Finder 15.5. 2 folder have gone AWOL from the sidebar.

Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
1,599
Reaction score
175
Points
63
Location
NW Wiltshire England
Your Mac's Specs
iMac M1 1tb internal SSD. MacBook Air M2 250 internal SDD a multitude ofexternal SSD and hybrid kit
I have recently found (or should that be lost?) 2 folders from the sidebar of Finder. The other folders are still there and available and the folder names still show as normal, but this is what I get if I try to select

Screenshot 2025-07-05 at 10.52.49.png

Right click on either folder heading and

Screenshot 2025-07-05 at 11.53.37.png

The other folder is for the Tetbury Men's Shed and I get the same message from that too. As far as I know I haven't done anything apart from putting files in both and I have done exactly the same for all of the other folders. I am in the throws of starting the Malmesbury Men's Shed and I NEED the files in there, so can anyone help please?!
 
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
11,429
Reaction score
1,676
Points
113
Location
Southern New England
Your Mac's Specs
2024 M4 14" MBP, iPhone 16 Pro Max, Watch S7 & Watch S9, AirPods Pro 1
Anything in the Finder Sidebar, is just an alias.

You have to locate the original folder, in Finder. In the Sidebar, right click on the folder, and select "Show in enclosing folder".

You probably moved the files, or they are stored in the cloud and you are not/were not connected to their server.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jun 1, 2024
Messages
569
Reaction score
279
Points
63
Location
Exeter, Devon, England
Your Mac's Specs
iMac i5 4K (2017) 32GB RAM 1TB SSD High Sierra ----- iPad Air 3 (2019) ----- iPhone 15 Pro Max
Ah, Malmesbury, Tetbury, Westonbirt - memories, memories!.
 
OP
Jonzjob
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
1,599
Reaction score
175
Points
63
Location
NW Wiltshire England
Your Mac's Specs
iMac M1 1tb internal SSD. MacBook Air M2 250 internal SDD a multitude ofexternal SSD and hybrid kit
The second attachment in my original post is what I get from right click on the folder name. The folder hasn't been moved since I created it several months ago. Why just those 2 and not any others?

MacB, I haven't been to Exeter since last Monday when we flew in there after our long haul flight back from the Isles of Scilly mate. Airport - bus - train and away.
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
16,459
Reaction score
4,819
Points
113
Location
Winchester, VA
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 16" 2023 (M3 Pro), iPhone 16 Pro, plus ATVs, AWatch, MacMinis (multiple)
Find the original folders. Drag and drop them to the sidebar. It may or may not say there are duplicates. If it does, just overwrite what's there. If it does not, then manually delete the ones that show the error.
 
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
11,429
Reaction score
1,676
Points
113
Location
Southern New England
Your Mac's Specs
2024 M4 14" MBP, iPhone 16 Pro Max, Watch S7 & Watch S9, AirPods Pro 1
What app did you use to create the files you need? Open the files again and see where that specific application saves your files. If you did not delete or move the folders, then I have a feeling the app saved them to an online folder, like DropBox or something like that.
 
Joined
Jun 1, 2024
Messages
569
Reaction score
279
Points
63
Location
Exeter, Devon, England
Your Mac's Specs
iMac i5 4K (2017) 32GB RAM 1TB SSD High Sierra ----- iPad Air 3 (2019) ----- iPhone 15 Pro Max
MacB, I haven't been to Exeter since last Monday when we flew in there after our long haul flight back from the Isles of Scilly mate. Airport - bus - train and away.
This is where I spent a few years, long ago:

Cirencester Market Place.jpg .
 
OP
Jonzjob
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
1,599
Reaction score
175
Points
63
Location
NW Wiltshire England
Your Mac's Specs
iMac M1 1tb internal SSD. MacBook Air M2 250 internal SDD a multitude ofexternal SSD and hybrid kit
What app did you use to create the files you need? Open the files again and see where that specific application saves your files. If you did not delete or move the folders, then I have a feeling the app saved them to an online folder, like DropBox or something like that.
The photos were loaded straight in to Finder from the SD card from my camera and the various PDFs were downloaded from links on Safari web sites or from emails. That's the way I have been doing it for a very long time. I don't use dropbox and I wouldn't know how to use it?
 
OP
Jonzjob
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
1,599
Reaction score
175
Points
63
Location
NW Wiltshire England
Your Mac's Specs
iMac M1 1tb internal SSD. MacBook Air M2 250 internal SDD a multitude ofexternal SSD and hybrid kit
The original folders were on one of my external Crucial SSDs. I have now managed to find a copy of them on another SSD and I have now copied them back on the original disk. I have no idea as to why just 2 folders vanished though, but at least I haven't lost the documents, photos and others I need.

It just goes to show once again just how very important it is to have backups! So, once again folks, all of you, I thank you for all of your help :cool
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
18,285
Reaction score
1,982
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2020 27" i9 5K nano iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, GB, macOS 15.3.1 Sequoia
The original folders were on one of my external Crucial SSDs. I have now managed to find a copy of them on another SSD and I have now copied them back on the original disk. I have no idea as to why just 2 folders vanished though, but at least I haven't lost the documents, photos and others I need.


And there are several veteran members here who have mentioned several times that if your data is critical and important, a single backup of that data is the absolute minimum, and multiple copies are recommended.

You'll be thankful you did if and when you find you need them. 😉




- Patrick
=======
 
OP
Jonzjob
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
1,599
Reaction score
175
Points
63
Location
NW Wiltshire England
Your Mac's Specs
iMac M1 1tb internal SSD. MacBook Air M2 250 internal SDD a multitude ofexternal SSD and hybrid kit
A bit like insurance, it's a waste of money, UNTIL you need it!
 

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