Copy, cut, paste, and resolve conflicts

Use the clipboard with a visible destination

1. Select the files in the source pane. Check that the selection contains only the intended items, especially in a search or flat view.
2. Press Command-C to copy, or Command-X to cut for a later move. Cut items are marked; cutting alone does not relocate them.
3. Open the destination folder. For a favorite or another sidebar location, select the intended folder and verify the paste target; opening it in a pane first makes the destination unambiguous.
4. Press Command-V. If the target is unavailable or not writable, stop and resolve that error instead of repeatedly issuing Paste.
5. Wait for the operation to finish and inspect the destination. For a copy, the source remains; for a successful move, the source no longer contains the moved items.

Transfer directly between panes

1. Open the source on one side and the destination on the other. Confirm the destination path, not just its folder name.
2. Activate the source pane and select the intended files.
3. Use Copy to Other Pane (F5) or Move to Other Pane (F6). Commander F-key assignments can be customized; the named palette commands avoid ambiguity.
4. For a different destination, use Copy To… or Move To… and review the chosen folder before accepting.

Read a conflict before applying it

A filename conflict is different from a move confirmation. A conflict means the destination already contains an item with the same name. The local transfer dialog offers Replace All, Keep Both for All, Skip All, and Cancel; it states that the choice applies to all conflicts in this operation.

Skip All leaves conflicting destination items alone, Replace All can overwrite destination data, and Keep Both for All preserves distinct names. Check that the decision is appropriate for the entire operation before choosing it. It is not permission for an unrelated later transfer, and other kinds of confirmation may use different choices.

Verify, cancel, and recover

For important local copies, enable Verify copies with a checksum (slower) before the operation. Verification rereads the files and can take longer; it applies to copies, not moves.

Use the operation's Cancel control once and wait for its outcome. Cancellation is not a guarantee that no files were transferred. Inspect both sides before retrying.

Undo History and Command-Z support local operations where an undo record is available. Remote/provider actions and permanently deleted data must not be assumed reversible. Maintain a separate backup; undo is not one.