Items Disappear after being Dragged off right side of Desktop Please Help!

[robertgarven]

Friends,

This has happened to me before and I forget how I solved it. I was trying to position a photo on my apple desktop and somehow it got dragged a file off to the right and it disappears and I can't find it or recover it. I also did this to one folder window that was open. The folder is still on my desktop and I click on it, but the open window is off to the right somewhere where I can't see it, and the top menu bar goes gray. I know this is Apple 101, and this only happens to me about every 10 years, and I am completely perplexed. I tried searching for solutions online but could not find anything to help me solve this. I am running Monterey 12.7.3 on a late 2015 4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7.

So I'm doing some tests, I have a JPEG on my desktop I drag it off to the right and it disappears, if I open my desktop folder on my hard drive it's in there but it's not visible on my desktop, it's not grayed out or hidden. If I try to drag it back on the desktop from that folder it doesn't show up, like it's on some alternate desktop, even though I don't have one.

I have a file that I clicked open and I drag the window contents off to the right and it disappears but the folder is still visible on my desktop but the contents are not. When I double click on the folder nothing happens, although it still visible in my hard drive desktop folder, but the contents window is not visible on my desktop? I don't have a second desktop, my iCloud is turned off except for find my Mac. I'm completely baffled... My Mac used to have a option where there was a Cube you'd rotated around where your stuff would be on one side of the cube, but I don't think it does that anymore.

I cannot update to a new operating system because of my iMac is too old. I've been holding off waiting for the 32 inch iMac, but may never show up........

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Rod]

Try changing the Desktop Display settings on the Desktop by Right clicking on the Desktop and Choosing "Sort By" then "Snap to Grid" or any of the other options. If it's actually there, and it sounds like it is, one of the display settings should display it.
Alternatively Restore your Desktop from a recent Time Machine backup.

 

[robertgarven]

Rod,

Thanks so much for helping out! I did that and I sorted by name and the missing JPEG showed up.
Of course you can't move anything around when it's sorted so I went back to "none" it it disappeared again. I found what I needed by opening my hard drive and going to the desktop folders and recovered everything I needed by duplicating the folders. Now I am just curious just trying to figure out where all this stuff is going. I reduced the icon sizes and that did not work, but anything I drag off to the right just disappears! Hope I can figure it out! Thanks for your input!

Rob

 

[Rod]

You know Rob, I think it might be a glitch of some sort. I can't duplicate it on my Mac but it's much more recent than yours as is my macOS.
I forgot to say, had you tried shutting down and starting up again, it's been known to fix all sorts of weird glitches.

 

[Rod]

Have a read of this article. It sounds like one of the responders actually did what you did accidentally and like you, had no idea how to get the item back. Hide files/icons on the desktop but not in finder

 

[robertgarven]

Rod,

I did shut it down and restart it but it didn't make any difference. What I was originally trying to do that started this was drag a photo out of a folder contents widow into a text message and folder contents window slipped off the side of the desktop. I remember this happening before, but I can't remember what I did to fix it. I want a new computer but I'm waiting for the 32 inch iMac if it ever comes. It's clearly in the desktop drove to Jay Peak and one of the folders on my desktop and dragged it out there now still just curious why this is happening. I dont like mysteries! Ha

Thanks for all your help and suggestions!

 

[Rod]

You're welcome.