Apps and preferences moved to "moved items" after installing Tahoe on Intel/T2 Mac

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Level 1

9 points

Apps and preferences moved to "moved items" after installing Tahoe on Intel/T2 Mac

Hey,

I'm reporting a major issue with Tahoe, and that is still happening on 26.1 update.

I've updated my MacBook Pro 16" 2019 yesterday from the latest version of Sequoia to 26.1, and discovered right after that all my installed Apps (not the system ones) and my preferences (such as installed printer, touch ID, authorisation…) have been moved to "Users/Shared/Moved elements/Security". It exactly contains the following folders: Applications, Library, private, System, usr.

Others reported this issue as well on MacRumors, happening on either MBP 2019 or iMac 2020. Both are Intel Mac with T2 chips. Apparently it repeat itself even performing updates from 26 to 26.1 : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/all-apps-are-moved-by-tahoe-update.2464530/

I hope this issue will get addressed and fixed, as even after moving back all the items (some of them were system related and impossible to move back) I had many issues with my preferences and some software were broken. I had to completely reset my Mac the whole day, and I'm really reticent on updating, as I'm scared that this bug will repeat again (as shown by MacRumors members)

[Edited by Moderator]

MacBook Pro 16″

Posted on Nov 7, 2025 6:54 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 7, 2025 8:13 AM in response to timec77

Definitely makes sense, my point was merely that reporting it here doesn't do anything to help fix the issue, because this is a user forum and Apple does not monitor it to identify problems. Apple also prioritizes bug fixes based on number of users that report them (via the feedback link), so posting this thread so people can find it and then you and others reporting it to Apple is the most likely path to a fix.

Reading over the thread you linked, it appears the problem was experienced by users running beta versions of software. The mod over there indicated that 'anything should be able to be discussed, including betas' but, in fact, the terms of Apple's agreement for using the beta versions specifically preclude discussion of them anywhere except on Apple's developer forums (and in those forums, Apple's engineers do peruse for bug reports and respond/interact there...just not here).

There are a fair number of Intel Macs running Tahoe, and the issue you have here does not seem common at all. By comparison, the issue with TouchID on Intel Macs generated lots of complaints and was addressed in 26.1 (and reportedly in 15.7.2 as well).

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Answer 2

Nov 7, 2025 6:55 AM in response to timec77

Bugs can be reported to Apple here:

Feedback - macOS - Apple

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Answer 3

timec77 Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 7, 2025 7:20 AM in response to neuroanatomist

Thank you, I did reported the problem to Apple.

But still, it was important to share this here to help users in the same situation. My system wasn't reacting the same way suddenly, and half of my icons on the dock showed "?" icon. It Took me some times to find this thread on MacRumors

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Answer 4

timec77 Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 7, 2025 10:04 AM in response to neuroanatomist

I get your point, however, it’s also important to remember that many Mac users aren’t necessarily aware of what’s happening “under the hood.” This particular issue isn’t immediately visible; it only becomes noticeable once you dig deeper into the system’s behavior.

For example, the Touch ID issue you mentioned might actually have been related for some users — even though it appeared to be a separate problem. In my case, it still occurred on version 26.1, but after some investigation I realized it was connected to a broader underlying issue.

We also have to consider that Intel Macs are no longer the majority. Most users running Tahoe now are on Apple silicon, so it’s harder to gauge how much the update has affected older Intel models, especially since those are becoming less common.

And just to clarify, my Mac has never run beta software. It has always been kept up to date on the latest stable public release. This is the first time I’ve experienced an issue like this

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