SonathD

Q: Press return twice to rename files?

On my MacBook Pro (Mid 2015 running 10.11.4) I have to press the return key twice when a file or folder is selected in Finder in order to be able to edit its name. The first time I press return has absolutely no effect or action. I think this is a peculiar behaviour I haven't encountered in any of my other machines and I do not know how to change it. Any ideas?

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Apr 7, 2016 11:45 PM

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Q: Press return twice to rename files?

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  • by pedro d,Helpful

    pedro d pedro d Apr 12, 2016 1:26 AM in response to SonathD
    Community Specialists
    Apr 12, 2016 1:26 AM in response to SonathD

    Hello there, SonathD.

     

     

     

    It seems you are having issues with your Finder not allowing you to rename a file or folder using the return key after selecting it. You are correct in your expectation of the process of renaming, as indicated in this Knowledge Base article:

     

     

     

    OS X El Capitan: Rename files, folders, and disks

     

     

     

    You can change the name of most files, folders, and disks, including the internal hard disk (named Macintosh HD by default). If you change the name of your hard disk, it still appears with its original name on a network.

    Rename one item

    1. Select the item in a Finder window or on the desktop, then press Return. Or force click the item’s name.

    2. Enter a new name.

      You can use numbers and most symbols. You can’t include a colon (:) or start the name with a period (.). Some apps may not allow you to use a slash ( / ) in a filename.

    3. Press Return.

     

     

     

    To troubleshoot further, you may want to test this behavior in another User to determine if your issue is user-specific or system-wide. This article provides some great instruction on how to do this:

     

     

     

    How to test an issue in another user account on your Mac

     

     

     

    Before trying another user account

    If you're seeing unexpected behavior on your Mac try these steps first:

    Try searching Apple's knowledge base for the specific symptom or alert message you're seeing. There might be simpler steps you can take to resolve the issue.

    Try starting your Mac in Safe Mode. Restart your computer. Hold the Shift key when you hear the startup sound. Release the Shift key when you see the Apple logo appear. This starts your Mac in Safe Mode. Safe mode performs a directory check of your startup disk, and removes some cache data. After your Mac finishes starting up, restart your Mac normally (without holding the Shift key) and see if the issue is resolved.

    Make sure your software is up to date. The issue you're seeing might be addressed by installing available updates.

    Check to see where the issue happens. If an issue appears before you see your desktop, it's less likely that it's related to a user account or setting. If an issue happens with a website, see if pages from other websites load correctly first. There might be an issue with the site and not your Mac.

     

    How to test with another user account

    You can figure out if unexpected behavior is related to user file or setting by trying to reproduce the issue from another user account. This process includes creating a new user account, logging in to it, and testing for the issue.

    Create a test user account

    1. From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.
    2. Click the Users & Groups icon in the System Preferences window.
    3. Click the lock icon, then enter an administrator name and password.
    4. Click the Add button ( + ) below the list of users.
    5. Choose a type of user from the New Account pop-up menu.
    6. Give the user a full name, account name, and password.
    7. Click OK.
    8. Close the System Preferences window.

    If there are documents from your original user account that you want to test with, place a copy of these items in the Shared folder in the Users folder. Press the Option key while dragging a file to this folder to create a copy.

    Log in to the test user account

    Log out of your current user account by choosing Log Out from the Apple menu, then log in to the new account you created. If you're prompted to sign in with your iCloud account or Apple ID when you log in, skip this step.

    Try reproducing the issue

    Try the same steps that caused the unexpected behavior to appear before. For example, if you were unable to print, try printing from this user account. If you were unable to connect to the Internet, try browsing a website from this user account.

    If you were using any specific settings that testing depends on (such as using a specific email account or iCloud account) set up the same account in the test user. For email and most other settings you can use the Internet Accounts pane in System Preferences to set up these kinds of accounts. If files from your home folder are needed for testing, copy them to Shared folder in the Users folder (/Users/Shared). After logging in as the test user, copy these items to the same location in the test user's home folder to test with.

    If an issue happens in only one user account

    If performing the same steps in a test user account doesn't result in the same unexpected behavior, you most likely don't need to reinstall any apps or OS X.

    • If an issue only happens in one app, check the app's documentation or support website for instructions on troubleshooting specific preference or setting files.
    • If you need help with a specific alert message or issue, search the Apple Support website for the text of the alert message you're seeing.

    If an issue happens in more than one user account

    If the same unexpected behavior happens in more than one user account on your Mac, try checking for software or hardware issues.

    After you're done

    After you've finished testing, log out of the test account by choosing Log Out from the Apple menu. Then log in to your original user account.

    You can remove the test user account you created when you're done. Make sure you're completely finished testing, and that you don't need any of the files or settings you created or copied there before you remove it.

    Get help

    If you need more help with a software or hardware issue, contact Apple Support. If you work with an Advisor, Genius, or service provider to resolve an issue, be sure to mention any steps you've already tried and the results. Also mention any alert messages you've seen as part of the issue. You can take a screenshot of any messages that appear so you can refer to them later.

     

     

     

    Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.

     

     

     

    Kind Regards.

  • by SonathD,

    SonathD SonathD Apr 12, 2016 1:33 AM in response to pedro d
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Apr 12, 2016 1:33 AM in response to pedro d

    Hi pedro d, many thanks for your reply!

     

    Tried to boot in safe mode and created a test user account; the unexpected behaviour persists.

    May I add to the weirdness? I found out that when a file is on the desktop, a single press of the return key will enable renaming. The problem with the need for two keystrokes applies only to files displayed within a Finder folder.

  • by pedro d,Solvedanswer

    pedro d pedro d Apr 16, 2016 1:25 PM in response to SonathD
    Community Specialists
    Apr 16, 2016 1:25 PM in response to SonathD

    Hello again, SonathD.

     

     

     

    Thanks for the follow up on your issue and what results came from reviewing the referenced information. Being that it happens in Safe Mode and in another user, our next step would be to reinstall OS X. Altho this process does not affect any of your personal data/content, I always prefer recommending a backup of your data, just as a common practice. This link offers up some of the available options you have for backup and links to some very useful articles.:

     

     

     

    Backing up your Mac hard drive

     

     

     

    To get started with reinstalling El Capitan:

     

     

     

    How to reinstall OS X on your Mac

     

     

     

    Reinstall OS X from Recovery

    If have a recent Mac, you can use OS X Recovery to reinstall OS X.

    1. Turn on your Mac.
    2. Immediately after you hear the startup sound, hold the Command and R keys on your keyboard.
    3. Release the keys after the Apple logo appears.
    4. If prompted, select a Wi-Fi network, or connect your Mac to the Internet using an Ethernet cable.
    5. After the Recovery menu appears, select the option to Install OS X.
    6. Follow the onscreen prompts to select your destination disk and install OS X.

    These steps reinstall the latest version of OS X that you previously had installed on your Mac. If you want to reinstall the version of OS X that came with your Mac, hold Command-Option-R at startup instead. This starts your Mac from Internet Recovery.

     

     

    Once OS X is reinstalled, test again to see if the issue persists.

     

     

    Thanks again for being a part of Apple Support Communities.

     

     

     

    Cheers.