iPhone has the Files app. Windows has File Explorer. macOS has … Finder? The Mac’s file manager got that odd name decades ago, and it made sense back then. Today, it’s an anachronism. It’s time to rename the macOS Finder to something less silly.
I’m not suggesting Apple remove the Mac’s file manager. There is a far better name for it, though.
macOS Finder is a relic of the past
Apple introduced the Finder with the original Macintosh in 1984. The term was meant to emphasize that the software helps you “find” your files easily, reflecting the Mac’s goal of being more intuitive and user-friendly than existing computers of that era. Back then, other PCs used a command-line interface, and Finder’s graphical user interface was a revolution.
That was 41 years ago. Mac users no longer need to be reassured that they can easily find their files. What they need instead is to be able to easily identify which application is the file manager.
That’s not a problem for long-time Mac users — we all know what the Finder is. But those new to Mac and searching for its file manager likely won’t guess that they’re looking for something called “Finder.” A system utility should be named for its primary function, not hold onto a name that stopped making sense decades ago.
And the Finder app’s icon doesn’t help. A happy little smiley face doesn’t say “file manager.”
Anything that helps new Mac users is important
This suggestion likely won’t be popular with every long-time Mac fan. Some people like the tradition. They’ll dismiss the change as pointless window dressing. In fact, some of these diehard Mac fans nearly lost their minds when Apple flipped the colors on the Finder logo in a macOS Tahoe beta.
However, giving Finder a name that actually reflects what it does is important: It’ll make using macOS easier for people still figuring out their first Mac, and Apple needs all the new users it can get.
macOS runs on fewer than 10% of the world’s computers. Growing that market share requires plenty of Windows users to make the switch, and adding unnecessary hurdles certainly won’t help. People accustomed to using File Explorer won’t realize that Finder is what they need.
“Finder” is simply wrong for the job. It sounds like the name for an internet search tool, not a file manager.
The replacement name for Finder is obvious
Anyone new to Mac who needs to access their files will look for something with “File” in the name. It’s only logical.
That makes the new name for Finder obvious. iOS and iPadOS already come with a Files app. It’s high time macOS added one.
Plus, the Mac’s new Files app needs to adopt the icon, which looks like a file folder, from iPhone and iPad. (Sorry, smiley Mac face.)
Sure, these wouldn’t be groundbreaking improvements. But Macs are great because Apple cares as much about small enhancements as it does large ones. A rumored budget MacBook could bring a rush of new users in 2026 — let’s not force them all to google “macOS files app name” where they’re getting started.
Finder can live on with a new role
Some people surely will feel sad if Finder goes away. But Apple could recycle the name.
The primary tool for “finding” items on macOS is actually Spotlight, a system-wide search utility. It seems logical to rename it Finder. Especially considering Spotlight is a lousy name for a search tool.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
