Show Library Folder Mac Finder Yosemite

24-05-2021
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While many Mac users may never need to access their User Library folder while running macOS Sierra — some advanced users, may need to get in there and access support data and such when troubleshooting. The folder is hidden by default in macOS Sierra, but it only take a few moments to access it, or make it so that the folder is always visible.

Before we begin, we want to say that it’s usually a good idea to leave things in the users ~/Library folder alone, unless directed to by support personnel. The folder contains caches, application support data, and preference files, and if you screw around in there too much, you could really screw things up. We DO NOT recommend it. Now that our butts are covered, here’s how to find and display your User Library folder.

I thought the hidden Library folder would appear if I used the Terminal command to either reveal the hidden Library folder AND/OR to show all hidden files and folders. Both commands work outside of Time Machine but they don't show any hidden files or folders when I am in Time Machine space.

Opening the User Library Folder in macOS Sierra

If you just need to access the user ~/Library folder on occasion, you can get into it by using the Finder “Go” menu.

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  1. From the Finder in macOS, (Click anywhere on the Desktop where there isn’t already an app window, and you should see “Finder” appear in the upper left hand corner of your display, up near the Apple icon), click the “Go” menu item, and then hold down the SHIFT key on your Mac’s keyboard.
  2. Click on “Library” in the drop-down list. (If you release the SHIFT key, the “Library” option will disappear from the menu. Now you see it, now you don’t.)

If you’re not much of a mouser, you can just hit the key combo of Command + Shift + L, and a Finder window will appear showing the ~/Library directory of the active user account.

Always Show the User Library Folder in macOS Sierra

If you are an advanced user, you might want to always display the user ~/Library folder in your user Home directory. It just takes a few clicks to enable this option.

  1. In Finder, go to the Users’ home folder
  2. Click the “View” menu and then click “View Options”
  3. Click the “Show Library Folder” option in the Settings options for the User home folder, as shown below.

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Following the above steps will change the settings for only the current user. Any other users will also have to follow the above steps while logged into the machine.

These steps also work with Mac OS X El Capitan and Yosemite. In earlier versions of OS X, a command line entry was required to perform the same magic.

(Thanks to OS X Daily)

The Library folder, at the root level of your OS X hard drive, is like a public library; it stores items available to everyone who logs into any account on this Mac.

There are actually three or more Library folders on your hard drive:

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  • At the root level of your OS X disk

  • In the root-level System folder

  • In each user’s Home folder

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Now, here’s the scoop on your various Library folders:

  • The “Public” Library: You find a bunch of folders inside the Library folder at root level (the “public” Library folder). Most of them contain files that you never need to open, move, or delete.

    By and large, the public Library subfolder that gets the most use is the Fonts folder, which houses many of the fonts installed on the Mac.

  • System Library: This is the nerve center of your Mac. In other words, you should never have to touch this particular Library folder.

    Leave the/System/Libraryfolder alone. Don’t move, remove, or rename it, or do anything within it.

  • Library in each user’s Home folder: This is where OS X stores configuration and preferences files for each user account.

Show Library Folder Mac Finder Yosemite Download

Show Library Folder Mac Finder Yosemite

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The locations of all these libraries are illustrated here.

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If your Mac is set up for multiple users, only users with administrator (admin) privileges can put stuff in the public (root-level) Library folder.