Like using tags? Foldigger auto-detects tags you already use, so setup is quick.
You can browse one tag first, then continue on to other tags that also match the first one. That's an AND operation. Important and Project X. Sometimes things have more than one tag.
Launch apps, it turns out
Foldigger wasn't meant to be an app launcher. But why not? Just add apps to the Foldigger menu directly. Apps can even list recently opened compatible files.
For grouping apps, place aliases of favorite ones in folders to group them neatly. A little throwback to the classic Mac OS Apple Menu.
And you can tag apps, too. Create a tag like 'Testing', then apply that to new apps and add the tag to Foldigger. A neat way to not forget them.
Shortcuts you've built can also run as apps, you just need to save them in a special way. See the 'Learn how' lesson for details.
Activate as you please
Use a keyboard shortcut, or a mouse gesture. No Notch? Use a Fnotch™, available on all Macs with a screen.
Fly through the folders with the arrow keys, if mousing or typing is just too much work.
Or use Shortcuts and URL schemes to trigger Foldigger from an external source of your choice. With BetterTouchTool you can assign a Trackpad gesture, for example. We like a three finger swipe down.
We're also trying to make things work well with assistive technologies. Improved Voice Control support launched in Foldigger 1.1–give it a shot and let us know how it works in real world use.
Little features a lot
Sort sub-menus on the fly, access hidden folders and package bundles, show recently opened folders, add favorite folders from the Services menu…
Foldigger goes overboard with settings, with even more planned for future releases.
It's a private app, for private people
Foldigger doesn't call home, show ads, use third party frameworks or analyze your behavior for monetization.
It doesn't need to visit System Settings: Privacy & Security to enable a myriad of entitlements.
It's just a small 5.5MB download that opens folders and files, locally on your Mac.
The Mac App Store does its thing to verify the app and manage the subscription, but no personal or identifiable data reaches us.
Get free trial!
Foldigger is available on the Mac App Store in 175 markets, in 18 languages.
After the free 7-day trial, Foldigger is a €0.99/month* subscription you can cancel at any time.
* or comparable local currency
Is there a one time payment option?
No, we think a small monthly price is more fair, in case changes to macOS suddenly make maintaining the app untenable.
Is it available outside the App Store?
Not currently. The Mac App Store makes things much easier for a small developer, and helps maintain a high level of security and privacy for you.
Support
Known issues and limitations
Tag discovery is based on already tagged items, so unused tags can not be found. This is a macOS 26 Tahoe limitation and we hope to implement a fix once it becomes possible.
Tag colors for custom tags may appear as grey, particularly for items in iCloud Drive. This is a macOS 26 Tahoe limitation and we hope to implement a fix once it becomes possible.( FB FB21946632 )
Tag discovery respects your Spotlight preferences. Any folders you've made private will not be available for tag based navigation.
15 of the 18 language localizations have been created as a set of moderated back and forth dialogues between Claude and chatGPT, the LLMs debating the finer points of Ukrainian capitalization and correct color names in Korean. Corrections are welcome at contact@foldigger.com.
In some versions of macOS 26 Tahoe, Spotlight can suddenly stop providing results. This can result in the list of 'Recent Folders' not updating. A computer restart can fix this.
The previews of tags and recent folders in the Settings window don't show up if the main menu area is empty.
Send feedback
Questions, bug reports, feature requests and more can be sent to contact@foldigger.com or by tagging #foldigger on Bluesky or Mastodon.
Future versions
Features planned for upcoming releases:
Version 1.6 : Coming in Fall 2026
Foldigger Helper app! An optional companion app that enables new ways to open the menu, including:
Trackpad gestures, for uninterrupted pointer based menu browsing
Trackpad top corner clicks
Caps lock
Shift key double-click, the fastest path to arrow key navigation
macOS 27 Golden Gate based improvements
Fix for more reliable discovery of the Foldigger Shortcuts action
Planned for 2.0 : No release date yet
Parent folder browsing up from your favorite, using the Command key to light the ancestral path.
File previews and actions.
Option to open a folder into a Finder window right next to the pointer, instead of their saved position.
Dragging items along for the ride to drop them into a target folder or app. Like Spring Loaded Folders in Finder, but faster.
Dragging items out from menu to a new location.
Version history
Version 1.5.1 : 2026-04-08
Fixes display of localized folder and app names (some items may appear in English on non-English systems)
Small bug fixes
The number of recent folders shown in the Settings window menu preview does not change in real time.
1.5 : 2026-03-25
Reorganized and cleaned up Settings window for easier menu management and less scrolling
Ability to add files in menu, too
1.4.1 : 2026-03-19
Cloud storage folders, such as OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox and other providers are now shown with their real icons and clean display names.
Tagged apps, files and aliases now support features such as 'Recent files for apps' more reliably.
"Add to Foldigger" in the Services menu now works with app bundles and Finder aliases.
Icon loading on slow file provider storage paths can now timeout to prevent long load times.
Web app discovery finds Chrome PWAs in subfolders.
Various visual fixes throughout Settings.
1.4 : 2026-03-11
Helpful listing of existing Safari web apps and Shortcuts saved as apps, for one-click adding to Foldigger.
Custom headers you can add to divide the menu into sections.
1.3.1 : 2026-03-07
Improved adding folders directly from the Tools menu (hold the Option key).
1.3 : 2026-03-05
iCloud Drive app folder contents now show up consistently and much faster
Network mounts, including SSHFS, don't slow down the app by merely being present
Added 'Add to Foldigger…' to Recent Folders in the menu, in the Tools menu that appears when holding the Option key
Added 'Copy' to the Tools menu for copying a folder
Changed 'Size' for sorted folders to indicate item count, as data size for folders is not available quickly
Various interface fixes all around
1.2.1 : 2026-03-03
Improved recent folder discovery.
1.2 : 2026-03-01
Recent files for apps.
1.1 : 2026-02-18
System wide recent folders, suggested folders and meta data for sorted views.
1.0.1 : 2026-02-18
Bug fix: some package bundles did not appear in sub menus.
1.0 : 2026-02-6
Initial release!
Privacy policy
Expand to view
Foldigger™ is designed with privacy as a core principle.
What Foldigger collects
Nothing. Foldigger:
Collects no personal information
Connects to no servers other than those required by macOS and the App Store
Contains no analytics, tracking, or advertising
Stores your preferences and folder bookmarks locally on your device
App Store & subscriptions
Foldigger offers a subscription through Apple's App Store. When you subscribe:
All payment processing is handled entirely by Apple
Foldigger receives only a cryptographic transaction receipt confirming your subscription status
Foldigger never receives your name, email address, Apple ID, payment method, or billing details
When contacting us by email, your email address and message content will be retained solely to respond to your inquiry. This information is:
Stored securely in the email system
Never shared with third parties
Never used for marketing
Deleted upon request
Deleted at a yearly cycle
Under GDPR, you have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of any personal data I hold. To exercise these rights, send a request to the address below. For privacy questions or data requests: contact@foldigger.comLocation: Finland
Terms of service
Expand to view
Effective Date: January 28, 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of Foldigger ("the App"),
developed by Jon Fabritius ("Developer", "we", "us").
By downloading, installing, or using Foldigger, you agree to these Terms.
1. License
We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license
to use Foldigger for personal or commercial purposes on devices you own or
control, subject to these Terms and the Apple Media Services Terms and
Conditions.
2. Subscription
Foldigger requires a paid subscription after a 7-day free trial.
Billing: All payments are processed by Apple through the App Store.
We do not collect or store payment information.
Pricing: €0.99 per month (prices may vary by region and are subject to change).
Renewal: Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours
before the end of the current period.
Cancellation: You can cancel anytime through your Apple ID account settings.
Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period.
Lapsed Subscription: If your subscription expires, premium features will be
disabled. Your configured folders and preferences are retained.
3. Your Data
Foldigger operates entirely on your device. We do not collect, transmit, or store any of
your data. Your folder bookmarks and preferences are stored locally on your Mac.
See our Privacy Policy for details.
4. Intellectual Property
Foldigger and its original content, features, and functionality are owned by the Developer
and are protected by international copyright and trademark laws.
You retain all rights to your own files and data. Foldigger does not claim any ownership
over content you access using the App.
5. Acceptable Use
You agree not to:
Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the App for commercial use
Remove or alter any proprietary notices or labels
Use the App in any way that violates applicable laws
6. Disclaimer of Warranties
Foldigger is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either
express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability,
fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.
We do not warrant that the App will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components.
7. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Developer shall not be liable for any
indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or
revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, or other intangible
losses resulting from:
Your use or inability to use the App
Any unauthorised access to or alteration of your data
Any other matter relating to the App
Our total liability for any claim arising from these Terms or use of the App shall not exceed
the amount you paid us in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.
8. Changes to Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by
updating the "Effective Date" at the top of this page. Your continued use of Foldigger after
changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
9. Termination
We reserve the right to terminate or suspend your access to Foldigger at any time, without
notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is harmful to other users, us,
or third parties.
10. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Finland, without regard to conflict of law principles.
For consumers in the European Union, mandatory consumer protection laws of your country of
residence apply.
Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Finland, except where prohibited by consumer
protection laws in your jurisdiction.
11. Contact
If you have questions about these Terms, contact us at:
These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and the Developer regarding Foldigger and supersede any prior agreements.
Add folders, then find them in the menu
Open Foldigger Settings
To view the Settings window, click the menu bar icon to find 'Settings…' in the menu. If Foldigger is not running, open it from your Applications first.
Add folders to the list
Use the [+] button to use an Open Panel, or drag folders into the list. Popular ones to add are Home, Documents and Desktop, but smaller project specific folders are often the most useful.
Ready to go
Pop open the Foldigger menu using the default key shortcut Shift-Command-Space, or choose another method from the Activation settings pane. You can use your pointer or arrow keys to navigate the menu.
Tip: Use the Option and Shift-Option keys to change sorting while browsing the sub menus.
Find your tags, then pick which ones to use
Open Foldigger Settings
To view the Settings window, click the menu bar icon to find 'Settings…' in the menu. If Foldigger is not running, open it from your Applications first.
Add tag discovery scopes
macOS currently offers no central listing of your tags, so we need to go find them. To do that in a secure way, you'll need to allow Foldigger to look for them.
In the 'Tags' pane, add folders and external drives to the Tag Scopes list using the [+] button or by dragging them. For example, your Home folder or a smaller scope, like Documents. To find tagged Applications, you'd add the Applications folder here, too.
Find tags being used and add them to the Foldigger menu
Click the [+] button to bring up the list of found tags. Pick a tag to add it to the menu. Note, that due to macOS limitations, tag colors may not appear for custom tags.
Pop up the menu and go
Pop open the Foldigger menu using the default key shortcut Shift-Command-Space, or choose another method from the Activation settings pane. You can use your pointer or arrow keys to navigate the menu.
..and go further
If a tag based menu has folders that match another tag, too, a sub menu for those combined matches appears.
Open applications in a variety of ways
Open Foldigger Settings
To view the Settings window, click the menu bar icon to find 'Settings…' in the menu. If Foldigger is not running, open it from your Applications first.
Add apps just like folders
When viewing the Folder list, use the [+] button to use an Open Panel, or drag apps into the list.
Tag apps
You can create custom Tags using the Finder and add them to apps directly. Follow the instructions on adding tags to Foldigger to make the tag browsable.
Thematic tags, like 'Text editors' or 'Tryouts' create fun little sub menus of just the apps you want.
Note: the Applications folder, or wherever you keep your apps, needs to be added to Tag scopes to be available for tag discovery.
Show recent files that an app can open
Turn on the 'Show recent files for apps' option to add a sub menu to app icons in Foldigger. The menu lists recently opened files that the app can open, not only files opened in the app itself.
Use folders with app aliases
To create a small sub menu of apps, first create a folder in some convenient place using the Finder. The name of the folder will be the sub menu name.
To create aliases (shortcuts) for apps, you can select the app in the Finder and use File > Make alias to create one, then drag it to your newly made folder. Alternatively, you can drag the app while holding down Option-Command on your keyboard. Be sure to not drag out the actual app, a small curvy arrow indicates you're creating an alias.
Finally, add the folder containing your aliases to the folder list in Foldigger.
Add Shortcuts as apps
To run your shortcuts from the Shortcuts app, you'll need to save them as applications. This is done in a curiously roundabout way.
In the Shortcuts app, select your shortcut, then use the 'File > Add to Dock' menu item. This saves an application in your Home folder, /home/applications/ to be more exact. This is where web sites added in Safari using the 'Add to Dock' menu item end up, too.
Foldigger automatically lists these apps for one-clock adding to the menu, in the 'Saved Web Apps and Shortcut Apps' area.
Trigger Foldigger in different ways
Open Foldigger Settings
To view the Settings window, click the menu bar icon to find 'Settings…' in the menu. If Foldigger is not running, open it from your Applications first. Then make your way to the 'Activation' pane.
Keyboard shortcut
Foldigger comes pre-configured to Shift-Command-Space. Change this to whatever you find the easiest to reach. For example, Option-Command-.(period) is often available and can be smushed with surprisingly little effort.
Pointer activation
No need to reach for the keyboard. On MacBooks with a camera housing (aka. Notch) at the top of the screen, you can set Foldigger to trigger by moving your pointer under it. If many different apps are configured to use this method, results may be unpredictable.
No Notch? No worries, we have Fnotch™ (Fake Notch) at home. You can set Foldigger to detect a pointer swipe along the top center edge of the screen.
Remove activation
If you're using macro software, shell scripts, or remote control surfaces like a Stream Deck, you can trigger the Foldigger menu with the URL foldigger://show
In Shortcuts, the menu trigger is also available, just search for Foldigger.
Using BetterTouchTool
BetterTouchTool by folivora.AI is a great Mac utility for customizing a variety of input triggers. Here's a configuration to trigger Foldigger with a three finger swipe down. (Be sure to not add a space after the foldigger://show address, when entering it)
Using Stream Deck
Stream Deck by Elgato is a popular hardware accessory for triggering actions. You can add Foldigger using the url foldigger://show to a button as shown. Download the Foldigger icon for that finishing touch.
Foldigger in detail
The app has an increasing number of settings and behaviors you can control.
General
Show headers in menu
Adds the small headers for 'Folders', 'Tags' and 'Recent' in the menu to help tell them apart.
Show recent folders
Adds a list of recently opened folders at the bottom of the menu.
Show hidden folders and files
Reveals items not usually visible in the Finder. Be careful.
Enter package bundles
Allows navigating into special folders that typically don't appear as such, like apps. Be extra careful. Activating this setting prevents launching apps.
Activation
In addition to the activation methods discussed in the 'Learn more' section for activation:
Show menu bar icon
Turning this option off shows the Foldigger app in the Dock and app switcher like a regular application.
A 'Settings…' menu item also gets added to the menu for easy access.
Run in background
Turning this option off shows the Foldigger app in the Dock and app switcher like a regular application, in addition to the menu bar icon.
Open at login
Adds Foldigger to the list at 'System Settings > General > Login items & Extensions'.
While navigating the Foldigger menu
Use the Option key to open up a Tools menu.
Use Shift-Option to reverse the sorting of sub menu contents.
Use 'Copy' to pick up a folder for pasting in the Finder.
In 'Recent Folders' use 'Add to Foldigger…' to add the folder to the permanent list.
Services menu
You can quickly add folders and apps to Foldigger using the Services menu in Finder. Services can be found in the application menu for Finder, and in the contextual (right-click) menu for an item.
The 'Add to Foldigger' item needs to be activated in order to appear. Look for 'Services Settings…' at the bottom of any 'Application menu > Services' list. The scenic route is 'System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Services > Files and Folders' but it may take an hour to find.
