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Changing the default new folder name on the Mac

In Mac OS X, Whenever you create a new folder in the finder, the new folder starts out with a default name of "untitled folder". I don't like this as a default cause if I forget to reset the name, I usually won't notice since this folder will end up in the middle/end of the list of files/folders in the finder since it start with the letter U. I like my mistakes to bubble up to the top so that I can recognize and fix them. Turns out, there is a way to change the name of the new folders that get created in the finder.

-- Open the Finder and navigate to this directory from the root of your hard drive: System / Library / CoreServices. When you get there, you'll see a file called Finder. Right click on this file and select the Show Package Contents option from the menu that is shown. This will pop up a new Finder window.

-- In the new Finder window, go to the Contents / Resources / English.lproj directory. In this directory you'll find a file called Localizable.strings. Make a copy of this file moving into a directory where you can edit, such as the Desktop.

-- Open your copy of the Localizable.strings file in an editor and look for the line that reads: "N2" = "untitled folder";. Go ahead and edit the untitled folder text to read what you want new folders to be called. In my case I used AAA untitled folder so that if I forget to change the name it'll be really obvious. Once you make the change, save the file and leave your editor.

-- Now you need to copy your edited version of the Localizable.strings file back into the directory where the original file lives. When you do this, you'll be asked for confirmation and you'll need to enter your password.

-- Once that is done, you need to restart the Finder for the change to take effect. (One way to do this is to select the Apple logo in the menu bar, then select "Force Quit..." and choose the Finder from the list of applications).
Rating: 100% positive, 2 total Votes
Categories: Mac Finder hack OS X
Added: on Aug 26, 2007 at 10:08 am
Added By: Marcos84
Searches: finder folder file mac

Comments on this Tip

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An easier way is just to click twice (NOT a double click, slower than that) on the new untitled folder. The name becomes highlighted and you can just type whatever name you want for the folder.
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 27, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Well that doesn't really change the default. The idea is that if you forget to actually put in a name, you'll notice it if the name is odd and shows up at the top of the folder listing. You still need to change the name to be something "real" since it's unlikely that you always want to use the same name for your new folders.
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 27, 2007 at 5:04 pm
This is great actually, thanks for the tip. I have my naming convention using the date (090727-folder name). Looking for a way how the folder could be created with today's date as a prefix. So i don't have to type the date every time.
– Added by an anonymous user on Jul 28, 2009 at 8:24 am
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