How to Organize Your Mac's Desktop With Stacks in macOS Mojave

[MacRumors]

If you're someone that has a lot of files on your desktop, you're going to love the new Stacks feature in macOS Mojave, which is designed to organize all of your files into neat little piles on your desktop, getting rid of clutter.

Unfortunately, Stacks is an option that's limited to the desktop and not available within individual file folders.

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Enabling and Disabling Stacks

Toggling Stacks on and off is done with just a couple of clicks on the desktop. When at the desktop, right click to bring up the desktop options menu, and then choose the "Stacks" option.

You can also use the Finder to enable Stacks.

1. Open a Finder window.
2. In the menu bar at the top of the Mac, go to View.
3. Check the "Use Stacks" option.

Turning on Stacks will automatically organize your files by file type. Some of the available Stacks include documents, images, PDF documents, spreadsheets, other, and screenshots.

Files on the desktop before enabling Stacks.​

If you want to turn Stacks off and go back to a full view of all the files on the desktop, right click again and uncheck the Stacks option. Alternatively, reverse the Finder steps.

Files on the desktop after enabling Stacks.​

Viewing Files in a Stack

If you want to view all of the files that are contained within a Stack, just click, and it will expand the Stack and put a little arrow on the Stack's name so that you know which Stack you're viewing.

With the Stack expanded, if you click on a file, it will open up in whatever app is set to be the default app for that file type.

Click on a stack to expand it to see the files inside.​

When done, click the Stack again to collapse it back down into an organized pile.

To open up all of your Stacks at once, option click on the any Stack, which will expand all of the desktop Stacks at once. Option click again on any of the open Stacks to close them all.

Option click on any Stack to expand all Stacks.​

Tip: If for some reason you want to open up or close all of your Stacks with a slower expanding/collapsing animation, shift click instead of just clicking regularly.

Customizing Stacks

Stacks are organized by file type by default, but you can change the Stack organizational system, grouping your files by Date Last Opened, Date Added, Date Modified, Date Created, and Tags.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click on the View option.
3. Select the "Group Stacks By" option.
4. Choose one of the available options to change the way your Stacks are sorted.

The most powerful sorting option in Stacks is of course Tags, which are user set and can be used to identify certain types of files, such as all documents relating to a specific topic.

When grouped by one of the date options, Stacks will be listed in increments of Today, Yesterday, Previous 7 Days, Previous 30 Days, and then after that, by year.

Stacks when sorted by creation date.​

Further Stacks Options

If you want to stick one of your Stacks into a folder, you can do so by right clicking on one of the Stacks and selecting the "New Folder With Selection" option.

Using the same right click options that are available when a Stack is selected, you can open the files, open them in a specified app, rename files, share files, compress files, send files to trash, and more. You basically have all of the same organizational options that you would have selecting any group of files on your desktop, but without the need to select them manually.

Article Link: How to Organize Your Mac's Desktop With Stacks in macOS Mojave

 

[martyjmclean]

I rarely use Stacks in the Dock, but this is something I can see myself using a lot.

 

[harriska2]

When will Windows steal this.

 

[mistasopz]

When will Windows steal this.

You’ve been able to do this on windows for a long time with several programs like fences, nimi places, etc.

 

[radiology]

I just LOVE this feature.

 

[MysteriousStain]

Makes no difference. My girlfriend will still keep ALL her files on the desktop

 

[roland.g]

Many years ago a preview at WWDC had dock stacks for Apps and other items. App stacks went away before the release and has never come out though they can be simulated. However this desktop stacks is a clutter cleanup. Instead of this solution, don’t put anything on your desktop!

 

[Marx55]

It should be possible to organize into a particular stack items of different type, not just the same type. And the left side of the Dock should behave as the right one, allowing to have folders with items, aliases, etc.

 

[Carlanga]

i do stacks all the time, select all>create new folder>stuff9 etc lol. Finally, a new feature to look forward w mojave for me.
[doublepost=1530657552][/doublepost]

Many years ago a preview at WWDC had dock stacks for Apps and other items. App stacks went away before the release and has never come out though they can be simulated. However this desktop stacks is a clutter cleanup. Instead of this solution, don’t put anything on your desktop!

I only organize my external drives nowadays (3tb, 1tb, 500gb) and cloud which is where I keep imp stuff. The rest finder works fine for the random stuff that is not as important.

 

[kriebe]

Get Hazel and learn how to use it properly. Will save a ton of time, keep you much more organized and is so much better than just these basic stacks.

 

[lazyrighteye]

Dig that “deer valley” desktop at the end.

And unlike the Dock variety, Desktop Stacks actually appears useful - esp. for those that save everything to their Desktops.

 

[mixel]

Many years ago a preview at WWDC had dock stacks for Apps and other items. App stacks went away before the release and has never come out though they can be simulated. However this desktop stacks is a clutter cleanup. Instead of this solution, don’t put anything on your desktop!

The desktop is an excellent temporary repository for stuff you’re currently working on. Stacks makes it a lot nicer to work with.

With iCloud doc syncing I find myself using the desktop folder a bit more than I used to as working between my iPad and iMac is nice and streamlined then. I still file things away when they’re done though. Anyone permanently leaving stuff on the desktop - I can’t understand that at all.. even my “folders” there are aliases, to remove all possibility of accidental deletion.

 

[cobracnvt]

Is Stacks just a display organization function or are there now sub-folders in the desktop directory?

 

[harriska2]

You’ve been able to do this on windows for a long time with several programs like fences, nimi places, etc.

Thanks! I’m buying fences - only $10

 

[markgpearse]

I didn't think Apple users would have messy desktops.

 

[Internet Enzyme]

Many years ago a preview at WWDC had dock stacks for Apps and other items. App stacks went away before the release and has never come out though they can be simulated. However this desktop stacks is a clutter cleanup. Instead of this solution, don’t put anything on your desktop!

The only thing that goes on the desktop for me are temporary files. Temporary as in they exist for about a minute and are swiftly dealt with. The cluttered desktop is one of the most egregious idiosyncrasies of the undisciplined user. That's a bit sanctimonious, but I mean really if you clutter finder like that i mean what does that say about how much of a disaster the rest of your life is organized
[doublepost=1530672059][/doublepost]

Is Stacks just a display organization function or are there now sub-folders in the desktop directory?

They are purely display and for the end user's benefit. they do not appear in finder

 

[cobracnvt]

They are purely display and for the end user's benefit. they do not appear in finder

OK, that's what I thought.

The only thing that goes on the desktop for me are temporary files. Temporary as in they exist for about a minute and are swiftly dealt with. The cluttered desktop is one of the most egregious idiosyncrasies of the undisciplined user. That's a bit sanctimonious, but I mean really if you clutter finder like that i mean what does that say about how much of a disaster the rest of your life is organized

I remember a Sales Engineer demoing a product for us using his laptop on our projector. His desktop easily had 300+ files and icons on it. It was such a distraction that it was tough to pay attention to his demo.

 

[Internet Enzyme]

OK, that's what I thought.



I remember a Sales Engineer demoing a product for us using his laptop on our projector. His desktop easily had 300+ files and icons on it. It was such a distraction that it was tough to pay attention to his demo.

I cant stand it. Drives me nuts when I see it.

But I do understand it. Most people when they buy a computer just open the web browser and start downloading like Spotify and Word or whatever. Luckily, the installers of those programs usually cajole the enduser into dragging the app into the application folder, so generally applications get in the right spot. Every other kind of file? Just scattered around Finder, with most of it being in the desktop since that's the most graphically intuitive place for them to be. And since most people can't be bothered to properly organize and customize their experience, their desktop experience eventually deteriorates because they can't find anything and their hard drive is bloated with scores of gigabytes of just inane crapware and theyre both are too lazy and dont care enough to fix it

 

[jasnw]

I know a priori that I won't use stacks. I put things on the desktop (files and aliases) so I can see them and remember I need to work on them I'm a messy workplace kinda person, and have been for many decades now. Stack are just different-paradigm folders, if I decide I need a folder on the desktop for a group of files I'm working on and want to keep visible, then I do that. I don't see that this stacks idea adds anything other than more GUI eye-candy.

Come on Apple, let's get working on rolling out things that excite people, not just new coats of paint or (shudder) more emojis.

 

[Internet Enzyme]

I know a priori that I won't use stacks. I put things on the desktop (files and aliases) so I can see them and remember I need to work on them I'm a messy workplace kinda person, and have been for many decades now. Stack are just different-paradigm folders, if I decide I need a folder on the desktop for a group of files I'm working on and want to keep visible, then I do that. I don't see that this stacks idea adds anything other than more GUI eye-candy.

Come on Apple, let's get working on rolling out things that excite people, not just new coats of paint or (shudder) more emojis.

I had the same exact thought process when the feature was unveiled, but the first time I did like 20 consecutive exports from audacity and came back to my desktop being not littered with 20 ugly placeholder mp3 thumbnails and just one little preview that i could easily just drag into itunes rather than doing command- a or selecting them all i realized that its actually kind of a nifty little thing

 

[jasonsmith_88]

The cluttered desktop is one of the most egregious idiosyncrasies of the undisciplined user. That's a bit sanctimonious, but I mean really if you clutter finder like that i mean what does that say about how much of a disaster the rest of your life is organized

Absolute hogwash. I have OCD and my life is extremely manicured. I also have a cluttered desktop, and it's for a reason - so I can have lightning fast access to any one of the tens of files I use on a weekly basis. Every file has a purpose, and I know exactly where they all are. The mistake you make is assuming there is a "correct" way to use the desktop, and anyone who doesn't use it exactly like you is somehow inferior; undisciplined; living a life full of disaster. Why oh why do people feel the need to condemn others who don't act exactly the same as they do?

However this desktop stacks is a clutter cleanup. Instead of this solution, don’t put anything on your desktop!

Instead of driving, walk! Instead of emailing, send a letter! Yes, of course, one could manually move each file they download to an appropriate location. But technology exists to make our lives easier, and if Stacks is able to automatically do what one could do manually, then that's great. Just because you can't see a use for yourself personally, it doesn't mean the feature isn't useful.

Come on Apple, let's get working on rolling out things that excite people

Ah, so if you can't personally find value in a feature, then it isn't exiting to anyone?

 

[Internet Enzyme]

Absolute hogwash. I have OCD and my life is extremely manicured. I also have a cluttered desktop, and it's for a reason - so I can have lightning fast access to any one of the tens of files I use on a weekly basis. Every file has a purpose, and I know exactly where they all are. The mistake you make is assuming there is a "correct" way to use the desktop, and anyone who doesn't use it exactly like you is somehow inferior; undisciplined; living a life full of disaster. Why oh why do people feel the need to condemn others who don't act exactly the same as they do?



Instead of driving, walk! Instead of emailing, send a letter! Yes, of course, one could manually move each file they download to an appropriate location. But technology exists to make our lives easier, and if Stacks is able to automatically do what one could do manually, then that's great. Just because you can't see a use for yourself personally, it doesn't mean the feature isn't useful.



Ah, so if you can't personally find value in a feature, then it isn't exiting to anyone?

It seems you have some methodology with your desktop. Hell, my desktop is entirely empty. I have my disks constantly on my desktop. And i understand the ease that comes with just tossing a commonly accessed file on the desktop. I just do it temporarily, because to me I find having that not only is the desktop a valuable quick access file management tool, it’s also a sort of canvas, an extension of the macos experience, to clutter it up seems antithetical. But if having an assortment of commonly accessed files on the desktop works for, then that’s fine. I just have disdain for unchecked disorder with no method. Just apathy
[doublepost=1530683437][/doublepost]

It seems you have some methodology with your desktop. Hell, my desktop is entirely empty. I have my disks constantly on my desktop. And i understand the ease that comes with just tossing a commonly accessed file on the desktop. I just do it temporarily, because to me I find having that not only is the desktop a valuable quick access file management tool, it’s also a sort of canvas, an extension of the macos experience, to clutter it up seems antithetical. But if having an assortment of commonly accessed files on the desktop works for, then that’s fine. I just have disdain for unchecked disorder with no method. Just apathy

Also i know my comment is riddled with errors but i cant ****ing fix any of them because macrumor’s ****ing site doesnt work properly on ios

 

[Ruggy]

I never keep much on the desktop because it’s traditionally supposed to severely slow your computer down.

Clearing out the desktop and emptying the waste paper basket, are generally the first two pieces of advice given to anyone that says their Mac has slowed down recently.

Anyway, I wonder what this does to memory, all those links?

 

[hagar]

I don’t understand this obsession to group files by type. First with those horrible app specific folders in iCloud, now this.

I prefer to group files per project. Getting all of your project files out of these stacks to archive them seems like a hassle.

 

[Easttime]

I prefer to group files per project. Getting all of your project files out of these stacks to archive them seems like a hassle.

Me too. Could start using tags, but for me that opens up a new workflow to consume my time: maintaining tags.