When using the Finder app on a macOS device, files and folders are often intermingled based on their names or other criteria, making navigation a bit tricky for those accustomed to having folders displayed before files, as is common in many other operating systems such as Windows or Linux.

This particular sorting approach is beneficial for quickly accessing folders without having to scroll past individual files. Fortunately, macOS offers a handy feature within the Finder settings that allows users to show folders first in their file lists, thereby enhancing the overall file management experience.

If you want to declutter your file view, you can configure Finder to ensure folders always appear at the top of the list.

Steps to sort folder first for Finder in macOS:

  1. Open Finder preferences from the menu.
  2. Click on the the Advanced tab.
  3. Check the Keep folders on top when sorting by name box.
  4. Finder will now lists folders before files.
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