How to see the number of items in a folder window, rather than path to folder, in Finder?

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272 points

How to see the number of items in a folder window, rather than path to folder, in Finder?

Very simple question:

In previous version of Mac OS X that I'm familiar with, in the Finder, when I opened a folder, at the bottom of the window it would list the number of items inside that folder (e.g. "27 items"). But in Big Sur, I what I see is the path to that folder (e.g. "HD > Users > Me > Budget > April") -- but no indication if how many items are in that folder. Is there any way to change the settings such that the number of items inside a folder is displayed at the bottom of the folder window (or anywhere in the folder window) once it's open? This could be either as the default setting for all folders in Finder, or as individual settings for each folder.

I checked in Finder Preferences, System Preferences, and View>Show View Options, but could no way to do it. (I know how to change the setting so that an unopened folder's icon reveals underneath it how many items are inside that folder [Show View Options>Show Item Info], but not how to see how many items are inside an opened folder, displayed on the folder window's border.) Thanks!

Posted on Nov 14, 2022 9:01 AM

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Answer 1

Tuffy Nicolas Author

Level 2

272 points

Nov 14, 2022 9:14 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Great! Thanks. That does the trick. I never knew that the place where the number of items is listed is called "The Status Bar."

Follow-up question: How do I make "View->Show Status Bar" and "View->Hide Path Bar" be the default setting for all Finder windows? Currently it's the opposite -- Path Bar is always displayed, and Status Bar is always hidden, in any new Finder window that I open or new folder I create.

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Answer 2

Nov 14, 2022 9:21 AM in response to Tuffy Nicolas

I don't think you need to do anything. These settings are for Finder in general - at least that is what I see in my mac.

In my case, I have both settings on.

Once I turn off Path Bar, it stays off in any new window. Other windows that are already open do not change, but new ones do pick up the new settings.

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Answer 3

Tuffy Nicolas Author

Level 2

272 points

Nov 14, 2022 9:59 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Ah, OK, now I see. It was the "windows that are already open do not change" part that got me -- even after changing the setting, none of my existing open windows changed. But now that I closed them and reopened them, the new settings are in place at last.

Mark this question as "Solved." Thanks!

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Answer 4

Tuffy Nicolas Author

Level 2

272 points

Nov 14, 2022 10:27 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I actually have an even simpler follow-up related question, even though my original question was answered:

In Big Sur, if I double-click a folder, it opens "in same window" as its enclosing folder (i.e. its window replaces the existing window). If I hold down the command key while double-clicking, then the folder opens "in a new window," while leaving the existing window unchanged. Is there any way to reverse this, so that the DEFAULT behavior is for folders to automatically open in new windows (as was the case with previous Mac operating systems), and only open "in the same window" if I hold down a modifier key?

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Answer 5

Nov 14, 2022 10:36 AM in response to Tuffy Nicolas

AFAICT, the only way to make every folder open in a new window is by hiding the window Toolbar. This also hides the Sidebar, and makes a window that behaves like the "spatial" Finder of Classic Mac OS: each window is the folder, so double-clicking on a subfolder opens it in another window, always. I don't think that this would change with a key modifier, though.

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Answer 6

Tuffy Nicolas Author

Level 2

272 points

Nov 14, 2022 11:05 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Hey, that's an excellent trick, and it works just as you described -- thanks!

I had previously asked someone else (who claimed to be a Big Sur expert) if it was possible to open folders in new windows without holding down a modifier key, and they said it was simply not possible in Big Sur. But by "hiding" the toolbar, it suddenly IS possible!

Yes, the downside is that I no longer have immediate access to the icons in the toolbar, but in truth I use/access those less frequently than I desire for folders to open in new windows, So I will leave the window Toolbar hidden by default, and only turn the toolbar on when needed. Thanks again!

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Answer 7

Nov 14, 2022 9:08 AM in response to Tuffy Nicolas

All you have to do is

View->Show Status Bar

(and if you want not to see the path you can also do View->Hide Path Bar)

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How to see the number of items in a folder window, rather than path to folder, in Finder?

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