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desktop icons accidentally deleted

I have a MacBook Pro running Monterey v.12.4. While doing something else at my desk, I accidentally rested my arm on the mouse. When I realized it, I looked up and saw that most of the icons on my desktop were gone. These included mostly photos, plus a few documents. Is there an easy way to restore the desktop to its previous state?

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.13

Posted on May 27, 2022 8:20 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 27, 2022 8:30 AM

C_Kadiddlehopper wrote:

I have a MacBook Pro running Monterey v.12.4. While doing something else at my desk, I accidentally rested my arm on the mouse. When I realized it, I looked up and saw that most of the icons on my desktop were gone. These included mostly photos, plus a few documents. Is there an easy way to restore the desktop to its previous state?


Command Z will undo the last entered action....


Gone where, if in the trash , Control Click>Put back


Look in your Finder side bar>Desktop (?)


Do a Spotlight search for a known file from you Desktop....

Search with Spotlight on Mac - Apple Support



You can always restore items from your backup if no insight or resolve—

restore items backed up with Time Machine

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/restore-files-mh11422/mac



3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 27, 2022 8:30 AM in response to C_Kadiddlehopper

C_Kadiddlehopper wrote:

I have a MacBook Pro running Monterey v.12.4. While doing something else at my desk, I accidentally rested my arm on the mouse. When I realized it, I looked up and saw that most of the icons on my desktop were gone. These included mostly photos, plus a few documents. Is there an easy way to restore the desktop to its previous state?


Command Z will undo the last entered action....


Gone where, if in the trash , Control Click>Put back


Look in your Finder side bar>Desktop (?)


Do a Spotlight search for a known file from you Desktop....

Search with Spotlight on Mac - Apple Support



You can always restore items from your backup if no insight or resolve—

restore items backed up with Time Machine

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/restore-files-mh11422/mac



May 27, 2022 8:45 AM in response to C_Kadiddlehopper

C_Kadiddlehopper wrote:

Thanks, Leroy! All of the files are listed in Finder sidebar - Desktop. But I can't figure out how to get them to display on the desktop. I tried dragging and dropping. Any ideas?



Have you tried rebooting the machine?


If by default iCloud Drive got turned on— look for your files there.


iCloud drive missing desktop and documents

Access and manage your files in iCloud Drive - Apple Support


Recover deleted files on iCloud.com - Apple Support



Dropbox (?)


OneDrive?(?)


desktop icons accidentally deleted

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