Mac OS X 10.4 Help

Mac OS X Icon

Moving and copying files and folders

You can move files or folders by dragging the icons to a new folder. If you drag the files or folders to a different disk, or if you drag them from a locked folder or disk, they will be copied, not moved.

  • To move files to a different location on the same disk, drag the icons to the new folder.
  • To move files to a different disk, hold down the Command key while you drag the icons.
  • To copy files to a different disk, drag the icons to the disk.
  • To copy files to a different location on the same disk, press the Option key while you drag the icons.
  • To open a folder while dragging an icon, hold the icon over the folder for a moment.
  • To make copies of files within the same folder, select them and choose Edit > Duplicate.

You can also copy files by selecting them and choosing Edit > Copy. Select the folder where you want to place the copy, and then choose Edit >Paste.

If you want to access an item from a different location but you don't want to make a separate copy of it, you can make an alias to it by pressing the Command and Option keys while you drag the item.

If you home folder is encrypted by FileVault it will behave like a separate disk when files are moved or copied.

See also

Keywords: khelp kmosx kmosx4