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MacOS and Mac OS X leans on the cautious side and hides most root directory contents from the Finder by default. Why Can’t I See /bin, /etc, /usr, /var, /private, and Other Unix Directory Structure Items? Subdirectories can also be launched through open by pointing at their given path.

4: Get to / by Command LineĪnyone coming from a unix background will find this one obvious, but root directory access is always possible by using the cd command:Īnother option is to use the command line and open to bring the root directory into the GUI through Finder: Showing hard drives on the desktop was actually default behavior prior to the most recent versions of Mac OS X, but most users never leave their home directory for file access and so that became the new Finder window default instead, before finally leading to “All My Files” in the newest versions of Finder. Under the “General” tab check the box next to “Hard disks” to immediately show Macintosh HD (and any other connected hard drive).From anywhere in the Finder, pull down the Finder menu and choose “Preferences”.3: Show Hard Disks on the Desktop to Reveal “Macintosh HD”įor those who can manage to keep their desktops clutter-free, having constant quick access to root is possible by showing hard disks on the desktop: Now clicking on Macintosh HD will jump instantly to the root directory. Drag “Macintosh HD” into the Finder sidebar.Open a Finder window to any folder other than ‘All My Files’ and click on the titlebar, pulling all the way down to the computer name.Placing Macintosh HD into the Finder Sidebar Favorites list provides for frequent quick access and drag & drop support: Drag & Drop “Macintosh HD” into the Finder Sidebar Additionally, using the generic / path will always go to the root directory, even if someone renamed “Macintosh HD” to something else, making it universal across all Macs. If you don’t need frequent access to the root directory, using the keyboard shortcut may make the most sense.

Anywhere on the Mac desktop, hit Command+Shift+G, then type / and hit return to jump to root (Macintosh HD).Go To Folder is easily one of the most useful keyboard shortcuts in the Mac OS X Finder since you can jump anywhere instantly, and the root directory is no exception: 1: Use the Go To Folder Keyboard Shortcut This applies to all versions of modern Mac system software. We’ll cover four different ways to access the root directory of MacOS, macOS, and Mac OS X. 4 Ways to Access the Root Directory of Mac OS

Mac dashboard widgets icons turned generic