In recent versions of macOS, Apple introduced a feature to the Finder called “Use Groups.” When this feature is active, Finder automatically categorizes and separates the files in your folder into distinct visual blocks based on specific criteria—such as grouping them by “Date Added,” “Kind” (folders, documents, images), or “Application.”
While this is useful for quickly parsing massive folders like your Downloads directory, it is incredibly jarring if you simply want to view a standard, alphabetical list of your files. The visual dividers take up unnecessary screen space, and if you are using the icon view, the groups often force you to scroll horizontally to see all the items in a single category.
If you prefer a classic, unsegmented view of your files, you can easily turn off grouping.
How to Stop Finder from Grouping Files
You can disable the grouping feature directly from the Finder toolbar or the context menu.
- Open the Finder app on your Mac.
- Navigate to the folder that is currently exhibiting the grouped layout.
- Right-click (or Control-click) anywhere in the empty space between the files in that folder.
- In the pop-up context menu, click on Use Groups. Because the feature is currently active, clicking it will uncheck the option and disable it.
Alternatively, you can use the toolbar at the top of the Finder window:
- Click the Group By button in the Finder toolbar (it looks like a small square with three horizontal lines and a downward-facing arrow next to it).
- At the very top of the drop-down menu, select None.
Your files will immediately snap back into a single, cohesive list or grid. To ensure they are sorted alphabetically without being grouped, you can click the Sort By column header (if you are in List view) or right-click the background and choose Sort By > Name.