Finder keyboard guide
How to open a folder with Enter on Mac
In Finder, Return (Enter) renames the selected item. To open it from the keyboard, press Command–Down Arrow or Command–O. SADFinder uses Enter to open the selected file or folder directly.
Quick answer
In Finder, Return (Enter) renames the selected item. To open it from the keyboard, press Command–Down Arrow or Command–O. SADFinder uses Enter to open the selected file or folder directly.
Open the selected item in Finder
- Select a file or folder
Use the arrow keys, or click the item once.
- Press Command–Down Arrow
Finder opens the selected folder or file. Command–O does the same thing.
- Use Command–Up Arrow to go back up
This opens the folder that contains the current folder.
Why does Enter rename files on a Mac?
Finder assigns Return to inline renaming. Apple documents Command–Down Arrow and Command–O as the shortcuts for opening the selected item.
That convention is internally consistent, but it is the opposite of Windows File Explorer and many cross-platform file managers. If your hands expect Enter to open, the mismatch is easy to hit dozens of times a day.
Make Enter open folders
SADFinder uses the Windows-style behavior by default: select an item and press Enter to open it. Backspace goes to the parent folder, Delete moves the selection to the Trash, and Cmd+R renames in place.
There is nothing to remap and no Finder extension to maintain. The behavior is built into SADFinder's native file browser.
| Action | Finder | SADFinder |
|---|---|---|
| Open selected item | Command–Down Arrow or Command–O | Enter |
| Rename selected item | Return | Command–R |
| Open parent folder | Command–Up Arrow | Backspace |
Native Mac reference: Apple: Mac keyboard shortcuts.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I change Finder so Enter opens a folder?
Finder does not provide a built-in setting that swaps Return from rename to open. You can use Command–Down Arrow, Command–O, or a separate file manager whose keyboard model uses Enter to open.
What opens the selected item in Finder?
Apple documents Command–Down Arrow and Command–O for opening the selected file or folder.
How do I go up one folder in Finder?
Press Command–Up Arrow. In SADFinder, Backspace opens the parent folder.