How to Duplicate a File on a Mac

Using the Finder application in the Mac OS X operating system, you can create an entire duplicate of a file or folder. When using the duplicate command, the computer creates an identical copy of the file you selected and saves the duplicate data onto your hard drive. If you want to keep careful backups of your important files, you can duplicate them and save them in multiple locations.

Things You'll Need

• Mac running OS X 10.4 or later

Instructions

1. Click on the Finder Dock icon to open a new Finder window.

2. Navigate to the location of the file or folder you wish to duplicate.

3. Click on the icon of the file or folder that you wish to duplicate to highlight the item.

4. Go to the "File" menu at the top of the screen and select the "Duplicate" option. The Finder will now create an identical copy of the selected file and save it in the window currently open. Depending on how large the file you are duplicating is, the process can take up to 5 minutes to complete.

References

• Finder Shortcuts