One of the most used and often loathed Mac apps is the Finder. It’s where we go to find files, find apps, manage files and folders. There’s probably not a day that goes by that a Mac user does not use the Finder.
Apple continually improves the Finder, but it’s still missing some modern day functions (after all, the Finder has been around since the original Mac back in the last century).
First, let me cover the high end of Finder functionality. Path Finder is the Mac power user’s Finder. It looks and feels like the Finder, but has far more functionality. In fact, Path Finder can be complicated to use because it’s dripping with features not found in the Mac’s built-in Finder.
At the other end of the scale is TotalFinder which brings just a few of the more useful features from Path Finder, but features not available in the default Finder.
First on the list is tabs. Tabs like tabs in Safari. That means multiple Finder windows all within a single window.
Tabs are useful, but the Dual Mode of two tabs side-by-side is to die for. Moving files has never been easier.
Those two options alone bring additional functionality to the Finder. TotalFinder isn’t a standalone app. It adds features to the Mac’s built-in Finder.
There’s also an option to Show System File (those invisible files that Apple hides from the average user). There’s another option to sort folders and files separately by placing folders on top in list or column view.
Considering the limited number of additional functionality in TotalFinder (when compared to Path Finder), the Preferences are extensive and rather easy to configure.
My recommendation is to try TotalFinder first, especially the tabs and dual mode. If you like it but yearn for even more Finder options, the next step up the Path Finder.