Finder window fullscreen: no colored dots to exit fullscreen, only the Escape key works

User wrote " If a finder fills the screen in my main account, I can only get out fullscreen by pressing the escape key, because the red-yellow-green dots no longer show when I go to the top of the screen with my pointer!

In all other apps it works normally.

This occurs under the latest macOS Ventura 13.5.1 on my MacBook Pro 16 inch M1.

- The problem also occurs when booted in safe mode.

- I have already uninstalled com.apple.finder.plist & com.apple.dock.plist, emptied trash and restarted.

- Have already downloaded and installed Ventura 13.5.1 over existing system.

Problem not solved.

The problem does NOT occur in a test account! "

To me, this would indicate there is a possible something in the Main Account that is playing up ( not right )

Suggestion is to Download the Application Etrecheck directly from the Developer.

This is a Diagnostic Tool that makes no changes to the computer.

It makes a coherent and readable inventory of both the Hardware and Software used on the computer 

The application is free or paid from added features. 

The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information. 

Post back the Full Report - copy and paste - >>>> using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last ) <<<<

<EDITED>

I think I just found the fix. If you go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Menu Bar, Change 'Automatically hide and show the menu bar' to 'In Full Screen Only'. Or if it's already that, change it to another choice then test it to see if it works. Changing that setting fixed the full screen problem in Finder for me. I had this set to "Never" and doing so causes the full screen mode to not show the colored window control buttons and is reproducible when ever set to "Never".

Randall_2023 wrote:

<EDITED>

I think I just found the fix. If you go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Menu Bar, Change 'Automatically hide and show the menu bar' to 'In Full Screen Only'. Or if it's already that, change it to another choice then test it to see if it works. Changing that setting fixed the full screen problem in Finder for me. I had this set to "Never" and doing so causes the full screen mode to not show the colored window control buttons and is reproducible when ever set to "Never".

I just tried with all the options for hiding the menu bar, and I cannot reproduce the problem in any case, but if it solves if for someone affected, that is great.

By the way, I don't understand why anyone would want to use any option but "On Full Screen Only" for hiding the menu bar... in particular who would hide it when in Desktop mode but show it in Full Screen (that option does exist, as ridiculous at it seems...)

If you want to fully test the problem, I'd recommend you uninstall Bartender according the the developers instructions. Reboot and test. That will then expose if Bartender is the culprit one way or the other.

After looking at both those items, I found this in ByHost and I doubt anything else had anything to do with a fix.

If, that is, you deleted the entire folder called ByHost.

~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.finder.A920F59B-F156-5698-B28C-EBDACF6F3179.plist

At any rate.....if this turns out to be a fix. Good Job!

Unsigned Files:

Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.surteesstudios.Bartender.BartenderInstallHelper.plist

Executable: /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.surteesstudios.Bartender.BartenderInstallHelper

Details: Exact match found in the legitimate list - probably OK

Since BarTender er... modifies the way the menu bar works, this looks like a logical place to look.

You could try starting in Safe Mode and checking that the problem does not occur while in Safe Mode.

One thing I noticed was the user has Bartender installed, and I do as well, could be the culprit.

Since it occurs only in one account, try deleting the Finder preferences in that account:

1) In Finder, press Command-Shift-G and paste

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

and drag the file to the trash

2) Press Command-Option-escape, select Finder in the list and click Relaunch

3) Try again and see if it is fixed.

Oh.....I see that now. I should have read more carefully. Since it works properly in a test account as you mentioned, I wonder if it's something we installed that is interfering with Finder. I'll have to see if it happens to me in Safemode. I see you mentioned it's still a problem in safemode for you.

bonimac wrote:

Ah, good too read i'm not alone with this issue. :-)

Yes, the only way to get out fullscreen is by pressing the escape key as i wrote in my first post.

This is al weird bug with no solution (yet).

Also, I suppose, the standard Command-Control-F should also work.

Interesting. Because changing it fixes the problem for me and we both have Bartender Installed. If you change it as I described, what happens when you move the mouse to the top of the screen? Doesn't it open the menu bar and then also show the window control buttons then? It doesn't happen until you mouse over the top of the screen.

Mine does that too. The solution is to just press the esc key while viewing Finder in full screen mode and it will revert to a smaller window with the Red, Yellow, and Green buttons.