After the Sonoma update, downloaded files are hidden on MacBook Pro

I have the exact same issue. It started after upgrading to Sonoma.

It also happens with pdf files, so it’s not a privacy feature but rather a bug in the operating system

Lea0909 wrote:

All files downloaded, including jpg, doc, pdf and ipynb files. They are not visible after downloading from Chrome. I have to use command+shift+. to make those files apprear.

I just restarted my laptop and tried to download a google doc file as pdf and a png file. They could be downloaded but they are still hidden files.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/5257ee07-0672-4533-952a-00aaa95d6db4

this looks a bit suspect to me... what is this cloud reference?

Sorry I'm only adding to your misery: me too. The full content of my 'Pictures' folder (photos and text files) is hidden after the Sonoma upgrade. I can bring up the files using command+shift+period and view them, but my photo editing apps don't see them....very annoying, I can't edit anything at all.

Thank you for your suggestion, alexanon, but I am not using Bitdefender. Yet, 'something' is making my 'Pictures' folder (and some other files in different folders too I found out) hidden. If so many people are experiencing this, should apple not come with a patch?

I had the same issue after installing Sonoma. Apple support couldn't help either. I typed this into the terminal and it worked for me. All my hidden files appeared on my desktop (some really old ones as well) and my downloaded files appear where I want them to.

Same thing happens when downloading files from Microsoft Edge. Latest version of Edge installed. Default download folder is the desktop. I've been experiencing this with ZIP files. This problem only started after upgrading to Sonoma.

I've been having this problem as well. All files downloaded are hidden including .jpg, .png, .pdf. .docx, .xlsx, etc., this includes files exported from Illustrator or Photoshop and downloaded from Chrome.

I tried all the suggestions in this thread but nothing worked. However I found a solution on Reddit that seems to be working. I've tried downloading a few files from different applications and so far none of them are hidden.

I have not thought this out about if Sonoma hides certain files. I wish that Apple Developers would tell Advisors about this if it is yet another feature which provides additional security and privacy to the operating system. I only know for a fact that when I installed Ventura in my iMac and used Migration Assistant to bring my data into my upgrade of Sonoma that all of my collection of .dmg files seemed to be gone! I used a good Time Machine backup but when I browsed Time Machine... every .dmg was also gone. At that point, I postulated that they are not gone nor are their registration in the library gone. I thought "maybe they are not gone, just hidden, including in Time Machine. I called AppleCare and I asked if certain file types are intentionally hidden in Sonoma? Advisor after advisor had the same response "I don't know" If there is an attempt to provide security and privacy features to protect against 3rd party malware in the form of such file types as .dmg, then I might speculate that part of the motivation of Apple is to hide .dmg app files so that you buy their App Store offerings instead of 3rd Party equivalents.

I figured as much. I only have Sonoma installed on my iMac. After discovering the hidden file issue I was afraid to install it on my MacBook Pro until I'm sure it's fixed on my iMac. Apple needs to fix the bugs instead of added more useless features.

Don't know what to tell you. I have all browsers set to download to the Desktop, including Chrome. I can't reproduce the problem.