Guides and tips for moving files on your Mac the way you did on Windows — with ⌘X and ⌘V.
The essential MacBook keyboard shortcuts for people coming from Windows: copy, paste, screenshots, full screen, force quit, restart and moving files, with the Windows equivalent for each.
Read moreHow to cut and paste on a Mac in every situation: text and content with Command+X, files in Finder with Command+C and Option+Command+V, drag and drop, Terminal, and a real Cmd+X for files.
Read moreCommand+X not working on your Mac? The fix depends on the app: Finder has no cut for files, web pages are read-only, Excel sheets can be protected, and shortcuts can be remapped or blocked. Quick fixes by app.
Read moreDragging a file on a Mac moves it on the same disk but copies it to another disk. How Command-drag, Option-drag and Option+Command+V change that, and what is safe when moving to USB drives and network shares.
Read moreUsing a Windows keyboard on a Mac? Ctrl+X will not cut files. How the Windows key works as Command, how to move files with the keyboard, and how to swap keys so cut and paste feels familiar.
Read moreHow to move image files on a Mac: select them in Finder and use Command+C then Option+Command+V, or a real Cmd+X. Plus what works inside apps and the Photos app, where files behave differently.
Read moreHow to cut and paste a folder on a Mac: copy it, then press Option+Command+V to move it. What happens with a same-named folder, how to merge folders, and how moving across disks works.
Read moreMoved a file to the wrong place on your Mac? Undo it with Command+Z, find it with Recents or Spotlight, restore it from the Trash with Put Back, or recover it from Time Machine.
Read moreStep-by-step guide to cut and paste files, folders, images, PDFs and anything else in Finder on a Mac using File Cut Paste App: Cmd-X to cut, Cmd-V to move.
Read moremacOS never gave Finder a real Cmd-X. Here is the design reason cut and paste for files works differently on Mac than Windows, and how to get true cut and paste back.
Read moreEvery built-in way to move a file on a Mac without copying it: drag and drop, Cmd-drag across disks, Option+Cmd+V, the Edit menu and Terminal, ranked from easiest to fastest.
Read moreWindows lets you mark a file as cut before you decide where it goes. Mac decides at paste time instead. Here is what that means for anyone switching.
Read morePressed Cmd+X on a file and nothing happened? That is expected macOS behavior, not a bug. Here is how to confirm it and the actual fix.
Read moreThree real ways to get cut and paste back for files on a Mac, compared honestly, with who each one actually fits.
Read moreOn a Mac, Cmd-X does not cut files in Finder. Use Cmd-C then Cmd-Option-V to move a file, or add a real Cmd-X / Cmd-V cut and paste with File Cut Paste App.
Read more