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Mac Finder Not Responding? Why & How to Fix It Fast!
Mac Finder not responding or working, freezing, and stuck on the same screen. You're not alone, many Mac users face this frustrating issue at some point. It can strike without warning: right after startup, during work, or following an update, instantly disrupting your workflow.
In this post, we'll explore why Finder stops responding, its common causes, and simple ways to fix it without panic or complications
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Why Is My Mac Finder Not Resonding & Keeping Freezing?
Finder is the backbone of macOS. When it freezes, the whole Mac feels broken—even if the system is still running.
Common Situations Where Finder Stops Responding
Finder problems usually appear in specific situations. Once you notice when it happens, finding the right fix becomes much easier.
- Finder not responding after relaunch: You force quit and relaunch Finder, but it freezes again immediately or shortly after.
- On startup: Finder fails to load properly when booting your Mac, leaving the desktop blank (no icons) or unresponsive.
- After update: Common post-macOS update (e.g., to Sonoma, Sequoia, or Tahoe), due to indexing delays, compatibility bugs, or corrupted files.
- Slow to respond: Finder lags when opening folders, searching, or copying files, eventually freezing.
- Won't open: Clicking the Finder icon does nothing, or new windows refuse to appear.
- Can't close: Finder windows or the app itself won't quit, even via Force Quit.
These situations are commonly reported on newer systems as well, including cases where macOS Sequoia Finder not responding appears shortly after upgrading.
Common Reasons Finder Keeps Freezing
Something often leads to Finder freezing, such as resource strain, software changes, or conflicts, resulting in the app becoming overwhelmed. Here are the most frequent underlying causes, based on widespread user reports and troubleshooting guides:
- Low storage space: Drive nearly full (<15-20% free) → Finder struggles with thumbnails/previews. See: How to get more disk space on Mac.
- Low RAM/memory pressure: Too many apps/tabs open → system overloads Finder.
- Corrupted Finder preferences: Damaged .plist files from crashes or updates cause repeated freezes. See: How to check and reclaim CPU & memory usage.
- Post-update issues: Spotlight reindexing or bugs after Sonoma/Sequoia/Tahoe updates.
- Third-party conflicts: Outdated apps, extensions, or cloud sync (Dropbox, OneDrive) interfering.
- External/network drives: Bad connections or iCloud sync stalls make Finder wait indefinitely.
- Background overload: Heavy indexing, large transfers, or accumulated junk.
How to Fix Mac Finder Not Responding? (6 Fixes That Actually Work)
In case you are looking to know what to do if Finder is not responding, the good news is that most of the solutions are very basic and do not pose any threat. This implies that there are no technical skills needed and anyone can give them a test.
The fixes below are practical and based on common Finder problems. They work across different macOS versions and devices, especially when Finder not responding keeps coming back.
1) Clean Junk Files and Free Up Storage
One major reason behind Mac Finder not responding is low free storage. When your Mac doesn’t have enough space, Finder struggles to load folders, previews, and system data properly.
This is where a Mac cleanup tool like Tenorshare Cleamio can make a real difference. It removes junk files, cache data, system logs, and other unnecessary files that quietly slow Finder down.
Key Features:
- One-click junk/app cache cleanup,
- Similar photos and duplicate files removal (MD5 algorithm),
- Large file detection and cleanup
- Real-time performance monitoring
- Completely uninstall apps on Mac with leftover file removal
- Safe optimization without risking system files
- Batch rename multiple files at once in once click
Here are the simple steps for how to clean junk files with Tenorshare Cleamio:
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Install and fire up Tenorshare Cleamio. Select “Junk Files” from the left menu and click “Scan”
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Wait for the program to find the junk files in your system. Once completed, you can see all detection details: system junk, app junk, trash, borwsing data, and unused installers sorting by size, time, or others.
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Choose the junk files you want to delete and click “Smart Cleanup”. Your Mac will have deleted unnecessary junk files.
2) Clear or Move All Items from Desktop to a New Location
Many users don’t realize that the Desktop is handled directly by Finder. If the desktop has many files in it, then Finder has to load all of it together. This can sometimes result in crashes or even freezes. If Apple Finder not responding happens right after login, a cluttered Desktop is often the reason. Large videos, screenshots, and folders add more load than expected.
Moving most Desktop items into a single folder usually improves Finder performance almost immediately, especially on older Macs or systems with limited storage.
Create a new folder (e.g., "Desktop Archive") in Documents.
Select all Desktop items (Cmd+A) and drag to the new folder.
Restart Finder (see Fix 4) to refresh.
3) Delete Finder Preference and Cache Files
Finder uses cache and preference files to store settings and behavior. Such files become corrupt and this can make finder freeze.
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Open Finder and click on the Go menu in the top menu bar.
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Select Go to Folder (or use the shortcut Shift + Command + G).
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Type ~/Library/Caches into the field and press Return.
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Locate the folder named com.apple.finder.
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Open this folder and move the files inside to the Trash. Do not delete the com.apple.finder folder itself, only its contents.
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Empty the Trash by right-clicking the Trash icon in the Dock and selecting Empty Trash
This is often the reason why Finder keeps not responding, despite restarting Finder or re-rebooting your Mac. When these files are deleted, Finder has to generate new ones.
A number of users have noticed that MacBook Finder not responding issues are no longer present after the deletion of Finder-related cache and preference files and reboot of the Mac.
4) Force Quit Finder and Relaunch It
Sometimes Finder simply gets stuck and needs a reset. Knowing how to deal with this saves time when Finder not responding on Mac interrupts your work.
Using activity monitor, you can force quit Finder. Relaunch it again, and the process that caused the issue will have been suspended, meaning it will be good to go again.
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Open Activity Monitor (Spotlight: Cmd+Space > "Activity Monitor").
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Search "Finder", select it > click X > Force Quit.
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Relaunch: Option + right-click Finder icon in Dock > Relaunch.
It is one of the fastest solutions when you need to know what to do if Finder is not responding, particularly when you do not require to reboot your system.
5) Disable iCloud Drive or Other Cloud Sync Services
Cloud syncing can overload Finder, especially when large folders are involved. This usually causes slow performance or freezing.
When the problem of Mac Finder not responding occurs, in particular, to specific folders, it can be assumed that the problem could be caused by cloud services such as iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.
Apple menu > System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud.
Uncheck "iCloud Drive" (or optimize/offload files first).
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Restart Finder. Re-enable later if needed. Do similar in OneDrive/Dropbox apps.
6) Restart or Force Reboot Your Mac
When you restart your Mac, it can clear temporary issues. The background processes get reset, allowing the Finder to return to a normal state. But this doesn’t always work. In such cases, trying a force reboot might do the trick.
Here is how to do a force reboot:
- Apple menu > Restart.
- If frozen: Hold power button for force reboot.
This is especially helpful when dealing with MacOS sequoia Finder not responding after recent system updates or changes.
People Also Ask About Finder Not Responding on Mac
Many users have similar questions once Finder starts acting up. These answers cover the most common concerns without getting too technical.
Q1: What to do if Finder sidebar is missing?
If the Finder’s sidebar is missing, restarting it or resetting preferences usually fixes this issue. Sidebar problems often appear alongside apple Finder not responding situations.
Q2: How to reset Mac Finder?
To reset Finder, deleting preference files and restarting your Mac is usually enough. This doesn’t affect personal files or documents.
Q3: How can I restart Finder on my Mac?
Hold the Option key, right-click the Finder icon in the Dock, and select “Relaunch.” This often fixes quick freezes.
Q4: What do I do if Mac Finder is not responding after an update?
When Finder stops responding after an update, cleaning of storage space and deactivating of cloud synchronization are the most appropriate initial actions. Daily updates are a frequent cause of Finder not responding on Mac because of system changes.
Q5: Finder keeps not responding, what should I do?
Check disk space, remove problematic extensions, and run First Aid in Disk Utility. Ongoing issues usually mean a system conflict.
Conclusion
The Mac Finder not responding issue is disruptive but rarely serious. In most cases, it results from limited storage, corrupted system files, or background syncing conflicts.
Applying the fixes outlined above can restore Finder functionality without complex troubleshooting. Regular system maintenance reduces the likelihood of recurrence.
For long-term performance management, tools like Tenorshare Cleamio provide a structured way to keep Finder and macOS operating smoothly.
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Create your review for Tenorshare articles
By Jenefey Aaron
2026-01-08 / Mac Tips