FileShelf Download

FileShelf for MacFind the file you remember—
even when you forgot its name.

Type what you remember (“pdfs from last week”, “lisbon”, “screenshots from yesterday”) and see big previews. Indexed on your Mac — nothing leaves the device.

Download free for 7 days See how search works

The core browser stays free — after the 7-day trial, browsing, search and previews keep working. The trial also unlocks Shelves, clipboard and Actions; those need a one-time license from $9 afterward.
macOS 14 or later · No account · Nothing leaves your Mac

FileShelf Home: recent files as big previews — a flight confirmation, a Lisbon photo, a budget sheet, an invoice — so you can spot a file by how it looks

Shelf

Move files between apps with a Shelf.

Moving files between apps usually means two windows and a steady hand. Drop them on a shelf instead, gather what you need from anywhere, then drag the whole stack out in one go.

  • Shake while dragging, or push against the screen edge, and a shelf appears
  • Drop onto Email Size or Zip and it's ready to send
  • Your originals never change

Clipboard

Clipboard history for Mac: paste anything you copied.

Before macOS Tahoe, your Mac kept only the last thing you copied. FileShelf keeps a searchable history on macOS 14 and later: press ⌃⌥V in any app, type a word, click, paste.

  • Knows a link from a colour from a one-time code
  • Remembers which app each copy came from
  • Never records password managers; codes delete themselves

Clean up

Free up space from forgotten downloads.

Downloads you opened once, screenshots from last spring, installers you already ran. FileShelf adds them up, you choose, and everything goes to the Trash, where ⌘Z can still bring it back.

Next to Finder, not instead of it

FileShelf vs Finder: what each one does best.

FileShelf is not a Finder replacement. It sits beside Finder so you can see files as previews, search in plain language, carry stacks between apps, and recover what you copied earlier.

You want to…In FinderIn FileShelf
See what files areQuick Look, one file at a timeBig previews, grouped by kind
Find last week's PDFsBuild a search by handType “pdfs from last week”
Know where a download came fromGet Info, one file at a timeGrouped by app, with icons
Carry files to another appArrange two windowsDrop them on a shelf
Paste something from this morningOnly the last copy before macOS Tahoe⌃⌥V and it's there

Everything is indexed and searched on your Mac. The only thing FileShelf ever sends is your license key, to check it. Full write-up: FileShelf vs Finder.

Guides & compare

Mac file problems, answered plainly.

How-to guides and honest comparisons. FileShelf is in them where it fits — and we say when it doesn’t.

Guides

Compare

Pricing

FileShelf pricing: pay once, no subscription.

Try everything free for 7 days. Browsing, search and previews stay free afterward. Shelves, clipboard and Actions need a one-time license — updates for this major version included, nothing to renew. Early-bird price for the first 200 people. Full pricing page.

$9$29
Buy for $9

Key arrives by email · move to a new Mac any time · secure checkout by Stripe

FAQ

FileShelf questions, answered.

Something else? Send a message or email [email protected]

What is FileShelf?

FileShelf is a native macOS file library. It indexes folders you choose, shows files as big previews, finds them with plain-language search, lets you park files on a Shelf while you move between apps, and keeps clipboard history — all on your Mac.

How do I find a file on my Mac if I forgot its name?

Describe what you remember instead of the name. In FileShelf, type something like “pdfs from last week” or “screenshots from yesterday over 2 MB”: it turns that into file-type, date and size filters you can see and remove, and matches any words you add against file names and text inside documents.

Is FileShelf a Finder replacement?

No. Finder keeps your files. FileShelf sits next to it and helps you see, find, carry and clean them up. Your originals stay where they are.

How much does FileShelf cost?

Try everything free for 7 days. Then a one-time license: early-bird $9 for 1 Mac ($19 for 3, $29 for 5) for the first 200 customers, then $29 / $49 / $69. No subscription. Browsing and search stay free after the trial; Shelves, Clipboard History and Actions need a license.

Will FileShelf move or delete my files?

Only when you ask. FileShelf reads the folders you choose; anything you remove goes to the Trash, and ⌘Z puts it back.

What happens after the 7-day trial?

Your library, search and previews keep working. Shelves, the clipboard and Actions wait for a license.

Is FileShelf clipboard history private?

It's off until you turn it on, it stays on your Mac, it skips password managers, and you can tell it to ignore any app.

Can I use FileShelf on more than one Mac?

Choose 1, 3 or 5 Macs at checkout. Moving to a new Mac? Deactivate the old one in Settings ▸ License.

Does FileShelf need the internet?

No. Indexing and search run on your Mac. The license checks in about once a week and keeps working offline for 30 days.

Is FileShelf on the Mac App Store?

No. Download it from this site. It is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so macOS opens it normally.

Which Macs does FileShelf run on?

macOS 14 Sonoma or later, on Apple silicon and Intel.

Find the file you remember.

Download free for 7 days

Browsing, search and previews stay free after the trial.