The Apple Finder Policy lets you centrally manage key Finder display preferences on managed macOS devices. It’s designed to help organizations improve visibility of important files and volumes, reduce user misconfiguration, and align macOS Finder behavior with company standards.
Overview
Policy name in Swif: Apple Finder Policy
Platforms: macOS
Minimum macOS version: 10.7+
Purpose:
This policy is used to manage Finder display preferences on the device, including:
Visibility of hidden files and filename extensions
Automatic removal of items in Trash
Display of internal/external drives and mounted servers on the desktop
Basic layout of the Finder sidebar
All settings are Boolean (on/off) and are applied via MDM to supported macOS devices.
When to use this policy
Use the Apple Finder Policy when you want to:
Standardize how Finder looks and behaves across your fleet
Make sure users can see critical files (e.g., by showing extensions)
Reduce clutter and storage use (e.g., by auto‑cleaning Trash)
Ensure drives and servers are easy to find for end users
Keep the Finder sidebar layout consistent (Devices / Places / Tags)
Available settings
Each field below is available in the Apple Finder Policy, with a default of enabled (true) unless you change it.
1. Show All Files
Field name: appleShowAllFiles
Display name: Show All Files
Description: Show hidden files in Finder.
Default: true (hidden files are visible)
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, Finder will show normally hidden files (such as
.*files).When disabled, Finder hides these files again.
2. Show All Extensions
Field name: appleShowAllExtensions
Display name: Show All Extensions
Description: Show all filename extensions in Finder.
Default: true (file extensions are visible)
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, Finder shows the full filename including its extension (for example,
report.pdfinstead of justreport).When disabled, Finder may hide some extensions according to macOS defaults or user settings.
This is useful for security and troubleshooting, as it helps users distinguish file types more accurately (e.g., .txt vs .rtf vs .exe in cross‑platform environments).
3. Remove Old Trash Items
Field name: fxRemoveOldTrashItems
Display name: Remove Old Trash Items
Description: Remove items from the Trash after 30 days.
Default: true (auto‑remove is enabled)
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, items that have been in Trash for 30 days are automatically deleted by macOS.
When disabled, macOS keeps items in Trash until the user empties it manually.
This helps control disk usage and reduces clutter on shared or long‑lived devices.
4. Show External Drives on Desktop
Field name: showExternalHardDrivesOnDesktop
Display name: Show External Drives On Desktop
Description: Show external hard drives on the desktop.
Default: true
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, connected external drives (USB drives, external HDDs/SSDs, etc.) appear as icons on the desktop.
When disabled, drives remain accessible in Finder, but won’t appear on the desktop itself.
5. Show Internal Drives on Desktop
Field name: showHardDrivesOnDesktop
Display name: Show Hard Drives On Desktop
Description: Show internal hard drives on the desktop.
Default: true
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, internal drives (e.g., “Macintosh HD”) show up on the desktop.
When disabled, internal volumes won’t appear on the desktop but remain available in Finder.
6. Show Mounted Servers on Desktop
Field name: showMountedServersOnDesktop
Display name: Show Mounted Servers On Desktop
Description: Show mounted servers on the desktop.
Default: true
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, network volumes and mounted servers appear on the desktop.
When disabled, they will not appear on the desktop, but remain accessible via Finder sidebar or Go > Connect to Server.
This is especially useful for organizations that rely on file servers or NAS devices.
7. Show Sidebar
Field name: showSidebar
Display name: Show Sidebar
Description: Show the Finder sidebar.
Default: true
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, the Finder sidebar is visible in Finder windows.
When disabled, the sidebar is hidden, reducing visual clutter but also removing quick access sections like Favorites, Locations, and Tags.
8. Show Recent Tags
Field name: showRecentTags
Display name: Show Recent Tags
Description: Show recent tags in the Finder sidebar.
Default: true
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, the Tags section appears in the sidebar and surfaces recently used tags.
When disabled, the Tags section is hidden from the sidebar.
9. Sidebar Devices Expanded
Field name: sidebarDevicesSectionDisclosedState
Display name: Sidebar Devices Expanded
Description: Keep the Devices section expanded in the Finder sidebar.
Default: true
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, the Devices/Locations section in the sidebar (where drives and servers appear) is expanded by default.
When disabled, this section may be collapsed when users open Finder.
10. Sidebar Places Expanded
Field name: sidebarPlacesSectionDisclosedState
Display name: Sidebar Places Expanded
Description: Keep the Places section expanded in the Finder sidebar.
Default: true
Minimum macOS: 10.7+
Behavior:
When enabled, the Favorites/Places section (e.g., Desktop, Documents, Downloads, etc.) is expanded by default.
When disabled, the section may appear collapsed and require users to expand it manually.
Requirements and platform support
Supported OS: macOS 10.7 or later
Supported devices: macOS devices enrolled and managed via Swif-compatible MDM
Policy type: Apple‑specific macOS policy (Finder display preferences)
All fields share the same minimum system requirement (macOS 10.7+). If a device is below the minimum version, that setting may not apply.
Typical configuration examples
Security‑focused configuration
Show All Files: off (false)
Show All Extensions: on (true)
Remove Old Trash Items: on (true)
Show drives and servers on desktop: based on your internal security standards
Sidebar sections expanded: on (true), to help users quickly reach approved locations
Developer / power‑user configuration
Show All Files: on (true)
Show All Extensions: on (true)
Remove Old Trash Items: on (true) or off if long‑term Trash is desired
Drives/servers visible on desktop: on (true) for easier navigation
Sidebar and sections expanded: on (true)
Notes and limitations
This policy only manages Finder display settings; it does not control file permissions, encryption, or data loss prevention.
Some visual changes may require the user to reopen Finder windows or briefly restart Finder before they appear.
If users are allowed to change Finder preferences locally, their changes may override or interact with the policy depending on your overall macOS and MDM configuration.