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Files not showing up in Finder

I'm on a brand new Macbook Pro running Catalina, and in the past few days I've noticed certain recent files I create are not visible in Finder. I can open them via the specific application (Adobe, Word, etc.) by going to "Recent", and when I "Save As" they appear to be saving in the designated folder, but when I search for them in the Finder, they aren't there.


The only work around I've found is to save them to the desktop then drag them into the Finder file where I want them to be, and they'll appear. It's so weird. Restarting Finder doesn't seem to work, either.


I see earlier posts of people experiencing this problem, but I don't see it was ever permanently resolved. If anyone has any insight, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

Posted on Jan 10, 2021 10:33 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 11, 2021 10:58 AM

When a new computer like yours is first being set up, there are some initialization steps and one of them includes Apple offering iCloud Drive. Many people accept that offering without realizing that these files must then, going forward, be found inside the iCloud Drive (as opposed to the traditional locations on the Mac desktop and documents areas). It looks like that might have happened with you.


Your workaround sounds a bit awkward; you can read the section of this document https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206985 which explains how to turn off iCloud Drive and move those files back into your local Desktop and Documents folders, where apparently you had expected them to be.


The following is excerpted from that Apple instruction link:

================================================

Turn off Desktop and Documents

When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.

  1. From your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. Click Apple ID, then click iCloud. On macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
  2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
  3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
  4. Click Done.

If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents.


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3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 11, 2021 10:58 AM in response to danelenj

When a new computer like yours is first being set up, there are some initialization steps and one of them includes Apple offering iCloud Drive. Many people accept that offering without realizing that these files must then, going forward, be found inside the iCloud Drive (as opposed to the traditional locations on the Mac desktop and documents areas). It looks like that might have happened with you.


Your workaround sounds a bit awkward; you can read the section of this document https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206985 which explains how to turn off iCloud Drive and move those files back into your local Desktop and Documents folders, where apparently you had expected them to be.


The following is excerpted from that Apple instruction link:

================================================

Turn off Desktop and Documents

When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.

  1. From your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. Click Apple ID, then click iCloud. On macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
  2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
  3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
  4. Click Done.

If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents.


Jan 11, 2021 9:12 AM in response to steve626

Thank you, steve626. It appears my iCloud is linked o my desktop and documents (see attached picture). I solved the previous problem with my workaround, so I'll wait to see if it happens again. Is there somewhere else I should check for my iCloud Drive to be "on"? This is from my Internet Accounts section in System Preferences.

Files not showing up in Finder

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