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A Better Way to Find Files on Your Mac

Search specific folders, filter by file type, and browse with your keyboard. Open, copy, and share files right from your results.

Download for Mac

macOS 13+ · Intel & Apple Silicon

“A fast, practical utility that streamlines a task every Mac user performs dozens of times a day.”
Lou Plummer, AppAddict
  1. Open FileMinutes and start typing.
  2. Matching PDFs appear as you type.
  3. Arrow down to the one you want.
  4. Open, copy, or share it from the actions beside your results.

See it in action

Ways FileMinutes Can Save You Time

See how FileMinutes helps you find, browse, and work with your everyday files.

  1. 1Search within folders
  2. 2Keyboard browsing
  3. 3File type filters
  4. 4File actions
  5. 5Refine your search

1Search within folders

Search Where You Actually Need To

Know which folder to check? Search inside it and its subfolders to find what you need.

  • Find invoices in Downloads or reports in a project folder.
  • Search by folder name, or use a full path for an exact location.
  • Add a file type to make your search more specific.
  1. Start with the folder you know.
  2. Type the folder's path…
  3. …then > and what you're looking for. Subfolders are included.
  4. Add .pdf to see only that project's PDF reports.
  5. Or use a folder's name.
  6. downloads>invoice finds invoices inside Downloads.

2Keyboard browsing

Browse Files with Ease

Browse files and folders with your keyboard, right from your search results.

  • Use the arrow keys to move around: → opens a folder and ← goes back.
  • Type a few letters to filter the folder you're in.
  • Or type part of a path, complete it with Tab, and go back with Shift + Tab.
  1. Search for a folder, then browse it with the arrow keys.
  2. Search for a folder…
  3. …and press → to open it.
  4. ↓ and ↑ move through files and folders.
  5. → goes deeper into Finance.
  6. ← takes you back out.
  7. Type a few letters to filter the folder you're in.
  8. Press Return to open the file.
  9. Or start typing a folder path.
  10. Type part of a folder name…
  11. …and Tab completes it.
  12. Type a few letters to narrow the list.
  13. Tab again to go inside.
  14. Pick a folder with the arrow keys.
  15. Tab opens it.
  16. Shift + Tab goes back up a level.

3File type filters

Filter by File Type

Looking for a PDF, image, or spreadsheet? Filter your search to show only the file types you need.

  • Use extensions such as .pdf or .xlsx.
  • Search several types together, such as .pdf .xlsx.
  • Use categories such as .image or .document.
  1. Search for “report”.
  2. Reports of every kind show up.
  3. Add .pdf to keep only PDFs.
  4. Add .xlsx to see PDF and spreadsheet reports together.
  5. Search for “aurora”.
  6. Folders, documents, and images all match.
  7. .image collects PNG, JPG, HEIC, GIF, and other image formats.

4File actions

Take Action on Your Files

Open, copy, and share files from the actions panel beside your search results.

  • Open a file in the app you choose.
  • Copy the file, its name, or its path.
  • Share through AirDrop, Mail, and other available destinations.
  1. Find the file first.
  2. Q3 Report.pdf is selected.
  3. Press ⌘K to open the actions panel. Your results stay in view.
  4. Type “copy” to find the action you need.
  5. Choose Copy Path…
  6. …and press Return. The file's path is ready to paste.
  7. Find the file first.
  8. Q3 Report.pdf is selected.
  9. Press ⌘K to open the actions panel. Your results stay in view.
  10. Press → on Open with Preview to see other apps.
  11. Pick the app you want to open it in.
  12. Find the file first.
  13. Q3 Report.pdf is selected.
  14. Press ⌘K to open the actions panel. Your results stay in view.
  15. Type “share”…
  16. …to see AirDrop, Mail, and other places available on your Mac.
  17. Choose where to send it. Nothing is sent in this demo.

And there's more

More Useful Tools

Testimonials

What Mac Users Say

FileMinutes dramatically reduces the friction of finding and opening files. Its clever methodology makes it trivial to jump directly to the document you want. It is a fast, practical utility that streamlines a task every Mac user performs dozens of times a day.
Lou Plummer, AppAddict
This is an unobtrusive and helpful app. It worked better than the native search in Finder, and I found it faster and easier to get to where I wanted than Spotlight. Well worth a try.
Reddit user
I’ve always found it odd that Finder defaults to searching globally and throughout the contents of entire files … so FileMinutes is a good improvement on that front.
Reddit user

Privacy

File Search That Stays on Your Mac

Read the privacy policy

Built for Everyday File Work

“I built FileMinutes to make the file tasks I kept repeating easier: finding a document, getting to a folder, and doing something with a file. Each improvement starts with a practical problem. The goal is to help you spend less time looking for files and more time working with them.”

Sujeevan, creator of FileMinutes

Try It First. Buy When You're Ready.

Try Every Feature

Download FileMinutes and use it with your own files. After the trial, keep using the free version or buy a license for the paid features.

Download for Mac

Buy a License

Unlock every feature. Your license also covers FileMinutes 2 and every future version. Student discounts and regional pricing are available.

View pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

Something else? Get in touch.

How is FileMinutes different from Spotlight?

FileMinutes gives you a file-focused search interface with folder searches, file type filters, keyboard browsing, and actions beside your results. Today it uses Spotlight's index, so it won't find files that Spotlight hasn't indexed. FileMinutes 2 is moving to its own fast file index, so search won't depend on Spotlight.

Do I need to learn keyboard shortcuts?

You can start by typing a filename and choosing a result. Shortcuts are there when you want them, and the actions list lets you choose what to do with a file.

Can I search external drives?

Search depends on whether macOS has indexed the drive. You can also browse an accessible drive by its folder path, even when it isn't indexed for search.

Can I search inside documents?

Yes. Enable “Search in file contents” in Settings. Results depend on the text Spotlight has indexed for each file, so support varies by file type and installed software.

Can I try it before buying?

Yes. FileMinutes includes a 14-day trial of all features. After the trial, you can keep using the limited free version or buy a license for paid features.

Which Macs does it support?

FileMinutes supports Intel and Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 13 or later.

Do you offer student or regional discounts?

Yes. Students can email support@fileminutes.com from their university email address. We also offer regional pricing: if you visit from an eligible country, you’ll see a banner with your discount on this page and the pricing page.

Find Your Files. Get Back to Work.

Try FileMinutes with the files you work with every day.

Download for MacView pricing

macOS 13+ · Intel & Apple Silicon