Download files not appearing in download folder

Yes, a “killall Finder” did recover the situation so the new files appeared. I was able to confirm when this was happening when exporting single pics from Photos application and after restarting Finder with the shell command all newly exported pics appeared as they should in the Finder listing.

Also:

In Safari->Preferences, you get to choose where downloads are saved.

If it is set to the Downloads folder but somehow it is not saving them there, try changing it to something (like your Desktop) then changing it back.

Click the download button at the top right of Safari window:

then click the magnifying glass button next to the name of the file you downloaded:

This will reveal your file in a Finder window, showing you where exactly it is.

It is possible that the preference for where to store the downloaded files got messed up and it is not saving it in the Downloads folder as expected, but this way at least you'll know where it is.

jw1313 wrote:

This is REAL and a very annoying bug that was present in previous OS versions, too, Sierra for sure and (I believe) El Capitan as well.

It is surprising to me that there is not more discussion of this annoying rarely occurring bug with ALL APPLE software.

Interesting. I've never seen it on any of my Macs.

mikebrunker wrote:

Yes, I did that and it showed me the file but when I then opened Finder from the Dock the file was not there. When I restarted the file appeared.

You are not making sense. When "it showed" the file, that is the Finder showing you the file, so it was there...

This is REAL and a very annoying bug that was present in previous OS versions, too, Sierra for sure and (I believe) El Capitan as well. I was hoping it would be fixed in High Sierra but is not. I see it on three three different Macs and always when the computer has not been booted for at least several days. It does not happen often but it is very irritating when it does. Sometimes I go months without seeing it, but then it happens and a reboot recovers the files that cannot be seen in Finder. I have not tried restarting Finder but next time it happens I will try shell command (from Terminal) killall Finder

It is surprising to me that there is not more discussion of this annoying rarely occurring bug with ALL APPLE software.

I see it with downloads from Sierra. Would seem there is some rarely-tickled issue it a display cache somewhere.

The files are there for sure as you can see from the overwrite prompt and the visibility upon reboot. On at least one occasion a simple logout/login did not make the files visible...

dialabrain wrote:

jw1313 wrote:

This is REAL and a very annoying bug that was present in previous OS versions, too, Sierra for sure and (I believe) El Capitan as well.

It is surprising to me that there is not more discussion of this annoying rarely occurring bug with ALL APPLE software.

Interesting. I've never seen it on any of my Macs.

I've never seen it on any of my Macs, or anyone else's for that matter.

Opening Finder from the Dock does not necessarily mean it shows the Downloads folder...