Desktop shortcut disappears from Finder favorites in Monterey, too

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Desktop shortcut disappears from Finder favorites in Monterey, too

Not a question (but perhaps someone has a definitive answer as to why this happens and how to prevent it) but rather a fact: the "Desktop" folder disappears from "Favorites" section in the Finder every now and then. There is no pattern, it may stay there for weeks and then just disappear on a reboot.

Comes back when added through Finder preferences (checkbox by the "Desktop" entry in "Show these items in the sidebar").

This annoyance persists at least since Mac OS Mojave and still happens on three of my fully up-to-date Monterey computers, both Intel and Apple Silicon.

Mac Pro, macOS 12.3

Posted on Apr 24, 2022 4:38 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Wojtek Jakobczyk Author

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5 points

Apr 24, 2022 8:43 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Again. No. It's an old bug. I've even seen it happening on my dad's a High Sierra computer when he had one. Here's a report from 2017.:

https://softwaretested.com/mac/what-to-do-if-desktop-icon-wont-stay-in-the-finder-sidebar/

(also take a look at https://www.google.com/search?q=desktop+favorites+missing+finder)

The fact that this issue persists throughout major OS versions and happens as well on a fresh-out-of-the box M1 Air without any software apart from OS, Pages, Keynote and Numbers as on a tired Mac Pro and on someone elses iMac half a world away makes it quite certain it's a OS-level bug.

Unofrtunately there's nothing Etrecheck would display (especially in terms of installed software, as it doesn't detect a running Dropbox client for example, lists other software running twice on the other hand) that may be helpful. There is no difference SIP activated or not, Gatekeeper activated or not etc. I got one computer I don't even have admin rights (company M1) and no apps are installed, the other a heavily customized Mac Pro I do my sysadmin stuff on - there is no pattern, if you are looking for some. OS-level bug.

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Answer 2

Apr 24, 2022 7:10 AM in response to Wojtek Jakobczyk

I have not seen this before.

Either the preferences got corrupted somehow, or some third party software conflict could be at play.

You can try deleting Finder preferences:

In Finder, press Command-Shift-G and paste

~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

drag the file out of the folder and relaunch the Finder (ir logout and login again)

To check for possible third party software conflicts, Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here.

Use the “additional text” button and paste the report into the text box.

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Answer 3

May 13, 2022 1:06 PM in response to razvanpopa81

Did you try deleting Finder preferences?

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Answer 4

Apr 24, 2022 7:15 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

It's a well-known bug in Mac OS for years: Desktop disappears from Favourites sideba… - Apple Community.

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Answer 5

Apr 24, 2022 8:03 AM in response to Wojtek Jakobczyk

Maybe it’s a bug, but having two or a thousand users out of many millions having this problem does not prove so. Also the thread you are linking to is from a few months ago. Issues that occur to a small number of users tend to be related to something in their particular setups.

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Answer 6

May 13, 2022 12:51 PM in response to razvanpopa81

razvanpopa81 wrote:

Great! Now we can't get rid of the stupid Desktop folder from the Finder's sidebar. Good job Apple!

You say you can't remove Desktop from a Finder window Sidebar?

Your problem seems to be opposite of the one the OP is complaining: he says it disappears even if it shouldn't.

Did you check the Finder preferences? Did you control-click and choose Remove from Sidebar?

To be clear, I have never experienced either.

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Answer 7

May 13, 2022 12:48 PM in response to Wojtek Jakobczyk

Great! Now we can't get rid of the stupid Desktop folder from the Finder's sidebar. Good job Apple!

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Answer 8

May 13, 2022 1:02 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

yep. I choose Remove from Sidebar. It disappears for a while, and appears back again.

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Answer 9

May 13, 2022 1:11 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I did that. The problem is still there.

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Desktop shortcut disappears from Finder favorites in Monterey, too

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