When you download an app on Android or Windows, you get an option, or it automatically creates a shortcut on the home screen or the desktop. On Mac too creating a folder or app shortcut is extremely easy. It hardly requires four clicks. We first make an alias and then move it to the desired location.
In this example, the folder is set to display its content as a list. Right-click the Dock folder to set its display options.) Organizing Dock URLs If you add more than a few URLs to the Dock, it’s going to get a bit crowded. You can alleviate this problem by adding a folder to the Dock to store all your URLs in. You can create an empty folder.
You can add shortcuts for folders and apps to the desktop or Dock of your Mac. The first method below is the one I prefer. The second method is also quick, but it at times copies the folder instead of making the shortcut. Anyways, here are two easy ways to create desktop shortcuts on Mac running macOS Catalina.
I would like to add that shortcut (or something that does its job) to the Mac user's Dock. But when I drag the shortcut into the Dock, I get a generic icon that does nothing when clicked (default app to open is 'Parallels Link'). Do I need to create some kind of app in Windows to get this to work? To add an app to the Dock: Open a Finder window and select Applications in the left panel to locate the application you want to add to the Dock. You can also open the Applications window by tapping Go in the Mac menu bar and selecting Applications. In the Applications screen, locate the app you want to add to the Dock. How to Add an App Icon From the Mac Dock. 1.) Open the Applications folder and find the icon of the app you wish to add to your Mac’s Dock. (This also works with folders and documents.) 2.) Hover your mouse pointer over the app, document, or folder icon you wish to add to the Dock, and click.
How to Create Desktop Shortcuts on Mac
Step #1. Decide which folder’s or app’s desktop shortcut you want to create. Find where the folder is located. If you cannot find it, see the end for instructions.
Step #2.Right-click on the folder or app name and click on Make Alias.
Step #3. You will see that a shortcut is immediately created for that folder or app. Press enter key. It has the word alias at the end of the name.
Step #4. Drag this shortcut to your desktop or Dock. You may also copy the shortcut and paste it on the desktop.
This is it!
You have successfully created the desktop shortcut for a folder or app. Now you may quickly use this to open that folder, or launch the app. You may repeat this with as many folders and apps you like.
If you wish, you may select the shortcut, press the enter key, and rename it to remove the word ‘alias.’
Finally, if you wish to see the original folder, right-click on the shortcut icon and click on Show Original.
Note 1: Even if you move the original folder to some other location, the shortcut you created still works. Beautiful! Isn’t it.
Note 2: You may use this method to create shortcuts even for files like image, document, zip, music, movie, etc.
Not able to Find the Folder Location?
Finding applications is clear. You click on Finder → Applications, and there you have all your applications. Knowing the location of the Folders you create is also straightforward.
But for some folders, especially system folders like Downloads, Documents, etc. it may be a bit tough to know the path. Here are some ways to know it.
#1. From Sidebar: Launch Finder, place your pointer on the folder name in left Sidebar, and then right-click. Finally, click Show in Enclosing Folder. Now follow the above steps.
#2. Using Path Bar: Be inside Finder and click on View from the menu bar. Now click Show Path Bar. A tab will be added to the bottom of the Finder. It has the location/path for the folder you click or select.
How to find steam folder. #3. Use Spotlight Search: Launch Spotlight Search by clicking the search icon in menu bar or press Command (⌘) + Space Bar. Now type the folder name and then scroll to the bottom of the search result and click on Show all in Finder… Click on the folder and follow the above steps to make its shortcut.
#4. Use Siri: I do not like Siri on Mac, notably older Macs. Anyways, you may ask Siri on Mac to ‘Show Download Folder’ (or any folder) and then go to the bottom of the result and click on Show all results in Finder… Now you may follow the above steps. Please note that this does not always work.
Create Desktop Shortcuts on Mac Using Drag and Drop
The above method is swift and simple. It is the one I prefer. However, there is an additional way to create folder and app shortcuts on Mac.
Step #1. Be at the location of the folder or app you want to create the shortcut of.
Step #2. Press and hold Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) key together. Do not leave the hold. Now click on the folder or app and drag it to the desktop.
Note: When you use this method, there are chances that you may unwillingly and unknowingly copy or move the folder instead of making its shortcut. Don’t worry. Press Command (⌘) + Z to undo and try again, or use the first method.
Add Folder Shortcuts to Dock on Mac
I recently wrote a post where I explained how to add website shortcuts to Dock on Mac. It is an interesting article. Similarly, you may add shortcuts to your Dock too.
Follow any of the above methods and make the shortcut of the folder or app (you may directly add an app to Dock, but anyway). Now drag that shortcut from Desktop to the rightmost part of Dock (Second left to the Trash icon).
Wrapping up…
These were two easy ways to create shortcut icons on Mac. There is a third method that I know of, which requires Terminal and some command lines. However, it is tricky and beyond the simplicity of the average user. Also, if you change the folder location, the shortcut stops working. So I did not mention this method.
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Secondly, on Macs running OS versions before Catalina, you may also click on a Folder or App and then press together Command (⌘) + L. It will instantly make the alias. It works on my old MacBook Pro running macOS Sierra, but on a different MacBook Pro running the latest version of macOS Catalina, this quick method does not seem to work.
Mac Dock Icons Missing
You may also like: How to add work email on mac mail app.
What are your thoughts regarding shortcuts on Mac? Have you used it on Windows? How was the experience there? Share your opinion in the comment section below.
Suraj is a digital marketing expert on the iGB's team. He contributes to the social media section along with tips and tricks for iPhone, Apple Watch. Apart from blogging, he likes to work out as much as he can in his gym and love to listening to retro music.
Add Folder To Dock Mac
Add a Show Desktop icon to the Dock | 15 comments | Create New Account
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I would advise against EVER saving an AppleScript application as 'Run Only'! That only prevents future editing of the script. If you want to protect your code, and will be distributing the script to several people, then select 'Run Only'. Otherwise, this option will only give you headaches in the long run when you realize you can't ever edit the script again after selecting that option. Something else you can do though is save the script as 'Stay Open' and change the script like this: This one line script hardly needs to be saved as 'Stay Open' though!
It's pointless to activate the Finder. Just run the shell script.
How To Add App Icon To Mac Dock App
While testing the icon, I found that it does not always work, unless finder is activated first. I have no idea why!
Made a quick app with the GNOME Show Desktop icon: Show Desktop
That's cool!
Great, but now how do I close the descktop exposure
When I run this it shows my desktop as desired. But now how do I revert back from the exposed desktop?
Also one tweak to this. in the script editor save it as an application bundle then move the the icons from the expose package to this script renaming them to the default name applet.icns (delete the default icons in the resources bundle of the script). Now it will look like the expose app in the dock.
Great, but now how do I close the descktop exposure
How To Add App Icon To Mac Dock Pro
'Wouldn't it be nice to activate Exposé's Show Desktop mode via an icon on the Dock?'
…no, not really.
Wow - another Script that re-invents the wheel - great!
Or, just add the Exposé icon to the Dock, then right click it, and choose “Show Desktop”. I know this is TWO clicks — but this may be enough for most people.
Also, on my system (a late 2008 MacBook Pro), it still takes a few seconds for an AppleScript app to run. Since the Exposé.app talks directly to the Dock.app process, this takes about ONE second total.
Netflix desktop app mac os. Four-finger swipe up.
I'll bet good money that I can get my mouse to the top right hot corner of my screen, AND then a second time, to show the desktop then bring the windows back, quicker than anyone can click on this icon, wait for the script to run, then click on the screen border.
I've argued against people criticizing hints just because they wouldn't use them themselves before now, but that applies to stuff that people may not spot otherwise. I'm pretty fed up with the number of 'I know you can do it using the GUI, Terminal, the keyboard, gestures and goodness knows what else, but I know, write a script' type hints here lately. Saying 'write a script to do it' is NOT a hint. It's sharing a script you wrote! The only real hint is; keep scripting in mind when you want a better workflow, otherwise this won't stop until every single thing you can do on a Mac has a scripted method posted. If Mac OSX Hints is to include these, then lets please have them in a separate 'useful scripts' section. Mark
In the Exposé System Preferences Pane, you can set up 'Desktop' to be activated via a 'hot corner'.
Once activated, it can then be de-activated by moving the mouse back to the same corner.
Yes, that's what I said ??
An alternative to this hint or using Expose hot corner is the sweet little mouse gesture app Expogesture http://ichiro.nnip.org/osx/Expogesture/index_en.html
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