How to select multiple files in Finder with keyboard only

[malec]

NO mouse

Ah yes, then shift and (hold) up / down arrow keys. To jump to top / bottom, use shift + option + up / down arrow (respectively) for faster selections.

 

[MacBH928]

What would you recommend as a file manager for Finder replacement? I personaly LOVE Total Commander when I am managing file tasks in Windows but still have not tried anything to replace Finder on Mac.

Best Finder alternative

I've never been that keen on Finder, having been a Windows user for most of my life. I notice there are a few pimped up alternatives to Finder on the market. What is the best Finder alternative? Are they indeed better than Finder?

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Darth.Titan]

I was googling about multiple selection of files in Finder and this thread came high in the results.

First the facts that most of us Finder users already know:

My files are beeing shown as LIST in Finder (CMD+2)

CMD+mouse-click: Used to select multiple individual files that are not continuous.
SHIFT+mouse-click: Used to select ONE block of multiple files that are continuous like this: Click the first one and SHIFT+click the last one.

But what about the combination of these 2 methods? Why Finder does not let us use both methods together as it is done in Windows? You can CMD+click so many individual files you want, but you cannot select multiple blocks like in Windows, when you try this in Finder you lost your selection.

Look at this example:

File 1
File 2
File 3
File 4
File 5
File 6
File 7
File 8

I want to select Files 1,2,3 and files 6,7,8

In Windows:
I can click File 1, then SHIFT+CLICK File 3, then CTRL+CLICK File 6 and CTRL+SHIFT+CLICK File 8. Both selection blocks are preserved.

In OSX:
I can click File 1, then SHIFT+CLICK File 3, then CMD+CLICK File 6 BUT when you want to use SHIFT for the 2nd. time (CMD+SHIFT+CLICK) your hole previous selection gets screwed up.

How can we achieve this with Finder?

IMO this is pretty basic file managing and should be offered by Finder. The basics are already there. It is like the silly copy-paste drama that lasted years. I remember Apple and many fanboys defending the NO-IMPLEMENTATION of copy-paste in the form that it was implemented in Windows, and at the end Apple implemented it in Finder because IT MADE SENSE.

Works fine for me. Click file 1, then shift-click file 3.
Command-click file 6, then shift-click (no command key) file 8
Both selections are maintained.

 

[lostom]

View items as a list instead of icons, then you can select a series with shift + click

OP asked for "keyboard only", given it was 11 years ago though, he's probably got it sorted by now.