A file shelf for Mac: stop stacking files on the Desktop
Most of us stash files on the Desktop while we work out where they belong. A file shelf does the same job without the mess.
The workflow
- Drag a file toward the top of the screen. The shelf opens.
- Drop it in. It waits there.
- Go to the place the file belongs, such as a message, a folder or another app.
- Drag it back out and drop it.
Because you never needed two windows open, the whole sequence takes seconds.
References, not copies
Good shelves remember where files are instead of copying them. That keeps them instant and avoids duplicate files. The tradeoff is that deleting or moving the original breaks the shelf entry, which is why a shelf is for the short term.
Add an AirDrop zone
Sharing to a nearby device is a drag and drop job too. An AirDrop zone next to the shelf opens the system picker the moment you drop onto it.
NotchStar combines both on its Shelf tab: an AirDrop zone on the left, a shelf on the right, and the notch opens by itself when you drag a file toward it.
