Best way to copy a file in Finder

John from Cleveland wrote:

How exactly do you "open" a folder? In Finder, I have a list of files and folders showing the name, creation date, etc. I click on the folder in the list and it becomes highlighted. If I double-click on it, I see files listed under and slightly to the right. At this point, I assumed I had that folder "open". I then select Edit->Paste Item (or use the keyboard Command-V). But I see the copied file appear at the top of the list, in the same folder as the folder I selected.

This is just frustrating. I know it's caused by many years of using Microsoft products. Maybe someone can point me to the "Mac OS for Windows dummies" web page, that might help.

You double-click on it. The same way you'd open a folder in Windows. I used Microsoft products for years too, until 2011. You're making this harder for yourself than it needs to be.

Try using Finder in Icon View.

Open Finder. At the top, where you see "View," make sure the left-most button is highlighted. That should help you better visualize "open" folders. Now, click on the file you want to move. Press Command + C. Then, find the folder you want to put the file in and double-click on it. You'll then be taken to that folder. Press Command + V. The file has now been copied to it. Go back and delete the other copy of the file so you don't have duplicates.

For the most part, we just drag and drop.

You sound like you are using List View, which shows subfolders in a hierarchical manner.

When you attempt to paste into a selected subfolder, you are actually pasting into the active folder as shown by the name in the titlebar of the window.

You could be twelve layers deep in the hierarchy, but the active folder is still the one whose name appears in the title bar, not the one you have selected.

If you just drag and drop into the folder twelve layers deep, it will copy to that folder.

Yes, it's because you're used to Windows. If I suddenly was forced to use a PC, I'd be just as lost.

If you just want to copy it from one place in Finder on the same drive, then as I said. Just drag it holding the Option key to the folder you want it in. No need to open the folder. Or, open a second Finder window if that helps you find the folder you want it in and option drag it.

This may be too basic for you

https://www.apple.com/support/macbasics/tour/

This may help you more...

Mac keyboard shortcuts - Apple Support

The keyboard shortcut I described is way down at the bottom of the list.

Anytime you want to make a copy to a new device just drag it in a folder on that device, no special keys are necessary when you go from a hard drive to a flash drive for instance. OPTION is only needed if you want to make a copy on the same device

Mac OS doesn't behave like a Microsoft product because it isn't a Microsoft product.

John from Cleveland wrote:

I am really struggling with the Mac interface, having been a PC/Windows user for decades. I can copy/move files in Windows Explorer with ease. On my MacBook, this simple task seems to be impossible. My objective is to copy a file from one location to a specific folder.

In Finder, I select the file I want to copy and select "Copy" from the Edit menu. I then navigate to the folder I want to place the file, highlighting that folder, and select "Paste" from the Edit menu. It proceeds to place it in the parent directory of the folder I selected, not the selected folder. Tried to do this by dragging a file (which is really hard when using the touchpad). When I drop it on the folder I want, again, it places it in the parent folder. Since I was doing this on a network drive (WD Cloud NAS), I gave up and used a PC to move the files where I wanted them.

This is ridiculous. I thought Macs were supposed to be easy to use. I'm almost to the point of returning my MacBook to the Apple store.

Try opening the folder, then pasting the file into it. For example, if I have a picture named 123.jpg, and I want to move it to a folder called "Beach Vacation," I would click on the file, do Command + C, open the "Beach Vacation" folder, then do Command + V. Voila, the file has been copied to that folder. Then I can go back and delete the other copy since I don't need two. Or, you can open a new Finder window and open that folder, then select the file you want to move and click on it, hold down the Option key, and drag the file to the new folder. That will move it without copying it.

Hold the Option key while you drag and drop.

Of course command D will duplicate a file in place.