Written by
Rivers Wong
How to Create a New File on Mac [Tutorial]
Summary: How to create a new file on your Mac? In this post, we will walk you through four different ways to help you create new folders and documents. Besides, if you want to generate files and organize them more effectively, iBoysoft MagicMenu would be the best choice for you.
If you recently came to Mac's world, you may realize that you are only able to create a new folder instead of a file with a right-click on Mac like you used to do on Windows. Therefore, You would wonder what's the way to create a new file on Mac.
Don't fret! Here are four practical ways to help you create a new file on Mac.
Table of Contents:
- 1. Create a new file on Mac using TextEdit
- 2. How to create a new file in the Finder using Terminal
- 3. Using Automator to create a new file on Mac
- 4. How to create a new file on Mac with iBoysoft MagicMenu
- 5. Bonus part: how to organize your files and folders
- 6. FAQs about how to create a new file on Mac
Create a new file on Mac using TextEdit
TextEdit is an application that comes with every Mac. Using TextEdit to create a new file on Mac may be the easiest way for you. Here's how:
1. Go to Dock > Launchpad > Others, and click on TextEdit to launch it.
2. Go to Apple Menu > Format and change the format of this document.
Note: By default, TextEdit will generate a new file in RTF format, which looks a bit like Word documents. If a text file is what you want, just click the Make Plain Text in the Format tab or press Command + Shift+ T at the same time.
3. Press Command + S to rename the text file and choose the location where it will be saved to.
4. Click Save.
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How to create a new file in the Finder using Terminal
You may also find that you can't generate a document in the Finder by a right-click. In this situation, we can still create a new file in the Finder with Mac Terminal.
Use Mac Terminal to create new files in the Finder:
1. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts
2. Click on Service in the left pane and check New Terminal at the Folder option under the Files and Folders section.
3. Open Finder and right-click on a folder you want, click New Terminal at Folder
4. In the Terminal window, type the following command and then hit Return. Here New File stands for your document's name. You can change it now or rename it later.
touch New File.txt
Now you've created a new text file in Mac Finder, check it out!
Using Automator to create a new file on Mac
Mac Automator is a powerful application. People use it to script and automate things, like batch renaming documents and creating a new text file.
Here's how to use Mac Automator to create a new text file:
- Go to Launchpad > Others > Automator and double click Quick Action.
- Use the search box and search for Run AppleScript, double click it, and then add the following text.tell application "Finder" to make new file at (the target of the front window) as alias
- Close the Automator window to save the Quick Action with a name you want, like Create New Text File.
- Open Finder, navigate to a folder or directory you want to generate new documents in, click the Finder tab on the menu bar, and choose Services > Create New Text File.
How to create a new file on Mac with iBoysoft MagicMenu
If you want to know how to create a new file on Mac desktop more easily, or you think none of the above ways will improve your work efficiency, you can try to use iBoysoft MagicMenu, a right-click enhancer for macOS.
Without opening applications or those cumbersome steps in Automator and Terminal, you can use iBoysoft MagicMenu to directly create a new file on Mac desktop or in an opened folder by right-clicking the blank space.
Apart from the macOS default .txt file, it also allows you to generate various types of files, including doc, docx, xls, xlsx, pdf, ppt, Keynote, Pages, Markdown, Numbers, and any template file with pre-edited content such as invoice and contract. Moreover, you can manually add and create any wanted file types that are not listed in this right-click utility.
Create a new file on Mac with iBoysoft MagicMenu
- Download, install and launch iBoysoft MagicMenu.
- Tick the box under Main Menu or Sub Menu to show the new file formats in the right-click main menu or sub-menu. You can add pre-edited template files or create your desired file types that are not listed in this right-click utility.
- Right-click on your desktop or in an opened folder, locate on New File, and choose a document in the specific format that you want.
Bonus part: how to organize your files and folders
After creating a bunch of new files on Mac, maybe you want to know how to organize your Mac desktop. Well, let's get started.
There are many ways you can take to organize your documents on the desktop. For example, drag items in the same formats into one folder, so that you can access all of them there instead of on your desktop. Besides, you can use Stacks on Mac to help you with file organizing.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed how to create a new file on Mac and provided you with 4 practical ways of it. You can choose any of the methods mentioned above that you prefer.
If you want to simply use Mac right-click to create new files and organize them, please don't hesitate to use the Right Click Enhancer of iBoysoft MagicMenu.
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FAQs about how to create a new file on Mac
A
To generate a new folder on Mac desktop or in the Finder, you can simply press Command + Shift + N at the same time. Or, you can also right-click and choose New Folder to create it.
A
With the help of iBoysoft MagicMenu, we can create a new file on Mac desktop effortlessly. Here's how:
1. Download, install and launch iBoysoft MagicMenu.
2. Tick the box under Main Menu or Sub Menu to show the new file formats in right-click main menu or sub menu.
3. Right-click on your desktop or in an opened folder, locate on New File, and choose a document in the specific format that you want.
A
1. Go to Launchpad > Others > Automator and double click Quick Action.
2. Use the search box and search for Run AppleScript, double click it, and then add the following text: tell application 'Finder' to make new file at (the target of the front window) as alias
3. Close the Automator window to save the Quick Action with a name you want, like Create New Text File.
4. Open a folder, click the Finder tab on the menu bar, and choose Services > Create New Text File.
