I have noticed that dialog boxes which open up for File Open or File Save As functionality in various applications do not respond to mouse clicks. I can close the dialog box by pressing on the "escape" key and can run default (highlighted) action by pressing the "enter" key. However, mouse clicks do not work. Has anyone faced this issue and is there a solution? I am using 2018 MacBook Pro 13 inch with Retina display.
I've figured out a way to resolve this on my machine (the System Preferences thing is the real bugaboo!): removing your `com.apple.systempreferences.plist` preferences file.
The step-by-step:
Restart the computer, open the System Preferences, and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop -- you won't need it anymore. If it didn't work, well, that sucks. Return the file from your desktop to the place you got it from, overwriting the newer one, then restart.
Hope that helps; let us know if it does!
Kind regards,
Erwin
I have this problem as well and would really appreciate it if Apple would find a solution. At the moment it's just yet another reason to never permit anyone in my institute to buy a MacBook again.
I have not done anything differently or updated but it seems to work now.
Works for me also. At least once.
A great tip to help until apple finds a fix.
The problem still persists after almost 9 months. Is there anyone from Apple looking into this? It feels like no one is bothering
Super weird...it seems to work for cmd-d - don't save, but still doesn't work on cmd-s for save in the dialog box. Will do more testing to confirm.
This was a very helpful reply. I had never thought to resize the window, but it worked like a charm, and helped me overcome a very frustrating and confusing experience.
Thank you so much.
Wow. That is such an interesting workaround, but that did the trick for me. Thanks! Been dealing with this for almost a year now... Wish I had found this earlier.
Thank you very much. This issue has been driving me nuts for weeks, but I'm glad there is finally a workaround.
HI All,
I am yet another user that has file dialog issues. I have returned my first M1 and been sent a new replacement and guess what, it is doing the same.
I have been with Apple support for three months trying every type of fix - and nothing, they believe it is software related.
They now want me to re-install IOS and add one software programme at a time and see whether the issue is triggered. I have argued that I am not a test user and so I am returning this machine. Had enough.
I'm having this issue too, exactly as described everywhere else in this thread.
Hilarious and extremely disapointing not only that this issue exists at all but It's been reported in the community for so long and nothing has been done to address this.
Whoever is the technical support person looking at this thread can you please escalate this to a software development team responsible for creating native file picker dialogs or also system preferences or whatever framework is used between them. I have this issue in both places.
At least with the file picker dialog I can resize it to get it working as expected.
The pages on system preferences I literally cannot use because the app cannot be resized by the mouse.
It is not a hardware issue, it is a software bug. My MBP is literally brand new and it has had this issue since day 1, my trackpad and Magic Mouse work literally perfectly elsewhere.
And yes I have updated my operating system, but regardless this issue has existed for so long I shouldn't even need to update anything considering this laptop is literally brand new.
At least on linux I never get bugs like this and if I did I would be able to fix it myself.
Yes this solved it for me. Thanks Erwin!!
Mac OS Big Sur - Dialog box not responding to mouse clicks
