Copy & Get Any File or Folder Path on Mac — Instantly
Pathly adds five copy actions to Finder's right-click menu. Native Copy as Pathname (⌥⌘C) is one POSIX path. Pathly is five formats, no Option key — git-relative, file://, filename, and multi-select.
One-time purchase · No subscription · Works on macOS 13+ · Yours forever
Built for developers, designers, and power users
Stop fighting with paths
Right-click any file or folder and instantly copy the full path, filename, parent directory, or file:// URL — ready to paste straight into Terminal, iTerm2, Warp, or your editor. No Option-clicking, no Get Info.
Works with all Mac terminals and shell environments: bash, zsh, fish. Paths are copied in POSIX format, properly escaped, and ready to use without modification.
Keep it clean and focused
Enable or disable any of the five actions from the simple Pathly preferences window. Only show what you actually use — no clutter.
If you only need full path and git path, turn the other three off. Your Finder context menu stays clean and fast — exactly how you like it.
Local, external, and network folders
Pathly monitors your entire filesystem — home folder, Mac-formatted external drives, and network shares. If a Mac-formatted location shows in Finder, Pathly handles it.
Copy paths from Mac-formatted USB drives, SD cards, NAS volumes, SMB or AFP network shares — Pathly handles them all with the same one-right-click experience.
Up and running in under 60 seconds
Three steps from purchase to your first path copy.
Download Pathly
Purchase and download Pathly from the Mac App Store for a one-time $4.99. No account required beyond your Apple ID.
Enable the Finder Extension
Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Extensions → Finder Extensions and toggle Pathly on.
Right-click and copy
Right-click any file or folder in Finder. Choose your format: Copy Path, Filename, Directory, URL, or Git Path. Done.
Why is copying a file path on Mac so painful?
Native copy is one format plus a modifier: press ⌥⌘C (Copy as Pathname) or hold Option and right-click. Need just the filename, a file:// URL, a git-relative path, or several files at once? Copy as Pathname does not do that.
macOS Copy as Pathname returns the full POSIX path. No filename-only, no file://, no git-relative, no multi-select. Every other format means Terminal, Get Info gymnastics, or leaving Finder.
The native method takes 4 steps every time: hold Option, right-click, find the menu item, click. Pathly takes 2: right-click, choose. Zura Guerra, Pathly's creator, copies paths more than four times per session using Pathly with Claude and Codex — the kind of workflow where that 2-step difference compounds across hundreds of interactions a week.
One right-click. Five formats. Zero friction.
Pathly is a macOS Finder Extension that adds five copy actions to your right-click menu — accessible instantly, without holding any modifier key, for any file or folder anywhere on your Mac.
Whether you need the full POSIX path, just the filename, the parent directory, a file:// URL for a browser or script, or the git-relative path for your current repository — Pathly has it as a single menu item.
It lives in Finder, works offline, collects zero data, and costs $4.99 once. No cloud, no subscription, no complexity.
Every path format a developer reaches for
All five are one right-click away — no Option key, no Terminal, no Get Info.
-
Copy Path
The full absolute path to the file or folder. Paste directly into Terminal, shell scripts, config files, or any app that accepts file paths.
/Users/alex/Projects/app/README.md -
Copy Filename
Just the filename with extension — no path prefix. Perfect for renaming references in code, documentation, or Slack messages.
README.md -
Copy Directory
The parent folder path, without the filename. Use it to
cdinto a directory, or set a working directory in a script./Users/alex/Projects/app -
Copy as URL
A
file://URL that browsers, Electron apps, and many macOS APIs accept natively. Open files programmatically without path encoding issues.file:///Users/alex/Projects/app/README.md -
Copy Git Path
Auto-detects the nearest
.gitfolder and returns the path relative to your repo root. Paste straight intogit add, PR descriptions, or code review comments.src/components/Button.tsx
Git-ready in one click
Copy Git Path automatically finds the nearest .git folder and returns the relative path from your repo root — exactly what you paste into git add, commit messages, or PR descriptions.
No more manually trimming the absolute path. No more switching to Terminal to run git ls-files. Right-click the file, choose "Copy Git Path", paste. Done.
Works with any Git tool: command-line Git, GitHub Desktop, Tower, Sourcetree, Fork, and any editor with Git integration.
Why not just use the built-in Copy Pathname?
Native macOS gives you one path format (POSIX pathname) behind Option+click or ⌥⌘C. Pathly gives you five formats, no Option key — including git-relative, file://, filename, and multi-select.
| Feature | Native macOS | Pathly |
|---|---|---|
| Copy full pathPOSIX absolute path | ⚠ Option+click or ⌥⌘C | ✓ Right-click |
| Copy filename onlyWithout path prefix | ✕ Not available | ✓ Right-click |
| Copy parent directoryFolder path without filename | ✕ Not available | ✓ Right-click |
| Copy as file:// URLFor browsers & Electron apps | ✕ Not available | ✓ Right-click |
| Copy git-relative pathRelative to repo root | ✕ Not available | ✓ Right-click |
| Mac-formatted drives & network shares | Yes | Yes |
| Customise visible actions | ✕ Not available | ✓ Per-action toggles |
| Modifier key required | ⚠ Yes — Option (menu or ⌥⌘C) | ✓ No modifier needed |
| Price | Free (built-in) | $4.99 one-time |
💡 4–8 copies per session × hundreds of sessions = pays for itself the first day.
Learn more: guides & tutorials
In-depth articles on copying file paths, working with Git, and getting more out of macOS Finder.
How to Copy a File Path on Mac in 2026
Every native method: Option+click, ⌥⌘C / Copy as Pathname, drag-to-Terminal, Get Info, path bar — then Pathly's five formats.
Git Relative Path on Mac — The Fastest Way
Stop manually stripping absolute paths. Learn how to get git-relative paths from Finder, Terminal, and your editor in seconds.
Best Finder Keyboard Shortcuts & Right-Click Tips (2026)
The complete list of Finder shortcuts, context menu tricks, and hidden features that most Mac users don't know about.
100% Local. Zero telemetry.
Pathly runs entirely on your Mac — it never connects to the internet, never phones home, and never transmits a single filename or path. Your filesystem is completely private.
🔒No servers. No cloud sync. No analytics on what files you access.
✅No account required. No subscription. Owned forever for $4.99.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about copying file paths on Mac and how Pathly works.
How do I copy a file path on Mac?
Native macOS: select the file and press ⌥⌘C (Copy as Pathname), or hold Option, right-click, and choose Copy [filename] as Pathname. Both copy the full POSIX path — one format.
With Pathly, skip the Option key: right-click → Copy Path. You also get filename, directory, file:// URL, git-relative path, and multi-select — formats Copy as Pathname does not provide.
How do I copy a folder path in Finder?
In Finder, hold Option and right-click a folder, then choose "Copy [folder name] as Pathname" to get the full folder path.
With Pathly you have two options: Copy Path gives the full path to the folder itself, and Copy Directory gives the parent directory containing the selected item. Both are available without any modifier key.
Is there a keyboard shortcut to copy a file path on Mac?
Yes. Select a file in Finder and press ⌥⌘C (Option+Command+C) — that is native Copy as Pathname. It copies one format: the full POSIX path. Hold Option and right-click for the same menu item. Plain ⌘C copies the file, not its path.
Pathly is five formats with no Option key: full path, filename, directory, file:// URL, and git-relative path, including multi-select. Right-click → choose format.
What is a git-relative path, and how do I get it on Mac?
A git-relative path is the path to a file relative to the root of your Git repository. For example, if your repo is at /Users/alex/projects/app and you want to reference a file at /Users/alex/projects/app/src/Button.tsx, the git-relative path is src/Button.tsx.
These paths are what you use in git add, commit messages, PR descriptions, and code review comments. Pathly's "Copy Git Path" action detects the nearest .git folder and computes this automatically — right from Finder.
Does Pathly require a subscription?
No. Pathly is a one-time purchase of $4.99 from the Mac App Store. You own it forever — no subscription, no recurring fees, no in-app purchases.
Which macOS versions does Pathly support?
Pathly requires macOS 13 Ventura or later, including macOS 15 Sequoia and macOS 26 Tahoe. Native ⌥⌘C / Copy as Pathname still works on Sequoia and Tahoe; Pathly still adds the extra formats on top.
Can I copy paths from external drives and network folders?
Yes, on Mac-formatted locations — APFS or Mac OS Extended external drives, SD cards, NAS volumes, SMB and AFP network shares. Note: drives formatted as exFAT, FAT, or NTFS (common for drives shared with Windows) can't show Finder menu extensions — a macOS limitation, not specific to Pathly — so Pathly's menu won't appear there. For those drives, Pathly can install Quick Actions that copy paths instead.
Does Pathly collect any data or phone home?
No. Pathly is a local Finder Extension that runs entirely on your Mac. It never connects to the internet, never collects data, and never transmits any information about your files or paths. Your filesystem is completely private.
How do I enable Pathly after installing it?
After installing from the Mac App Store, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Extensions → Finder Extensions and enable Pathly. Then restart Finder (or log out and back in) and right-click any file to see the new copy options.
Can I choose which copy options show in the right-click menu?
Yes. Open the Pathly app and use the toggle switches to enable or disable any of the five actions: Copy Path, Copy Filename, Copy Directory, Copy as URL, and Copy Git Path. Only the enabled actions appear in Finder's context menu.
Speaks your language
Pathly is fully localized in 34 languages — so the menu feels native wherever you are.
Stop wasting time on paths.
Start shipping faster.
One-time purchase. No subscription. Made for real Mac power users.