Where is File Explorer on a Mac? Open Finder

Why it happens

On a Mac, files, folders and drives all live in Finder. It's always running in the background, so its icon stays at the start of the Dock. There's no separate This PC window, but one shortcut shows all your drives in the same way.

How to fix it

1. Click the Finder icon at the left end of the Dock, the row of icons along the bottom of your screen. A window opens with your files.

   Dock›Finder

2. Use the sidebar on the left to jump to Recents, Desktop, Documents, Downloads and Applications.

3. In Finder, press Command-N for another window, or Command-T for a new tab in the same window.

4. Press Shift-Command-C to see your Mac's drives, including the internal disk and any USB drives, much like This PC on Windows.

Still not fixed?

1. Looking for one file? In a Finder window press Command-F and type part of its name. Finder searches the whole Mac.

2. If Documents, Downloads or your home folder are missing from the sidebar, open Finder, then Settings…, then Sidebar, and tick the ones you want.

   Finder›Settings…›Sidebar

3. If Finder stops responding, choose Force Quit… from the Apple menu, pick Finder and click Relaunch. Your files stay where they are.

   Apple menu›Force Quit…

4. If Finder keeps freezing or closing even after you restart the Mac, contact Apple Support.