- Discover how to use or disable spring-loaded folders on your Mac
- Learn how to make spring-loaded folders faster or slower
- Understand the history and utility of spring-loaded folders
Apple has given many features of the Mac a name, and the “spring-loaded folders” feature is no exception. This feature allows you to drag anything to a folder on your Mac, wait for a moment, and the folder will spring open. This feature has been available since OS X Jaguar and is controlled by Accessibility settings. To enable or disable spring-loaded folders, open System Settings, go to Accessibility, choose Pointer Control, and click to turn Spring-loading on or off.
It’s possible to make spring-loaded folders faster or slower by adjusting the speed slider. By default, it’s set to a medium rate, but dragging the slider all the way to the right will make the folders open instantly, while dragging the slider all the way to the left will make the folders open after about four seconds. This feature is handy for quickly and easily dragging items multiple folders deep on your drive.
For more information about spring-loaded folders, read the article by William Gallagher, Apple Historian and Senior Editor at AppleInsider. He has over 30 years of experience discussing Apple technology and is the author of Doctor Who radio dramas for BBC/Big Finish.
