Updated April 18th, 2020.
Finder Month continues with something you can learn in the Finder, and apply in many other apps.
Many apps have toolbars, loaded with buttons to make using the app faster and easier. The problem is, it’s not always obvious what the toolbar buttons do, so a lot of us never click them. We’re probably missing out but we don’t even know it.
The right thing to do: put text labels under the buttons, so we know what the buttons do. It’s a one-click maneuver and it works on many apps. Just Control-click in empty space in an app’s toolbar, then choose “Icon and Text” from the contextual menu that appears under your cursor. See below.
Since this doesn’t work in EVERY app, let’s start in an app where we know it will work– the Finder. Open up a Finder window…
… then hold the Control key and click in a blank area in the toolbar across the top of the window. You’ll get this little “contextual menu”…
Choose “Icon and Text” and you’re all set. At least for the Finder. Here’s how the same window looks after choosing “Icon and Text.”
Isn’t that better? I think it is. Bonus: the labels are clickable, which means the target is a little bit bigger with “Icon and Text” than with just icons.
Curious about what “Text Only” would look like? Go ahead and try. It will look like this:
Here are five other Mac apps (all from Apple) that offer the “Icon and Text” option for toolbars: Preview, Mail, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. Toolbars with icons only, and the same toolbars with icons and text, are presented below.
Preview
Pages
Numbers
Keynote
In every case, the button labels help us to know what’s behind the buttons. I’d change every toolbar to “Icons and Text” if I were you. It makes things so much easier.
Want to learn more about toolbars? Want to put more buttons into them? You’re in luck, I’ve written a longer toolbar article on christianboyce.com. Check it out (and if you like it, share it).
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That was great! Thank you for the tip