All the folders in my Finder sidebar have disappeared

[rogercorke]

Please can you help. All the usual folders in my Finder sidebar - for Applications, Desktop, Documents, Downloads etc - have suddenly disappeared. When I go to the Sidebar section of Finder Preferences, all those items are ticked but they are still not showing up. I can't understand what I could have done wrong.

And when I try to open an App in my Applications folder, no Apps are there. But If I click on the name of my Mac (which is in the sidebar) then I find another Applications folder and all the Apps are in there. Weird

Anyone got any idea what's happening?

Thanks in advance
Roger

 

[ferrarr]

What Mac & macOS are you using?

In the Finder sidebar, do you see "Favorites"? There should be a Show/Hide arrow that will show those folders.

As far as the 2 separate applications folders, they've been around for a long time. Some applications will only install for the user that installs the app. Most of the time the Applications folder under your user name is empty.

 

[rogercorke]

Hi there
That solved it! Thank you so much. I guessed it would be something really simple but why do Apple give you you an option (especially in greyed out print) to turn it off? I can't imagine ever wanting to but I'll remember for next time.
Roger