How to change the directory of the items in the "Favorites" section of Finder?

[NMF]

I'm just coming back to macOS after using Windows for a few years, and this has me stumped.

I have a bunch of older image files that aren't photos. I'd prefer to keep them as normal files rather than add them to my iCloud library. I still want them in my iCloud Drive, though, and I also want them in the little pictures folder in Finder.

How do I do this? I know I could just add the folder manually to the favorites bar, but I want to have the little icon that the "real" pictures folder has.

 

[Weaselboy]

Let me make sure I understand. You want the images in that Picture folder, but also want them synced to iCloud drive?

https://www.sebthedev.com/macdropany

What you could do is just put the images in the Pictures folder, then use the app MacDropAny to create a symlink between that folder and iCloud Drive. That way you can just use the regular picture folder like normal, and the images will still be synced to iCloud Drive.

 

[NMF]

Let me make sure I understand. You want the images in that Picture folder, but also want them synced to iCloud drive?

https://www.sebthedev.com/macdropany

What you could do is just put the images in the Pictures folder, then use the app MacDropAny to create a symlink between that folder and iCloud Drive. That way you can just use the regular picture folder like normal, and the images will still be synced to iCloud Drive.

Dang, really? I can't just change the path of the "Pictures" favorite?

I remember having to deal with this nonsense years ago, I assumed there would be an easy, official way to do this now. Windows has let you do it for like a decade.

Using that method, wouldn't I also be backing up the massive Photos library file as well? That's not really feasible...

 

[Weaselboy]

Dang, really? I can't just change the path of the "Pictures" favorite?

I remember having to deal with this nonsense years ago, I assumed there would be an easy, official way to do this now. Windows has let you do it for like... a decade.

You can very easily add a Pictures folder inside iCloud Drive then just drag that over into the Favorites section of Finder if that is all you are after.

I thought maybe you were looking for a way to use the existing Pictures folder.

 

[NMF]

You can very easily add a Pictures folder inside iCloud Drive then just drag that over into the Favorites section of Finder if that is all you are after.

I thought maybe you were looking for a way to use the existing Pictures folder.

That's what I wanted. Well really I just want the little camera icon for the Pictures folder. yeah yeah it's meaningless, but half the point of using a Mac is to have everything look pretty.

I think I can solve this issue using your symlink app and just moving the .photoslibrary folder into my user's root folder. So the Pictures favorite is synced to iCloud Drive and my iPhoto library isn't being backed up twice. Seems like that works.

Still, what a bunch of silly hackery. I should be able to just redefine the location for the "Pictures" favorite. All of this stuff will probably break with an OS update or something.

 

[Weaselboy]

Well really I just want the little camera icon for the Pictures folder.

That is why I suggested the symlink. The Picture folder will stay right where it is with the same Finder Favs icon and the folder will also sync to iCloud Drive.

 

[NMF]

That is why I suggested the symlink. The Picture folder will stay right where it is with the same Finder Favs icon and the folder will also sync to iCloud Drive.

Yeah, I just didn't want the massive .photoslibrary that was in the folder to hog up my iCloud space. Especially since the photos are already being backed up to iCloud through the background magic. I didn't realize you could move the .photoslibrary location though, so the symlink should work fine with that file gone.

Unfortunately...

Any idea what's going on there?

 

[Weaselboy]

Did you make a Pictures folder in iCloud Drive? It looks like you did and you don't need to.

 

[NMF]

Did you make a Pictures folder in iCloud Drive? It looks like you did and you don't need to.

Deleted it before running MacDropAny. It wouldn't even let me attempt to create the link with the folder still there.

God, sometimes I hate Apple so much. This is such a blatantly obvious thing that people would want to do.

 

[jbarley]

I'm just coming back to macOS after using Windows for a few years, and this has me stumped.

I have a bunch of older image files that aren't photos. I'd prefer to keep them as normal files rather than add them to my iCloud library. I still want them in my iCloud Drive, though, and I also want them in the little pictures folder in Finder.

How do I do this? I know I could just add the folder manually to the favorites bar, but I want to have the little icon that the "real" pictures folder has.