How do I move files rather than copy them?

[Ember Whimsy]

I was wondering if there's a way to move files instead of copy them via dragging with the mouse, or even a keyboard shortcut?

I mostly run into this problem when I'm trying to move stuff to and from the Firewire External Drive I have connected to my Mac. It's kind of frustrating since I have to delete all the original ones, since I simply don't need them anymore.

So is there a way to do it at all? I've tried everything and looked everywhere for a solution, no dice so far. Am I just missing something?

 

[gauchogolfer]

Hold down option as you drag. If you do this for files moving between volumes it moves it. If it's on files on the same volume, it makes a copy rather than moving.

 

[TBi]

Hold command (apple key) or option (alt) while you drag and the + should disapear. This will move the files.

However unlike every other mainstream OS there is no Cut & Paste keyboard shortcuts built into Finder.

 

[roger6106]

I'm planning on getting a Mac and this is the first I've heard of no cut and paste (Edit: in the finder). Does the new finder on Leopard have cut and paste (in the finder)?

 

[ic1]

I'm planning on getting a Mac and this is the first I've heard of no cut and paste. Does the new finder on Leopard have cut and paste?

Command (Apple)-X to cut and Command (Apple)-V to paste. Is this what you mean? These are on the Finder Edit menu.

 

[roger6106]

Command (Apple)-X to cut and Command (Apple)-V to paste. Is this what you mean?

However unlike every other mainstream OS there is no Cut & Paste keyboard shortcuts built into Finder.

That is what I was referring to. Can you cut and paste files in the finder? This page also says that you cannot. I think the way that XP handles cutting and pasting files works great.

 

[TBi]

Command (Apple)-X to cut and Command (Apple)-V to paste. Is this what you mean? These are on the Finder Edit menu.

There is no cut (Apple + X) item in the edit menu, nor does this shortcut work. Go check again.

That is what I was referring to. Can you cut and paste files in the finder? This page also says that you cannot. I think the way that XP handles cutting and pasting files works great.

Nope you can't. You can only do a move while dragging files with the mouse.

 

[nsbio]

No cutting file in finder is a terrible omission on Apple's part. At the very least, there should be a preference panel option to enable/disable cutting files, if Steve is so reluctant to enable it full time.

But ther are more glaring problems with Tiger than cutting/pasting in Finder. Networking is one of them - I sure hope that networking is fixed at last in Leopard.

 

[itickings]

Command (Apple)-X to cut and Command (Apple)-V to paste. Is this what you mean? These are on the Finder Edit menu.

Well, technically it is there, but it is grayed out so that you cannot "cut" a file. If you edit a file's name, then it is available so that you can cut the text.

 

[roger6106]

I read somewhere that networking in Leopard no longer causes Finder to hang.

Also, it appears that recent Leopard seeds still don't have cut in Finder. This discussion has lots of discussion about cut/paste.

 

[Ember Whimsy]

Thanks, that worked like a charm. It's weird, after I switched keyboards it worked, I swore I tried that originally and it didn't....

 

[happymacker]

I'm a recent convert from the other os, and yes, the lack of cut/paste is a bit annoying. I usually drag and drop the file to the desktop as a temporary holding place, then drag and drop it into the folder once it's open in finder.

 

[eRondeau]

Have you ever been between a Cut and Paste and then had XP crash??? Not a pleasant experience! The Mac "Copy" way produces a safe backup copy and only then can you go and delete the original. Much safer workflow IMHO.

 

[TBi]

Have you ever been between a Cut and Paste and then had XP crash??? Not a pleasant experience! The Mac "Copy" way produces a safe backup copy and only then can you go and delete the original. Much safer workflow IMHO.

Or you could just copy and paste in XP which would have all the same benefits as OSX...

EDIT: Actually if this move thing is so bad then why does OSX allow you to do this when dragging and dropping files?

Also XP doesn't delete the original file until it is fully moved, therefore if you crash before it is fully moved then the original file will still be there.

Now the only issue is if you are moving a folder with lots of files but at least in XP it does not overwrite the new folder when you try to copy again unlike OSX, which i found to my dismay after losing half my iTunes collection.

 

[72930]

FileCutter is available for Finder.

When and only when you're used to the OS, I really recommend Quicksilver. It is an incredible app (App launcher, file manager, iTunes controller) and you can move documents wherever you want with it.

 

[melloinaz]

move files pc vs mac

I have just recently obtained a mac after many years on a pc. One of the most agravating things on mac is the inability to move files w/o drag and drop. Some of the pc detractors mention cut and paste, but actually it is so easy and foolproof on a pc and has nothing to do with cut and paste. All you had to do was highlight the item you wanted moved and then click edit and choose move or copy from the drop down list. It then would ask you where you wanted it moved and windows explorer came up. you could then choose where you wanted it moved or copied to and it would go. very simple and foolproof.
When ever I tried to drag and drop I would invariably drop it somewhere and could not find it.

Don't get me wrong I love the mac and I will adjust to it, but in spite of what some of the "fanboys" (someone who loves a brand so much they can't see beyond their prejudice) say the mac is not perfect - just forgiven.

 

[Jason Beck]

I have just recently obtained a mac after many years on a pc. One of the most agravating things on mac is the inability to move files w/o drag and drop. Some of the pc detractors mention cut and paste, but actually it is so easy and foolproof on a pc and has nothing to do with cut and paste. All you had to do was highlight the item you wanted moved and then click edit and choose move or copy from the drop down list. It then would ask you where you wanted it moved and windows explorer came up. you could then choose where you wanted it moved or copied to and it would go. very simple and foolproof.
When ever I tried to drag and drop I would invariably drop it somewhere and could not find it.

Don't get me wrong I love the mac and I will adjust to it, but in spite of what some of the "fanboys" (someone who loves a brand so much they can't see beyond their prejudice) say the mac is not perfect - just forgiven.

Why dOeSn'T tHE mAC hAVE a StarT ButTOn? 4 reals!?
LOL




I'm kidding.

 

[Gregg2]

Troll alert! ...poster registered this month. ....previous post was in 2007. ...'nuff said.

 

[pooryou]

I have just recently obtained a mac after many years on a pc. One of the most agravating things on mac is the inability to move files w/o drag and drop. Some of the pc detractors mention cut and paste, but actually it is so easy and foolproof on a pc and has nothing to do with cut and paste. All you had to do was highlight the item you wanted moved and then click edit and choose move or copy from the drop down list. It then would ask you where you wanted it moved and windows explorer came up. you could then choose where you wanted it moved or copied to and it would go. very simple and foolproof.
When ever I tried to drag and drop I would invariably drop it somewhere and could not find it.

Don't get me wrong I love the mac and I will adjust to it, but in spite of what some of the "fanboys" (someone who loves a brand so much they can't see beyond their prejudice) say the mac is not perfect - just forgiven.

--Select the items you want to move and Copy them (CMD-C or Right Click or Edit menu).

--(If you want to 'move' the files) Hit Cmd-delete (or Edit menu 'Move to Trash' or right click) and the files will be in the trash in case something goes wrong (isn't this safer than having them in 'Limbo' in Windows?)

--Navigate to where you want the files moved to, either by double-clicking your drive on the desktop, or a shortcut on the Dock, or you can use the Go menu in the Finder (also note the keyboard shortcuts).

--Paste with Cmd-V, or Paste from Edit menu, or Right Click mouse.

--Optionally 'Moved' items will be deleted next time Trash is emptied.

I don't see this as any more complicated, you just aren't used to it yet.

 

[lexvo]

--Select the items you want to move and Copy them (CMD-C or Right Click or Edit menu).

--(If you want to 'move' the files) Hit Cmd-delete (or Edit menu 'Move to Trash' or right click) and the files will be in the trash in case something goes wrong (isn't this safer than having them in 'Limbo' in Windows?)

--Navigate to where you want the files moved to, either by double-clicking your drive on the desktop, or a shortcut on the Dock, or you can use the Go menu in the Finder (also note the keyboard shortcuts).

--Paste with Cmd-V, or Paste from Edit menu, or Right Click mouse.

--Optionally 'Moved' items will be deleted next time Trash is emptied.

I don't see this as any more complicated, you just aren't used to it yet.

Good idea, but 'moving' doesn't work. When I do CMD-V I get an error message that the files are deleted or no longer available.

When you do ctrl-X in Windows, the files are not in 'Limbo'. They stay where they are until you do ctrl-V.

 

[Rainbowfran]

tiny detail to make move work

I have been frustrated by this for a while and just figured it out tonight trying to move rather than copy photos from my SD card to a Finder folder.

hilite file to move
hold down mouse
hold down command key
drag files to folder you want them to go
then
A tiny little detail~
release the mouse FIRST
then the command key
and voila.. the move happens.

 

[Gregg2]

Good idea, but 'moving' doesn't work. When I do CMD-V I get an error message that the files are deleted or no longer available.

That's because the steps given were out of order. You have to copy them to the other location before you move the originals to the Trash.

An alternative (maybe mentioned already?) is to open both the source and destination folders and just drag the files from the former to the latter.

 

[lexvo]

That's because the steps given were out of order. You have to copy them to the other location before you move the originals to the Trash.

That doesn't work either. Or am I missing something?

 

[hsotnicam8002]

That's because the steps given were out of order. You have to copy them to the other location before you move the originals to the Trash.

An alternative (maybe mentioned already?) is to open both the source and destination folders and just drag the files from the former to the latter.

Yes both these work. You can also copy to another location using the spring-loaded folder method, where you drag the file/folder over any other folder to open it, and keep doing this until you get to the required folder, and then you release the file. Voilà - it's moved to the required destination (and in the process the original disappears, unless the destination is on another disk in which case the original copy remains. It's a big task to right-click and select trash or drag to trash I know but there you go, Mac or PC, take your medicine).

BTW to set up the spring-loaded folder opening speed go to preference when in the finder.

 

[Weasel2811]

Agreed

No cutting file in finder is a terrible omission on Apple's part. At the very least, there should be a preference panel option to enable/disable cutting files, if Steve is so reluctant to enable it full time.

But ther are more glaring problems with Tiger than cutting/pasting in Finder. Networking is one of them - I sure hope that networking is fixed at last in Leopard.

I also think it was a bad idea on Apples part to remove all creativity from their iOS platform. At least give the users a choice between the realistic appearance and the crappy washout look of iOS7.

On e flip side of that coin, being a PC user for over 20 years, the switch to Mac has been challenging to say the least. there are so many differences that I am so familiar with that are driving me crazy about the mac. Oh well, I'll eventually get used to them.