Desktop files gone after Sequoia update.

Hello Everyone,

Finally I found a solution for this issue, after bugging me for a few months.

In my case I found that the issue was generated by the Hide Desktop Files and Presentation Mode from Parallels Toolbox. To get rid if this issue you will have to go on

Paralles Tollbox - Presentation Mode (settings - the small gear on the top right) - and uncheck the Hide Desktop Files.

That's all.

Cheers!

NOTE: I do not use Parallels but this worked for me...

Settings --> Desktop & Dock

Under "Desktop & Stage Manager" I saw that "Show Items" was unchecked.

Once checked my Desktop items displayed correctly.

Update - fixed issue by changing file/folder properties in Parallels - Windows 11 - File Explorer (removed Read Only and Hidden attributes).

Seems like a bug/conflict with the Sequoia update and Parallels with shared Mac/WIndows folders in my case.

After going through a lengthy support call with Parallels which ended up deleting the Parallels app I managed to resolve this with an Apple Support agent. The solution for me was shown below:

Please do the following:

1. Open Terminal and enter:

sudo chflags -R nohidden ~/Desktop

1. Hit return to run the command.
2. When prompted, please enter your admin password
3. Hit return to accept the password and run the command
4. When complete the files on the Desktop will be unhidden.

My fix was to run the 'Presentation Mode' utility under in Parallels Utilities. It toggles the files visibility on and off. Have never used that utility before. Seemed to have got itself into the wrong mode.

I found that Parallels Presentation Mode was the problem for me (it also prevented the system from sleeping). Click on Parallels Tools and search for Presentation Mode if not in Recents. Click its Settings (gear icon to the right) and uncheck Hide desktop files, and others if needed and click Done. I unchecked everything and the problem was solved.

It seems pretty clear that you have your "Documents and Desktop in iCloud".

You can check for them as AlWeir said.

Also: open a Finder window, click on iCloud Drive on the sidebar. Do you have a Desktop folder there? What are its contents?

Thanks everyone. Definitely a Parallels related issue for me. When I run Parallels Windows 11 VM, the files all get hidden, but if I log off and leave the laptop overnight, they usually return in the morning. Along with the also annoying appearance of the Desktop folder. But that also goes away after a couple of days. Someone needs to lose their programming licence for letting these get through.

Adding to my comments above. When you click on "Learn More" underneath "Desktop and Folders" in iCloud settings, it gives a reasonable explanation of the feature. So it does accommodate multiple Macs and all other devices that you have. Essentially, files that you direct to your Documents or Desktop folders will still be saved but instead of being stored on your Mac, they will be on your iCloud account.

You have the ability to download them. For me, it solves the problem of storing and multiple screenshots and cleaning up my desktops. Also, since I store many user manuals in my documents folders and many financial spreadsheets and personal music and text files etc., it could be quite handy having access to to them from my laptop wherever I may be and also from my iPhone.

Here's what else the "Learn More" says - "When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.

If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. You also have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. If you keep a local copy of your files in iCloud Drive, they're copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. You can move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents to your new local Desktop and Documents.”

So if the feature is working as described I can use it. I can remove files from either place and store them on a Flash Drive and that way, delete them from iCloud as well. Perhaps this will help me rather than hinder me. There's hope.

Check in /Users/yourname/Library/Mobile Documents/com-appie~CloudDocs for them

First, I would make sure to have an up to date backup, just in case!

If you do not want to keep "Documents and Desktop in iCloud", it should be easy.

Turn the feature off in System Settings and, when asked if you want to keep a copy in your mac, say YES.

If you want to keep "Documents and Desktop in iCloud", it may be tricky for now, as there seems to be a bug and until a bug fix update the issue may well persist.

Note: I never had "Documents and Desktop in iCloud" activated myself, but I have done the above procedure on friends macs that had turned it on unwittingly and wanted to revert to local Desktop and Documents. It worked, but not in the present context, so proceed with caution.

Same issue here. I can use Command + Shift + Period to unhide the desktop files, but looking for the best way to permanently mark them as unhidden.

Sharing and Permissions option in Finder is unavailable for the Desktop, Documents and Library folders for me (the only user and admin on this machine). All of the other folders under Home are visible and allow me to access Sharing and Permissions.

I use Parallels and share these folders that have suddenly been hidden - not sure if that is related to this issue.

I also have this issue and have Parallels installed.

The files are there on the desktop but not visible. I tried to restore from a TimeMachine backup, but it said they're all still there and it asked about replacing. DaisyDisk can also see them.

Parallels seems to have also made a new folder on the Windows Desktop called Mac Files. I've turned off the Read Only flag in Parallels but still can't get them to view properly on the Mac Desktop without showing hidden files.