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'Desktop' and 'Downloads' folders malfunctioning

When I try to access the 'Desktop' and 'Downloads' folders from the finder, I get this message: "can’t be opened because the original item can’t be found".


I'm running macOS Catalina 10.15.2 and the issue seems to have cropped up after a recent update.


Can anyone explain the issue to me, as well as the solution?


MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.14

Posted on Jan 6, 2020 11:01 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 6, 2020 11:13 AM

SamiPink wrote:

When I try to access the 'Desktop' and 'Downloads' folders from the finder, I get this message: "can’t be opened because the original item can’t be found".

I'm running macOS Catalina 10.15.2 and the issue seems to have cropped up after a recent update.

Can anyone explain the issue to me, as well as the solution?


https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/53fce7ad-e904-405a-85ff-1dbd818cc50c



Did you try rebooting?


You can download directly and re-install the combo update on top of your existing macOS to sort anomalies.

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2028?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

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4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 6, 2020 11:13 AM in response to SamiPink

SamiPink wrote:

When I try to access the 'Desktop' and 'Downloads' folders from the finder, I get this message: "can’t be opened because the original item can’t be found".

I'm running macOS Catalina 10.15.2 and the issue seems to have cropped up after a recent update.

Can anyone explain the issue to me, as well as the solution?


https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/53fce7ad-e904-405a-85ff-1dbd818cc50c



Did you try rebooting?


You can download directly and re-install the combo update on top of your existing macOS to sort anomalies.

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2028?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Jan 6, 2020 11:14 AM in response to SamiPink

One possibility is the folder you have selected in the Finder. It has nothing in it and the name is "?". Open the Finder window on your Home folder, Samiska. Are the two folders present? If not, then something odd has happened. If they are, then remove their respective entries in the Finder's sidebar and replace them with the actual folders.

'Desktop' and 'Downloads' folders malfunctioning

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