🔧 How to Open Terminal in the Current Finder Folder on macOS (Updated Guide)

Mac users often need to work with files using the command line. Whether you’re running scripts, managing code repositories, or using developer tools, opening a Terminal window that’s already set to the folder you’re viewing in Finder can save time and prevent navigation errors.

However, with recent macOS updates like Ventura (13.x) and Sonoma (14.x), some users have found that older shortcuts no longer work — or aren’t easy to discover. This guide walks you through the latest and most reliable ways to open a Terminal in your working directory.

🚀 Method 1: Use Finder’s Path Bar (Quick & Easy)

This is the most convenient built-in method that works in most macOS versions:

Step-by-Step:

1. Open Finder and navigate to the folder you want.
2. Go to the top menu and enable the Path Bar:
   • Click View → Show Path Bar
3. At the bottom of the Finder window, the path to your current folder will appear.
4. Control-click (or right-click) the folder name in the Path Bar.
5. Select “Open in Terminal”.

✔️ A new Terminal window will launch — starting directly in your current folder. No extra commands needed!

🛠 Method 2: Enable “New Terminal at Folder” via Services Menu

If the “Open in Terminal” option is not showing up, you may need to enable it first:

Setup:

1. Open System Settings
2. Go to Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts
3. Scroll the left sidebar and click Services
4. Find the “Files and Folders” section
5. Enable both these options:
   • “New Terminal at Folder”
   • “New Terminal Tab at Folder”

How to use:

• In Finder, right-click (or Control-click) the folder
• Choose Services → New Terminal at Folder
• Or use the keyboard shortcut if assigned

💡 You can also map this to a shortcut (like ⌘ + Shift + T) if you use it often.

🖱 Method 3: Drag and Drop into Terminal

A fallback trick that works in any macOS version:

1. Open the Terminal app (from Spotlight or Applications → Utilities).
2. Type cd followed by a space — don’t press Enter yet.
3. Drag the folder from Finder and drop it into the Terminal window.
4. The folder path will auto-fill. Press Enter to navigate there.

🔄 This is handy if you want to switch directories directly from Terminal.

🧰 Bonus: Opening Finder from Terminal

Need the reverse? Here’s how to open a Finder window from the current Terminal directory:

open .

Or to open a specific folder:

open /path/to/folder

📝 Conclusion

Opening a Terminal directly from Finder can make your macOS workflow much more efficient — especially for developers and power users. Apple continues to support these features, but they’re sometimes hidden behind menu settings or require a one-time setup.

Give these methods a try and pick the one that matches your preferred workflow. Happy coding! 🖥️💡

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rajeshkumar

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