How do I get the full path of a folder in macOS Finder?

Enable the Finder Path Bar (View → Show Path Bar or ⌥⌘P). The full path to the selected folder appears at the bottom of the Finder window. Right-click any item in the path bar to copy its path.

How do I copy a directory path in Terminal on Mac?

Navigate into the directory and run: pwd | pbcopy. This copies the current directory path to your clipboard. Alternatively, use: realpath /path/to/folder | pbcopy.

How to Get Folder Path on macOS — 5 Methods Compared (2026)

Q: How do I copy a folder path on Mac?

Hold the Option key, right-click the folder in Finder, and choose 'Copy [folder name] as Pathname'. With Pathly, just right-click the folder and choose 'Copy Path' — no Option key needed.

Q: What is the difference between Copy Path and Copy Directory in Pathly?

Copy Path returns the full path to the selected item (file or folder). Copy Directory returns the path to the parent folder containing the selected item. For a folder, both give the same result. For a file, Copy Directory gives you the folder it lives in.

Whether you're pasting a folder path into Terminal, a script, a config file, or a Slack message, macOS doesn't make it obvious how to copy it. There's no right-click → "Copy Folder Path" in the standard menu. You have to know the tricks — or install something to add them.

Here are all five practical methods, starting with the fastest.

Method 1: Pathly — One Right-Click

Speed: ⚡ Instant | Best for: Daily power use

Pathly is a macOS Finder Extension ($4.99, one-time) that adds path copy options directly to your standard right-click menu — no modifier key required.

Right-click any folder in Finder.

Choose Copy Path for the folder's full path, or Copy Directory to get the path of the folder that contains the selected item.

No Option key. No path bar. No dragging into Terminal. Just right-click and copy — works the same whether the folder is on your internal drive, an external USB drive, or a network share.

Get all five path formats — full path, filename, directory, file URL, and git path — in one right-click.

Try Pathly — $4.99

Method 2: Option + Right-Click in Finder (Native)

Speed: 🔑 Fast | Best for: Occasional use, no extra software

This is macOS's built-in way to copy a folder path. The trick: you must hold Option (⌥) before you right-click.

Hold the Option (⌥) key.

While holding Option, right-click the folder.

Select "Copy [folder name] as Pathname" from the context menu.

Common mistake

If you right-click first and then hold Option, the menu won't change. You must hold Option before the click.

This gives you the full absolute path (e.g., /Users/alex/Projects/my-app) — no other formats, no filename, no parent directory.

Method 3: Right-Click the Finder Path Bar

Speed: 🔍 Medium | Best for: Copying ancestor folder paths

Finder has a path bar at the bottom that shows the full path to your current location. Once enabled, you can right-click any folder in the bar to copy its path — without holding Option.

In Finder, go to View → Show Path Bar (or press ⌥⌘P). The path bar appears at the bottom of the window.

Right-click any folder in the path bar.

Choose "Copy [folder name] as Pathname".

This is particularly useful when you want the path to an ancestor folder — not the folder you're currently viewing, but one of its parents. Click any item in the path bar chain to copy that ancestor's path.

Method 4: Drag & Drop into Terminal

Speed: ↗ Medium | Best for: Immediately using the path in a command

If you already have a Terminal window open and want to use the folder path in a command, dragging is often the fastest option — it inserts the path directly at the cursor, bypassing the clipboard entirely.

In Terminal, type your command with a trailing space: e.g., cd or ls

Drag the folder from Finder into the Terminal window. The path is inserted automatically, with spaces escaped.

The limitation: this only works for Terminal use. If you need to paste the path into a Slack message, config file, or code comment, you need one of the other methods first.

Method 5: Terminal Commands

Speed: ⌨ Varies | Best for: Scripts and automation

For power users who live in the terminal or want to automate path operations, these commands are the most flexible option:

# Print current directory and copy to clipboard
pwd | pbcopy

# Get the absolute path of any folder
realpath ~/Documents/my-folder

# Copy a specific folder's path to clipboard
realpath ~/Documents/my-folder | pbcopy

# Resolve symlinks and get real path
readlink -f /path/to/symlink

The pbcopy command is macOS-specific and pipes any output straight to your clipboard — ready to paste anywhere.

Speed & Convenience Comparison

Method	Speed	No modifier key	Works outside Terminal	Best for
Pathly right-click	⚡ Instant	✓	✓	Daily power use
Option + right-click	🔑 Fast	✕ Needs Option	✓	Occasional use
Path bar right-click	🔍 Medium	✓	✓	Ancestor folders
Drag to Terminal	↗ Medium	✓	✕ Terminal only	Shell commands
Terminal `pwd\|pbcopy`	⌨ Varies	✓	✓	Scripting

Which Should You Use?

If you need folder paths constantly (developers, power users, sysadmins): Pathly is the clear winner — one right-click, no mental overhead.
If you only need it occasionally and don't want to install anything: Option + right-click is built in and fast enough.
If you're already in Terminal: drag the folder from Finder or use pwd | pbcopy.
If you need a parent folder's path: enable the Finder path bar and right-click there.

Frequently asked questions

How do I copy a folder path on Mac?

Hold Option, right-click the folder in Finder, and choose "Copy [folder name] as Pathname". With Pathly installed, skip the Option key: right-click → Copy Path.

How do I show the full folder path in Finder?

Go to View → Show Path Bar in the Finder menu bar, or press ⌥⌘P. The full path to the current location appears at the bottom of the Finder window. You can also enable View → Show Status Bar to see the item count.

What is the difference between Copy Path and Copy Directory in Pathly?

Copy Path gives you the full path to the selected item — whether it's a file or a folder.
Copy Directory gives you the path to the parent folder that contains the selected item. If you select a folder, both give the same result. If you select a file, Copy Directory gives you the folder it lives in.

How do I copy a folder path in Terminal on Mac?

Navigate to the folder and run pwd | pbcopy to copy the current directory path to your clipboard. For a specific folder, use realpath ~/path/to/folder | pbcopy.