Couldn't find 'All My File' on Finder's sidebar

I spend most of may time on Windows trying to find files that I think I know where I stored them. I never have a problem on macOS.

I get hives just thinking of opening up the Parallels side of my 'puter looking for stuff in the Windows C drive.

For those awaiting the all the files feature from Apple that may or may not come: in the meantime follow Barneys' suggestions

(see sample pic below of searches you can create)

Or just use Spotlight, command + space bar and just type in

.doc

or

.ppt

or

.xl

Mash the return key. You can get results dating back to 1832 BC or thereabouts

As a teacher I use it ALL the time, … If you don't use it then just take it away from the sidebar. Grr

Just make your own. Simple to do and can be customized to what works best for you.

Complaining here won't bring it back, but creating your own will.

As I stated in my prior post, the prior solution that you posted did not provide the functionality that All My Files did

It wasn't supposed to. It was proposed to provide an example of what can be done to get an actually functional search folder, customized to your particular needs, as opposed to the non-functionality of both All My Files and Recents. I intended to teach people how to use the OS as opposed to being completely dependent on the whims of Apple's software engineers and designers.

In regard to the line from my post that you were commenting on above, that was specifically intended to show that selecting Document or Text (for Kind) did show those specific files on my computer, but selecting Any (for Kind) did not show any files, and thus did not work as a replacement for All My Files.

However, when I tried it out and set Kind to Any (following your instructions)

I don't think I ever suggested using "Kind is Any." "Kind is Any" is dependent on having something in the search field. As far as I can tell, my only reference to "Any" was to create a list of Criteria which produces results found that match any of the criteria (OR) as opposed to finding files that meet every restriction (AND).

I agree with JoelGMac.

I used Barney-15E's instructions to create a new folder in Finder with the search criteria I wanted but its just not the same thing. What about when you want to recover a file other than what your search criteria give. You have to manipulate it or go search in the folders. Really, really hope Apple brings back All my Files- it was so useful for a non-techie like me!

Apple products are supposed to be user friendly but this was a very unfriendly move indeed as far as I'm concerned as it has made my life more complicated.

Do you have any suggestions for what I am doing wrong here? Thank you!

It doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong, but follow these steps and let us know what happens at each step.

Start in the folder you want as topmost (i.e. your home folder) and hit cmd-f.

In the first criteria that appears, set it to last modified in last 60 days

Do you get results?

If so, hold Option key and click the … button.

Set it to Any and set first criteria under Any to kind is document.

Still have results?

How does a user let Apple know they'd like a feature (such as all my Files) restored?

Feedback - macOS - Apple

It was very useful in certain situations... I've set up a Smart Folder for files created today (On "This mac") but it is unable to find images in my Pictures folder, seems pretty basic but they're not found.

I liked the 'all my files' as it would always show the most recent things I scanned. I often scan documents and then have to email them or upload them for submission. Having 'all my files' was very useful for me as I didn't have to dig through all my folders to find each document.

'Recents' does not work for me, for some reason. It is showing me documents from yesterday, but not the pages I scanned an hour ago.

I tried making a custom folder (as per Barney's post) - I got something similar to 'all my files' however, it still does not show pages that I scanned today. The most recent items are from yesterday. Can anyone help?

This doesn’t really help me. I’m a writer and used to use All my Files to go back into Chapters and stories I am writing and modifying. I would have thought that Recents would show all the files I had used during the day but it doesn’t it only shows the files modified before the High Sierra update. Has the upgrade changed the files I have used since? The name Recents indicates that you should be able to find your recent work but this is not the case

Ok! I have set up a new folder and made the search criteria last opened date within last 2 days /kind is document /created within last 2 days/ modified same and I’m only getting one .docx story and not a new chapter on my book created today

Mominmauritius wrote:

Ok! I have set up a new folder and made the search criteria last opened date within last 2 days /kind is document /created within last 2 days/ modified same and I’m only getting one .docx story and not a new chapter on my book created today

What is the specific criteria you created? Screenshot might be helpful.

From the OP

I found this shortcut is very helpful

From you:

Just because you and others didn't find it useful, doesn't mean the rest of us thought it should go away.

Why is it that everyone here can have an opinion on a feature, except those of us who regularly contribute?

Yes but All My Files was sorted by file size, so it was a very fast way to check your movies and images and apps to see what was the fattest thing you could delete to free up more drive space. The search you're recommending doesn't give you a file size.

Yes but All My Files was sorted by file size

I'm pretty sure it sorted by date modified, but any folder can be sorted and arranged however you'd like with no more than two mouse clicks. You likely changed yours to by size. The folder will keep your desired sort and arrangement.

Agree. It was a way to very quickly check your files, by type and size, to be reminded that you had a big video file you'd completely forgotten about or that audio interview from work or two old copies of Photoshop that were taking up a lot of disk space.