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

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!


MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 13.5

Posted on Sep 6, 2023 2:24 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best answer

I fixed it!

thanks to a member of a Dutch Mac forum who gave me the tip to delete the invisible files:


~/Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences.plist

~/Library/Preferences/ByHost


See screenshot.

Now, since my MacBook Pro 16 inch M1 is my work computer I need every weekend as a professional DJ, I didn't take the risk to mess up my system and made a bootable copy from my MacBook Pro with SuperSuper! to an external SSD (Samsung T7).

Once ready i disconnected the SSD and connected it to my Mac mini M1 and booted from the SSD. That wasn't easy, I had to reinstall macOS Ventura first, but once booted, I had a perfect clone from my MacBook Pro and the issue with the Finder was there. So, then I applied this trick which works.


I will keep on booting forum this external SSD now every day for a week or so, to be sure I didn't mess up anything else before I do the same trick on the internal SSD of m MacBook Pro.


As for now, I've rebooted several times from the external SSD on my Mac mini M1 and don't notice anything strange (yet).


Posted on Sep 7, 2023 5:12 PM

35 replies

Sep 6, 2023 4:44 AM in response to Randall_2023

i've explored "System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Menu Bar" yesterday already.

Whatever i choose there, i see no colored dots to exit fullscreen in a Finder window on my MacBook Pro 16 inch M1 with macOS Ventura 13.5.1.


I can compare immediately with my macMini M1 & Macbook Air 13 inch M1, both with macOS Ventura 13.5.1. No problem at all on them, whatever i choose in System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Menu Bar.

Sep 6, 2023 5:26 AM in response to Randall_2023

No Solution (for now).

On my Macbook Air 13 inch M1 there is no problem at all, even with Bartender installed.

See screenshot.

On the left the Finder window is in full screen. On the right - when the Finder window is still in full screen i hoover with my pointer to the top of the screen and the three colored dots appear as it should be. On my MacBook Pro this does NOT happen in my main account - even if booted in safe modus, but works in a testaccount.


Sep 6, 2023 5:50 AM in response to P. Phillips

As mentioned in my first post, the issue is only in Finder windows, In all other apps as Safari it works normally.


So now - after totally uninstalling Bartender - I've deletend com.apple.finder.plist one more time on my MacBook Pro 16 inch M1, since Bartender could have made it corrupt. Rebooted the Mac and it didn't help.


I'm not going to create a new account for this small issue. i'll wait for macOS 14 Sonoma.

Thanks for your support all.

Sep 6, 2023 6:23 AM in response to bonimac

Before I leave this question.


Q -   System modifications - There are a large number of system modifications running in the background.


This computer maybe experiencing the Benefits and Side Affects of the above


It may not be a single process but rather the cumulative affects


If as you say, waiting for macOS 14 to fix this issue.


Sometimes it does but from my personal experience, unresolved Issues in previous version of macOS will carry though into the newer version.


It may even Amplify the issue

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

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