Navigate Files and Folders

Pop!_OS uses a file manager called Files to graphically browse files and folders stored on the system and in connected cloud storage accounts. In Linux, a user's data is stored in their Home directory by default.

• Launch Nautilus and navigate through local directories.
• Use search to locate files and filter results by file type.
• Change how files are visually represented, and sort displayed files by specific properties.
• Tag frequently used files and folders for quick access using Starred items and Bookmarks.

The Home Directory

In Linux, each user account is provisioned with their own /home folder. This is where data from regular user activities will accumulate. A user's Home directory contains these common folders:

• Desktop
• Documents
• Downloads
• Music
• Pictures
• Public
• Templates
• Videos

Using Files

Pop!_OS uses the Files to provide a graphical interface for navigating folders (also called directories).

Click the Files icon on the Dock to launch the file manager.

Files displays default folders and connected USB storage devices on the left. Additional drives are made visible by clicking + Other Locations.

Single-click folders or drives in the left sidebar to view their contents. In the contents section on the right, double-click sub-folders to navigate into them, or double-click files to open them.

The back and forward buttons will go back and forward in your browsing history similar to a web browser (regardless of folder hierarchy), while the breadcrumbs will always display the folders containing the current folder.

Using Search

Click the magnifying glass icon to search within the current directory, including any sub-folders below the current directory.

Enter a search term; matched items will automatically populate below the search bar.

Click the down arrow and enter a date in When to limit the search to files' creation date. You can also select a relative date range from the list. Choose to apply the date query to Last Modified, Last Used, or Created file attributes.

To limit the search to a specific file type, click the down arrow next to the magnifying glass and select an item under What. This will limit the search to that specific file type.

• Full Text: This option will search files' contents for a match.
• File Name: This option will search only the files' names for a match.