macOS 27 compared with macOS 26: We rewrote this guide on macOS 27.0.1 (MacBook Neo): it now has 8 steps instead of 7. The macOS 26 page keeps the steps and screenshots as they were.
howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-use-quick-look-on-a-mac/ · Checked October 2026 · MacBook Neo · macOS 27.0.1
In this guide
Click a file once in the Finder or on the desktop and press the Space bar. A Quick Look preview opens without starting an app. Press the Space bar again, or Esc, to close it.
8 of 8 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below
- Device
- Mac
- Shown on
- macOS 27.0.1 (MacBook Neo)
- App
- Finder
- Real screenshots
- 8 of 8 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
Step by step
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size Select the file
Click it once in a Finder window or on the desktop so its name is highlighted. You can select several files.
Apple says Quick Look also works on attachments in Mail and Messages.
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size Press the Space bar
The preview window opens with the file name at the top, here Photo 1.jpg.
If you selected several files, Apple says the last one you selected is shown first.
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size Look through several files
With two or more files selected, click the ‹ and › arrows next to the file name, or press the Left Arrow or Right Arrow key.
On our MacBook Neo, macOS 27 shows only the arrows, with no count such as "1 of 2" in the title.
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size See all the files as a grid
Click the grid button at the top, or press Command and Return.
On our MacBook Neo the grid button sits at the top, just left of Markup.
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size Make it larger
Click the full screen button, the second round button at the top left, next to Close.
On our MacBook Neo, the full-screen view had a bar at the bottom with three buttons: Share, exit full screen and Close. Click the middle one to go back.
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size Make a quick change
For a picture, click Rotate to turn it, or Markup to draw on it.
Apple says video and sound files get a Trim button instead, and Done appears once you start editing; click Done to keep the change.
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size Open or share the file
Click the Open with button to open the file in its usual app. On our MacBook Neo it read Open with Preview for a JPEG.
Click the Share button to send it. Our Share menu showed "JPEG Image · 101 KB" and listed AirDrop, Mail, Messages, Notes, Add to Photos, Freeform, Journal, Reminders and Copy.
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size Close the preview
Click the Close button at the top left, or press the Space bar or Esc.
What we saw on our device
- Look through several files: On our MacBook Neo, macOS 27 shows only the arrows, with no count such as "1 of 2" in the title.
- See all the files as a grid: On our MacBook Neo the grid button sits at the top, just left of Markup.
- Make it larger: On our MacBook Neo, the full-screen view had a bar at the bottom with three buttons: Share, exit full screen and Close.
- Open or share the file: On our MacBook Neo it read Open with Preview for a JPEG.
- Open or share the file: Our Share menu showed "JPEG Image · 101 KB" and listed AirDrop, Mail, Messages, Notes, Add to Photos, Freeform, Journal, Reminders and Copy.
If you do not see this option
- No arrows or grid button at the top They only appear when two or more files are selected. With one file, the top bar shows just Markup, Rotate, Share and Open with.
- No Trim button A photo preview shows only Markup and Rotate. Apple says Trim appears for video and sound files. Source: View and edit files with Quick Look on Mac
- The Open with button names a different app It names the app the file normally opens in. For our JPEG it read Open with Preview.
If this does not work
- Nothing happens when you press Space Click the file once first so its name is highlighted, then press the Space bar.
- The preview will not close Press Esc, press the Space bar again, or click the Close button at the top left.
- You are stuck in full screen Move the pointer to the bottom of the screen and click the middle button in the bar to exit full screen, or the right one to close.
About this guide
Quick Look shows what is inside a file, such as a photo, PDF, video or document, so you can check it without opening an app.
Screenshots: MacBook Neo, macOS 27.0.1, dark mode.
Good to know
The Rotate button turns a picture to the left. Hold the Option key and it turns to the right instead.
With several files in full screen, the Play button shows them as a slideshow.
In a photo, Control-click the picture and choose Copy Subject to copy the main subject without its background.
In short: Select a file > Space bar > ‹ › or arrow keys for other files > Space bar or Esc to close.
Links checked in October 2026. Menus and features can change after software updates. These steps match the version named at the top.
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