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Desktop Files Missing Since Sequoia Update

None of my desktop files are showing up on my MacBook Pro after I upgraded to Sequoia 15.0 today. I went into my iCloud settings > iCloud Drive and attempted to turn on Desktop & Documents Folders which is currently turned off. Every time I move the slider to On, it thinks for a second then immediately switches back off. I've restarted my computer and have the same result. Any suggestions/fixes?


MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.0

Posted on Sep 23, 2024 12:35 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 14, 2024 8:58 AM

If you utilize PARALLELS, the issue causing the hidden files is the Parallels Tool Box. If you click on the Tool Box icon in the top bar, in the Recents section of toll box there should be an icon that says "Presentation Mode." Hover over it , hit the settings icon next to it, and uncheck "Hide desktop files"


This is the only thing that fixed my issue as I tried all the fixes in this thread. I hope this helps you guys!

40 replies

Sep 24, 2024 12:24 PM in response to MasterEbieX

Same here and this is rediculous. Apple can eat it on this one. The weird thing is that I can open documents through recent files on my desktop. I can find desktop folders on my desktop and open via search that is if I know what was there.... Here is a tip. I noticed FileZilla shows my files on the desktop through FileZilla. I created a Couchdrop account and uploaded all my desktop folders and files. Then downloaded to an external drive.


Also my hard drive space did not change so I knew this looked like an indexing issue.


Apple please do better.


Sep 26, 2024 6:31 PM in response to tommytron

Interesting. Either I don't follow you or it doesn't work for me. I don't see anything new.


However I have another example of the problem. I reboot and find everything OK on the Desktop. I then plug in the external monitor I use off and on. ALL THE DESKTOP ITEMS THEN DISAPPEAR and I have to recover them from backup again. This time they all say "(from backup)". We're about to get hit by Helene (I live in the NC mountains) so I may be offline for a while. I'd appreciate others hitting up Apple on how to fix this Sequoia upgrade problem. My Mac is essentially unusable in the current scenario.


Sep 27, 2024 9:49 AM in response to ErraticJackleg

I have a lot of files missing and hidden, from desktop and docs. Some are hidden, some are missing, some have the download icon. I have iCloud desktop and drive on. I don't use parallels.


Before I realised some were hidden, I began restoring from Time Machine, so now I have two copies of some folders...what a mess. 1000s of files, and they're so randomly scattered, I have no idea what's missing.

Sep 30, 2024 10:56 AM in response to ErraticJackleg

I have been on 2 different Apple support chats/calls today for more than an hour and after searching high and low - ALL of my CLIENT files that are missing. All they were able tell me was that they highly doubted it had anything to do with the new update.

Well, all my files were there on Saturday, I didn't even open up my computer yesterday, update happened this morning and as soon as it rebooted, all files are gone. Not in icloud, not hidden anywhere I can find them, just - gone.

A FULL catalog of Lightroom - gone.


Now what?!


Sep 30, 2024 12:26 PM in response to tommytron

I really appreciate you trying to help.

I've tried the "Shift+Option+Period" and it didn't do anything. lol

I restarted it and now even the few things I was able to find and put on my desktop are missing also. 🤣🤦🏻‍♀️ (As bad as all this sounds, at least now I know it's definitely the update. I just have to figure out to get all the files back before my clients start to get ******. lol)

I'm just gonna sit back, try not to throw my laptop and restart it another million times to see what happens.


Nov 4, 2024 5:02 AM in response to ErraticJackleg

For those who are missing folders from their documents folder, it may have saved to a weird place in the icloud driv. I was able to find mine via the below path.


Go to the "Go" tab and then select "Go to Folder" and input this "iCloud drive > Text Input"


If nothing comes up then just search the desired folder via the "Go to Folder".



Desktop Files Missing Since Sequoia Update

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