In Mac OS and Mac OS X, what is the Finder?

In Mac OS X, the Finder is the primary way of accessing, organizing, and managing your files and applications. It is the essential tool for navigating and manipulating the Mac file system. The Finder automatically launches either when the machine has booted up or when you log into your account, and although you can hide it, under normal circumstances you cannot deactivate it. To make the Finder the active application, click the desktop, and then in the Dock, click the Finder icon.

For more about the Finder or its aspects (e.g., Exposé), use Mac Help, available from the Help menu in the Finder. Also, see Apple's information page.

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