Desktop shortcut keeps disappearing form my Finder sidebar shortcuts.

Hey mattiacore!

I have resolved many Finder issues using the following steps, note that these steps might default some Finder settings, which can be changed back if needed:

Open Finder.

While holding the Shift key, on the top menu hit Go and choose Library, (About half way down the list).

While in the ~/Library, open these folders/directories, and delete any files that have Finder in them, more specifically com.Apple.Finder.plist. (You may find several with this Finder plist, you can delete them all):

~/Library/Preferences

~/Library/Preferences/ByHost

Once the files are deleted, restart your Mac and test, if needed add the Desktop to Finder Settings again and make sure it stays there, hope that helps!

New user permissions reset:

Hey again!

I think a good test would be to see if you have the same issues in a new user profile on your Mac:

Add a user or group on Mac - Apple Support

If it works fine in a new user account:

It may be a user permissions issue, but I’d first try these steps, which don’t take too long:

Open System Settings > General > Login Items. Turn off or remove any apps that may be causing an issue and restart to test.

If that fails, try clearing out the user Cache:

Open Finder, while holding the Option key, on the top menu hit Go > Library.

Open the Caches folder > Select All > Move to the trash, restart and test.

If those fail:

Quit all open apps.

Open the hidden Library again, the same way as described above, (Finder > Go > Library, while holding Option of course).

On the keyboard, press Command and i to pull up the Get Info window.

Expand the Sharing and permissions section on the bottom, click the lock to make changes, click the three dots icon and choose > Apply to enclosed items, then hit Okay/Done.

Once that process finishes, open Terminal in Finder > Applications > Utilities.

Copy and paste this command in Terminal then hit Return:

diskutil resetUserPermissions / `id -u`

You’ll be prompted for your admin password, you can type it and hit Return again, (Just know that it’s invisible, which is normal). Once that process has finished, quit all apps and restart to test.

If this also fails, follow this article below to repair hone folder permissions from recovery mode:

https://eclecticlight.co/2020/03/28/apple-has-changed-resetting-permissions-again/

Although if you have a Mac with silicon and not Intel chip, (M1 or M2), instead of starting with Command R, you can turn it off, then press and continue holding the power button until you see the startup options, then choose Options > enter your admin password to get there.

OTHERWISE, if it also happens in another user account:

Start up in safe mode and see if there is a difference:

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

If it works just fine in safe mode, then most likely you have software installed that’s causing an issue, (If so also removing or disabling the Login Items is still a good step),or there is an issue with the file system that needs repairing:

How to repair a Mac disk with Disk Utility - Apple Support

Afterwards, if no issues repairing the disk, restart and test. Hope something here helps!

Two things to do:

#1 - Update to Ventura 13.4.1 (22F82)

#2 - If Updating doesn't help, Boot into safe boot then back to normal and test again.

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

Hey again! Sorry to hear that. I re-read your description…….you shouldn’t need to drag/drop the Desktop folder to the Finder sidebar, all you need to do is enable Desktop in Finder > Settings > Sidebar, also as you mentioned. So can you say if you are doing one or the other? Or both methods? Thanks.

I think it’s also important to know if you normally have Desktop and Documents under iCloud Drive or under Favorites in the sidebar, and also whether you have those options enabled in your iCloud Drive settings or not. The more info the better!

Hey again! Are you able to upload a screen shot of Finder and the sidebar? And also one of the home folder as I mentioned earlier, (After it disappears from the Finder sidebar)? Thanks, I have a few ideas and glad to help if I can.

Hey again! No worries.

Well I see in the original screen shot that Desktop, (Among others), are not enabled.

When Finder is missing these locations, could you please send a screen shot or picture of:

Finder > Settings > Sidebar.

Finder > Go, (On the top menu), > Home.

As well as:

Apple Menu > System Settings > Apple ID, (On the top), > iCloud > iCloud Drive > Options, (To the right)?

Cheers.

Maybe a permissions issue that needs fixing, and how about a pic of the home folder? (If you click on “Mattia” on the Finder sidebar)…….is the Desktop folder greyed out? Or normal? Is there normally two Mattia and Google Drive folders on the Finder sidebar as well?

I've been having the same exact problem since first opening my M1 MacBook Pro. I've tried all of this, and the problem persists. Every software update, I hope the problem will be solved, but nope, every time I look to go to my desktop folder, I can't because the sidebar icon is gone, and I have to get it back before I can move on. Super distracting for someone with ADHD when you're in a zone and it gets shattered because of something like that.

Hey there! I get it, I’ve had my own troubles. So for the steps I mentioned before, were you able to create a new admin user account just to test it out? Because the answer to that is a deal breaker, and may expose whether it’s an OS issue, or a software conflict, or some setting or preference, etc. From the symptoms mentioned by mattiacore……I believe it’s more an issue with a permission or ACL issue in the user profile, however I never got an answer or screen shot showing if iCloud Desktop and Documents is enabled or not in the settings, and that may make a huge difference in the diagnosis and also the resolution. Glad to help if I’m able to.

Thanks, and how about iCloud Drive? (I revised my question, you must have seen it before the change 😂).

Likewise, does the Desktop folder appear normal, or greyed out in Finder > Go > Home?