multiple adjacent icon items selection

Why bother with the shift key when dragging?

Finder only allows multiple file selection with the shift + right click option for adjacent files in List display mode. To select multiple adjacent files for Icon mode first select them in List mode, then switch to Icon mode and your selected files should be shaded to indicate they are selected for rename, move, copy, etc.

Good catch, dialabrain but with this catch. On my 2015 iMac in Finder and icon mode the method is this: hold down the shift key and position the mouse cursor to the left of the first file in the sequence without selecting the file. While sill holding the shift key down drag the cursor through all the adjacent files and they will show selected. This works from left to right or right to left, top to bottom, etc. It's a small detail but if you select a file first and then try to drag with the shift key down it doesn't work.

Thanks

Clicking on one file and shift clicking on another file should select all files in between. Command shift selects multiple files without selecting files in between.

FWIW, you can select adjacent files in icon mode by holding the shift key, click and hold next to the first file you want to select, then drag through the files you wish to select.

Now that I'm awake, holding the shift key allows more than one group of icons to be selected by dragging.

There isn't a way in Icon view besides the Mouse. You can shift-click in List or Column.

Mogg Tsur wrote:

Finder only allows multiple file selection with the shift + right click option for adjacent files in List display mode.

That's incorrect. It also works in Column and Gallery Modes.

That's why I said "next to the first file", and not "select the first file".

picas wrote:

Why bother with the shift key when dragging?

Habit. 😎 The shift key is not needed.

Yes.