Dual-Pane View and Layout Tips

Dual-pane view lets you see two folders side by side in a single Path Finder window. It is one of the most powerful ways to work with files, especially when you are copying, moving, or comparing.

Enable dual-pane view

To turn on dual-pane view:

1. Open Path Finder.

2. Click the Dual Pane button in the toolbar (usually an icon with two rectangles side by side),
   or select the dual-pane option from the View menu (wording may vary by version).

The window will split into a left pane and a right pane.

Work with two independent panes

Each pane is a full browser:

• Navigate to different folders in each pane.

• Use different view modes in each pane (for example, List View on one side, Column View on the other).

• Sort and group files differently in each pane.

Common use cases:

• Comparing two directories

• Moving files from an “inbox” folder to organized project folders

• Keeping source on one side and destination on the other during cleanups or backups

Copy and move files between panes

You can move or copy files directly between panes:

1. Select files in one pane.

2. Drag them to the destination folder in the other pane.

Depending on your modifier keys and settings, this will copy or move the files.

You can also use keyboard shortcuts:

• Command + C / Command + V to copy and paste

• Command + X / Command + V to move (cut and paste), if enabled in your settings

Combine dual-pane with views and modules

Dual-pane becomes even more powerful when combined with other customization features:

• Use different views per pane

  • Example: left pane in Column View for fast navigation; right pane in List View for detailed info.

• Keep important modules visible

  • Example: dock the Preview or Info module on one side and use both panes to browse while always seeing details or previews.

• Use tabs inside each pane

  • Each pane can also have multiple tabs, giving you multiple locations on each side of the split.

You can drag the divider between the panes to give more space to whichever pane you are focusing on.

Dual-pane view is designed to reduce window clutter and make complex file operations simpler. Once configured with your preferred views and modules, it becomes a very efficient way to manage files across multiple locations.