The basic ways to open a file on your Mac

You open most files on a Mac the same way you would on any computer: find the file, then tell your Mac what program should open it. The three main routes are double-clicking the file itself, dragging it onto a program, or right-clicking to choose which program you want. Which one works depends on what kind of file it is and whether your Mac already knows which program handles it.

When you double-click a file, your Mac looks at the file type — the letters after the dot, like .pdf or .docx — and opens it in whatever program is set as the default for that type. If no default is set, or if you want to use a different program, you can right-click the file and pick "Open With" to see your options. You can also drag a file directly onto a program icon in your Dock or Applications folder, and that program will open it.

Key Takeaways

  • Double-clicking a file opens it in the default program for that file type, which you can change in the file's Get Info window.
  • Right-clicking any file and selecting "Open With" shows you every program on your Mac that can handle that file type.
  • You can drag a file onto a program icon in your Dock or Applications folder to open it in that specific program.
  • If a file won't open, it usually means your Mac doesn't have a program installed that can read that file type.
  • Finder is the program that shows you your files and folders; learning to navigate it makes opening files faster.

Finding files in Finder and opening them

Finder is the Mac program that shows you your files and folders. You open Finder by clicking the blue face icon in your Dock, or by pressing Command+Space and typing "Finder". Once Finder is open, you can navigate to your Desktop, Documents folder, Downloads folder, or any other location where you store files.

To open a file from Finder, locate it and double-click it. Your Mac will open it in the default program. If you want to use a different program instead, right-click the file, hover over "Open With", and you will see a list of programs that can open that file type. Click the program you want, and it will open the file.

You can also search for a file if you do not remember where you saved it. Press Command+Space to open Spotlight search, type the file name or part of it, and press Enter when you see the file in the results. Spotlight will open the file in its default program, or you can click the file in the results and press Command+Down Arrow to open its Finder window instead.

Changing which program opens a file by default

If you want a different program to open a certain file type every time you double-click it, you can change the default. Right-click the file, select "Get Info", and look for the section that says "Open With". Click the dropdown menu next to it and choose the program you want to use. Then click "Change All" at the bottom of that section, and your Mac will use that program for all files of the same type.

This is useful if you have multiple programs that can open the same file type. For example, you might have both Microsoft Word and Google Docs installed, but you want Word to open .docx files by default. After you change the default, double-clicking any .docx file will open it in Word instead of Google Docs.

If you change your mind later, you can repeat the same steps and pick a different program. There is no limit to how many times you can change the default for a file type.

Opening files from within a program

You can also open a file by starting the program first, then telling it to open the file. Most programs have a File menu at the top of the screen. Click File, then click "Open" (or sometimes "Open Recent" if you want a file you opened before). A window will appear showing your folders and files. Navigate to the file you want and double-click it, or click it once and then click the "Open" button.

This method is useful when you want to open multiple files in the same program, or when you are not sure which program a file belongs to. Starting the program first and using its Open dialog gives you more control over what happens next.

Many programs also show a list of recent files when you first open them. If the file you want is in that list, you can click it directly without navigating through your folders.

What to do when a file will not open

If you double-click a file and nothing happens, or you see a message saying the file cannot be opened, it usually means your Mac does not have a program installed that can read that file type. The file extension — the letters after the dot — tells you what kind of file it is. For example, .psd files are Photoshop files, .xlsx files are Excel spreadsheets, and .mp4 files are videos.

To fix this, you need to install a program that handles that file type. You can search the App Store (click the Apple menu, then "App Store") for the file type name, or search online for "open [file type] on Mac". Many file types have free programs available. For example, you can open .psd files with free programs like GIMP or Photopea, and you can open .xlsx files with free programs like LibreOffice or Google Sheets.

If you right-click the file and "Open With" shows no programs at all, your Mac definitely does not have anything installed for that file type. Installing one of the programs above will add it to the "Open With" list.

Opening files from email, web browsers, and other sources

When you download a file from the internet or receive one in an email, it usually lands in your Downloads folder. You can open it from there using the methods above, or you can often open it directly from where you found it. In Mail, for example, you can double-click an attachment to open it. In a web browser, you can usually right-click a file link and choose "Save As" to download it, or sometimes just click the link and the browser will open it for you.

Files downloaded from the internet may have a lock on them the first time you try to open them. This is a security feature. If you see a message asking whether you want to open the file, click "Open" to confirm that you trust it. After that, the file will open normally.

Be cautious about opening files from sources you do not trust. If someone sends you a file you were not expecting, or if a website asks you to download something suspicious, it is safer to delete it without opening it.

Using drag and drop to open files

A fast way to open a file in a specific program is to drag it directly onto the program icon. You can do this with programs in your Dock (the row of icons at the bottom of your screen) or in your Applications folder. Click and hold on the file, drag it over the program icon, and release. The program will open and load the file.

This method is especially useful when you have multiple programs that can open the same file type and you want to use a specific one without going through the "Open With" menu. For example, if you have both Preview and Adobe Acrobat installed, you can drag a PDF file onto the Acrobat icon to open it there instead of in Preview.

If a program icon does not accept the file you are dragging (because it cannot open that file type), the icon will not highlight or respond when you drag over it. This tells you that program cannot open that file.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between double-clicking and right-clicking to open a file?

Double-clicking opens the file in whatever program is set as the default for that file type. Right-clicking lets you choose which program to use, so you have more control. Use right-click when you want to open a file in a program other than the default.

Can I change the default program for just one file, or does it change for all files of that type?

When you use "Change All" in the Get Info window, it changes the default for all files of that type. If you want to open just one file in a different program without changing the default, use "Open With" instead.

Why does my Mac say a file is damaged or cannot be opened?

This usually means your Mac does not have a program that can open that file type, or the file itself is corrupted. Try installing a program for that file type. If the file came from the internet, try downloading it again. If the message persists, the file may be damaged beyond repair.

How do I open a file that has no file extension or an unfamiliar extension?

Right-click the file and select "Get Info". Look at the "Kind" field to see what type of file it is. Then search online for programs that open that file type. You can also try right-clicking and using "Open With" to see if any installed programs can read it.

Is it safe to open files from unknown sources?

Be cautious. Files from untrusted sources can contain malware or viruses. If you receive an unexpected file from someone you do not know, or if a website seems suspicious, it is safer to delete the file without opening it. Only open files from sources you trust.