How to Pause a Copying File and Resume It Later on Mac - MacRumors
Skip to Content

How to Pause a Copying File and Resume It Later on Mac

by

In macOS, you can copy a file or folder to another location in Finder with ease. Simply right-click (or Ctrl-click) the item and select Copy from the shortcut menu, then navigate to the location where you want to copy it, right-click in the Finder window and select Paste Item from the shortcut menu.

finder
In macOS Monterey, a pie chart progress indicator next to the copying item's name shows you how long the copy will take to complete. If it looks like it's going to take longer than you'd like, you can always pause the copy and resume it later. Here's how it works.

If you cancel a copy midway through, a ghosted version of the file or folder will remain in the destination location. Just click it and you'll be given the option to Finish Copying it, or you can Keep the Resumable Copy and finish the transfer at another time that's more convenient.

finder
Did you know that Finder can quickly convert images for you? Check out our dedicated how-to article to learn how.

Related Forum: macOS Monterey

Popular Stories

Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Pre-Orders and Release Date

Sunday August 16, 2026 8:24 pm PDT by
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern. As usual, the event is expected to take place in the first half of September. Labor Day falls on September 7 this year. The last time the holiday was on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to the...
apple camera airpods

Apple's Camera-Equipped AirPods Confirmed: See Them in Action

Monday August 17, 2026 6:21 pm PDT by
Apple is working on camera-equipped AirPods that appear to be nearly ready to launch, based on a video MacRumors found in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate. In a short demo, a man holds a book up so the camera in the AirPods can see the title. "With Visual Intelligence, your world becomes savable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later," says the voiceover text. Here ...
iPhone 18 Pro Dark Cherry Feature

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra: New Details Leak as Apple Event Nears

Monday August 17, 2026 11:09 am PDT by
"iPhone Ultra" supply will be very limited when the foldable device is first released later this year, according to Fixed Focus Digital, a known leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account also claimed that the iPhone 18 Pro's A20 Pro chip will be up to 18% faster and up to 30% more power efficient compared to the iPhone 17 Pro's A19 Pro chip. The A20 Pro chip will be the...