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All files disappeared from my desktop. I had a recent backup and rstored the files from Time Machine to a different folder. Trying to copy the files back to desktop but for each file I get a message "The item <filename> can't be replaced because it's invisible. How did my desktop files all become invisible? And how do I make them visible again?
MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.7
I had a look at this and have found a solution: in the Finder, press the key combination Command-Shift-<full stop>.
That should display the items on the desktop. Pressing it again makes them disappear.
I made the items visible again by opening the Terminal, changing to the directory of the Desktop and then executing the command chflags with -R and the parameter nohidden. First for a single file to test: chflags -R nohidden sometextfile.txt
I didn't have to kill and restart the Finder, but that may also be an option once the chflags command has been completed.
That seemed to do the trick, so I ran it against the others (./) can be run recursively against all files in the directory:
cd ~/Desktop
chflags -R nohidden ./
killall Finder
I had a look at this and have found a solution: in the Finder, press the key combination Command-Shift-<full stop>.
That should display the items on the desktop. Pressing it again makes them disappear.
I made the items visible again by opening the Terminal, changing to the directory of the Desktop and then executing the command chflags with -R and the parameter nohidden. First for a single file to test: chflags -R nohidden sometextfile.txt
I didn't have to kill and restart the Finder, but that may also be an option once the chflags command has been completed.
That seemed to do the trick, so I ran it against the others (./) can be run recursively against all files in the directory:
cd ~/Desktop
chflags -R nohidden ./
killall Finder
Very strange - I have encountered exactly the same situation: all the items on my desktop, with the exception of the Macintosh HD and an external drive are no longer showing up. Trying to create a folder with the same name as the one that was there before fails, because the folder already exists. In Terminal, the files and folders show up, so they are obviously still around. Something in the Finder has hidden them...
That worked, I was able to unhide all my desktop files.
However the next day, they were all hidden again. I have a feeling that some background process (iCloud Drive sync?) is doing this, but I don't know what exactly.
Thanks for the tip though, I definitely learned something!
Just a clarification: -R is the recursive option. Made a typo in the above
The item can't be replaced because it's invisible