Where Does macOS Keep Finder Preferences and .DS_Store Files?
Finder preferences plist and per-folder .DS_Store files on Mac, including safe reset steps.
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Finder keeps global preferences in a plist under Preferences and per-folder view settings in .DS_Store files scattered through every browsed directory.
Corrupt Finder prefs cause the classic symptoms: windows forgetting positions, view modes resetting, sidebar entries misbehaving. Removing the plist fixes most of it.
Where macOS stores this, by platform
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
Global prefs live in this plist. Per-folder .DS_Store files sit in each directory Finder has displayed. Delete the plist with Finder quit, then relaunch Finder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reset Finder preferences?
Delete com.apple.finder.plist and com.apple.desktopservices (optional) with Finder closed, then relaunch Finder with Option+right-click > Relaunch. View options reset to defaults; files are untouched.
Can I delete .DS_Store files?
They store per-folder view settings and icon positions. Deleting them resets folder views to defaults. Network shares and archives pick up less clutter with .DS_Store creation disabled via defaults write.
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