How to use FinderKeeper

What FinderKeeper does

FinderKeeper helps Finder feel more consistent by remembering real Finder folders and restoring your working context. In everyday use, that means Finder can return to the folder you were actually using, bring the window back to the same monitor in multiple-monitor setups, and preserve the view behavior you prefer for each folder.

Getting started

1. Download and install FinderKeeper by dragging it into the Applications folder.
2. Open FinderKeeper.
3. Click the FinderKeeper menu-bar icon.
4. The FinderKeeper control window appears. You can move this window anywhere you like.
5. Use Finder normally. FinderKeeper works quietly in the background while it is running.

The control window

The FinderKeeper control window provides the main controls for the app.

• Live / Active Status: shows whether FinderKeeper is currently watching Finder.
• Current folder: shows the current real Finder folder path when one is active.
• Launch at Login: lets FinderKeeper start automatically when you log in.
• Pause FinderKeeper: temporarily stops it from learning or restoring Finder state.
• Clear Remembered States: removes FinderKeeper’s saved folder and window memory.

What FinderKeeper remembers

FinderKeeper uses two kinds of memory:

• Global window memory: Finder window position, size, and monitor placement.
• Per-folder view memory: view mode, sorting, path bar, status bar, sidebar width, icon arrangement, and supported column-view preview settings.

This model is deliberate. FinderKeeper restores window geometry only when Finder opens again after having no Finder windows, which avoids distracting window jumps while you browse between folders.

About Recents

Recents is a special Finder view rather than an ordinary filesystem folder. Because of that, FinderKeeper does not treat Recents as your “last real folder.”

• When Recents is active, FinderKeeper may show: No ordinary Finder folder is active.
• This is intentional and correct behavior.
• Recents never replaces the last real folder used for Finder reopen.

Pause & Clear Remembered States

If you pause FinderKeeper, it stops updating and restoring Finder state until you resume it.

If you use Clear Remembered States, FinderKeeper forgets its saved folder memories and last window geometry. This is useful if you want to reset the app and start fresh.

Launch at Login

Turn on Launch at Login if you want FinderKeeper running automatically each time you sign in.

• If macOS requests approval, go to System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions.
• Approve FinderKeeper if needed.

Troubleshooting

• Finder isn’t being remembered: make sure FinderKeeper is running and not paused.
• The current folder says no ordinary folder is active: you may be in Recents or another special Finder location.
• Finder behaves normally again: FinderKeeper may be quit, paused, or not set to launch at login.
• You changed monitor arrangement: FinderKeeper remembers saved geometry, so different display arrangements may change the result.

How to stop using FinderKeeper

FinderKeeper is optional. To stop using it:

1. Turn off Launch at Login if you enabled it.
2. Quit FinderKeeper.
3. If desired, delete the app from Applications.

Once FinderKeeper is no longer running, Finder simply returns to its normal native behavior.