How do I save my resized columns in Finder?

[DustyShaw]

I've been using OS X for 20 years or so, and finally decided to try and fix this annoying tic that the Finder has. When I open a folder in Finder using the List View or the Cover View (the one with the visual preview), I can't read the titles of the files if they are longer then 3-4 words, because they're compacted by the skinny column allowance like this, with 3 elipses - "How To Cle...y Steps". So every time I open a folder I have to manually resize the title column so I can read the file name.

I always only use List View or Cover View because I also want to see the Date Modified column, and sometimes the Type column, and Column View doesn't show those features.

The funny thing is, some of my older folders when I open them they already have the expanded column, and I don't know how I did it! But I open them & I can read the full title of the files inside. My newer files don't have the expanded column. So I'm trying to figure out how the heck I was able to save the expanded columns in my older folders. I haven't been able to find answer on the webs for List View and Cover View, but there appear to be some for Column View, which I don't use.

I've tried the tip to press Option while dragging/resizing the column, but it doesn't save. After I reopen the same folder it defaults back to a thin column where i can't read the file names unless I manually resize it every time I open it.

I'm on an older OS - El Capitan - 10.11.6

Any tips appreciated!

 

[0128672]

Auto-resizing columns isn't a MacOS feature. You may need to look at third party apps for that functionality. Maybe someone will chime in with a recommendation.

 

[MacGizmo]

XtraFinder offers that feature, but it doesn't come without its headaches. You have to disable SIP, which on Monterey (and future OS versions) will kill the ability to use ApplePay, among other things.

XtraFinder and TotalFinder are two similar apps you may hear about, both require you to disable SIP (System Integrity Protection). Both can make your system slightly unstable, and both are barely maintained by the developers because Apple has made it so darn difficult to do what they do.

I used to use XtraFinder for the very feature you asked about. Unfortunately, it's just not worth the headaches and instability, in my opinion.

 

[jr5x]

I’m a recent switcher from Windows, and am loving MacOS. But Finder not being consistent is a real time-waster. Like @DustyShaw, I’d like the same Finder window each time. For me, that’s the same window size and position, layout, sort, columns, and widths every time I use it, including in file open/save dialogs.

Windows Explorer even remembers the sort for every folder based on the last time you visited it. I’m not asking for that level of stickiness, just the same Finder window every time.

 

[0128672]

You can save many, but not all, of the window options as defaults. To do this while in a window configured the way you prefer, click on the 3 dots in a circle menu and choose View Options. At the top it gives you "Always open in [whatever layout you choose] view." Below that are additional options, and below that is a button "Use as Defaults." You still won't get column widths as a default however.

Change how folders are displayed in the Finder on Mac

In the Finder on your Mac, change options such as label text, icon or thumbnail sizes, and more for each view—Icon, List, Column, and Gallery.

support.apple.com

 

[skillets]

I used to use XtraFinder for the very feature you asked about. Unfortunately, it's just not worth the headaches and instability, in my opinion.

I'm in the same boat I used that for the same reason. I have searched the Internet for countless hours for this feature, and it drives me bonkers that Apple doesn't address this and being able to drag files with the same name and have subfolders and have them take the newest file if they share the same name which Windows has had since at least Windows 98.

I finally wrote SPResize to resize Finder Windows and used Default Folder X to rename files in save dialog boxes of other files you are not saving, which, thankfully, you can do now in the Finder. There are also a lot of other apps to resize windows that all came out about the same time I wrote my app. It makes me sad that Finder has had so relatively minor changes and improvements after 20 years. I wish Apple would buckle down and write code to improve the Finder.

 

[Venshield]

I was also using XtraFinder for this feature in 10.14 Mojave but I upgraded to Monterey and I don't want to deal with the headaches of XtraFinder in my new OS... I wish Apple would keep the Name column width from shrinking like they used to in older OS's like Lion when shrinking Finder windows. Seems like a small and common sense thing to ask for Apple to do?

 

[zevrix]

Option-click the green window button (since Catalina).

 

[Gregg2]

I've been using OS X for 20 years or so,

This made me curious, so I searched for "Mac OSX 10.0" and it came out in 2001. So did you use Cheetah? You could still be a 20-year OSX veteran if you started on Puma (10.1) or Jaguar (10.2). (Yeah, I see the "or so" there.) I'm surprised it's been that long. Time flies…

You said you had some older folders that automatically show expanded columns, and others have stated that this is not a native OSX/macOS feature. So did you have a third party app that you might have used to do this?

 

[DustyShaw]

This made me curious, so I searched for "Mac OSX 10.0" and it came out in 2001. So did you use Cheetah? You could still be a 20-year OSX veteran if you started on Puma (10.1) or Jaguar (10.2). (Yeah, I see the "or so" there.) I'm surprised it's been that long. Time flies…

You said you had some older folders that automatically show expanded columns, and others have stated that this is not a native OSX/macOS feature. So did you have a third party app that you might have used to do this?

Yes I think I could be classified as a veteran haha. I'm pretty sure I started with Cheetah when I bought my first PowerBook in the early 00s. Good times.

I don't remember ever having a 3rd party app for finder / folder adjustments, but I'm using Ventura now and it seems that the expanded column sticks, in List view at least. So they gave us that but took away Cover view which is sorely missed, and because of that I'm seriously considering defecting to another platform, becaue now I really do feel the need for a 3rd party app to do things with Folders that this Ventura can't do.

I don't believe there's a good reason behind removing it, or that it had anything to do with any developers decisions, it was a directive from above to make life harder for Apple customers. It was a purposeful disrupt for us because Apple is Satan and Satan loves frustration. God bless you.

 

[JacksonTriggs]

In List View the only way I got it to remain wide was to uncheck most of the column settings (i.e. remove Date Added, Date Last Opened, etc.). To get there, right click on the top row where it says, "Name, Date Modified, Size, etc.".

 

[Metal CPA]

Has anyone made progress on this issue? In List view, I use only 4 columns (name, date modified, size, kind), and I can never get column widths to stick. Definitely missing this feature from my old Windows Explorer days, which was able to remember the settings for every single folder whenever opened.

 

[williamwright3]

This is not a permanent solution, but works the best each time you need it...

Simply RIGHT CLICK on the line separators between each section in Column View, then Select "Right Size All Columns Individually" ...

Unfortunately this setting cannot be saved to keep in use each time you open finder, but the best we got so far. Hopefully Apple sees this need, and implements this setting as a permanent fixture in the View Options Section.. like with a check box to check on or off. (Not holding my breath though, lol)

 

[zevrix]

Simply RIGHT CLICK on the line separators between each section in Column View, then Select "Right Size All Columns Individually" ...

...you can also double-click the separator sign for the current column or option-double-click for all columns.