Finder unresponsive after Safari/Mail saves files to Desktop

[GarryB]

For the last 6 months or so, Finder has been unresponsive after a file is saved to the Desktop by Safari or Apple Mail. In Safari, it occurs when I click on a link which downloads and saves a file in the downloads folder (which is Desktop). It does not occur when invoking File > SaveAs…. In Mail it occurs when choosing “Save All” in the message window. The symptoms are:

- switcher does not respond to command-tab;
- Dock does not respond to command-option-d;
- Finder operations take 5-10 seconds - e.g. moving any file between folders.

BUT:
- Finder responds immediately to command-o, command-cursor-down and to spacebar; and
- No other apps are affected.

Finder stays unresponsive for a period of time that seems proportional to the number and size of files saved. So, when 10-20 files are saved in Apple Mail, Finder can be unresponsive for over 5 minutes.

Anyone else ?

 

[Bigwaff]

Finder has been unresponsive after a file is saved to the Desktop by Safari or Apple Mail.

Is your Desktop synced to iCloud Drive?

 

[GarryB]

Is your Desktop synced to iCloud Drive?

Thanks, but no. iCloud Drive is on but sync to Desktop and Documents is off.

 

[Bigwaff]

Uh… you have a lot of Macs in your signature… which Mac?.. which version of macOS?

 

[GarryB]

Sorry, should have said. It's the Mac Studio running Sonoma 14.4.1. Updated to 14.5 this morning and tested – can't replicate the behaviour. So, I'm stumped.

Have not noticed this behaviour on the other Macs, although they are all quite old running older versions of macOS.

Also seems an odd coincidence that the symptoms are similar to another problem I have on the Studio: Finder is similarly unresponsive on wake from sleep. I have a post here on that issue.