How to set default view for all folders in finder ?

Question

How to set default view for all folders in finder ?

I want to set a default view for ALL folders that I open in the Finder.

I want to set a default view of a Finder window for all windows.

I've seen the posts about using the Terminal and giving the command find ./ -name ".DS_Store" -depth -exec rm {} \; However, this didn't work, at least in El Capitan, for me.

And even just setting a single window default doesn't seem to "stick". For example, if I open the Applications folder window, I have only two columns showing with a big blank space to the right of them. If I drag the column divider to the right, I can show the next two columns. But if I do the cmd-J and click the "use as defaults", and then close the Applications folder, then re-open it, the view is back to the two columns that I had just changed to four columns.

So part of my problem is that almost all of my finder windows open in the desired LIST view, but only showing two columns with a space where the icon view used to be. And in most cases, the "save as default" doesn't save the changes.

(This showing only two columns seemed to start when "Show Icon View" somehow got set and must have gotten saved as a default. But now I can't get rid of the result (unchecking the "Show Icon View" and Save as Defaults didn't solve that).

In addition to the problem of individual folders not saving the default, I really want to set the same defaults for ALL folders and have it SAVE the change. (I know I should be able to change the view of individual folders from this overall default).

I've searched the discussion groups and didn't find an answer that solved my problem.

Please help with a solution.

Thank you.

iMac, 27 in, 4Ghz processor, 32Gb memory, 3TB drive, OS 10.11.3,

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Feb 9, 2016 12:00 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

4waymedia

Level 1

31 points

Oct 25, 2017 1:08 PM in response to judysings

HORRIBLE!!! Not allowing the 'set as default' option for all views does not make sense.... I just spent 30 minutes trying to figure out why the option was not there....Oh, i'm viewing my files in column mode...

A user should be able to set a 'default' view based on any view they are using... And, if the view is inheriting other options from other views, then there should be a help section on how to do this, or why its not available in that view.

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Answer 2

judysings

Community Specialist

Feb 10, 2016 7:39 AM in response to markfromleander

Hi, markfromleander -

It sounds like your preference is for all folders and subfolders to open in list view in Finder. The resource below explains how to can adjust your view options in list view, for example, and use those settings as the default.

OS X El Capitan: Ways to view items in Finder windows

Further customize Icon, List, Column, or Cover Flow view

You can customize each view to suit your preferences. For example, you can change the text size of file names and, in some views, change the size of file icons.

Open a Finder window, select the folder you want to change, then click a View button: Icon, List, Column, or Cover Flow.

Choose View > Show View Options, then set the options you want.

To have the folder always open in the view, select the “Always open in” checkbox.

To have subfolders also open in the view, select the “Browse in” checkbox.

If a subfolder opens in a different view, select the subfolder, choose View > Show View Options, then deselect the “Always open in” and “Browse in” checkboxes. The checkboxes must be selected for the main folder and deselected for the subfolder.

To use these settings for all Finder folders that use this view, click Use as Defaults.

For example, if you set options for Icon view, then click Use as Defaults, all folders that use Icon view appear with the same options. Use as Defaults isn’t available for Column view because the settings apply automatically to all folders in Column view.

Hope that helps ...

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Answer 3

Feb 10, 2016 6:42 PM in response to judysings

Thank you, judysings.

I actually spent many hours and tried many combinations on many folders doing what your reply suggested before I wrote my initial post. None of that worked . . That was what was so frustrating.

However there were a couple of suggested references on this discussion page for similar problems. One of them suggested trashing the Finder preferences file and letting the OS build a new one. I have tried that and that may be the trick that works.

So maybe my Finder preferences file had gotten corrupted - it's happened before (years ago) and I'd forgotten about the procedure where the user causes the OS rebuild another one.

I've now opened quite a few folders that had the problem I described in my initial post, and the problem seems to have disappeared in those so far.

I'm hoping that this works. I'll post again here if the "build a new Finder preferences" procedure doesn't solve my problem.

Again, thank you for your time.

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Answer 4

judysings

Community Specialist

Feb 11, 2016 6:16 AM in response to markfromleander

Hi Mark,

Thanks for letting us know you resolved the issue yourself by removing and rebuilding the Finder .plist.

Take care,

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