File and Folder Management
File and folder management is an essential feature of an operating system (OS) that allows users to organize, store, and retrieve data efficiently. Below is a guide to managing files and folders in Windows, macOS, and Linux.
1. File and Folder Operations
Common file and folder actions in all operating systems:
🔹 Create – Make new files or folders
🔹 Rename – Change the name of files/folders
🔹 Move – Transfer files to different locations
🔹 Copy – Duplicate files or folders
🔹 Delete – Remove unwanted files permanently or move to Recycle Bin/Trash
🔹 Search – Find files using the OS’s search feature
2. File Explorer / Finder / File Manager
Each OS provides a file management tool:
- Windows: File Explorer (Win + E)
- macOS: Finder (Cmd + Space, then type Finder)
- Linux: File Manager (varies by desktop environment: Nautilus, Dolphin, Thunar, etc.)
- Basic File Operations in File Manager
✅ To Create a New Folder:
Windows: Right-click → New → Folder
macOS: Cmd + Shift + N
Linux: Right-click → Create New Folder or use mkdir foldername in Terminal
✅ To Rename a File or Folder:
Windows: Select file → Press F2 → Type new name
macOS: Click file → Press Return (Enter) → Type new name
Linux: Right-click → Rename or use mv oldname newname in Terminal
✅ To Copy/Move Files:
Windows & macOS: Drag and drop between folders
Linux: Use cp (copy) or mv (move) in Terminal
✅ To Delete a File or Folder:
Windows: Select file → Press Delete (moves to Recycle Bin)
macOS: Cmd + Delete (moves to Trash)
Linux: Right-click → Delete or use rm filename in Terminal
3. File Organization Techniques
🔹 Use Folders & Subfolders – Keep related files together
🔹 Use Descriptive Names – Name files clearly for easy search (e.g., "Project_Report.docx" instead of "New.docx")
🔹 Sort by Date/Type – Organize files by modification date or file type
🔹 Use Shortcuts (Windows) / Aliases (Mac) – Keep shortcuts instead of duplicate files
4. File Extensions and Types
Each file has an extension that tells the OS what type it is:
📄 Documents: .docx (Word), .pdf, .txt, .xlsx (Excel)
🎵 Audio: .mp3, .wav, .aac
📷 Images: .jpg, .png, .gif
🎬 Videos: .mp4, .avi, .mov
💾 Executable Files: .exe (Windows), .app (Mac), .sh (Linux)
5. Searching for Files and Folders
✅ Windows: Use Win + S and type the filename
✅ macOS: Use Cmd + Space for Spotlight Search
✅ Linux: Use the search feature in File Manager or type find /home -name filename in Terminal
6. File Compression & Archiving
To save space, multiple files can be compressed into a ZIP file:
Windows: Right-click → Send to Compressed (zipped) folder
macOS: Right-click → Compress
Linux: Use zip -r archive.zip foldername in Terminal
7. File Permissions (Linux & macOS)
Permissions determine who can read, write, or execute a file.
Use ls -l to check permissions
Use chmod 755 filename to change permissions