The quickest way to make a folder

On Windows, right-click on your desktop or inside any open folder, then select New from the menu that appears. A submenu will show Folder as an option — click it. A new folder will appear with the name "New Folder" highlighted so you can type over it when ready. Type whatever name you want and press Enter.

On Mac, open Finder and go to the location where you want the folder. Click File in the menu bar at the top, then select New Folder. A folder will appear named "untitled folder" with the name ready to edit. Type your folder name and press Enter.

Both methods take about five seconds. The folder is created when ready and is ready to hold files or other folders right away.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, right-click in any folder or on the desktop, choose New, then Folder, and type a name.
  • On Mac, use the File menu in Finder, select New Folder, and type a name.
  • You can create folders inside other folders to organize your files into categories and subcategories.
  • Folder names can contain letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation marks, but avoid forward slashes and backslashes.
  • Once created, a folder behaves like a container — you can move it, rename it, or delete it at any time.

Creating folders inside other folders

You do not have to put all your folders on the desktop. Most people organize their files by creating folders inside other folders — for example, a folder called "2024 Photos" inside a folder called "Photos," or a folder called "Receipts" inside a folder called "Financial Documents."

To do this, open the parent folder first (the one you want the new folder to go inside). Then use the same right-click method on Windows or File menu method on Mac. The new folder will appear inside the folder you have open, not on your desktop.

This nested structure helps you find things later. Instead of having 50 folders on your desktop, you might have 5 main folders, each containing 10 subfolders organized by topic or date.

Naming your folder so you can find it later

Folder names should describe what is inside them clearly enough that you will understand the contents six months from now. "Tax Documents 2024" is better than "Stuff." "Client Photos — Johnson Project" is better than "Photos."

You can use spaces, numbers, hyphens, and underscores in folder names. Avoid forward slashes (/) and backslashes (\) because your computer uses those characters to separate folder levels in file paths. On Windows, also avoid these characters in folder names: < > : " | ? *

If you make a mistake, you can rename a folder anytime by right-clicking it and selecting Rename (Windows) or pressing Enter while the folder is selected (Mac), then typing the new name.

Where folders actually live on your computer

Every folder on your computer exists in a specific location. When you create a folder on your desktop, it is stored in your user account's Desktop folder. When you create a folder inside Documents, it is stored inside your Documents folder. Your computer tracks the exact path to every folder so it can find it again.

You do not need to think about this path most of the time — you just navigate using Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows) and click through folders like you would open drawers in a filing cabinet. But understanding that folders have locations helps explain why moving a folder from one place to another actually moves it, and why you can have two folders with the same name as long as they are in different locations.

Moving and copying folders after you create them

Once a folder exists, you can move it to a different location by dragging it. On Windows, open File Explorer, find the folder, and drag it to its new location. On Mac, open Finder and drag the folder to where you want it. The folder and everything inside it moves with it.

You can also copy a folder instead of moving it. Right-click the folder and select Copy, then right-click in the destination location and select Paste. This creates a duplicate folder with all the same contents in the new location, leaving the original untouched.

If you change your mind about a folder, you can delete it by right-clicking and selecting Delete or Move to Trash. Deleted folders usually go to your Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) for a period of time before being permanently removed, so you can recover them if you delete by mistake.

Using keyboard shortcuts to create folders faster

If you create folders often, keyboard shortcuts are faster than using menus. On Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + N while a folder window is open, and a new folder will appear when ready. On Mac, press Cmd + Shift + N in Finder.

These shortcuts work anywhere you can create a folder — on the desktop, inside File Explorer or Finder, or in any location where you have permission to create new items. Once the folder appears, the name is ready to edit, so you can type when ready without clicking anything else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a folder with no name?

No. Your computer requires every folder to have a name. If you try to create a folder without typing a name, it will keep the default name like "New Folder" or "untitled folder." You can always rename it later if you decide on a better name.

What happens if I create a folder inside a folder inside a folder?

Nothing bad happens. You can nest folders as deeply as you want — a folder inside a folder inside a folder, and so on. However, very deep nesting makes files harder to find. Most people keep it to three or four levels before organizing differently.

Can I create a folder on an external hard drive or USB stick?

Yes, if the drive is connected and you have permission to write to it. Open the drive in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac), then use the same right-click or File menu method. The folder will be created on that external drive instead of your computer's main storage.

Why does my folder name show differently than what I typed?

Windows and Mac sometimes hide file extensions or change how names appear based on your settings. The name you typed is still there — your computer is just displaying it differently. You can change these display settings in Preferences (Mac) or Folder Options (Windows) if you want to see the full name.