How to clean up a folder in macOS Finder

Apple iMac 24-inch
(Image credit: Future)

You'll want to learn how to clean up folders in macOS Finder if, like me, you get a little annoyed at how messy your folders get. While Macs are some of the best laptops around, and macOS is beloved by many, the operating system does have its quirks.

One particular quirk is that when using icon view, Finder doesn't organize items that are dropped into folders. Given dragging and dropping is one of the most common ways of moving items in macOS, the result is that you can often end up with very messy folders, with files and folders littered sporadically across your Finder window.

You can solve this by switching to another view, of course, such as list view. However, using icon view is often preferable when you want a small preview of the files you're browsing — if looking through a folder full of images, for example.

Thankfully, Apple has a quick way of tidying items in Finder: the Clean Up function. This function has been around for a long time — as long as I've been using Macs, which is well over a decade now. It has seen its functionality decreased in recent years, as you used to be able to perform the Clean Up function from the right click menu, whereas now you must navigate the tool bars. That may even be why you're here, if you've recently moved back to macOS after some time away and are wondering where the function has gone.

Luckily, the Clean Up function still exists, and can be used to snap items back into an ordered state. Without further ado, here's how to clean up a folder in macOS Finder. 

How to clean up a folder in macOS Finder

1. In a messy folder, click View in the top toolbar.

(Image credit: Future)

2. Hover over Clean Up By, then select a sorting method to arrange the items.

Alternatively, you can simply select Clean Up, but this no longer snaps items back into a nice neat order starting top left, as it used to. Instead, this simply snaps them to the grid point nearest to where they currently are in Finder. In short, this doesn't do much.

(Image credit: Future)

3. Your items will now be neat and ordered, starting from the top left. 

(Image credit: Future)

This is one of my favorite functions of macOS, so I'm glad it's still there to use, even if it has been hidden slightly by being removed from the right click menu. 

On that note, if you're looking for other Mac tutorials, get started by learning how to right click on Mac and how to scroll on Mac. If your Mac is running a little sluggish of late, check out how to clear the cache on Mac. And if you're wondering how to type emoji on your machine, learn how to access the emoji keyboard on Mac. Did you know that macOS comes with a built-in powerful image editor? Find out how to use it with our guide on how to edit photos on Mac for free. Fancy talking to nobody? Learn how to use ChatGPT.

TOPICS
Peter Wolinski
Reviews Editor

Peter is Reviews Editor at Tom's Guide. As a writer, he covers topics including tech, photography, gaming, hardware, motoring and food & drink. Outside of work, he's an avid photographer, specialising in architectural and portrait photography. When he's not snapping away on his beloved Fujifilm camera, he can usually be found telling everyone about his greyhounds, riding his motorcycle, squeezing as many FPS as possible out of PC games, and perfecting his espresso shots. 

Read more
MacBook Pro 16-inch 2021 sitting on a patio table
You can speed up your Mac by clearing its cache — here's how
Woman picking up pile of books on table
I tried the One Touch tidying hack — and my home has never looked neater
Google Chrome logo on laptop
Too many Chrome tabs? Here's how to organize them
MacBook Pro 2021 (16-inch) on a patio table
It's easy to edit PDFs on your Mac — here's how to do it for free
MacBook Pro 2023
You can customize your Mac mouse pointer — here's how
Woman tidying shoes
Forget your weekly cleaning blitz: Try this 2-minute hack instead
Latest in macOS
Mac Studio on a desk hooked up to a Studio DIsplay
Mac Studio M3 Ultra: 3 reasons to buy and 2 reasons to skip
Cyberpunk 2077 on MacBook Pro
5 great cloud gaming services for Mac that you should try right now
MacBook Prime Day
The widget you've always wanted comes to your Mac menu bar in Sequoia 15.2
Apple Magic Mouse USB-C
USB-C Mac accessories don't work with older macOS versions — this is a huge pain
How to keep to keep iCloud Drive files downloaded on your Mac
How to keep to keep iCloud Drive files downloaded on your Mac
How to access your passwords from the menu bar in macOS Sequoia
MacOS Sequoia lets you view saved passwords via the menu bar — here's how
Latest in How To
Cleaning with a mop in yellow bucket
Your cleaning tools are spreading dirt — here’s how to disinfect them properly
ChatGPT on iPhone
I tried these 11 ChatGPT tips — and they take my prompts to the next level
Manus AI logo on smartphone screen
How to join Manus — the new AI assistant everyone is talking about
iPhone 16 Pro shown held in hand
You can disable those awkward AI message summaries on iPhone — here's how
Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays a shot from a bunker prior to The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass
The Players Championship 2025 live stream: how to watch the PGA Tour golf online
White bottle of bleach with cleaning products in blue box
How to get rid of bleach smell in your home — 5 quick tips to do now