Align and resize items in icon view on Mac (2024)

macOS Sonoma 14

macOS Ventura 13

macOS Monterey 12

macOS Big Sur 11.0

macOS Catalina 10.15

macOS High Sierra

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Table of Contents

macOS User Guide

  • Welcome
    • What’s in the menu bar?
    • Work on the desktop
    • Search with Spotlight
    • Quickly change settings
    • Use Siri
    • Get notifications
    • Open apps from the Dock
    • Organize your files in the Finder
    • Connect to the internet
    • Browse the web
    • Preview a file
    • Take a screenshot
    • Change your display’s brightness
    • Adjust the volume
    • Use trackpad and mouse gestures
    • Use Touch ID
    • Print documents
    • Keyboard shortcuts
    • Apps on your Mac
    • Open apps
    • Work with app windows
    • Use apps in full screen
    • Use apps in Split View
    • Use Stage Manager
    • Get apps from the App Store
    • Install and reinstall apps from the App Store
    • Install and uninstall other apps
    • Create and work with documents
    • Open documents
    • Mark up files
    • Combine files into a PDF
    • Organize files on your desktop
    • Organize files with folders
    • Tag files and folders
    • Back up files
    • Restore files
    • Change System Settings
    • Choose your desktop wallpaper
    • Add and customize widgets
    • Use a screen saver
    • Add a user or group
    • Add your email and other accounts
    • Automate tasks with Shortcuts
    • Create Memoji
    • Change your login picture
    • Change the system language
    • Make text and other items on the screen bigger
    • Set up a Focus to stay on task
    • Set up Screen Time for yourself
    • Use Dictation
    • Send emails
    • Send text messages
    • Make a FaceTime video call
    • Edit photos and videos
    • Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo
    • Start a Quick Note
    • Get directions
    • Work across devices using Continuity
    • Use iPhone as a webcam
    • Use iPhone with Desk View
    • Stream audio and video with AirPlay
    • Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
    • Hand off between devices
    • Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
    • Make and receive phone calls on your Mac
    • Sync music, books, and more between devices
    • Manage Apple ID settings
    • Set your Apple ID picture
    • What is iCloud?
    • What is iCloud+?
    • Store files in iCloud Drive
    • Share and collaborate on files and folders
    • Manage iCloud storage
    • Use iCloud Photos
    • What is Family Sharing?
    • Set up Family Sharing
    • Set up Screen Time for a child
    • Share purchases with your family
    • Watch and listen together with SharePlay
    • Share a Photo Library
    • Collaborate on projects
    • Find content shared with you
    • Find your family and friends
    • Play games with your friends
    • Play music
    • Listen to podcasts
    • Watch TV shows and movies
    • Read and listen to books
    • Read the news
    • Track stocks and the market
    • Apple Music
    • Apple TV+
    • Apple Arcade
    • Apple News+
    • Podcast shows and channels
    • Manage subscriptions in the App Store
    • View Apple family subscriptions
    • Guard your privacy
    • Use Mail Privacy Protection
    • Control access to your camera
    • Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites
    • Set up your Mac to be secure
    • Keep your data safe
    • Create a passkey
    • Understand passwords
    • Keep your Apple ID secure
    • Find a missing device
    • Get started with accessibility features
    • Vision
    • Hearing
    • Mobility
    • Speech
    • General
    • Connect an external display
    • Use the built-in camera
    • Connect a Bluetooth device
    • Use AirPods with your Mac
    • Optimize your Mac battery life
    • Optimize storage space
    • Burn CDs and DVDs
    • Control accessories in your home
    • Use Windows on your Mac
  • Resources for your Mac
  • Resources for your Apple devices
  • Copyright
Align and resize items in icon view on Mac (1)

When viewing items in icon view, you can change the alignment, size, and labeling of items on the desktop or in Finder windows. To change the icon you see for a file or folder, see Change icons for files or folders.

On the desktop

  1. On your Mac, Control-click the desktop.

  2. Do any of the following:

    • Quickly realign icons: Choose CleanUp.

      If you don’t see Clean Up, it’s because you set your icons to be sorted automatically or you’re using Stacks to automatically sort your files. To see Clean Up, either choose Sort By > None or verify that there isn’t a checkmark next to Use Stacks.

    • Align and sort icons once: Choose Clean Up By, then choose an option.

      If you don’t see Clean Up By, it’s because you set your icons to be sorted automatically or you’re using Stacks to automatically sort your files. To see Clean Up By, either choose Sort By > None or verify that there isn’t a checkmark next to Use Stacks.

    • Have icons aligned and sorted automatically: Choose Sort By, then choose an option.

    • Change the icon size, grid spacing (space between icons), text size, and more: Choose Show View Options, then use the controls to make changes.

In a Finder window

  1. On your Mac, click the Finder icon Align and resize items in icon view on Mac (2) in the Dock to open a Finder window.

  2. Open the folder you want to change.

  3. Choose View > Show View Options, then make your changes. For example, click the Group By pop-up menu, then choose Date Modified.

See alsoSort and arrange items in the Finder on MacCustomize the Finder toolbar on MacChange icons for files or folders on Mac

Helpful?

Thanks for your feedback.

Align and resize items in icon view on Mac (2024)

FAQs

Align and resize items in icon view on Mac? ›

You can adjust the icon size for items in the Finder, on the desktop, or in sidebars. In Finder windows: Choose View > Show View Options. In Icon view and List view, choose a larger icon size. In Gallery view, you can choose a larger thumbnail size.

How do I resize my icons on my Mac? ›

You can adjust the icon size for items in the Finder, on the desktop, or in sidebars. In Finder windows: Choose View > Show View Options. In Icon view and List view, choose a larger icon size. In Gallery view, you can choose a larger thumbnail size.

How to align icons on Mac? ›

Click on the View menu in Finder and select Clean up to make all icons align properly. 2. If you want your desktop icons to be auto-arranged, you can do so by clicking on the View menu and then hold on the ALT key on the keyboard until you see the "Keep Arranged By" option show up on the View menu.

How to align desktop icons? ›

To arrange icons by name, type, date, or size, right-click a blank area on the desktop, and then click Arrange Icons. Click the command that indicates how you want to arrange the icons (by Name, by Type, and so on). If you want the icons to be automatically arranged, click Auto Arrange.

How do you auto arrange icons on a Mac? ›

Have icons aligned and sorted automatically: Choose Sort By, then choose an option. Change the icon size, grid spacing (space between icons), text size and more: Choose Show View Options, then use the controls to make changes.

How do I fix the size of my icons? ›

To resize desktop icons

Right-click (or press and hold) the desktop, point to View, and then select Large icons, Medium icons, or Small icons.

How do you resize something on a Mac? ›

In the Preview app on your Mac, click the Show Markup Toolbar button (if the Markup toolbar isn't showing), then click the Adjust Size button . Enter new values for width and height, or click the “Fit into” pop-up menu and choose a size.

How do I customize my Mac icons? ›

On your Mac, select the file or folder. Choose File > Get Info in the menu bar. At the top of the Info window, select the small custom icon. Make sure you click the small icon at the top of the Info window (not the large icon under Preview).

How do I fix the position of my desktop icons? ›

Solution
  1. Right-click the Desktop, select View.
  2. Make sure Auto arrange icons is unchecked. Make sure Align icons to grid is unchecked as well.
  3. Reboot and see if the issue is resolved.

How do I reset the icon size and spacing on my desktop? ›

One way is to simply right-click on your desktop, select View, and change the size of your icons, which will automatically adjust the spacing. For more precise control, you can also modify the Windows registry.

How do I align all icons on a Mac? ›

Align and resize items in icon view on Mac
  1. Quickly realign icons: Choose Clean Up. ...
  2. Align and sort icons once: Choose Clean Up By, then choose an option. ...
  3. Have icons aligned and sorted automatically: Choose Sort By, then choose an option.

How to adjust icon size on Mac desktop? ›

Short guide:

Right-click, or Ctrl + Left-click, on the desktop background. Click Show View Options. Click the drop-down menu for Text size and choose a new value. Use the Icon size slider to increase the size of icons.

How do I arrange items on my Mac desktop? ›

If you want to control the placement of your files on the desktop, keep Sort By set to none. You can still arrange files neatly when desired—just click the desktop, choose View > Clean Up By, then choose how you'd like to arrange the files.

How to change desktop icons on Mac? ›

Use your own picture or a picture from the web

Select the file or folder whose icon you want to replace. Choose File > Get Info in the menu bar. At the top of the Info window, click the small icon. Choose Edit > Paste in the menu bar.

How do I get my desktop icons back to normal on a Mac? ›

How to fix it when desktop icons disappear on your Mac
  1. Relaunch the Finder: Press Option-Command-Escape to display the Force Quit menu or click the Apple menu and choose Force Quit. ...
  2. Restart your Mac.
  3. Check the Finder Settings: ...
  4. Turn off Stacks: ...
  5. Check iCloud Drive: ...
  6. Use Terminal to unhide icons: ...
  7. Replace plist files:
Feb 16, 2023

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