Default Folder X
Faster Open and Save dialogs and folder access on the Mac
What is Default Folder X?
Default Folder X is a Mac utility from St. Clair Software that adds navigation tools to the Open and Save dialogs of every application. It keeps recent and favorite folders in menus, lets you save into any open Finder window with a click, and sets a default folder per application. The same menus, a Quick Search window and a drawer for parked items are also available in the Finder and the menu bar. It is sold as a one-time, per-user license after a 30-day trial.
Default Folder X is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $39.95 one-time purchase (single-user license). See every plan
Good for
- Mac users who open and save files across many folders every day
- People who want keyboard shortcuts to favorite and recent folders
- Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
Worth knowing
- macOS only: version 6 runs on macOS 10.13 through 27, and macOS 10.10 to 10.12 need the older version 5.6.6.
- There is no free version; after the 30-day trial a $39.95 license is required.
- A license covers updates until the next major release, which the vendor says typically comes every 5 to 7 years; upgrades after that are paid.
- Licenses are per user, not per computer, so each additional person needs a license of their own.
Key features
- Enhanced Open and Save dialogs
- Adds a toolbar to file dialogs in every app, with hierarchical menus that expand as the mouse moves over folders and a larger field for typing file names.
- Recent and favorite folders
- Remembers recently used files and folders, re-selects the last file opened, and gives favorite folders their own configurable keyboard shortcuts.
- Click a Finder window
- With a file dialog open, clicking any Finder window makes the dialog jump to that folder, so a file can be opened from or saved to it in one click.
- Quick Search
- Command-Shift-Space opens a search window: typing a few letters of a file, folder or application name brings up recently used items to open in a dialog or the Finder.
- Default folders per application
- A default folder can be set for each application so its dialogs start in the right place, and the app can remember a folder you save into repeatedly.
- Finder drawer and menu bar drop target
- Items can be parked in a drawer below a Finder window, or dragged to the menu bar icon and moved straight to a folder chosen from its menus.
Default Folder X pricing
- Starts at
- $39.95 one-time purchase (single-user license)
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- Free for 30 days with the download from the vendor's site
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Single-user license | $39.95one-time purchase per user | One license per person, usable on every Mac where that person is the sole user. Updates are free until the next major release. |
| 2+ licenses | $34.95one-time purchase per user, when buying 2 or more | Lower per-license price when two or more single-user licenses are bought together. |
Read from stclairsoft.com on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Default Folder X before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Other savings$34.95 each for 2 or more licenses
The product page prices a single-user license at $39.95 and drops the price to $34.95 per license when two or more are bought.
Stated on stclairsoft.com - EducationEducational discounts
The product page links to educational discounts, which are sold through the Student App Centre store. The amount is not shown on the vendor's page.
Stated on stclairsoft.com - Other savingsUpgrade pricing for earlier licenses
Version 6 is free for licenses bought on or after March 1, 2023, $9.95 for those bought from September 1, 2022, and $19.95 for older ones.
Stated on stclairsoft.com
Works with
- Finder
- iCloud
- AppleScript
- Setapp
Default Folder X alternatives
- Default Folder X vs Path Finder
Free trial · from $2.95/mo
- Default Folder X vs ForkLift
Free trial · from $19.95 one-time
- Default Folder X vs Yoink
Free trial · from $8.99 one-time
- Default Folder X vs Hazel
Free trial · from $42 one-time
Common questions
Is Default Folder X free?
No, Default Folder X is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free for 30 days with the download from the vendor's site.
How much does Default Folder X cost?
Default Folder X lists 2 plans. Single-user license: $39.95 one-time purchase per user. 2+ licenses: $34.95 one-time purchase per user, when buying 2 or more. Prices were read from stclairsoft.com on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does Default Folder X work on?
Default Folder X is available on macOS.
Does Default Folder X offer any discounts?
Default Folder X publicly lists the following: $34.95 each for 2 or more licenses; Educational discounts; Upgrade pricing for earlier licenses.
Does Default Folder X have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Default Folder X is listed for macOS.
Does Default Folder X have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Default Folder X is listed for macOS.
Is Default Folder X open source?
Default Folder X is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Default Folder X integrate with?
Default Folder X's listing names Finder, iCloud, AppleScript and Setapp. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Default Folder X have a student discount?
Educational discounts. The product page links to educational discounts, which are sold through the Student App Centre store. The amount is not shown on the vendor's page.
Who makes Default Folder X?
Default Folder X is made by St. Clair Software.
What are the alternatives to Default Folder X?
The closest alternatives to Default Folder X in our directory are Path Finder, ForkLift, Yoink and Hazel. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Default Folder X.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.