My MacBook Pro is stuck in Dashboard overlay. When I opened the case this morning there it was. I did not enter this mode and cannot get out and back to the desktop. I have tried Mission control, but it will not open, escape doesn't work either.

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My MacBook Pro is stuck in Dashboard overlay. When I opened the case this morning there it was. I did not enter this mode and cannot get out and back to the desktop. I have tried Mission control, but it will not open, escape doesn't work either.

I have a MacBook Pro running Yosemite.I did not shut down the computer last night. When I opened the computer this morning Dashboard in overlay was on the screen. I have not been able to get out of dashboard. I have tried esc, F12, and accessing System Preferences in the Dock. I clicked on Mission control and nothing changed. Help be get back to my desktop.

Posted on Apr 1, 2015 10:54 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

dominic23

Level 10

83,904 points

Apr 1, 2015 12:32 PM in response to gaylesulli

Did you try restarting the computer?

Delete com.apple.dashboard.plist file.

Quit all applications.

Option click the "Go" menu in the Finder menu bar.

Select "Library" from the drop down.

Library > Preferences > com.apple.dashboard.plist

Right click on it and select "Move it to Trash".

Restart.

If this doesn’t help, Put back the com.apple.dashboard.plist

Right click the Trash icon in the Dock and select “Open”.

Right click the com.apple.dashboard.plist and select “Put Back”.

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Answer 2

gaylesulli Author

Level 1

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Apr 2, 2015 8:09 PM in response to dominic23

I couldn't access any of those areas. In the dock I was able to get to preferences and from the menu clicked Mission Control. Nothing happened. I finally just turned the power off and restarted the computer and it was back to normal. But I don't know if I lost anything. Oh well. Such is live. thanks for replying.

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Answer 3

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Apr 4, 2015 10:38 PM in response to gaylesulli

gaylesulli wrote:

But I don't know if I lost anything.

You probably did not lose any data but that should get to thinking about your backup strategy.

Ciao.

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Answer 4

gaylesulli Author

Level 1

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Apr 4, 2015 10:39 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

thanks for taking the time to help out. I am using Time Machine, Thanks.

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Answer 5

dominic23

Level 10

83,904 points

Apr 5, 2015 3:57 AM in response to gaylesulli

System Preferences > Mission control > Dashboard

Is it set as " As Overlay". or "Off"?

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Answer 6

Jun 27, 2015 10:52 AM in response to dominic23

Mine was set on "Space." Having encountered the same problem on several occasions, with no option other than to hard-boot, and of course under deadline, I was enraged. Presumably the 'Space" setting solves?

Presumably this was a programming goof.

C.

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Answer 7

Jun 27, 2015 11:18 AM in response to gaylesulli

You can force quit a shutdown by holding the power button for an extended period of time.

Reboot as normal.

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Answer 8

Jul 11, 2015 3:42 PM in response to leroydouglas

Leroy Douglas - yep, most of us should know that by now. But as a solution it's pretty lame. Apple - are you listening? (Probably not.)

Of course this phenom occurs just as I'm on the phone with a client needing to access data. The sum of these various fails are sabotaging my business.

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