Mac mini M2 Pro File Manager spins beach ball for a long time if not used for a while after upgrade to macOS 26

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Mac mini M2 Pro File Manager spins beach ball for a long time if not used for a while after upgrade to macOS 26

My mac mini with M2 Pro has experienced the issue with File Manager after upgrading to macOS 26 (now 26.1).

If the File Manager isn't used for a while, it would exhibit the spinning beach ball every time I want to save a file or transfer the file from one drive or folder to other. The beach ball would spin for ten to fifteen seconds before the dialog window pops up to save the file. It's same when clicking and holding the file or files then move them to other folder or drive.

Once the file is saved or moved, the next time is quicker and instantaneous without any lagging issue. However, the issue starts again if I don't use the File Manager for a while (usually a few hours or so later).

I've already rebooted mac mini, checked the File Manager settings, and tried the safe mode. None of them have any effect. The indexing has been completed a long time ago. I never had the issue with older macOS versions (Sequoria, Ventura, etc.) prior to macOS 26.

It's really annoying and irritating!

Mac mini (M2 Pro, 2023)

Posted on Dec 5, 2025 1:55 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Owl-53

Level 10

102,193 points

Dec 5, 2025 2:11 AM in response to OliverTwist7878

Good work so far 👍 , re - Restart and Safe Mode

Take it up a notch

Part 1 of 3

There could be something in the main User Account playing up.

To further isolate this - Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac.

Then log out of the Main User account and log into the dummy account and test again if the issue persists.

If the issue is present in the dummy account - then, this appears to be a System Wide issue on the computer.

Part 2 of 2

To Drill Down further and to avoid a session of Q&A, Q&A and Q&A

Download the Application Etrecheck ( External Link ) directly from the Developer.

The Application is Not a " Silver Bullet " and is only a tool to examine the Hardware / Software used on this computer

This is a Diagnostic Tool that makes no changes to the computer Hardware / Software used on this computer

The application is free or paid from added features.

The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information.

Post back the Full Report - copy and paste - >>>> using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last ) <<<<

Part 3 of 3

If Applicable to this computer

There are 4 Categories of Third Party Software / Services that are not needed

Get rid of them via the Developers Instruction

In no special order

1 - Third Party 2 Way Firewalls

2 - Commercial VPNs

3 - Third Party Security Software

4 - Third Party Disk Cleaners / Optimizer

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,042 points

Dec 5, 2025 3:47 AM in response to OliverTwist7878

What do you mean by “File Manager?”

Is this third-party software or do you mean Finder? Or, do you mean an open/save dialog box?

For the latter, do you have any spinning hard drives attached? The open/Save dialogs will enumerate all attached drives. If the external drive is allowed to sleep, it must wake and spin up before the dialog can be used. If the drive is connecting at USB2 speeds, it will take even longer. Some hubs will fail to negotiate the speed correctly.

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Answer 3

Owl-53

Level 10

102,193 points

Dec 5, 2025 2:30 AM in response to OliverTwist7878

Follow on from another similar not same question

macOS Tahoe 26.1: Slow 'Save As' and 'Ope… - Apple Community

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Answer 4

Dec 5, 2025 6:35 AM in response to Barney-15E

Yes, you are correct. It is Finder, not File Manager. Same with Save dialog box. I have many things in my mind and haven't paid attention to the correct terminology.

Please read my original posting about the issue showing up only in macOS 26 Tahoe but NEVER in older macOS versions (Sequoria, Ventura, etc.). This is the key difference.

As for the drives, it doesn't matter whether the files are saved to the SSD integrated in mac mini or to the external drives (SSD or HDD). All of the external drives are connected via USB-C, which ought be non-issue. I stopped using the hub a long time ago due to the glitches that damaged the integrity of the encrypted (via File Vault) drives too often. So, the external drives are individually connected to the mac mini via USB-C.

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