Fix Files Not Showing on Desktop Mac | Best 5 Methods

Have you ever encountered files not showing on desktop Mac error when you searched everywhere but could not locate your newly created files? Do not worry, this post will help you show your files again.

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For Mac users, the desktop is the default location for saving screenshots and allowing hassle-free access to files. But it is also possible that your files not showing on desktop Mac for some specific reasons. This post will give you a few workable ways to solve this error and locate your files again. Keep reading till the end to get solutions for your problem.

Fix Files Not Visible on Desktop Mac With EaseUS Fixo File Repair

If your files are corrupted or damaged for a specific reason, you may also encounter errors such as files not being visible or directly disappearing from your desktop. The most effective way to handle this is to use professional file repair software for Mac. EaseUS Fixo File Repair is your go-to choice that won't let you down.

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This file repair software from EaseUS can also help when you can't open a file on a Mac, your account does not allow editing on Mac, or your Mac preview does not work. EaseUS Fixo File Repair will strive to save your problematic files.

Follow the detailed instructions here to repair corrupted files on Mac:

Step 1. Launch Document Repair Software

Run EaseUS Fixo Document Repair. Choose "File Repair" on the left panel. This software allows you to repair corrupted Office documents, including Word, Excel, PDF, and others.

macfixo document repair step 1

Step 2. Choose and Repair Corrupted Document

Click "Repair All" to repair all the documents added. If you want to repair a single document, move the mouse pointer to the target document and click "Repair." To preview the repaired document, click the eye icon.

macfixo document repair step 2

Step 3. Preview and Save the Repaired Document

When the repair process finishes, click "Save" to save a selected document. Also, you can click "Save All" to save all repaired documents. To locate the repaired folder, click "View Repaired".

macfixo document repair step 3

It would be great if you shared this post with your friends or colleagues who are facing the same invisible files on your Mac desktop:

 

Search for Hidden Desktop Files on Terminal to Solve Invisible Files on Mac

If you have accidentally hidden your files from the desktop, you may try to look for your files in the Terminal. Follow the steps here:

Step 1. Launch Terminal on your Mac, you can either locate it or use hotkeys "Command + T" to open it.

press command and t

Step 2. Now type in the following path and hit Enter:

defaults write com.apple.finder appleahowfiles TRUE

And you can see all your hidden files now.

Use Finder to Solve Files Not Showing on Mac Desktop

You can also use Finder to locate your files on your Mac. Now, read the detailed instructions here:

Step 1. Open Finder and locate the folder and file you are searching for. Then, right-click on the file tab and choose "Get Info" from the menu.

choose get info under file

Step 2. Now, choose "folder/file preview" from the top-left corner.

Step 3. Wait for the preview to be highlighted and hit backspace.

Fix Folder Disappeared From Mac Desktop by Disabling iCloud Drive

All files on your desktop and documents folders will be moved to iCloud Drive if you have enabled the "Desktop & Documents" option on the iCloud Drive of your Mac. So, you may try disabling the storage option and see if your files will be shown. Follow the steps here:

Step 1. Click on the Apple logo and choose "System Preferences" from the drop-down menu.

Step 2. Locate "iCloud" and choose "Options".

Step 3. Now, uncheck the "Desktop & Documents Folders" box. Tap on the "Done" button.

uncheck desktop and documnents folder

Deactivate Desktop Stack to Fix Files Do Not Show on Mac Desktop

Mac has a desk stack feature that will automatically organize your desktop files to make your desktop look neater. In this case, the newly created files may be hidden among the stacked folders. You can do as following to rearrange your files:

Step 1. Click on the Apple logo, choose "View" from the menu, and tap "Use Stacks".

Step 2. Then, navigate to the "Group Stacks By" and choose according to your needs. For example, if you want to find the newly created files, choose "Date Created".

choose group stacks by

Step 3. Now, you can see the files are archived using your chosen method, and you can easily locate them.

FAQs on File Not Showing on Desktop Mac

Here, you can read some frequently asked questions that may better help solve your problems:

1. Why did my files disappear from my Mac desktop?

You may have changed the setting in your iCloud sync to sync the Desktop and Documents folders automatically. To do so, you just need to uncheck it in the iCloud option.

2. How do I show files on my Mac desktop?

You may use the hotkeys - hold Command + Shift + . to show your hidden Mac files if your files are hidden.

Closure

This post from EaseUS has looked at how to fix files not showing on desktop Mac. You can either utilize Terminal to search for hidden files, use Fidner to locate your files, and disable specific options in iCloud. But if your files are not showing due to file corruption, EaseUS Fixo File Repair should be your first choice.

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author Finley

Finley

Finley is interested in reading and writing articles about technical knowledge. Her articles mainly focus on file repair and data recovery.

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