How to Show the Hard Disk on Your Mac Desktop

If you need quick access to the files on your Mac’s hard disk, just add a shortcut to the Desktop.

Getting quick access to commonly used files or applications on your Mac is what the Desktop is best for. So it can be useful to add a shortcut to your Mac’s hard disk to the Desktop, too.

The hard disk isn’t added to your Desktop by default in macOS. However, you can easily enable it if you like.

Why Would You Want to Show the Hard Disk on the Desktop?

Having a shortcut to the hard disk on your Mac Desktop is great for easy access of folders such as System, Users, Applications, and more. Some of these files are not easily visible unless you view them from your hard disk.

In addition to that, there is a feature that allows you to hide windows on your computer to easily show your macOS desktop. Therefore, it will be easy to access the shortcut even if you have multiple windows open.

How to Show Your Hard Disk on Your Mac’s Desktop

Enabling the hard disk shortcut on your Mac Desktop is a simple process. You can do it through Finder:

1. Open Finder.
2. Click Finder in the menu bar, then select Preferences.
3. Under General, enable Hard disks.

The hard disk icon will now appear on your desktop. You can move it to anywhere on your desktop, just like a folder. If you are not a fan of the icon for the shortcut, it is possible to change the macOS icons to something else.

What Else You Can Add to Your Desktop?

In addition to the hard disk shortcut and folders, you can show external disks on the Desktop. That way, when you connect an external drive to your Mac, the shortcut will show up on the Desktop. Finder also lets you add shortcuts for CDs, DVDs, and iPods.

You can drag applications from Finder to your desktop if you prefer to have easy access to frequently used apps, but the Dock is better for this.

Get a Quick Shortcut to the Center of Your Mac

Now you can easily access your hard disk with the Desktop shortcut. There are many options for customizing the Desktop with shortcuts that can simplify your workflow. To keep the Desktop clean, it’s also important to delete files that you no longer need.