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How do I change where folders open on Desktop?

All of sudden, without my changing anything, any folder I open appears in the upper left of my Desktop...is there a way to change this (my preference is middle of the Desktop)?

Mac mini, macOS 10.15

Posted on Nov 21, 2020 3:25 PM

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Posted on Nov 21, 2020 3:50 PM

If you open a Finder window, move and size it to what you want, then close it, new folders should appear the same.

Note that you can easily alter the settings by opening a new window, move it, then decide you don't want that new window and close it.

12 replies

Nov 21, 2020 5:52 PM in response to Barney-15E

Thank you for replying. Your instructions worked perfectly for folders I open from Finder, but I have several aliases on my Desktop that go to folders that are also in Finder. When I open folders from the aliases, the folder opens in the upper left corner of the my Desktop, but if I open the same folder from Finder, they open just as you said the they would...where I left them.


I tried opening the folder in Finder (correctly), and then opening them with the aliases, but the problem did not go away.


Of course this in not a major problem...it's annoying...and it doesn't make sense --- at least not to me.

Nov 21, 2020 9:23 PM in response to MichaelJonas

I created an alias to my Downloads on the Desktop. It works like any other. If I set the location and resize it, then close, it opens how I had it.

And, a new Finder window opens to where I had set those.

I don't know how to resolve your problem. Maybe deleting the Finder preferences file in ~/Library/Preferences.


You'll have to reset all of the Finder preferences that you have changed.

Nov 22, 2020 7:01 AM in response to MichaelJonas

The only one I was referring to was the one in Preferences.


The LaunchAgents folder plist and probably Susbsystems are not preference files in the manner we are discussing. The launchd plist file (LaunchAgents) controls how the OS launches the Finder and keeps it running. It doesn't store user preferences.

I don't know what preferences it syncs or with what it is syncing.

How do I change where folders open on Desktop?

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