Cataloging drives and folders

Cataloging one folder instead of an entire drive

Updated 2026-10-01 · 3 min read

Sometimes the right scope is a folder, not a drive and certainly not the whole Mac.

The useful distinction

A folder catalog is useful for a project archive, a media directory, or a protected work folder. Choose the folder in Catalog rather than switching on a broad scan, and Everywhere records that root with its relative paths. A folder on an external drive becomes offline when that drive is disconnected; a folder on the Mac remains tied to the boot volume.

A careful workflow

Open Catalog… from Everywhere’s menu bar item and add the drive or folder that matters. Let the first catalogue finish, then search by filename and browse the recorded folder tree. When the source is disconnected, the catalogue remains available and results are labelled offline so you know why opening the file requires reconnecting the drive.

Keep the original drive unchanged, use a clear catalogue name, and rescan after a large round of changes. Catalogues are for the places you choose; they do not silently turn a whole-Mac search into a second scan.

Common questions

Can I add multiple folders?

Yes. Each chosen folder is its own catalog entry, which keeps rescan and forget operations precise.

Will a folder catalog include files outside the folder?

No. The catalog scanner starts at the selected root and does not expand to unrelated siblings.