Desktop not installed - problem

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Level 1

19 points

Desktop not installed - problem

On my new MacBook Air, it looks like my desktop in not installed in the right way, or it is broken.

It is like this since the start, when I started to work with this computer (about 4 weeks ago). Maybe I did something wrong while installing the computer or starting to work with it?

Problems:

There is no desktop icon in my finder, also not in my iCloud.
When I restart the computer, I have the same issue.
When I make a screenshot, the picture just disappears and it is saved nowhere. It is also not visible on the desktop.
My desktop only shows the icon of my harddisk.
I can change the background picture of my desktop, that is working well.
When I make a new user, this new user DOES have a desktop.

What is going on here? How can I solve this?

MacBook Air (2020 or later)

Posted on Aug 11, 2021 3:01 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

EllenApple Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 11, 2021 1:48 PM in response to EllenApple

Oh, I found a very simple solution myself.

In the folder of me as a user, there was a file (not a directory) with the name 'desktop', but this file seemed to be weird. I just deleted that file, and manually created a new directory with the name 'Desktop'.

And now it's working!

Weird but true. :-)

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Answer 2

PRP_53

Level 10

85,621 points

Aug 11, 2021 4:14 AM in response to EllenApple

When the computer was First Setup - was iCloud Enabled. Check in System Preferences >> Internal Accounts >> on left look for iCloud >> is it listed. If Yes, click on it and inside are all the Options to enable various services like Contacts, Photos etc. If iCloud is Not Listed and one what's iCloud >> on Right see iCloud and click on that. It should enable the iCloud and you choose the Services to be enabled.

Set up iCloud on all your devices

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Answer 3

EllenApple Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 11, 2021 3:22 AM in response to EllenApple

And another problem, that might be related: I cannot use 'copy' and 'paste between my Mac and iPhone or iPad. The universal clipboard does not work (I'm logged in to iCloud and bluetooth and wifi are working).

Not sure if this problem is related, but I felt I should mention it here.

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Answer 4

EllenApple Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 11, 2021 1:40 PM in response to PRP_53

Yes, iCloud was enabled. When I look into iCloud, I can select 'desktop' to be synced to iCloud. However, there is still no desktop working on my MacBookAir.

I'm also using Dropbox (and syncing my desktop and downloads-folder to Dropbox).

In both iCloud and Dropbox, I do see a 'downloads' folder, but there is no folder 'desktop'.

How can I solve this?

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Answer 5

PRP_53

Level 10

85,621 points

Aug 11, 2021 1:44 PM in response to EllenApple

Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive

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Answer 6

EllenApple Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 11, 2021 11:18 PM in response to PRP_53

Oh, I tried a 1.000 times to add my Desktop and Documents to iCloud. This did work for Documents easily, but for Desktop it did not work. So that did not solve the problem.

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Desktop not installed - problem

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