You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
I accidentally swiped the Downloads Folder out of my dock and now I can't find it anywhere!! Its nowhere to be found! How do I replace the downloads folder? I didn't have anything in it, I just want the folder back!
MacBook Pro (2017 – 2020)
If all you did was accidentally remove the Downloads folder from your Dock ... you didn't actually delete the Downloads folder ... all you did was remove the icon from your Dock.
To replace the Downloads folder in the Dock, navigate to your user folder, where you will find the real Downloads folder. (that's /users/<yourusername>/Downloads ) Click & hold your mouse on the Downloads folder and drag it to your Dock. Then release the mouse. This will put the icon back in your Dock. (Don't release the mouse until the icon for the Downloads folder is actually in the Dock.)
If all you did was accidentally remove the Downloads folder from your Dock ... you didn't actually delete the Downloads folder ... all you did was remove the icon from your Dock.
To replace the Downloads folder in the Dock, navigate to your user folder, where you will find the real Downloads folder. (that's /users/<yourusername>/Downloads ) Click & hold your mouse on the Downloads folder and drag it to your Dock. Then release the mouse. This will put the icon back in your Dock. (Don't release the mouse until the icon for the Downloads folder is actually in the Dock.)
so you're saying you don't have this icon (finder) on your dock?
if yours is missing, you have something seriously wrong with your Mac.
i'm thinking you should download and run the free version of EtreCheck so we can see if you have some software installed that is causing your issue. make sure you give "full disk access" to etrecheck. Learn how to use it by reading Using EtreCheck. if you need help interpreting the report, you can see how to post the report here by reading How to use the Add Text Feature When Posting Large Amounts of Text, i.e. an Etrecheck Report. and it automatically obscures sensitive things (like serial numbers) so you don't have to worry about sharing the report here.
Select the Finder (the Picasso happy face icon in the Dock).
Go menu -> Select Downloads.
It should still be there. The Dock is merely a shortcut to file locations, and not the actual folder itself. This is unlike the Windows 7 toolbar and Windows 10 toolbar.
Are you backing up your documents to iCloud? They may be hiding over there. iCloud backup can make files invisible that normally would be visible.
Don't depend on Spotlight to find everything.
You can rebuild your spotlight index to improve its search results:
Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support
Devon Technologies EasyFind is a great way to find files that otherwise are missing:
https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/freeware
Your download folder should open under the Window menu of the web browser as well under the item called Downloads.
Bring to an authorized service tech if you need additional guidance.
Your answer was the right one!!! Thank you so much because I couldn't find it using Spotlight or my Launch Pad.
Thank you for responding but that’s exactly what Apple support said in article but there is NO FINDER ICON anywhere on my dock or menu bar. The only way I know I’m in the Finder is clicking on empty desktop and then I see FINDER up in the menu bar. There is no icon for the finder on my dock, desktop or menu bar.
Is your Dock, the translucent white bar with icons on your left, right, or bottom of the screen? Does it automatically hide when you move away from the side that it is on?
My desktop is set up with the Dock (containing the apps I use most) on left vertical. It does not disappear ever. I did a spotlight search for Downloads and it gave No Results.
Sorry your answer was wrong - it was MartinR that had the correct answer!!
Accidentally deleted Downloads Folder form my Macbook Dock
