How do I access my files on a Mac hard drive?

Apple has gone to some effort to thwart efforts to scatter files at random and privileged locations. This has been happening as security and integrity have been tightened.

If full storage access including the ability to write your files anywhere is required, I would encourage migrating to Linux or BSD, as those choices typically do not restrict writing files in the root directory, or elsewhere.

Otherwise, you will want to keep your files under /Users, and preferably in /Users/Shared or somewhere within your own login.

You can add a location into the Finder sidebar, or as an alias onto the desktop. Alternatively, a droplet or folder action or such, if some customization is preferred. Apple is making enhancements to Shortcuts that might be interesting, too.

File system organization: File System Basics

System integrity protection: About System Integrity Protection on your Mac - Apple Support

Begastreet wrote:

Thanks MrHoffman,

I was wondering what had happened and why. I can easily put the files in my user folder. The security issues make sense if the computer is used by more then one person. Thanks for your reply - cheers Pete

macOS is inherently multi-user, with all of what that entails.

Supporting multiple users is one of the biggest differences between macOS, and iOS and iPadOS.

Though yes, iOS and iPadOS also (and further) restrict where user data can be written.

And all three restrict where users and apps and malware (can) write their stuff.

In a manner of consideration, sandboxed apps also have similarities to separate users, too.

In general we can store whatever we want in Home (your user directory) or any subdirectory of it. That includes ~/Desktop, ~/Documents, and other folders.

Some, such as /Applications, require admin authentication.

However, we may no longer store anything in / (the root directory)

Folders that come with your Mac - Apple Support

Begastreet wrote:

Hi Phil,

Thanks for your reply. The Macintosh HD icon is clearly on the top right hand side of my screen. The Application folder was open hence why it showed all the applications. I am aware that the desktop is saved in the HD. I found that have created a user folder for myself. In previous OS you could drop a folder directly onto the HD icon - you didn't need to open the HD and find the user, just double click the HD Icon. I am moving the folders to clean up my desktop which is getting too busy with too many folders some of them are important but used much.

Thanks for your help

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/e1836da3-381b-4e28-ab3e-aedd1181b3b2

[Edited by Moderator]

Yes, that's the root of the hard drive. You can no longer store things there. If you try, whatever you dragged should just go back to where it was on you desktop when you let go.

I don't know if Apple would delete anything already there that wasn't part of the system during an update, but yes, you can no longer store things there.

If you really need to you can create a shortcut or alias to your user folder there instead or a folder within.

Open finder, tap on Macintosh HD, then on Users then on your Name, from there you can right click, or command+click or 2-finger click (trackpad) and choose, "Make Alias". It will create a file named the same as the folder you clicked on, and using the same icon for it. you can then drag out that icon to the desktop, and anytime you double click on it, it will open finder directly in that location.

Here's a video that shows the process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdeVKS8Ej7s

Phil0124 wrote:

I don't know if Apple would delete anything already there that wasn't part of the system during an update, but yes, you can no longer store things there.

Apple updates were relocating user files that were stored in places where they were no longer permitted.

Related: If a Relocated Items folder appears on your Mac after upgrading macOS - Apple Support

MrHoffman wrote:

Phil0124 wrote:

I don't know if Apple would delete anything already there that wasn't part of the system during an update, but yes, you can no longer store things there.

Apple updates were relocating user files that were stored in places where they were no longer permitted.

Related: If a Relocated Items folder appears on your Mac after upgrading macOS - Apple Support

Ahh, suspected as much. But still good to know. It should help Begastreet in finding his lost files.

Thanks Mr.Hoffman. 👍🏻

Ever since Big Sur, there is security hardening that may not be immediately obvious from the Finder.

This:

Is really this, underneath:

I'm not talking about the special partitions for security policy and Recovery mode that Disk Utility likes to hide away. What appears to be "Macintosh HD" in the Finder is a combination of read-only macOS system files (the Macintosh HD snapshot) and writable system and user data files (the Data volume).

The Mac creates the "Macintosh HD snapshot" at startup time when it examines the cryptographic signature on the "signed, sealed" Macintosh HD volume to see if anyone has been tampering with it. If they have, the Mac will refuse to boot from the volume. The idea is to harden core "read-only" system files against malware attack.

What HD icon?

Generally the Hard Drive icon on your desktop is just a shortcut to the root folder of your Hard Drive. The Desktop is already stored in the hard drive, so moving it into that icon, is just changing the location of the folder within the hard drive from one place to the other.

Like moving a chair from one room to another in your house. It's just changing where in the house it is, but is not saving it any more or less than where it was before.

You say now that when you open the HD icon it takes you to the Applications folder, or do you just see a folder called Applications? Can you not select a different folder to navigate to within the HD icon?

If you press the command+I key with the HD icon selected on the desktop what does it say it's pointing under "Where"?

If "Where" is not an option, then it's the root of the hard drive.

Can you post a screen shot of that here? Redact any personal info.