-key and F at the same time. It should look like this ⌘F

#9: Close System Preferences

That's it. Basically what you are doing is remapping the command-F key (⌘F) to "Find By Name".

I tried to post this to other previous discussions asking this same question, but they were all locked.

🙂