ForkLift 4 Quick Start Guide

Binarynights Menu

Introduction

Welcome to ForkLift 4, your all-in-one solution for efficient file management and seamless file transfers, across multiple platforms and services. We understand that accessing, organizing, synchronizing, and sharing your files should be hassle-free, especially as the landscape of file sharing evolves with the increasing importance of cloud service providers such as Dropbox, Amazon S3, Google Drive, and OneDrive.

ForkLift combines the power of a robust file manager with versatile file transfer capabilities, seamlessly bridging the gap between your local and remote files. Whether you're dealing with cloud services or more traditional FTP and SFTP servers, ForkLift streamlines your file management and transfers, making them smoother than ever.

Getting Started

Requirements

ForkLift 4.4 and later require macOS Sonoma (macOS 14.6) or later. Previous ForkLift 4 versions require macOS Monterey (macOS 12.4) or later. ForkLift 4.3.4 and later are compatible with macOS Tahoe (macOS 26), while earlier versions are not.

Installation

IMPORTANT: If you already have ForkLift 3 installed on your Mac and want to keep it, you don't need to remove it. You can have ForkLift 3 and ForkLift 4 installed together and use them both at the same time if you like.

To install ForkLift 4:

• Click here to download ForkLift 4
• In Finder, open the Downloads folder, and if the ForkLift.zip file wasn't extracted automatically, double-click it to extract it
• In Finder, move the extracted ForkLift app from your Downloads folder to your Applications folder by dragging the ForkLift app over the Applications folder in the sidebar of Finder

- If you have ForkLift 3 in your Applications folder, Finder will prompt you about conflicting names. Choose “Keep both” to keep ForkLift 3, or “Replace” to replace it with ForkLift 4.

- If you have kept both versions, rename one of them for easier identification. Right-click the app and choose “Rename” from the context menu - Double-click ForkLift 4 in Finder to start it - If you frequently use ForkLift, right-click the ForkLift icon in the Dock, and choose “Options” to select “Keep in Dock” for quick access, and “Open at Login” to start ForkLift automatically during login

IMPORTANT: If you decide to remove one of the ForkLift versions later, avoid using an App Deleter application for this task. These applications often delete supporting files for both versions, resulting in the loss of settings and favorites in both copies. Instead, to delete one version, just move it to the Trash.

Setting up ForkLift 4

After launching ForkLift 4 for the first time, you can configure initial settings in the Welcome Window. These settings can be adjusted later in the Settings of ForkLift.

• Enable iCloud sync of your favorites if you want to use ForkLift on multiple Macs, or backup your favorites
• Make sure to import your favorites from ForkLift 3
• Enable Check for Updates if you want to receive a notification when a new update becomes available
• Choose a Theme - The default theme follows the settings of the macOS
• Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to get notified about big announcements and sales

Once you have configured your preferences, click the “Start using ForkLift” button

Registration

In the Registration window that appears after setting up ForkLift, you have the following options:

• Buy a license
• Register ForkLift using your license key
• Choose to use ForkLift in trial mode without a license key

Free Trial

You have the opportunity to thoroughly test ForkLift to see whether it aligns with your preferences and meets your specific requirements. This way, you can explore its features and functionality to determine if it's the right fit for your needs before committing to regular use.

If you want to test ForkLift without a license key, then click the “Free Trial” button.

Purchasing a License

If you find that ForkLift aligns with your needs and you wish to continue using it, we kindly ask you to purchase a valid license key.

You can purchase a license:

• By clicking the “Buy License” button in the Registration Window
• By selecting Purchase > Purchase ForkLift Online from the menu of ForkLift.
• Directly in our Online Store

Registering ForkLift 4

After purchasing a license, enter your license key into the License Key field within the Registration Window, and click the “Register” button.

You can access the Registration Window at any time through the “Purchase” menu within ForkLift. Ensure that you input the license key exactly as it appears in the Confirmation Email. If copying and pasting proves ineffective, manually enter the key, ensuring the use of hyphens (-) instead of em dashes (–) to separate the blocks of the license key.

Licensing

ForkLift licenses are lifetime licenses with a set length of free updates. With the ForkLift lifetime license, you get free software updates for 1 or 2 years, depending on your choice. Once that period ends, you can keep using the latest version of ForkLift covered by your license indefinitely, for as long as that version remains compatible with your macOS and hardware. To continue receiving new updates, you will need to purchase a new license.

After registering ForkLift with your license key, you can check the validity of your license by navigating to ForkLift > About ForkLift in the menu of ForkLift.

Full Disk Access

Be sure to give ForkLift Full Disk Access when it requests it. To enable Full Disk Access, simply follow the instructions in the pop-up window. Full Disk Access is essential for unlocking ForkLift's full potential. Without it, you won't be able to access attached drives, your Desktop, Downloads, or Documents folders, and you will experience limitations in drag-and-drop operations, among other things.

Notifications

After launching ForkLift, a notification will appear in the top-right corner of your screen, requesting permission for ForkLift to send notifications. Be sure to grant permission. If you choose not to enable notifications at this time, you can do so later in the System Settings.

Graphical User Interface ForkLift is a dual pane file manager and file transfer client. Two panes in file managers and FTP clients are incredibly useful because they allow users to view and interact with two separate folders simultaneously. This design enhances productivity by simplifying file transfers, enabling easy comparison and synchronization between two locations, and streamlining tasks such as copying, moving, and organizing files. It reduces the need to switch back and forth between folders, making file management more efficient and intuitive. The main parts of the ForkLift GUI - The two panes are positioned in the middle of the window. With both panes centrally located, you can easily focus your attention on the primary content, making it intuitive to manage files and folders side by side. - Sidebar: Positioned on the left-hand side of the ForkLift window, it presents devices, connections, and shares at the top. Additionally, the sidebar houses favorites that can be organized into groups. - Preview Pane: Positioned on the right-hand side of the ForkLift window, it offers three display options. You can show the Info Window, providing information and previews of selected items, or switch to Activities or the Log. - Above the panes, you will find the path bar, which includes the status bar. The path bar displays the location, while the status bar provides information about selected items, including their number and size, as well as the remaining free space. - Situated above the path bar, you can access the tab bar, which houses open tabs for efficient navigation and organization. - At the top of the ForkLift window, you will find the toolbar, housing commonly used commands for easy access. You have the flexibility to customize the toolbar to suit your preferences. Many elements of the GUI can be toggled on or off via the View menu. You have three view options to choose from: list, column, and icon. You can arrange the panes either vertically or horizontally, and even select to display a single pane if desired. Themes In ForkLift 4, you have the freedom to choose from some predefined themes. You can also use the standard Dark and Light themes or select the Default theme that automatically follows the appearance of macOS. Additionally, you can create and use your own themes, which can be managed under ForkLift > Settings > Themes. Connecting to remote location ForkLift is a robust file manager and an FTP client. However, the term “FTP client” doesn't fully capture the capabilities of ForkLift, as it allows you to connect to remote and local locations using a wide range of protocols, including: - SFTP - FTP - FTP TLS - WebDAV - WebDAV HTTPS - Amazon S3 - Google Drive - Backblaze B2 - Microsoft OneDrive - Rackspace Cloud Files - Dropbox - SMB - AFP - NFS - VNC You can connect to remote locations from the Connect Panel. The required credentials for connection vary depending on the chosen protocol. Typically, you will need to provide the address of the target location along with a username and password combination for authentication. How to connect to an SFTP server - Click the Connect button in the Toolbar to open the Connect Panel - Set the protocol to SFTP - In the Server field, input the domain name or IP address of your server - Provide your username in the Username field - Enter your password into the Password field. If you prefer to use a private key for server access, click the key icon in the password field and add your key. You can also add passphrase-protected keys using this method - Toggle the “Show Advanced” setting if you need to specify additional settings, such as a custom port number or assigning a color to your connection - If you want to save this connection as a favorite, click “Add to favorites” - Finally, click “Connect” to establish the connection to your server You can connect in a very similar way using almost all other protocols, except for the cloud service providers. How to connect to Cloud Service Providers To connect to cloud service providers like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox, follow these steps: - Click the Connect button in the Toolbar to access the Connect Panel - In the Protocol field, choose the cloud provider you wish to connect to. Supported options are Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive - Click the Connect button - ForkLift will automatically direct you to the cloud service provider's website. Grant ForkLift access to the account you want to use within ForkLift. Additionally, allow the browser to open ForkLift to get back to the app - ForkLift may prompt you to store confidential information (a refresh token) in your Keychain. If you prefer not to see this window in the future, enter your Mac password and select “Always Allow.” If you don't want to add the token to the Keychain, choose “Deny” If you wish to save this connection as a favorite, click “Add to favorites” in Step 3. This initiates the same authentication process explained above. After returning to ForkLift, click the Connect button to establish the connection. File Management Basics In ForkLift, file management becomes remarkably straightforward, not only due to its dual-pane interface but also because of the comprehensive set of features and tools that ForkLift offers. In this section, we will focus on fundamental file management actions to help you get started quickly. Keep in mind that ForkLift offers a wide range of advanced file management options beyond what's covered here. Navigating your Folders Navigating your folder structure in ForkLift is straightforward. To access a folder, simply double-click it or select it and use the Command-Down Arrow keyboard shortcut. If you want to go back to the parent folder, then click the Back button in the toolbar, or use the Command-Up Arrow keyboard shortcut. You can also use the favorites in the sidebar or the sections of the path bar to navigate. Opening Files To open a file, just double-click the file, or select it and use the Command-Down Arrow keyboard shortcut. You can also open a selected file by choosing “Open” or “Open with” from the right-click context menu or the File menu. Creating New Folders To create a new empty folder, simply select File > New Folder from the menu. If you wish to move selected items into the newly created folder, choose “File > New Folder with Selection” from the menu. Creating New Files ForkLift allows you to generate a new, empty file within any folder, even when connected to remote volumes. To create a new file, select File > New File from the menu. Sorting and Arranging Items You can use various attributes like Name, Date, Size, and more to effectively organize your files and folders. SortingTo sort items within the active pane by a specific criteria: - Click the corresponding column header in list view to sort items by the chosen attribute. Click the column header again to reverse the sorting direction. - Go to View > Sort by in the menu to select your preferred sorting criteria. Opt for “Descending Order” to arrange items in descending order. - Hold down the Option key and click the “Group by” toolbar button in the Toolbar to choose your criteria for sorting. ArrangingTo arrange items into groups: - Access View > Group by from the menu and specify the attribute you want to use for creating groups. - Click the “Group by” button in the toolbar and select your desired criteria for grouping. Copying Files and Folders To copy files and/or folders, first open the two locations you wish to copy between using the two panes in ForkLift. You can use different methods to copy the selected items from the active pane into the opposite, inactive pane: - Select the items you want to copy and choose Commands > Copy to from the menu. - Select the items you want to copy and click the Copy to icon in the toolbar. - If you want to copy locally, hold down the Option key and drag the file into the other pane. When you do that, a plus sign appears next to the mouse pointer, indicating that the item will be copied and not moved. - On remote connections, simply drag the selected file into the other pane to copy it. The plus sign next to the pointer appears to indicate that you are copying. - Right-click the selected items and select Copy from the context menu. Hold down the Option key and right-click inside the other pane on an empty space or on an item and select Paste. - Select the items you want to copy and use the Command-C keyboard shortcut, switch to the other pane and use the Command-V keyboard command. To make a copy of an item within the same folder, select the item and choose File > Duplicate or use the Command–D keyboard shortcut. Moving Files and Folders To move files and/or folders, first open the two locations you wish to move between using the two panes in ForkLift. You can use different methods to move the selected items from the active pane into the opposite, inactive pane: - Select the items you want to move and choose Commands > Move to from the menu. - Select the file you want to move and click the Move to icon in the toolbar. - Locally, drag the file into the other pane. - On remote connections, hold down the Command key and drag the selected file into the other pane to move it. The arrow with the plus sign in the green circle turns into the normal mouse pointer to indicate that you are moving. - Right-click the selected file and select Copy from the context menu. Hold down the Option key and right-click inside the other pane on an empty space or on an item and select Move Here. - Select the file you want to move and use the Command-C keyboard shortcut, switch to the other pane and use the Command-Option-V keyboard command. Conflict Handling If a conflict arises during a copy or move operation, ForkLift will present you with options to resolve the issue and choose what to do with the conflicting files or folders. In the case of Files, you can choose from the options: - Replace - Replace Older - Keep Both - Skip - Stop The “Replace Older” option replaces the item with the older modification date with the item having the newer modification date. For folders, you can also select “Merge.” This option tries to combine the contents of both folders. If there are conflicts with subitem names inside the folder, a conflict window will appear again for you to resolve. Deleting ItemsMove to Trash Drag items over the Trash can in the Dock or use the Delete toolbar button. You can also select “Move to Trash” from the right-click context menu or the Commands menu. The Command-Backspace keyboard shortcut accomplishes this as well. Permanent Deletion To delete items permanently without using the Trash, hold down the Option key and select “Delete” from the right-click context menu or the Commands menu. The Command-Option-Backspace keyboard shortcut also permanently deletes selected items. Before permanently deleting an item, ForkLift always asks for confirmation to ensure you don't delete items accidentally. Remote Volumes Note that moving items to the Trash is not available on remote volumes. In such cases, the “Move to Trash” option is automatically replaced by “Delete.” Searching and Filtering ForkLift offers two search engines: its own search engine and macOS's Spotlight search. ForkLift Search ForkLift's search method employs brute-force to find items matching your criteria. It scans through all files one by one within the active pane's location. This comprehensive search can take more time but also works seamlessly with remote connections. Enabling the “Search in Subfolders” option extends the search to all subfolders within the selected location. Spotlight Search Spotlight search utilizes Finder's metadata, delivering almost instant results. It not only searches by file name but also examines file content for matches. Spotlights Search only works locally. How to Search In ForkLift - Open the location you want to search within ForkLift - Click into the Search field located in the Toolbar or use the Command-F keyboard shortcut. - Click the magnifying glass icon within the Search Field to specify your search criteria. Make sure to check the option “Search in Subfolders” if needed. - Enter your search term and hit Enter ToolsSync Synchronization, or syncing, helps you keep your files and folders up-to-date on different devices and platforms, making manual transfers unnecessary and preventing data inconsistencies. You have the ability to synchronize between any locations that you can open in ForkLift, including folders, drives, and remote connections. - In dual pane mode, open the target folder where you want to sync - Open the source folder in the other pane and ensure it remains active. - Select “Sync to” from the Commands menu, or clicking the “Sync” toolbar icon - Configure your synchronization criteria using the options in the sidebar of the Sync Window - Click “Synchronize” In the Sync Window you can configure the following options: - Sync direction: you can sync items from left to right, from right to left, or both ways - Syncronize subfolders: Sync folders, not just files - Sync hidden items: Include invisible items - Add items: Add all items that don't exist in the target location - Don't add empty folders: Exclude folders that would be left empty in the target location after syncing - Update items: Update items based on different size or modification date - Delete orphaned items: Delete all files from the target folder that don't exist in the source location - Time offset correction: Use this setting when the source and target locations have time differences that need to be adjusted - Exclude items: Filtering in ForkLift 4 works differently than in ForkLift 3. ForkLift 4 uses an exclude filter When you hover over a line with the mouse pointer, the line expands to display details such as the file path, modification date, and size. This feature proves useful when you need additional information about the items ForkLift wants to update. At the bottom of the Sync Window, you can see the total number of files that will be changed, followed by a breakdown indicating how many items will be added, updated, and deleted during synchronization. Simply click “Add to Favorites” to save your configuration as a Synclet. These Synclets will be added to the sidebar as favorites, allowing you to perform synchronization by clicking them. If you need to make changes to a Synclet, right-click it in the sidebar and select the “Edit” option. Multi-Rename Multi-renaming, or batch renaming is a powerful tool for maintaining organization and consistency in your files. It allows you to efficiently rename multiple files at once, saving time and ensuring your files are named in a way that makes sense for your workflow. To start renaming multiple files, simply select more than one file and press Enter, or select Rename from the right-click context menu or the Commands menu. To add a new file renaming rule, click the plus sign in the sidebar of the Multi-Rename Window. To remove a rule, click the minus sign. To rename the files, click the “Rename” button. With the batch rename tool you can: - Change the case of file names using four distinct case types - Replace text in the names or extension of files and folders, including the option to perform text replacements based on Regular Expressions for advanced renaming tasks - Add text to file names or extensions. As a new feature in ForkLift 4, you can now not only add text at the beginning or end of file names but also insert it at specific positions within the names - Add dates including modification dates, creation dates or the current date to file names at specific positions. As a new feature in ForkLift 4, dates can be inserted at specific positions withing the names - Add a numbered sequence at specified positions within filenames, including within the middle of the names To save your multi-rename preset as a favorite in ForkLift 4, simply click “Add to Favorites.” These multi-rename favorites will be conveniently stored in the sidebar for quick access. To utilize a saved favorite, select multiple files, click the corresponding favorite in the sidebar, and the batch rename window will open. Here, you can review and adjust your settings before starting the renaming process by clicking “Rename.” If you prefer an automatic renaming, you can effortlessly drag and drop the selected items onto the rename favorite in the sidebar. App Deleter Remove apps completely, including their associated preference files and residual data. App Deleter in ForkLift assists you in identifying and removing all files and folders related to unused applications, ensuring a thorough cleanup. To make use of the App Deleter feature in ForkLift, ensure it's enabled under ForkLift > Settings > General > Detect application when deleting. To remove an app: - Select the application you wish to remove - Select Move to Trash from the right-click context menu or the Commands menu, or drag the application to the Trash in the Dock - Review the items that ForkLift wants to delete and uncheck those you wish to keep. It is important to carefully examine the items ForkLift wants to delete. In some cases, especially with apps having short names or multiple versions on your Mac, ForkLift may suggest removing more items than necessary. - Click Move to Trash to remove the selected items Default File Viewer You can set ForkLift 4 as default file viewer, and almost every app (except the Desktop) will point to ForkLift when you choose Reveal in Finder, Show in Finder, or Open in Finder options. Paste the following commands into Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and hit Enter, then restart your Mac: defaults write -g NSFileViewer -string com.binarynights.ForkLift;defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices/com.apple.launchservices.secure LSHandlers -array-add '{LSHandlerContentType=“public.folder”;LSHandlerRoleAll=“com.binarynights.ForkLift”;}' If you're using the Setapp version of ForkLift, paste the following commands into Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and press Enter, then restart your Mac: defaults write -g NSFileViewer -string com.binarynights.forklift-setapp; defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices/com.apple.launchservices.secure LSHandlers -array-add '{LSHandlerContentType=“public.folder”;LSHandlerRoleAll=“com.binarynights.forklift-setapp”;}' To verify that ForkLift is set as the default file viewer, right-click a folder inside ForkLift and select Reveal in Finder. If the folder opens inside ForkLift, then the setting is active. Note: Even when ForkLift is set as the default file viewer, it will not replace the system's open and save dialog windows. To set Finder as the default file viewer again, use the following commands, then restart your Mac: defaults delete -g NSFileViewerdefaults write com.apple.LaunchServices/com.apple.launchservices.secure LSHandlers -array-add '{LSHandlerContentType=“public.folder”;LSHandlerRoleAll=“com.apple.finder”;}' If you set ForkLift as the default file viewer and you remove it from your system, Finder will automatically become the default file viewer again. Support If you have further questions, or want to report an issue, feel free to contact us at our support email address at support@binarynights.com or on Twitter or through our blog. Please make sure to describe the issue in as much detail as possible, explaining how we can reproduce the same issue. If ForkLift 4 crashes, please ensure that you send us the crash report through the Crash Reporter inside ForkLift. Additionally, don't forget to include a comment describing what you were doing before ForkLift crashed. Your input helps us improve the software. Thank you!

Subscribe to BinaryNights Newsletter

We never share your email address, your privacy is important to us.

Jump to...