Arrange Files

“Arrange Files” options control how items are laid out in your current view, helping you keep things visually tidy and easier to scan.

Sort vs Arrange

There are two related concepts:

• Sort By – Controls the order of items (Name, Date, Size, etc.).

• Arrange By – Controls both order and grouping of items (e.g. by Date, Kind, Tags).

You can access these from:

• The View menu in the menu bar, and/or

• A right-click menu in the file area (depending on your version).

Arrange By options

Common Arrange By choices include:

• Name – Alphabetical

• Kind – Grouped by type (Applications, Images, Documents, etc.)

• Application – Grouped by the app that opens them

• Date Modified / Created / Last Opened – Grouped by time periods

• Size – Grouped by size ranges

• Tags – Grouped by tag

Arrange By can also interact with Use Groups to create headings like:

• Today / Yesterday / Previous 7 Days

• Images / Documents / Other

• Tagged / Untagged / by specific tag

Clean up icons and align items

In Icon View, you may see options such as:

• Clean Up – Automatically aligns icons to a grid.

• Clean Up By – Aligns and sorts icons according to a chosen attribute (e.g. Name, Kind, Date).

These options help you:

• Keep icon-based folders from becoming visually messy

• Make sure icons aren’t overlapping or randomly placed

Arranging files consistently (especially by Kind, Date, or Tags) turns cluttered folders into clear, predictable layouts that are easier to work with.