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How to Configure the Finder's Spring-Loaded Folders

Set the delay time for spring-loaded folders in Mac Finder

By Tom Nelson Tom Nelson Writer Tom Nelson is an engineer, programmer, network manager, and computer network and systems designer who has written for Other World Computing,and others. Tom is also president of Coyote Moon, Inc., a Macintosh and Windows consulting firm. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on November 8, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple Macs iPad

What to Know

Go to System Preferences > Accessibility > Pointer Control. Check Spring-loading delay and use the slider to set the time.For earlier versions of OS X, open the Finder menu and select Finder > Preferences > General to adjust the delay.Hold down the Spacebar while highlighting a folder to speed things up. Spring-loaded folders are a feature of the Mac Finder tool in macOS Catalina (10.15) through macOS El Capitan (10.11) that allows you to view the contents of a folder before committing files to it. This is a workaround for the common tactic of opening two Finder windows—one for the source file and one for its destination (or potential destination).

How to Configure the Spring-Loaded Folder Delay

The setting for spring-loaded folders is found in System Preferences on the Mac. Open System Preferences by clicking its icon in the Dock or by selecting the Apple in the menu bar and choosing System Preferences in the menu. Select Accessibility in the System Preferences window. In the left pane, scroll down and select Pointer Control. (In earlier versions of macOS, select Mouse & Trackpad instead.) Place a check mark in the box in front of Spring-loading delay and drag the slider to adjust the amount of time that the cursor hovers over a folder before the folder springs open. Close the System Preferences window. If you're running an early version of OS X, you adjust the spring-loaded folder delay through Finder itself. From the Finder menu bar, select Finder > Preferences > General.

Spring-Loaded Folders

Spring-loaded folders offer a simpler way to move files between folders, as they don't require opening multiple instances of Finder. With spring-loaded folders, you can click and drag a file over a destination folder, whereupon the folder opens to display its contents. You can quickly and easily drill down through folders to locate a specific folder for your file and then let go of the mouse to commit the file to the chosen destination. The amount of time the mouse pointer must hover over a folder before it springs open is governed by a user setting.
You can exit out of a spring-loaded folder by pressing the Escape key.

Spring-Loaded Folder Tips

If you're traversing multiple folders you can speed things up by holding down the spacebar when your cursor highlights a folder. This causes the folder to immediately open with no wait for the spring-loaded delay. If during mid-move you decide you don’t want to move the item to a new location, you can cancel out of the spring-loaded move by moving the cursor over the original item location. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Modify the Mac Finder Sidebar How to Find a Flash Drive That's Not Showing Up on a Mac How to Use Spotlight, the Finder Search Window How to Delete a File in Terminal on Your Mac How to Move Your iTunes Library to a New Location How to Map a Network Drive on a Mac How to Connect to a Server How to Right-Click on a Mac How to Set Finder Views for Folders and Sub-Folders Keyboard Shortcuts for Finder Windows in macOS How to Move Hotmail Messages in Outlook.com How to Cut, Copy, and Paste on a Mac How to Remove Preference Panes From Your Mac How to Back Up iPhone 5 How to Use Column View Options in Finder on the Mac How to Back Up Your iPhone to an External Hard Drive Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies