Control drag-and-drop behavior

Choose the default in Preferences

1. Open Preferences from the command palette, then select General.
2. Find Dragging items moves them (hold Command to copy). Enabled means move is the preferred default; disabled means copy is the preferred default.
3. Choose the behavior you actually want. New preferences default to move; an existing saved preference may still be set differently.
4. Test the setting using a disposable file between two writable local practice folders. Confirm the source and destination after the drop before using important data.

Override one drop deliberately

1. Begin dragging the selected file onto a real folder or the other pane's file area.
2. Hold Command to request the opposite operation: copy when move is the default, or move when copy is the default.
3. Inspect the drag feedback and destination before releasing. If it shows a copy operation when you need a move, cancel the drag and use Cut/Paste or Move To… instead.
4. Wait for completion and verify the result on both sides. A successful-looking pointer change is not proof that the filesystem operation finished.

Understand sidebar drop zones

Dropping onto a destination folder and adding a folder as a sidebar shortcut are different tasks. Use a destination row for file transfer; use the sidebar's favorites organization controls when you want a reusable shortcut.

If the target is unclear, open the sidebar folder in a pane and use Copy, Cut/Paste, Copy To…, or Move To…. An explicit destination is safer than guessing which small drop zone is active.

Super-drag is a separate, optional gesture feature. Leave it disabled while learning ordinary drag and drop; do not treat a flick outside a destination as a normal transfer.