I'm looking for some way to choose what to sort by in column view. For example to switch between name and data modified. It seems the only way is to go into 'show view options,' which is very cumbersome if you want to switch often. Is there a shortcut? I have not been able to find it anywhere.
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How to choose sort order in column view
- Thread starter ahostmadsen
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No, there are no options for sort in the view menu. There are options for 'group by..." name, kind etc. and shortcuts for those, but not for sorting, as far as I can see.
Sorting is under the View menu - in the top menubar, not the menubar of the window itself.
If your menubar shows "Finder" immediately to the right of the Apple menu, then the View menu should show you the drop down for "Sort by"
If you still don't see that, you might post a screen shot of that window, including the top menubar.
If your menubar shows "Finder" immediately to the right of the Apple menu, then the View menu should show you the drop down for "Sort by"
If you still don't see that, you might post a screen shot of that window, including the top menubar.
Thank you. I’ve noticed some posters having trouble with this lately. The menu bar is on the top of the screen (where it has been for almost 30 years 😂) but people get tripped and focus on toolbars instead. I suppose that’s a windows thing.
Oh that column view, ok I get it now. Technically list view has columns, but doesn't show all the paths. Here's a reference for the OP about the options in case it might be helpful.
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
Sorry, I have been using Mac for 15 year. I know what a menubar is 😒
Here is a screenshot of the view menu in finder. I don't see anything about sorting. Only grouping
I think people confuse list view and column view. List view has a sort option in the view menu, but column view does not.
Still, this gives me an idea. One could do it by switching to list view, change sort order, switch back to column view, re-enable use group. All can be done by shortcuts. So, one needs to execute a sequence of 4 shortcuts. There must be an app for that. But I can imagine one will get a lot of screen flicker in finder.
Another way is of course to make an automator app that perhaps can tell finder directly the sort order.
Still, it seems there is no native way of doing it?
Still, this gives me an idea. One could do it by switching to list view, change sort order, switch back to column view, re-enable use group. All can be done by shortcuts. So, one needs to execute a sequence of 4 shortcuts. There must be an app for that. But I can imagine one will get a lot of screen flicker in finder.
Another way is of course to make an automator app that perhaps can tell finder directly the sort order.
Still, it seems there is no native way of doing it?
I suspect that you have installed some kind of app that can change the internal settings for a variety of functions.
My main Mac has Mojave, and shows that combination of Column view with sort by.
Even as I look in Column view in Monterey beta, that shows a dropdown for sort order in the View menu.
My main Mac has Mojave, and shows that combination of Column view with sort by.
Even as I look in Column view in Monterey beta, that shows a dropdown for sort order in the View menu.
Thanks, now I can see that that option disappears when you use groups. Then it's replaced by 'group by.'
Actually, the only reason I use groups is because I want folders always on top. As I said above, I have used Mac for 15 years, but I never got used to the fact that Finder puts folders among the files. For 15 years I have hated that folders are not on top. Recently they added an option where you can put folders on top when you sort by name. But not with any other sorting. Drives me crazy. So, I use groups. But then I cannot choose sort order easily.
So, if anyone could tell how to make finder put folders always on top, that would also solve my problem.
So, I made an Automator app that changes the sort order. Works fine from within Automator. But when running from finder, it says it needs permission to use accessibility. But I cannot enable it in acessibility, it's greyed out, see below. It's called sort by name. How do I solve that?
Well, now I was able to allow my workflow to use accessibility. You have to drag it into the box, not use the + button.
But now it complains that 'Watch me do.action' also needs permission, but that one on the other hand I can find no way to add to the permitted apps.
Still stuck.
But now it complains that 'Watch me do.action' also needs permission, but that one on the other hand I can find no way to add to the permitted apps.
Still stuck.
The keyboard shortcuts (such as CTRL OPT CMD 1 for Sort by name) mentioned earlier should all still work in column view when using “groups”.
In Finder > Preferences > Advanced there is an option to keep folders on top when sorting.
In Finder > Preferences > Advanced there is an option to keep folders on top when sorting.
Great, thanks, that’s the solution! It does work! Just have to remember the complicated shortcuts, but I think I will use them often enough to get muscle memory.
Great to hear.
Ctrl Cmd 0 = Into Groups
Ctrl Opt Cmd 0 = None
Ctrl Opt Cmd 1 = Name
Ctrl Opt Cmd 2 = Kind
Ctrl Opt Cmd 3 = Date Last Opened
Ctrl Opt Cmd 4 = Date Added
Ctrl Opt Cmd 5 = Modified
Ctrl Opt Cmd 6 = Size
Ctrl Opt Cmd 7 = Tags
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