How to Show and Change File Extensions on a Mac

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Quick Answer To show file extensions for all files on your Mac, open Finder, choose Finder > Settings, select Advanced, and turn on Show all filename extensions. To show or hide the extension for one file: Select the file in Finder. Choose File > Get Info. Expand Name & Extension. Select or clear Hide extension. … Read more

How to Share Files Between Two Macs

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The easiest way to share files between two Macs on the same network is to turn on File Sharing on the Mac that contains the files, choose which folders and users can access them, and connect from the other Mac through Finder. You can also use AirDrop for a quick, temporary transfer without setting up … Read more

How to Combine Multiple Files into One PDF on Mac

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You can combine multiple files into one PDF on a Mac using Preview, Apple’s built-in PDF and image viewer. Preview can merge existing PDF files, combine images into a PDF, add pages from other documents, rearrange pages, and remove pages you do not need. For files that Preview cannot open directly—such as some word-processing documents, … Read more

How to Batch Rename Files on a Mac

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You can batch rename files on a Mac directly in Finder. Select the files, Control-click one of them, choose Rename, and use Replace Text, Add Text, or Format to rename several files at once. Finder also lets you undo a batch rename if the result is not what you expected. Quick Answer To rename multiple … Read more

How to Create and Use Smart Folders on a Mac

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Quick Answer To create a Smart Folder on a Mac, open Finder, click File > New Smart Folder, choose a search location, and add criteria such as file type, creation date, name, or tags. Click Save, enter a name, choose where to save the Smart Folder, and select Add to Sidebar if you want quick … Read more

How to Reinstall macOS Without Losing Your Files

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You can usually reinstall macOS without erasing your personal files. The safest method is to start macOS Recovery, choose Reinstall macOS, and install the system on your existing startup disk without using Disk Utility to erase it. A reinstall replaces macOS system files while normally preserving your user accounts, documents, photos, apps, and other data. … Read more