To see the contents of your Home folder, using Finder, choose Go->Home from the menu bar.
![Finder, Go menu->Home](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/finder-go-home-1024x640.png)
Although each folder has a specific purpose, they can also be used as you wish. For example, there’s nothing stopping you from storing a document in the Pictures folder.
![Finder window displaying contents of Home folder.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/finder-window@05x.png)
But just don’t go deleting any of these folders.
The Home folder typically contains the following folders:
- Desktop
- Documents
- Downloads
- Pictures
- Music
- Movies
![Map illustrating the path to a Home folder.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/map-home-folder-contents-1024x768.png)
The desktop, and the Desktop folder.
It’s common to store files on the desktop, where they can be easily spotted for quick access.
![](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/home-folder-desktop-files-1024x640.png)
Any file or folder on your desktop is, in fact, stored in the Desktop folder inside your Home folder.
![Map illustrating path to Desktop folder.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/map-path-to-desktop-folder-1024x768.png)
This makes the Desktop folder unique: anything stored within it is also visible on the desktop.
The path to your Desktop folder:
/Macintosh HD/Users/yourname/Desktop
The Documents folder.
Documents is a general use folder, to store whatever you wish. You can further organise its contents by creating new folders with names of your choosing, within it.
![Map illustrating path to Documents folder.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/map-path-to-docs-folder-1024x768.png)
The path to your Documents folder:
/Macintosh HD/Users/yourname/Documents
The Downloads folder.
Files downloaded from the internet are saved to the Downloads folder. Once you’ve downloaded something, you can move it to a more appropriate location if you wish, such as your Documents folder.
![](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/map-path-to-downloads-folder-1024x768.png)
If you’re like most people, this folder will become cluttered over time. But that’s ok.
The Music, Pictures, and Movies folders.
Apple provides a suite of applications, each dedicated to the management (and enjoyment) of music, photos, and home movies.
Music (formally iTunes), Photos, and iMovie are applications, and all reside in the Applications folder.
Each of these applications rely on the presence of a corresponding library, stored within your Home folder.
The Photos application, and your Photos library
Use Apple’s Photos app, located in the Applications folder, to manage all your photos.
![Photos.app](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/photos-icon.png)
Upon launch, Photos looks inside your ~/Pictures folder to find your personal Photos Library.
![The Photos app lives in the Applications folder and, upon opening, will look inside the Pictures folder for your Photos Library.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/map-photos-app-lib-1024x768.png)
The path to the Photos app:
/Macintosh HD/Applications/Photos.app
The path to your Photos library (where all your photos are stored):
Macintosh HD/Users/johnsmith/Pictures
The application, Music, and your Music library
![Music app icon.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/music-app.png)
The Music app provides access to Apple Music (Apple’s music subscription service), the iTunes Store, and is a means to manage your personal digital music library (mp3’s, and so on…).
Upon opening, the Music app looks inside your ~/Pictures folder for your Music (or iTunes) Library.
![The Music app lives in the Applications folder and, upon opening, will look inside the Music folder for your Music Library.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/map-music-app-path-library-1024x768.png)
The path to the Music app:
/Macintosh HD/Applications/Music
The path to the Music library:
/Macintosh HD/Users/yourname/Music
The iMovie.app, and your Movies library
![](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/imovie-app-icon.png)
Apple’s iMovie is an easy to use, fun app that allows us to edit and create movies. Upon opening, iMovie looks for an iMovie library in your Movies folder.
![](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/imovie-map-path-to-imovie-lib-1024x768.png)
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