How to organize desktop icons on Mac

In Dioramac, you can change the scenery by moving a folder. To place icons by hand, click the Mac desktop, open View in the menu bar, turn off Use Stacks, and choose Sort By → None.

Move desktop icons by hand

With automatic sorting and Stacks off, drag a folder to a new spot on your main display. If you’ve set up Dioramac with Finder access, the scene follows the icon after you drop it. In Beach, try placing two folders next to each other to see how the shorelines change.

If nothing moves, check that Dioramac can access Finder in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Automation. See Dioramac support for more help.

Align and sort icons

Control-click the desktop and choose Clean Up to align icons. Use Clean Up By for a one-time sort, such as arranging by name or kind. To keep the desktop sorted as files change, choose a rule under View → Sort By.

Keep Sort By set to None if you want Dioramac to follow the positions you choose. For more Finder controls, see Apple’s guide to organizing your desktop.

Group files with Stacks

Click the desktop and choose View → Use Stacks. macOS groups desktop files by kind by default. To group by date or tag, choose View → Group Stacks By and select the rule. Click a stack to see its files and click it again to collapse it.

Stacks are handy when screenshots and documents pile up throughout the day. Turn them off when you want to place individual icons and shape your Dioramac scene around them.

Adjust icon size and spacing

Choose View → Show View Options while the desktop is active. Adjust Icon size and Grid spacing, then check the labels at your usual viewing distance. A little more spacing can make neighboring groups easier to distinguish.

Try grouping the folders you open every day along an edge. That gives you room to see the rest of the scene and makes your files easier to find.