How to collect files from different folders and move them all at once

Updated 5 November 2026

Open each folder in its own Finder tab (⌘T) and drag the files onto the tab of the folder where they belong, holding ⌘ to move rather than copy between disks. Or put the files somewhere to wait as you find them — a shelf — and move them all at once at the end.

The built-in ways

• Finder tabs: open each folder in a tab (⌘T) and drag files onto the target folder’s tab. Hold ⌘ while dragging to move instead of copy between disks.
• Spring-loaded folders: drag a file over a folder and pause — it opens so you can go deeper.
• A temporary folder: move everything into one folder first, then move that.

The shelf in your notch