Chris Milligan
Level 1 (24 points)
Mac App Store

Q: My desktop icons and folders are not visible.

In the Finder window when I click on Desktop, my desktop icons and folders are there. But when I go to the desktop itself, none are visible.

 

help

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jul 17, 2013 10:39 PM

by Chris Milligan,Solvedanswer
Chris Milligan Chris Milligan
Level 1 (24 points)
Mac App Store
A:

Thanks for the detailed answer!

 

I shut down my computer last night after posting my problem, and then the desktop was back to normal this morning, with all icons restored. So, I don't know what that was about, but it's good to know what to do.

Posted on Jul 18, 2013 11:40 AM

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Chris Milligan

Q: My desktop icons and folders are not visible.

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Linc Davis,Helpful

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Jul 17, 2013 11:16 PM in response to Chris Milligan
    Level 10 (208,000 points)
    Applications
    Jul 17, 2013 11:16 PM in response to Chris Milligan

    Back up all data.

    Triple-click the line below on this page to select it:

    ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

    Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select

     

    Services ▹ Reveal

    from the contextual menu.* A folder should open with an item selected. Move the selected item to the Desktop, leaving the window open. Relaunch the Finder and test. If there's no change, put the item you moved back where it was, overwriting the one that may have been created in its place. Otherwise, delete the item you moved.

    *If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C). In the Finder, select

    Go ▹ Go to Folder...

    from the menu bar, paste into the box that opens (command-V). You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

  • by Chris Milligan,Solvedanswer

    Chris Milligan Chris Milligan Jul 18, 2013 11:40 AM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Mac App Store
    Jul 18, 2013 11:40 AM in response to Linc Davis

    Thanks for the detailed answer!

     

    I shut down my computer last night after posting my problem, and then the desktop was back to normal this morning, with all icons restored. So, I don't know what that was about, but it's good to know what to do.

  • by Harris Miller,

    Harris Miller Harris Miller Nov 13, 2014 2:48 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 2 (219 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 13, 2014 2:48 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Link,

     

    I had this same problem after installing Yosemite. Following you instructions I deleted the finder prefs plist & my icons became visible. BUT then they disappeared again so I did the procedure again & they reappeared! Keeps happening!! Any suggestions?