Preview not opening files

Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I use preview quite often. I've been having this issue for a little over a month.

If the program is closed and I try to open a PDF document, it runs Preview and opens the document. If I try to open a document while Preview is running, it does the animation like it is opening it, and Preview becomes my active window, but it does not open the document. I can not open any file (even if I close out of the currently open document and try to open the same one again) until I have completely quit Preview. (Sometimes even this doesn't work and I have to end-task it.)

For images, I can't open anything at all. Once again, click on it -> does animation of opening -> Preview (if not open) comes onto my menu bar and becomes the active window -> nothing.

I've repaired Disk Permissions. These items are set to open in Preview, and that seems to be working correctly because it is technically opening the program.

Any suggestions?
 
Joined
Oct 6, 2015
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Right click (control click) on a PDF file. Select "get info". Toward the bottom of the dialog you'll see "Open with:" and an arrow. Click on the arrow and you'll be presented with the applications that can open PDF files. Select Preview and then click on the box that says: "Change All..."

You'll also notice that when you select Preview it will say below it: "Use this application to open all documents like this one."
 
OP
N
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
As I stated in my first post, these files are already set to open in Preview, and they are trying to open in the program.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,053
Reaction score
414
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
Hello NeikeDjour - welcome to the forum! :) You need to provide information on my computer (model/year) & the OS X installed. You likely have already tried these two maneuvers, but have you ‘Force Closed’ Preview and rebooted your computer? Dave
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,053
Reaction score
414
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
OSX Yosemite 10.10.5, iMac, Late 2014.

And yes, have Force Quit and restarted.

Well, that is what I thought, and sorry that neither helped - Dave :)
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2009
Messages
7,295
Reaction score
301
Points
83
Location
Wisconsin
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Mini (Late 2014) 2.6GHz Intel Core i5 Memory: 8GB 1600MHz DDR3
Can you expand a little bit more on where I can find that? Thanks

HD/Users/Your User Name/Library/Preferences

I'm still in OS 10.6.8, and that folder is not hidden. It is probably hidden in your OS version. Not sure how you go about making it visible.
Caution, there are at least 3 Library folders within my OS. It has to be the one I gave you the path to.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,053
Reaction score
414
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
C

chas_m

Guest
There's no actual need to "unhide" the Library folder, though there's no harm in doing so unless you're the sort to muck about when you don't know what you're doing (the reason it was hidden in the first place -- people can be awfully dumb sometimes!)

From the Finder:

1. Hold down the option key.
2. Select the Go menu from the menubar.
3. Select "Library" (which isn't there if you are not holding down the option key).

Voila. New window opens up with your home folder's library's contents.
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2019
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
New to Forum. Great thread - I'm having the exact same problem. My question - Did deleting the .plist file solve the problem?
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
15,452
Reaction score
3,808
Points
113
Location
Winchester, VA
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 16" 2023 (M3 Pro), iPhone 15 Pro, plus ATVs, AWatch, MacMinis (multiple)
Welcome to the forum. You are not likely to hear from the OP, as the thread is 3 years old (check the date of the posts). However, the fact that the OP didn't come back after the suggestion strongly hints that it solved the issue for him.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,053
Reaction score
414
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
New to Forum. Great thread - I'm having the exact same problem. My question - Did deleting the .plist file solve the problem?

Hi Glaszako - welcome to the forum! :) The thread is 3 years old and the OP has not returned - you'll have to give the suggestion a try, if desired. Dave

OOPS - Jake must have been typing faster! ;)
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
Delete the plist file? It can't hurt.
com.apple.preview.plist

Can you expand a little bit more on where I can find that? Thanks


Or change the app to open the file to something else you don't want to use, close the Get Info window, then open it again and set Preview as the option.

Doing that should rebuild the preference file.





- Patrick
======
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top