Finder Windows No Longer Come to Front

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Level 1

70 points

Finder Windows No Longer Come to Front

Since updating to 10.12 Sierra, the Finder no longer comes to the front when I click a window. Only the window I click comes to the front, on top of the current app's windows. Other apps still behave as they used to, where clicking in a window brings that app and all its windows to the front. How do I make the Finder behave the way it used to, like other apps do, where a click in one window brings the Finder and all its windows to the front?

IMAC (RETINA 5K, 27-INCH, LATE 2015), macOS Sierra (10.12.2)

Posted on Jan 16, 2017 1:07 PM

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Answer 1

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John Baro1 Author

Level 1

70 points

Jan 16, 2017 2:28 PM in response to sberman

Yes, that's what I've been doing since updating to Sierra. I want it to go back to the way it used to work, where when I click a Finder window, the Finder and all its windows automatically come to the front. The way all other apps continue to work. That extra step is getting pretty annoying.

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Answer 2

dot.com

Level 4

2,449 points

Jan 16, 2017 3:27 PM in response to John Baro1

Finder doesn't work this way for me on Yosemite or Sierra, so don't think this is the default behavior for Finder or some other Apple apps (Terminal doesn't or Preview) but Console works this way (click on any one window and all pop up above others). So there seems to be multiple issues going on here, or at least some inconsistent behavior.

Are you using some sort of third-party app to change the behavior of Finder or the behavior of how windows work or something like that?

Think sberman's tip about using the "Window > Bring all to front" menu item might be what you want. Perhaps even assign a keyboard short-cut to it?

There is also the use of Command+tab shortcut to bring all windows of an app to the top (doesn't change the order of the open windows).

I spent 20 minutes trying to find a solution for this and no luck, so wish you better luck...

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Answer 3

John Baro1 Author

Level 1

70 points

Feb 9, 2017 6:59 AM in response to dot.com

I updated to Sierra 10.12.3 last week and the problem was solved. For a while. The Finder started working like it used to: click in a Finder window, and all Finder windows come to the front. Worked like this for a few days, then stopped and only brought one Finder window to the front. No idea what happened. Last night, the power went out, I restarted, and now it works again.

I think this has something to do with Spaces. When the Finder is not working (only one window comes to the front), sometimes I can get only one Finder window to show, the rest stay hidden no matter what I do. Bring All To Front does nothing. I have to flip around between different apps in different spaces, and eventually I can get the rest of the Finder windows to show. I have the Finder set to show on all desktops, so it shouldn't matter what space I'm in.

I am using X-Assist, which puts an app menu in the menu bar, but I don't think it should have any effect on Finder behavior. Though the app is old, hasn't been updated since 2008, so who knows.

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