Apps are missing from system settings and finder will not close, 2025 M4, sequoia 15.7.3

[1adrift]

This is a new macbook pro M4, 24g ram, 500 gig drive. Recently many of the apps in system settings are gone like, safari, firefox, facebook, pages, maps, etc. My guess is at least half the apps are missing. Also, when I open finder I can't close it. I have to shutdown the computer and then restart it to get rid of the finder.

Troubleshooting problems in a Mac is not my strong point. So far I'm quite disappointed with this mac. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Gregg2]

To be clear, are you talking about opening a Finder Window that shows folders and/or files? Is that what you can't close? If so, I bet one thing you haven't tried is Command-W. Not that you don't want it to work with a click, but does this alternative do it?

 

[1adrift]

You are correct, Finder with file names/folders. I didn't try Command-W until you suggested it. Command-W does work and prior to trying it the red dot in the upper left corner now closes Finder. Any ideas why many of the apps are missing when I open System Settings? if it's any help the last app shown in System Settings is Java

 

[bogdanw]

Any ideas why many of the apps are missing when I open System Settings? if it's any help the last app shown in System Settings is Java

macOS is not yet iOS. Apps are not supposed to show up in System Settings.

Some helpful resources:

Use the Finder on Mac https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/organize-your-files-in-the-finder-mchlp2605/mac

Apps included on your Mac https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/apps-on-your-mac-mchl110b00b7/mac

View and open apps on Mac https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/open-apps-in-spotlight-mh35840/mac

Open apps on Mac https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/open-apps-mchlp1014/mac

Mac User Guide https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/welcome/mac

 

[Gregg2]

As member bogdanw points out, macOS hasn't shown apps in System Settings like iOS or iPadOS. I'm not sure where you see Java listed. My SS does not show a list of apps either. That's normal. If there's a particular one you think you've been in and adjusted something that's not showing up now, what would that be?

 

[Fishrrman]

"Recently many of the apps in system settings are gone like, safari, firefox, facebook, pages, maps, etc. My guess is at least half the apps are missing."

Look inside the Applications folder (on the root level of the SSD).
Do you see the apps?
Then they haven't gone anywhere. They're NOT "missing".

"Also, when I open finder I can't close it."

The finder, as an "app", is ALWAYS running -- unless you force quit it, and if you try that it will start back up on its own. Learn to live with this reality.

If you have a finder WINDOW open, just click the red button (upper left) to close it.
The finder REMAINS RUNNING, but with no windows open. It's just "there", and hurts nothing else.