I've Lost My Downloads Folder.

[garigoun]

Good Morning, acting on some good advice from this forum I have been clearing out my downloads folder. There were tons of stuff in there. However somehow I Moved the folder from the dock to the desk top where it made a noise like going into the trash can and disappeared. It is not in the trash can and can't be seen in Finder. What the **** have I done?
Gary

 

[pine man]

Open Finder then open it's preferences. Click on Sidebar in preferences and ensure that Downloads is checked. This should put Downloads into the sidebar from where you can put a copy of it in the dock where it used to be.

 

[garigoun]

Sorry pine man, it doesn't work. Can't move the downloads folder from the side bar nor take a copy of it

 

[dtravis7]

open your hard drive icon on your Mac. Default it's named Macintosh HD. Click on Users then on your user name. You will see Desktop, Documents, ETC. Left Click and DRAG the DOWNLOADS folder and place it in the dock where the other one is then let go the Left Button.

 

[MacInWin]

Sorry pine man, it doesn't work. Can't move the downloads folder from the side bar nor take a copy of it

He didn't say to move or copy it, just check the option. If that doesn't work, do what dtravis7 said.

 

[dtravis7]

He didn't say to move or copy it, just check the option. If that doesn't work, do what dtravis7 said.

I first tried what Pineman suggested and it would not work here on the iMac I am on right now with Lion, thus my suggestion as I know that works.

 

[MacInWin]

I think you either have to reboot or restart Finder from the Terminal. But no matter, your suggestion will work.

 

[pine man]

I have mistakenly deleted Downloads a few times and all I have ever done is click on the Downloads folder in the sidebar of Finder and selected Add To Dock. Never failed with Mavericks, Yosemite or El Capitan to my knowledge.

 

[MacInWin]

You know, I just noticed that Pine Man responded to the Dock question with a Finder solution, so I'm not really surprised it didn't work. I didn't notice that until I just re-read the thread. I think your solution may be the ONLY solution, as changing Finder won't change the Dock. D'oh, I need to read more carefully what is actually written.

 

[chscag]

You know, I just noticed that Pine Man responded to the Dock question with a Finder solution, so I'm not really surprised it didn't work.

Actually folks..... Pine Man gave the correct way to do it. I have accidentally deleted my downloads folder many times when I was in a hurry to remove something from it and instead the downloads folder went Poof! Selecting the Downloads folder from the Finder sidebar, right click, and select "Add to Dock" has always worked and should work for you too.

 

[MacInWin]

Well, Pine Man sort of distracted the solution with the Sidebar discussion and didn't talk about right click, leaving it open to interpretation about how to get it from the Sidebar to the Dock. You don't need Downloads in the Sidebar to get it on the Dock. dtravis7 had one way, and another is Pine Man's and way. A third way is to find the Downloads folder in his home directory, right click, Make an Alias, and then drag that alias to the Dock where he wants it. As usual, there are multiple ways to get things done in OS X.

 

[dtravis7]

Agreed, he never said to Right Click. For sure what I posted works. I have done it forever. Right Click Add to Dock was not in older versions of OSX. I just checked.

Also it may work in Mavericks and above but that option is not in Lion which I was using when I tried it


EDIT: I just checked, that Right Click is in Mavericks and up but nothing below that. The OP did not say which OSX he is running. The method I have used since Tiger works on all versions of OSX.

 

[pm-r]

… … … A third way is to find the Downloads folder in his home directory, right click, Make an Alias, and then drag that alias to the Dock where he wants it. As usual, there are multiple ways to get things done in OS X.

An advantage for this method (at least for some users ) is the alias folder then acts like a "normal" folder when opened rather than as a "stack".

PS: I don't think I've ever had my "Downloads" folder showing on any sidebar, nor do I recall removing it if it ever was.

 

[dtravis7]

An advantage for this method (at least for some users ) is the alias folder then acts like a "normal" folder when opened rather than as a "stack".

PS: I don't think I've ever had my "Downloads" folder showing on any sidebar, nor do I recall removing it if it ever was.

The main reason I do not like the Alias option is (I just tried it) it shows a boring folder icon in the dock instead of my nice Drawer icon that I have used since Leopard. But yes, that is a 3rd way.

 

[pm-r]

OK and Owners choice, and it seems at least we're still allowed some. Or at least dress up any boring folder icon in the dock to suit…

 

[chas_m]

In fact, the whole sidebar thing is just one of SEVERAL ways to restore a lost Download folder alias from the Dock (since that's what everything in the Dock is, an alias).

The Downloads folder actually resides in your User ("Home") folder, so you can always drag it into the Dock from there.

If you've somehow managed to trash and delete the Downloads folder completely, you can just create a new one. Create a folder in your Home folder called Downloads with a capital D and an s on the end. The moment you press return, it will turn into the proper Downloads folder icon. Now drag that into the Dock to create the shortcut.

(no sidebars were harmed in the making of this tutorial)