Align and resize items in icon view on Mac (2024)

macOS Sonoma 14

macOS Ventura 13

macOS Monterey 12

macOS Big Sur 11.0

macOS Catalina 10.15

macOS User Guide

Welcome
- What’s in the menu bar?
- Work on the desktop
- Search with Spotlight
- Quickly change settings
- Use Siri
- Get notifications
- Open apps from the Dock
- Organise your files in the Finder
- Connect to the Internet
- Browse the web
- Preview a file
- Take a screenshot
- Change your display’s brightness
- Adjust the volume
- Use trackpad and mouse gestures
- Use Touch ID
- Print documents
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Apps on your Mac
- Open apps
- Work with app windows
- Use apps in full screen
- Use apps in Split View
- Use Stage Manager
- Get apps from the App Store
- Install and reinstall apps from the App Store
- Install and uninstall other apps
- Create and work with documents
- Open documents
- Mark up files
- Combine files into a PDF
- Organise files on your desktop
- Organise files with folders
- Tag files and folders
- Back up files
- Restore files
- Change System Settings
- Choose your desktop wallpaper
- Add and customise widgets
- Use a screen saver
- Add a user or group
- Add your email and other accounts
- Automate tasks with Shortcuts
- Create Memoji
- Change your login picture
- Change the system language
- Make text and other items on the screen bigger
- Set up a Focus to stay on task
- Set up Screen Time for yourself
- Use Dictation
- Send emails
- Send text messages
- Make a FaceTime video call
- Edit photos and videos
- Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo
- Start a Quick Note
- Get directions
- Work across devices using Continuity
- Use iPhone as a webcam
- Use iPhone with Desk View
- Stream audio and video with AirPlay
- Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
- Hand off between devices
- Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
- Make and receive phone calls on your Mac
- Sync music, books and more between devices
- Manage Apple ID settings
- Set your Apple ID picture
- What is iCloud?
- What is iCloud+?
- Store files in iCloud Drive
- Share and collaborate on files and folders
- Manage iCloud storage
- Use iCloud Photos
- What is Family Sharing?
- Set up Family Sharing
- Set up Screen Time for a child
- Share purchases with your family
- Watch and listen together with SharePlay
- Share a Photo Library
- Collaborate on projects
- Find content shared with you
- Find your family and friends
- Play games with your friends
- Play music
- Listen to podcasts
- Watch TV shows and movies
- Read and listen to books
- Read the news
- Track stocks and the market
- Apple Music
- Apple TV+
- Apple Arcade
- Apple News+
- Podcast shows and channels
- Manage subscriptions in the App Store
- View Apple family subscriptions
- Guard your privacy
- Use Mail Privacy Protection
- Control access to your camera
- Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites
- Set up your Mac to be secure
- Keep your data safe
- Create a passkey
- Understand passwords
- Keep your Apple ID secure
- Find a missing device
- Get started with accessibility features
- Vision
- Hearing
- Mobility
- Speech
- General
- Connect an external display
- Use the built-in camera
- Connect a Bluetooth device
- Use AirPods with your Mac
- Optimise your Mac battery life
- Optimise storage space
- Burn CDs and DVDs
- Control accessories in your home
- Use Windows on your Mac
Resources for your Mac
Resources for your Apple devices
Copyright

Align and resize items in icon view on Mac (1)

When viewing items in icon view, you can change the alignment, size and labelling of items on the desktop or in Finder windows. To change the icon you see for a file or folder, see Change icons for files or folders.

On the desktop

On your Mac, Control-click the desktop.
Do any of the following:
- Quickly realign icons: Choose CleanUp.
  If you don’t see Clean Up, it’s because you set your icons to be sorted automatically or you’re using Stacks to automatically sort your files. To see Clean Up, either choose Sort By > None or verify that there isn’t a tick next to Use Stacks.
- Align and sort icons once: Choose Clean Up By, then choose an option.
  If you don’t see Clean Up By, it’s because you set your icons to be sorted automatically or you’re using Stacks to automatically sort your files. To see Clean Up By, either choose Sort By > None or verify that there isn’t a tick next to Use Stacks.
- Have icons aligned and sorted automatically: Choose Sort By, then choose an option.
- Change the icon size, grid spacing (space between icons), text size and more: Choose Show View Options, then use the controls to make changes.

In a Finder window

On your Mac, click the Finder icon in the Dock to open a Finder window.
Open the folder you want to change.
Choose View > Show View Options, then make your changes. For example, click the Group By pop-up menu, then choose Date Modified.

See alsoSort and arrange items in the Finder on MacCustomise the Finder toolbar on MacChange icons for files or folders on Mac