

When an alias of an item is created, the alias has the same icon as the item it links to. For example, if a file is moved from one directory (or, in other words, a folder) to another in the same filesystem, the existing alias will still open the original file. And if the original file changes its location, the link with the alias is not broken, so you do not have to make another alias. What is great about alias files is that when you make a change in them, the same change occurs in an original file as well. On the other hand, an alias will only use 4 KG on your hard drive as it does not duplicate the files but only create a shorter way to them. For example, if you have a document using 250.9 MB on disk, the duplicate will also use the same amount of space.

It is very different from a duplicate file. Due to this reason, alias files are very small and do not take a lot of your Mac's storage. It is like a portal to another place on your Mac's system. File aliases allow you to access the file in its original location without having you navigate to it. It is like a door that you open and suddenly appear to be in an entirely different location. So Apple introduces the alias feature four years earlier than Microsoft.Īn alias is a small file that links you to the original file.
#Make a shortcut on mac for youtube mac os
Mac's do not have extensions for shortcuts as a file type called "alias" was introduced to Apple users with the release of Mac OS 7 in 1991.
#Make a shortcut on mac for youtube windows
The name "shortcut" is associated more with Microsoft Windows as it was introduced in their earlier operating system, Window 95. Hence creating a desktop shortcut of an item can save you a lot of time. It is a great feature to have if you do not want to move the original item from its location, but you also do not want to navigate to its location every time you need to use the file. It lets the user to faster access needed data. For those that do not, it is a folder that links a file, folder, app, or website to its original location. Probably everyone that uses a smart device knows what a shortcut is and what it does. Easy Ways to Create Desktop Shortcuts on macOS
