Show the folder path at the bottom of every Finder window

Why it happens

Finder hides the path bar until you turn it on, so a window only shows the name of the folder you're in. The path bar lists the whole trail, from your disk down to the current folder. It stays on for every Finder window once you switch it on.

How to fix it

1. Click Finder in the Dock to make it the active app, and open any Finder window.

2. From the menu bar, choose View, then Show Path Bar.

   Finder›View›Show Path Bar

3. Look at the bottom of the window. Select a file and the bar shows the folders it lives in, from left to right.

4. Double-click any folder in the path bar to jump to it. You can also drag files onto a folder in the bar to move them there.

Still not fixed?

1. Want item counts and free space too? Choose View, then Show Status Bar. It appears along the bottom of the window as well.

   Finder›View›Show Status Bar

2. If the View menu already says Hide Path Bar, the bar is already on. It's the thin strip at the very bottom of the window, below your files.

3. To copy a file's full path, Control-click the file, hold down Option and choose the Copy as Pathname option. Then paste it anywhere with Command-V.

4. For one file, select it and press Command-I to open Get Info. Where shows the folder it's in.

5. If the path bar disappears every time you restart, or the View menu is missing its items, contact Apple Support.