Command line and power tools

Keyboard-only file work

Updated 2026-07-31 · 4 min read

Every step from 'I need a file' to 'it is open' can be done without a mouse.

The path

1. ⌘Space — search
2. Type a fragment of the name
3. ↑ / ↓ — move through results
4. ↩ — open
5. ⌘↩ — reveal in Finder instead
6. Space or ⌘Y — preview without leaving

In Finder

• ⌘F search within the window
• Tab moves between panes in column view
• ← and → collapse and expand folders in list view
• ⌘↑ goes up a level
• Type-ahead — start typing a filename in any Finder window and selection jumps to it

Type-ahead is underrated

In a folder of two hundred files, typing rep selects report.pdf instantly. No search box, no dialog. It is the fastest way to reach a known file in a known folder.

Getting the path

⌥⌘C copies the full path of the selection.

Opening a Terminal there

Enable New Terminal at Folder in Keyboard Shortcuts → Services, and give it a shortcut. Then it is one chord from a selected file to a shell in its folder.

What a dedicated search tool adds

The specific gap is going from a search result directly to an action without a Finder window in the middle. Everywhere binds those: ↩ opens, ⌘↩ reveals, ⌘T opens a Terminal there, ⌘C copies the path, ⌘D shows other copies, esc dismisses and returns focus to whatever you were doing.

That last part matters more than it sounds — a search panel that hands focus back cleanly is the difference between a tool you use mid-thought and one you have to recover from.

Common questions

What is type-ahead in Finder?

Typing characters in a Finder window jumps the selection to the first matching filename. No search box needed.

How do I open a file from Spotlight without the mouse?

Arrow to it and press Return. ⌘Return reveals it in Finder instead.