MacOS Sonoma having all kinds of problems with the Desktop

I just installed MacOS Sonoma and have been having a series of problems with the Desktop since then. Here's the two biggies:


  1. The Desktop files and folders disappeared. In Settings > Desktop & Dock > Desktop & Stage Manager, "Show items: On desktop was already toggled, but I had to I had to toggle on/off the "In Stage Manager" option for files to reappear. Then they all had to download from iCloud again. Hopefully this lasts.
  2. UNRESOLVED: When trying to save things to the Desktop or a folder on the Desktop, it simply isn't working. Examples:
    • Dragging photos out of Photos app and into a Desktop folder simply doesn't do anything even thought is highlights the window with the correct number of photos in a stack icon
    • Trying to export those same photos with the File > Export menu in Photos app has the same problem
    • Saving those same photos into the Downloads folder works fine. But dragging them out of Downloads and into the folder on my desktop simply hangs on "preparing to move files" dialog.


Anyone know what's going on with the Sonoma Desktop??

MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

Posted on Oct 12, 2023 12:44 PM

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5 replies

Oct 13, 2023 5:33 AM in response to sink

I don't have any problems, but I don't have Stage Manager enabled at all. Are you using Stage Manager at the time these files do not appear.


For those settings, On Desktop is unchecked and In Stage Manager is checked, but as I noted, I don't use Stage Manager at all.

I do have Desktop & Documents in iCloud Drive and Optimize storage set.

Do you have Desktop & Documents in iCloud Drive enabled?

Jul 16, 2024 11:37 PM in response to sink

I can't help you with the issues you're describing but can relate in that I have Sonoma issues within Finder. Navigating a 'save as' Finder window will sometimes freeze for about twenty seconds. Safari gets 'stuck' in that I can't click on anything as if it is majorly slowed down. (And I am a light computer user, nothing complicated, no heavy memory or CPU usage ...). We're a few updates into Sonoma and I feel like finding a way to roll back to Ventura entirely.

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MacOS Sonoma having all kinds of problems with the Desktop

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