ctrlhq

Cut & paste

Cut and paste in Finder. Finally, it can.

⌘X a file or folder, ⌘V it somewhere else, and it moves. Just like on Windows.

Buy ctrlhq · Launch price, regularly $29: $24.99Launch price, regularly ₹1,999: ₹1,499

One-time purchase, lifetime updates

Already bought? Download

Shortcut ⌘X

Coming from Windows, the first thing you try in Finder is ⌘X on a file. Nothing happens. macOS can move files, but only with ⌘C and then ⌘⌥V, a shortcut almost nobody finds on their own.

Turn on Cut & paste in ctrlhq and ⌘X works the way your hands expect. Cut a file or folder, open another folder, press ⌘V, and it moves there. The notch tells you what you cut, so you never wonder if it took.

What you get

  • ⌘X really cuts

    Select files or folders in Finder and press ⌘X. The notch shows what you cut, like “Cut 3 items · ⌘V to move it here”.

  • ⌘V moves them

    Open the folder you want and press ⌘V. The files move. They aren't copied, so there's no copy left behind to delete.

  • Finder's own move

    ctrlhq hands the move to Finder, so ⌘Z undoes it, name clashes ask what to do, and moving to another drive works as usual.

  • Text still works

    Renaming a file, the search box or Go to Folder? ⌘X and ⌘V cut and paste text there, exactly as before.

  • Changed your mind?

    Press Escape to cancel the cut, or copy something else. Your files stay where they are until you paste.

  • Nothing to learn

    No new window and no new shortcut. One switch in Settings, and the keys you already know work in Finder.

How it works

  1. 1Open ctrlhq Settings › General and switch on Finder › “⌘X cuts files, ⌘V moves them”.
  2. 2Allow Accessibility access when asked.
  3. 3In Finder, select files and press ⌘X, then open another folder and press ⌘V.

Questions

Can you cut and paste files on a Mac?

Finally, it can. With ctrlhq, select files or folders in Finder and press ⌘X, then go to another folder and press ⌘V. They move there, the same way cut and paste works on Windows.

Why doesn't ⌘X work in Finder?

Finder has never had a cut command for files. It only moves files with ⌘C, then ⌘⌥V (Option-Command-V) in the new folder. ctrlhq turns ⌘X and ⌘V into that move for you.

Is it a real move or a copy?

A real move. ctrlhq uses Finder's own Move Item Here, so nothing is duplicated and nothing is left behind.

Can I undo a move?

Yes. Press ⌘Z in Finder straight after, just like any other move.

What if a file with the same name is already there?

Finder asks whether to keep both, stop or replace, the same as it always does.

Does it change ⌘X and ⌘V anywhere else?

No. It only works in Finder windows with files selected. In text fields, in Finder and in every other app, cut and paste work as they always have.

Why does it need Accessibility access?

To see the ⌘X and ⌘V you press in Finder and to tell a file selection from a text field. Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere.

How do I cancel a cut?

Press Escape in Finder, or copy something else. The files stay where they were.

Also in the notch

All features

Cut & paste, and everything else.

Every feature is in one app, for one price: $24.99₹1,499 once, no subscription.

Buy ctrlhq · Launch price, regularly $29: $24.99Launch price, regularly ₹1,999: ₹1,499

One-time purchase, lifetime updates

Already bought? Download

macOS 15 Sequoia or later · Apple silicon & Intel