Command line and power tools

Copying a file path

Updated 2026-07-31 · 3 min read

Simple, frequently needed, and hidden behind a modifier key nobody discovers by accident.

Finder

Select the file and press ⌥⌘C. The full POSIX path goes to the clipboard:

/Users/sam/Documents/report.pdf

Or right-click, hold Option, and "Copy" becomes Copy as Pathname.

Drag into the Terminal

Dragging any file into a Terminal window pastes its path, already escaped for spaces. This is the fastest method when you are already at a prompt.

Get Info

⌘I, then the Where field. Selectable and copyable, though it gives the parent folder rather than the full path to the file.

From the Terminal

pwd                                    # current directory
echo "$PWD/filename"                   # a file here
realpath filename                      # resolves symlinks (needs coreutils)

To put it straight on the clipboard:

pwd | pbcopy

The escaping problem

A path with spaces breaks in the shell:

/Users/sam/My Project/report.pdf        # fails
/Users/sam/My\ Project/report.pdf       # works
"/Users/sam/My Project/report.pdf"      # also works

⌥⌘C copies the unescaped form, so pasting into a Terminal usually needs quoting. Dragging does the escaping for you, which is why it remains the practical method for shell work — and why a search tool that offers a shell-escaped copy saves a small irritation many times a day.

Common questions

What is the shortcut to copy a file path on Mac?

⌥⌘C in Finder copies the full POSIX path.

Why does my pasted path break in Terminal?

Spaces need escaping or quoting. Dragging the file into Terminal escapes automatically.