How To Use And Access Your Mac’s Utilities Folder

You can access utilities on your Mac using keyboard shortcut, Spotlight, or Finder

By Dave Johnson - Senior Staff Writer
1 Min Read

Your Mac’s Utilities folder contains a number of system utility applications that are designed to optimize computer performance. Some of them are:

  • Activity Monitor
  • AirPort Utility
  • Terminal
  • Audio MIDI Setup
  • Bluetooth File Exchange
  • Digital Color Meter
  • VoiceOver Utility
  • System Information
  • Grapher
  • Script Editor
  • Disk Utility
  • Screenshot
  • Migration Assistant
  • Keychain Access
  • Console
  • ColorSync Utility
  • Boot Camp Assistant (Intel Macs only)
  • Print Center
  • Clock

This folder is one of the default folders included in macOS. If you are a new Mac user, you may have issues finding this folder. This folder is found inside of the Applications folder.

Where is the Utilities folder on your Mac?

There are a number of different ways to access this folder:

  1. Press these keys together to open Utilities folder on your Mac: Shift-Command-U. This keyboard shortcut opens the Utilities folder directly in Finder.

  2. You can use Spotlight to launch your Utilities Folder. Launch Spotlight (Command-Space) and search for "Utilities" and click to open it. You can also search for specific utility apps by name.

  3. You can use the Finder app (located in your Dock to access Utilities Folder on your Mac). Click Finder, select Applications in the left sidebar, then find and click the Utilities folder.

  4. Open a Finder window and then click Go and Utilities. In the Finder menu bar, click Go, then click Utilities from the dropdown menu.

  5. If you use this folder often or if you think you will use this folder often, then you may want to add it to your Dock for easy access. Open Finder, then click Applications and find the Utilities folder. Click the folder and then drag it to the right side of the Mac Dock (to the right of the dividing line, near the Trash). Folders must be placed on the right side of the Dock—the left side is reserved for applications only.

Senior Staff Writer
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Dave Johnson is a staff writer for GeeksChalk based in New Jersey. He covers news, how-tos, and user guides for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.
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