Finder crashes: Delete .DS_Store files

[Published Wednesday, May 16th]

Finder crashes can be caused by the presence of problematic .DS_Store files. These invisible files are created (by default) anytime a new folder is spawned or accessed. They store information where icons in specific folders should appear and other attributes like background color.

If you are experiencing an issue where the Finder inexplicably crashes when accessing specific folders or attempting to manipulate files inside said folders, you can try deleting individual .DS_Store files as a potential solution.

To accomplish this without the use of third-party software, use the following steps:

1. Open the Terminal (located in /Applications/Utilities)
2. Type the following: rm -i but do not press return (the -i option will prompt for confirmation so you do not accidentally delete the wrong file or directory).
3. Find the folder you are having problems with in the Finder, and drag it into the active Terminal session, causing its location to appear on the same command line. If you prefer, or if the Finder is unstable when dragging, you can manually type the directory location.
4. Directly after the trailing slash, type .DS_Store. The final command should look something like this: rm -i /Applications/Utilities/Java/.DS_Store.
5. Press return.
6. When the confirmation message appears, make sure that the correct file is specified, then type y and press return.

Alternatively, there are a bevy of third-party tools for managing (and deleting) .DS_Store files. Among them:

DSWipe (has Global, user, and folder-level deletion options and a very simple interface)

• BlueHarvest
• DS_Store Cleaner
• Cocktail

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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