Filtering allows you to quickly find and select a file inside a currently opened folder. This is useful, when a folder contains a lot of files – filtering allows you to find the necessary file without scrolling through those files. You can filter by name, by extension or by kind. Filtering works in any View type, but it is probably most useful in List and Column View.
To use filtering in Column View:
- Select a folder where you want to find a file or a group of files
- Go inside that folder – this means you have to make sure that the the current selection (the blue highlighting) is inside that folder
- Click into the Search box at the right upper corner of the Browser
- Select “Filter by” (default)
- Start entering text
- Results appear immediately below
To use filtering in List View:
- Go to a folder, where you want to find a file or a group of files
- Make sure the path of your selected folder is shown in Path Navigator and highlighted in grey as following:

- Click into the Search box at the right upper corner of the Browser
- Select “Filter by” (default)
- Start entering text
- Results appear immediately below
Please note, that the filtering results in List View do not take in account the contents of uncollapsed folders (folders, which contents you may see when the little triangle is down). Only the folder, you are currently in, e.g. which is highlighted in Path Navigator in grey, will get filtered, but not its subfolders (even if uncollapsed).
Watch Filtering in action:
Comments
9 comments
Is it possible to filter or search for files with regular expressions and not just simple strings?
Hi Jimmy,
Currently, it is not possible. I have forwarded your message to our developers as a feature request for consideration so that it can be implemented in one of our future cycles. Thank you
Best Regards,
Hi Cocoatech,
What is the default keyboard shortcut to use (and jump to the search box to do a filter) instead of doing the following:
Otherwise, what is the menu option for me to use (Path Finder > Preferences > Features > Keyboard.) to set the keyboard shortcut?
Thanks!
Hi Nasri,
To create your own keyboard command, please navigate to Path Finder >> Preferences >> Features >> Keyboard. From there, you can set your own commands.
I hope that helps!
Best Regards,
Hi Russel,
I am at the screen Path Finder >> Preferences >> Features >> Keyboard - What is the menu to choose for "Filter by" ?
Thanks!
Hi Nasri,
It is on the top right corner of your Path Finder interface.
To learn more about filtering, you can visit this link: Filtering.
If you have any more questions, you can contact us at help@cocoatech.com.
Thank you
Russel I am not sure how this is an answer to Russel's question I would like to know this as well and the video didn't seem to help. Command+F brings up a confusing find window that doesn't seem to work for me. I would love to know the answer to what command is in the assignable one's without having to use a mouse to click.
I would like to be able to search everywhere but filter out certain locations but I don't see a way to do that. Is this possible?
Are you maybe looking for Shift+Command+F to move the cursor and focus into the upper right input box labeled "filter by name"?
Yes, thank you!
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