Go With the Flow

Apple‘s OS X operating system gives you the option of viewing your files in an iPod-style “Cover Flow” view – so now you can flip through your files like a stack of CDs. This view is especially useful for searching through photos and other graphics files.

You may already know how to switch Finder windows between Icon, List and Column views by using the keyboard shortcuts Command-1, Command-2 and Command-3, respectively. (If not, try it! It’s guaranteed to accelerate your Desktop work).

To switch a Finder window to Cover Flow view, just hit Command-4. You can also change views by clicking the Icon, List, Column and Cover Flow icons at the top of each Finder window, but key commands are generally faster.

Once you’re in Cover Flow view, here’s how to navigate:

Click any image to select it and bring it to the foreground. Double-click to open it.

Scroll through the images using your trackpad or your mouse’s scroll wheel, or by dragging the on-screen navigation bar beneath the images.

You can flick through the files one at a time using your Down or Rght-Arrow key to move left to right. Use the Up or Left-Arrow key to move in the opposite direction.

If your folder contains many items, you may find it useful to scroll through the contents without changing your selection. To do so, move your cursor to the list view beneath the cover images, and scroll up and down with your trackpad or scroll-wheel mouse.

Clicking a Sidebar item in a Finder window jumps you to that location without exiting Cover Flow view. If you browse through certain folders on a regular basis, you may want to create Sidebar icons for them. To do so, just locate the folder in a Finder window and drag it into the Sidebar. To remove a Sidebar item, simply drag it out of the Sidebar.