Greyed out files in file dialog shortly after saving

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Level 1

4 points

Greyed out files in file dialog shortly after saving

Hi! There is an issue that is sometimes really bugging me. I save a file and want to attach it to an e-mail. Oftentimes that last saved file is greyed out when I try to do that and I can’t select it. When I exit the file dialog and try again, the problem is gone and I can select the file. Waiting longer after saving the file has no effect. That has never been a problem until it started to behave like that maybe a year ago, maybe longer, I don’t quite remember.

The most annoying part is that I have to navigate to that file again when I try to attach it to an e-mail the second time. I could probably just drag and drop that file from the finder. But I don’t really want to change my workflow because of some weird and unpredictable behavior.

Any ideas? Am I the only one experiencing this?

Posted on Aug 31, 2023 1:46 AM

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Answer 1

VikingOSX

Level 10

108,031 points

Aug 31, 2023 2:37 AM in response to nicolas66

A Save/Save As… panel does not open files, so they will remain grayed out while that panel is open. It is not a Finder window, but a specialized view provided by a Framework that is intended to look like a Finder interface. Exit the save panel and use the Finder to drag and drop the file onto the Mail compose window, or use the attachment tool on the compose window's tool panel.

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Answer 2

nicolas66 Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 31, 2023 2:43 AM in response to VikingOSX

I do the following: I save a Word-document in folder x. I go to Mail, create a new mail, write a text. Then I press the attachtment-button. I navigate to the document in folder x that I saved 5 minutes ago. The file is greyed out. I close the dialog. I again press the attachment-button and navigate to that file in folder x. This time the file is no longer greyed out. That is the weird behavior I am talking about. I have no explanation for that and it’s annoying af.

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Answer 3

VikingOSX

Level 10

108,031 points

Aug 31, 2023 5:26 AM in response to nicolas66

Using Word 16.76.1 on Ventura 13.5.1, I cannot reproduce what you describe. I save the Word document to a folder on my Desktop. Open a Mail compose window, click the attachment tool, and the file is immediately selectable and attaches correctly to the compose window.

Are you saving to a folder on your local drive, iCloud Drive, or a third-party cloud location?

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Answer 4

nicolas66 Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 31, 2023 5:32 AM in response to VikingOSX

Local drive. And it does not happen consistently. It also happens with other applications, not just word.

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Answer 5

Aug 31, 2023 6:54 AM in response to nicolas66

I often see this problem when answering questions here in Apple discussions forums, in the following way:

I take a screenshot to illustrate something for my reply, annotate with Preview, and Save.

I come here to reply to a question, click the image icon to update, and the recently saved screenshot is greyed out.

Note: navigating out of the folder, and back in, usually fixes it; but it is annoying, indeed.

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Answer 6

nicolas66 Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 1, 2023 10:07 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Okay, so at least I am not the only one. I hope this issue will be solved in a future update, although it does not seem to be a widespread problem.

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