How to fix macOS Finder not responding or freezing when opening folders

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix macOS Finder not responding or freezing when opening folders. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Finder is the core file management application in macOS. When it freezes, becomes unresponsive, or takes a long time to load folders, it can disrupt your entire workflow. This article walks you through a series of troubleshooting steps, starting with the quickest fixes and moving to more in-depth solutions, so you can get Finder working smoothly again.

Quick Fix Steps

Try these fast solutions first. They resolve most temporary Finder glitches without requiring a restart.

1. Press Option + Command + Esc to open the Force Quit Applications window.
2. Select Finder from the list, then click Relaunch.
3. Wait a few seconds for Finder to restart. Check if the issue persists.

Detailed Instructions

If the quick fix did not resolve the problem, work through the following steps in order. Each step addresses a common underlying cause of Finder freezes.

1. Restart Your Mac

A full restart clears temporary system caches and resets background processes that may be interfering with Finder.

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Select Restart.
3. Uncheck Reopen windows when logging back in if prompted.
4. Click Restart to confirm.

2. Check Available Storage Space

When your startup disk is nearly full, macOS struggles to manage temporary files and virtual memory, which can cause Finder to freeze or respond slowly.

1. Click the Apple menu, then select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
2. Click General, then select Storage.
3. Review the storage bar. If less than 10% of your disk is free, you should free up space.
4. Click Manage to use built-in recommendations such as Store in iCloud, Optimise Storage, or Empty Bin Automatically.

3. Clear Finder Preferences

Corrupted Finder preference files can cause unexpected behaviour, including freezes when opening folders.

1. Open a new Finder window.
2. Press Command + Shift + G to open the Go to Folder dialogue.
3. Type ~/Library/Preferences/ and press Return.
4. Locate the file named com.apple.finder.plist.
5. Drag this file to the Bin.
6. Press Option + Command + Esc, select Finder, and click Relaunch.

4. Disable Finder Extensions and Third-Party Integrations

Third-party applications that integrate with Finder — such as cloud storage clients, antivirus tools, or file synchronisation utilities — can cause Finder to hang when loading folder contents.

1. Click the Apple menu, then select System Settings.
2. Click General, then select Login Items.
3. Review the list of apps that open at login. Temporarily disable any cloud storage or file management tools by selecting them and clicking the minus (–) button.
4. Restart your Mac and test Finder again.

If Finder works normally after disabling a particular app, contact the app developer for an updated version or check their support site for known macOS compatibility issues.

5. Rebuild the Spotlight Index

Finder relies on Spotlight to quickly display folder contents and search results. A corrupted Spotlight index can cause Finder to freeze when opening folders with many files.

1. Click the Apple menu, then select System Settings.
2. Click Siri & Spotlight (or Spotlight on older macOS versions).
3. Scroll down and click Spotlight Privacy.
4. Drag your hard drive icon from the desktop into the Privacy list.
5. Click Done, then wait 30 seconds.
6. Return to Spotlight Privacy, select your hard drive, and click the minus (–) button to remove it.
7. Spotlight will now re-index your drive. This may take several hours depending on the amount of data.

6. Run First Aid in Disk Utility

File system errors can cause Finder to hang when accessing certain folders. Running First Aid checks and repairs directory structure issues.

1. Open Finder, then click Go in the menu bar and select Utilities.
2. Double-click Disk Utility.
3. Select your startup disk (usually named Macintosh HD) from the sidebar.
4. Click First Aid in the toolbar.
5. Click Run to begin the check.
6. Wait for the process to complete. If errors are found, Disk Utility will attempt to repair them automatically.

7. Boot in Safe Mode

Safe Mode performs a system check, clears certain caches, and prevents third-party kernel extensions from loading. This can help identify whether a third-party component is causing Finder to freeze.

1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold the Shift key.
3. Release the Shift key when you see the login window.
4. Log in to your Mac. You may need to log in twice.
5. Test Finder while in Safe Mode. If Finder works normally, a third-party application or extension is likely the cause.
6. Restart your Mac normally to exit Safe Mode.

Troubleshooting

If Finder continues to freeze after completing all the steps above, consider the following additional checks.

Test in a New User Account

Creating a temporary user account helps determine whether the problem is specific to your user profile or system-wide.

1. Click the Apple menu, then select System Settings.
2. Click Users & Groups.
3. Click Add Account (or the plus (+) button).
4. Create a new administrator account with a simple name like Test.
5. Log out of your current account and log in to the new test account.
6. Open Finder and browse several folders.

If Finder works correctly in the new account, the issue is isolated to your original user profile. You may need to migrate your data to a new account or seek further assistance.

Check for macOS Updates

Apple regularly releases updates that fix Finder bugs and improve system stability.

1. Click the Apple menu, then select System Settings.
2. Click General, then select Software Update.
3. If an update is available, click Update Now or Upgrade Now.
4. Allow the update to install, then restart your Mac.

Reset NVRAM or PRAM (Intel Macs Only)

On Intel-based Macs, resetting NVRAM can resolve Finder freezes related to stored system settings.

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Turn it on and immediately press and hold Option + Command + P + R.
3. Keep holding the keys for about 20 seconds, then release.
4. Your Mac will restart. Test Finder after it boots.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, please Open a Ticket and our support team will assist you further.

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