How to search the current folder or drive with macOS Finder Luckily, you can easily change the default search location for Apple macOS Finder. While handy if you're searching for a fairly unique text string and have no idea where the file could be, the results from such a broad search can be overwhelming or difficult to sort through, especially when searching for a common term or a string of characters used in a system file. Using the This Mac option means the search is performed on the internal hard drive and all connected drives, such as external hard drives, USB thumb drives, and even network-connected drives. When you search for a file on a Mac using Spotlight, Finder, or another window with a search field, the default search range is This Mac.
