Finder is great for local files, but it can be slow and unreliable when your NAS is mounted over the network. GoMount includes a dedicated file browser that talks directly to your NAS through the same connection it uses for auto-mounting. The result is a snappier, more predictable way to manage remote files without leaving the app.
This guide covers power-user techniques: keyboard shortcuts, QuickLook previews, drag-and-drop transfers, offline cache browsing, and the differences between the Free read-only mode and the Pro read/write workflow.
1Open the File Browser
Once GoMount has mounted your NAS, click the menu bar icon and choose Browse Files. The file browser opens as a standalone window, separate from Finder. You can keep it open while you work, minimize it, or close it without unmounting the drive.
If you have more than one NAS configured, GoMount shows a sidebar with each mounted volume. Click a volume to switch contexts instantly. The browser remembers the last path you visited for each NAS, so resuming work is seamless.
Tip: You can open the file browser even if the NAS volume is not mounted in Finder. GoMount connects on demand, which is useful when you only need to grab a single file.
2Navigate Faster
The file browser supports the navigation patterns you already know from Finder, plus a few extras designed for remote storage:
- Path bar: Click any segment in the breadcrumb path bar to jump up the hierarchy.
- Forward/Back buttons: Navigate your history without losing context, just like a web browser.
- Command-click: Open a folder in a new browser tab.
- Press
⌘ + ↑: Jump to the parent folder. - Press
⌘ + ↓orReturn: Open the selected folder. - Type to search: Start typing a filename to jump to the first matching item in the current folder.
For large directories, the browser loads files in batches. A small spinner at the bottom indicates more items are being fetched. Scrolling or using the view-mode toggle (list vs. grid) does not interrupt the load.
3Preview with QuickLook
Select any file and press the space bar to open macOS QuickLook. This works for images, PDFs, videos, text files, archives, and any other format your Mac already knows how to preview. You do not need to download the file first.
QuickLook in GoMount behaves almost identically to Finder:
- Press
Spaceto open the preview. - Press
↑or↓while the preview is open to move between files. - Click the expand icon for full-screen markup on supported formats.
Pro tip: QuickLook streams only the bytes it needs. Previewing a 4K video on your NAS does not copy the entire file to your Mac first, which saves both time and local storage.
4Queue Transfers
GoMount includes a built-in transfer queue. Instead of copying files one at a time through Finder, you can drag files from the browser into any local folder, or drag local files into the browser to upload them.
To queue a transfer:
- Select one or more files or folders in the GoMount browser.
- Drag them to a Finder window, the Desktop, or another location on your Mac to download.
- To upload, drag files from Finder into the GoMount browser window.
The transfer queue window shows progress, estimated time remaining, and per-file status. You can pause, resume, or cancel individual transfers. If a file already exists at the destination, GoMount prompts you to skip, replace, or keep both.
Free plan note: The transfer queue is available on the Free plan, but uploads (writing files to the NAS through the browser) require GoMount Pro.
5Read-Only vs Pro Read/Write
On the Free plan, the file browser is read-only. You can browse folders, preview files, and download items to your Mac, but you cannot create folders, rename files, delete items, or upload new content through the browser.
Upgrading to GoMount Pro unlocks full read/write access:
- Create new folders directly on the NAS.
- Rename files and folders in place.
- Move items between folders with drag-and-drop.
- Upload files and folders through the transfer queue.
- Delete items with
⌘ + Deleteand confirm in the safety dialog.
Pro users also get deeper integration with File Hub, including schema-based tagging and smart folders. If you frequently organize media, documents, or project files on your NAS, the Pro plan turns the browser into a lightweight remote file manager.
6Browse Offline Cache
GoMount keeps a small local cache of recently accessed files and folder listings. If your NAS becomes unreachable while the browser is open, GoMount automatically switches to offline cache mode. You can continue browsing the cached structure and open files that have already been downloaded.
The default cache size is 500 MB and uses LRU eviction: the least recently used files are removed first when the limit is reached. You can adjust the cache limit in Settings > Advanced.
Tip: Offline cache is perfect for laptop users. Open important folders while you are still connected at home; later, on the road, those listings remain browsable even without a VPN.
7Search & Filter
Use the search field in the top-right corner of the browser to filter the current folder. Results update as you type and match file and folder names. For a deeper search across your entire NAS, GoMount Pro supports global search powered by FTS5 full-text indexing.
Global search is especially useful for document archives. It indexes file names and, for supported formats, file contents. Results are ranked by relevance using BM25 scoring. You can save a search as a Smart Folder to get a live-updating view of matching files.
8Next Steps
The GoMount file browser is designed to be a lightweight, NAS-first alternative to Finder. With QuickLook, transfer queues, offline cache, and Pro read/write features, most day-to-day file operations can happen inside GoMount without mounting a single volume in Finder.
If you are new to GoMount, start with the Getting Started Guide to configure your first NAS. If you want to automate mounting based on your home network, read the Network Trigger Rules Deep Dive. For protocol-specific setup instructions, see the Synology, QNAP, or TrueNAS guides.