Instructions: Get “All My Files” back in the sidebar on Mac OS X

Finder Preferences All of my files

I recently noticed that in my Finder, the "All My Files" indicator no longer appears in the windows. However, this view has some advantages, because I often forget where files that I have saved in various programs ended up.

With "All my files" you can then simply select the "last opened" view and you get an overview of the files that you edited today, yesterday or last week.

Change all of my files view
The "last opened" view shows the files you used today, yesterday or last week - very handy!

But for me that point was out of the question Finder-Window sidebar disappeared. And I was a bit on the hose how I could get that "All My Files" view back in the sidebar. After a bit of googling, the solution was found. The colleagues of “Ask Different” already had an answer:

  1. Click on the Finder at the bottom (or to the side, depending on where you have yours!) in the Dock
  2. then go to “Finder” -> “Preferences” at the top of the menu (CTRL + “,” (apple + comma) also does this via shortcut)
  3. Then click on the “Sidebar” icon and tick “All my files”.
  4. finished!

So that you can understand the individual steps, here are the corresponding screenshots:

Finder settings
First, in the Finder, select the “Preferences” option at the top left.
Finder Preferences All of my files
Under Settings, click on “Sidebar” and tick “All my files”. Complete!

 

 

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12 Responses to “How to: Get “All My Files” back in the sidebar on Mac OS X”

  1. Yes, these “Simple” settings are the things that make everything run together. Unfortunately, there is only a “little chunk” of it here and there, I wish I had one: “Collected Simpelere”!

    1. It's a bit difficult to make a collection because a lot of things are individual and totally unexciting for some people. For this reason, I prefer to make small articles with tips on a specific problem.

  2. Irene Keidel-Aparcev

    The following happened to me. I clicked my finder to look for pictures. The Finder opened - but only with the page list. (Like a “New Folder” )
    No program was open. I then tried to get my pictures via "Programs" from the page list, which I was able to do after clicking several times.
    A friend of mine said that if you clicked Find, it always shows programs as well as the page list. But it wasn't the case with me. There was no program - only the page list (favorites)
    Can someone please write to me if something like this can happen.
    He then actually said that I had probably clicked on “New Folder” several times. How stupid do you have to be.

    1. Hello Irene! Unfortunately, I haven't really understood it yet. If you want to see the pictures. Just press cmd + N on the keyboard and you'll get a new Finder window. There is a “Pictures” item in the sidebar that takes you to the photos. As a rule, however, you manage your photos on the Mac via the “Photos” app. So I would try to work with that. If I misunderstood something or the problem is different, I can also help you directly. You can email me using the contact form! LG and Merry Christmas! Jens

  3. Hello Sir Apfelot,
    unfortunately, some things are wrong with me. Now wanted to try to get all my files again according to your instructions, but it is nowhere. There are ticks everywhere and all my files are not listed at all; o (
    Carmen sends you desperate greetings from the Münsterland

    1. Hello Carmen! I'm sorry. But now I don't know where the problem could be. Are you stuck with the screenshots? Or where does it hang with you? LG! Jens

  4. Hi!

    I've already tried Google, but found nothing useful: under El Capitan there was "All My Files" in the Finder and under Mojave it's not there.

    Can I get this back somehow? I found it very practical now and then!

    1. No, they seem to have dropped that completely. Under Finder > Preferences, there was an option to tick “All my data”, but it is no longer there. :(

  5. I've now used the following workaround, as I actually found "all my files" quite handy, especially when tracking down large image or video files.

    1. Open the Finder window and click on the Home icon, HD, or name of the computer in the left sidebar.

    2. cmd-F: This opens the search mask

    3. Select “Type” from the left drop-down menu

    4. Now select eg Image, Film, Document, PDF etc. in the right drop-down menu

    Now you get a display like “All my files”

    Not as smooth as before, but better than nothing!

    1. Hello Nicolas! You could also assemble this as a smart folder and then drag it into the sidebar. Then you can reach it as a direct link.

      1. I actually tried that (following instructions on the net) and, to my shame, failed miserably ...

        I'm only a pit bull to a limited extent in such things, at some point the ambition leaves me and then just let it ....

        ^^

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