How do you select multiple items in OS X?

[MVApple]

In windows I can use the control key+select and shift+select to select items say, 5-15 or select multiple individual files.

In OS X shift+select and cmd+select do the same thing. They let me choose multiple individual files but I can't figure out how to choose a series of files like choosing 5-15. I realize I can drag my mouse over it and click a few files I don't want with shift+select but it's just annoying me that I can't find the command for what I want to do.

From the search I did I got the impression that shift+select and cmd+select are supposed to do different things but for me the don't. Did I miss something?

 

[zachsilvey]

change the view to list view and use the shift key

 

[bmonster]

If you want to select multiple but not consecutive items you press and hold the apple button then click whatever.

 

[sickmacdoc]

In list view (and in icon mode if "snap to grid" or Arrange by..." are selected anyway) , select a consecutive list of files (as I believe you mean by the 5-15) just holding the shift and clicking the first one in the list you want to select- then press shift and click the last one desired and all in between will be selected automatically.

In any mode selecting any number of non-consecutive files can be done with command+click on each file. Command+click on a file a second time if you find you want to remove it from the selected files.

 

[MVApple]

ahhh I was not aware that you had to be in list view, that's what was throwing me off <---windows user

Thankyou.

 

[motulist]

Also, if the files you want are all next to each other, than you can simply draw a box around those files. In other words if you want to select files A, B, and C, you just click and hold in the white space anywhere around (but not directly on) the file names, then drag up or down to draw a selection box that will "lasso" all the files inside the box you drew.

 

[motulist]

ahhh I was not aware that you had to be in list view, that's what was throwing me off <---windows user

Thankyou.

I don't believe you have to be in list view to do most of these, I'm pretty sure that all of these methods work in all the views. (except for shift clicking at the first and last files in a selection, that logically only works in a list.)

 

[The General]

It works just like in Windows, but instead of CTRL to select or deselect individual items, it's command. You don't have to be in list view to do it. In icon view, you can click and drag to make a selection just like in Windows. In list or column view, you can click and drag to make a selection.

Honestly I'm surprised you hadn't figured it out, there are so many ways to select multiple items in the Finder.

 

[mason.kramer]

What everyone said. You don't have to be in list view. May I suggest Mac Keyboard Shortcuts to get you up to speed on many other shortcuts available for the mac user? (Though this doesn't qualify as a keyboard shortcut, since it's for use with the mouse. You can also select multiple things by holding down shift and pressing the arrow keys to navigate through most any list)

 

[Pacific17]

Stop thinking in terms of mouse and trackpad and use the menu bar top left

It gives you a command A key to select all icons if you want all

In windows I can use the control key+select and shift+select to select items say, 5-15 or select multiple individual files.

In OS X shift+select and cmd+select do the same thing. They let me choose multiple individual files but I can't figure out how to choose a series of files like choosing 5-15. I realize I can drag my mouse over it and click a few files I don't want with shift+select but it's just annoying me that I can't find the command for what I want to do.

From the search I did I got the impression that shift+select and cmd+select are supposed to do different things but for me the don't. Did I miss something?

[doublepost=1499100730][/doublepost]Use he command a key to select all or go to the menu for the window top left to check other commands

 

[Gregg2]

I doubt that MVApple is still following this thread that's been dormant for almost 9 years.

 

[DeltaMac]

MVApple was last seen on Macrumors 7 years, 2 weeks ago, so has moved on to bigger and better things (or just lost interest )

 

[Taz Mangus]

I am always curious why people reply to threads that have been dead for several years.

 

[Gregg2]

I am always curious why people reply to threads that have been dead for several years.

In this case, your answer:
macrumors newbie

 

[Taz Mangus]

In this case, your answer:
macrumors newbie

I understood that. Why would someone register to specifically revive a dead thread which was older then 7 years.

 

[DeltaMac]

I guess the poster thought it was important to supply an answer, and likely totally missed the date of the thread. That's not necessarily limited to newbies
Would have been nice if the answer was helpful to the OPs question, but maybe that's asking too much --- As that would have required reading the OP's first post, where the OP (in my opinion, I suppose) was trying to understand how the OS X finder works, compared to Windows file manager.