Chrome and Brave (Chromium) downloads saved as invisible files in macOS Sequoia 15.6 and earlier

Question

Chrome and Brave (Chromium) downloads saved as invisible files in macOS Sequoia 15.6 and earlier

Other closed posts addressed this issue with Sonoma.

I encountered the problem back with Sonoma but again today with Sequoia 15.6 using Brave (Chromium) browser.

Download files from Chrome are being crea… - Apple Community

PROBLEM

You download a document via Chrome or Brave(Chromium) but can't find it because it was saved as a hidden file in macOS.

Revealing hidden files with command-shift-period shows the missing downloaded files.

macOS hidden files typically have names that start with a period, which causes macOS to hide the file. But these invisible downloaded files don't start with a period.

Changing Chrome's Save method prevents Chrome from doing this.

WORKAROUND

Today, I discovered a fast way to fix the downloaded invisible files: drag them to trash then back out. macOS stripped away the hidden aspect and they became visible.

(1) View the missing invisible files in your download location: press command-shift-period

(2) Drag them (grayed-out download files) to the trash then back out.

(3) Hide macOS invisible files: press command-shift-period again

NOTE: this doesn't work on normal hidden files with names that start with a period.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Workaround for old problem of Chrome saving downloads as invisible files in macOS Sequoia 15.6 and earlier, including Sonoma

Posted on Aug 6, 2025 3:20 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 6, 2025 11:54 PM in response to leroydouglas

It worked today on an M4 iMac Sequoia 15.6.

The next time I help that user, I'll note the chflags of an invisible file before and after the trash trick.

I stumbled on it by accident.

I had just showed the user how to use Word's Save As to make visible normal docx copies after opening the invisibile docx files (and the same with PDFs in Preview), then I moved the invisible files to trash but didn't empty the trash.

After writing brief instructions for the user (command-shift-period, etc), I wanted him to practice, so I pulled the invisible files out of the trash onto the Desktop and to my surprise, they were visible.

Total accident.

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Answer 2

Aug 6, 2025 11:26 PM in response to maintwocamels

Thanks for the tip!

I briefly tried it but it did not work even after relaunching Finder (or reopening the enclosing folder). I tested this on a file deliberately made invisible via 'chflags hidden [path-to-file]' so that might have made the difference.

Also putting the invisible file to iCloud Drive and then back to a local folder and relaunching Finder did not help (BTW iCloud Drive does not seem to support com.apple.quarantine flag so editing that info does not reach other iCloud Drive Macs).

Instead, I had to 'chflags nohidden [path-to-file]' and maybe relaunch Finder.

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Answer 3

Aug 7, 2025 1:36 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks for the idea.

I've filed lots of bug reports with Apple over the years. But I'm not sure this is Apple's bug, though. It seems more like Chrome's / Chromium's because the same problem a couple years ago only occurred in Chrome, and now it's only happening in Chromium Brave (Chromium 138 & 139).

But it won't hurt to file bug report with Apple, so I'll do that. I have a developers license. Maybe they'll bug Google about it.

Both users with this problem are academics who download tons of math and science papers from websites, not so much from email attachments. The most recent user downloads lots of docx and pdf files from his publisher's ftp site so he can proofread his new science textbook drafts. These users download such files way more than average users. I suspect that's why no else called me about this in the last two years even though the bug was mostly likely lurking in Chrome. Also, it's never been consistent.

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Answer 4

leroydouglas

Level 10

199,506 points

Aug 6, 2025 3:23 PM in response to maintwocamels

maintwocamels wrote:

Other closed posts addressed this issue with Sonoma.

I encountered the problem back with Sonoma but again today with Sequoia 15.6 using Brave (Chromium) browser.

Download files from Chrome are being crea… - Apple Community

PROBLEM

You download a document via Chrome or Brave(Chromium) but can't find it because it was saved as a hidden file in macOS.

Revealing hidden files with command-shift-period shows the missing downloaded files.

macOS hidden files typically have names that start with a period, which causes macOS to hide the file. But these invisible downloaded files don't start with a period.

Changing Chrome's Save method prevents Chrome from doing this.

WORKAROUND

Today, I discovered a fast way to fix the downloaded invisible files: drag them to trash then back out. macOS stripped away the hidden aspect and they became visible.

(1) View the missing invisible files in your download location: press command-shift-period

(2) Drag them (grayed-out download files) to the trash then back out.

(3) Hide macOS invisible files: press command-shift-period again

NOTE: this doesn't work on normal hidden files with names that start with a period.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Workaround for old problem of Chrome saving downloads as invisible files in macOS Sequoia 15.6 and earlier, including Sonoma

Very interesting post maintwocamels

To be proactive you can file a bug report / submit your Apple Feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Aug 6, 2025 3:33 PM in response to maintwocamels

Very interesting, thanks.

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Answer 6

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Aug 7, 2025 12:13 AM in response to maintwocamels

😀👍🏽

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