Copying folder path is a regular task that I use almost every day. It would be very useful if I can quickly copy the path that I’m currently working in Finder or Terminal and then switch to other application to continue working on that folder. Finder does not have any built-in feature for copying the current path using the keyboard. However, we can use a workaround with help from Apple Automator.

Finder

To copy the current path in Finder, open Automator and create a new Service. Config this service to receive no input in Finder application. After that, add Run AppleScript action to the work flow. Replace (* Your script goes here *) with this

try
    tell application "Finder" to set the clipboard to POSIX path of (target of window 1 as alias)
on error
    beep
end try

If you want it to copy as quoted, you can change POSIX path to quoted form of POSIX path.

Save the service with a name that you want. Remember that name so we can use it later to bind a shortcut key for it.

Next, open System Preferences, Keyboard, and select tab Keyboard Shortcuts. Under Application Shortcuts section, click + button to add a new shortcut. Select Finder from Application, type in the name of the service you have created before and set a keystroke for it in Keyboard Shortcut textbox.

Now at any folder in Finder, type press the shortcut before and the full path is copied into clipboard.

After copying the path, you can go to your browser, select upload file, or open any other application and select open file,… When a file browser appear, press cmd + shift + G and paste the path into it and you’re taken to that directory immediately without remembering exactly where it is. Very useful and save time.

Terminal

In most Unix-based OS, there usually a command called pwd, which means print working directory. In MacOS, you can use that command in combination with pbcopy to copy the output of pwd to clipboard.

$ pwd | pbcopy

Emacs

This section is not only for MacOS. It’s for all people who are using Emacs as their main file manager. In an Emacs Dired mode, pressing w on any file will copy the name of that file. Pressing 0 w will copy the full path of that file into clipboard.