Dragging a file to another drive copies it. How to move instead, and stop doubling files
Finder moves within a drive and copies between drives, which quietly leaves two of everything. The keys that move, copy and cut and paste on a Mac.
Drag a file to another folder on the same drive and Finder moves it. Drag it to a different drive and Finder copies it, leaving the original behind. That is how many people end up with the same photos and videos in two places.
| To do this | In Finder |
|---|---|
| Move within the same drive | Drag |
| Move to another drive | Hold Command while dragging |
| Copy within the same drive | Hold Option while dragging |
| Make an alias | Hold Option and Command while dragging |
Cut and paste
A Mac has no Cut command for files in the Edit menu, but it has the same result: press Command C to copy, then Option Command V in the destination to move the file there. With Option held, the Edit menu shows Move Item Here.
Watch the pointer
While dragging, a green plus sign on the pointer means copy. No plus sign means move. A curved arrow means alias.
After copying to a drive
If you copied rather than moved, check the copy opens, then delete the original. A quick size comparison helps:
du -sh ~/Movies/Holiday /Volumes/YourDrive/HolidayCopies on the same drive can be clones that cost no extra space, covered in alias, copy and clones. Moving big folders to a drive is covered in moving files to an external drive.
Common questions
How do I move files instead of copying on a Mac?
Hold Command while dragging to another drive. Or press Command C, then Option Command V in the destination.
Is there cut and paste for files on a Mac?
Yes. Copy with Command C, then paste with Option Command V to move the file instead of copying it.
Why does dragging to an external drive copy instead of move?
Finder always copies between different drives, so the original stays. Hold Command while dragging to move.