The icon previews in finder are not working for me when in column view. I just get the generic file type icon, rather than the preview. When I switch to cover flow, I can see the proper icon preview, just not in column view. The strange thing is, in another account on my mac the icon previews are working. I think this has been a problem since updating to Sierra, but I am not 100% sure on that. I'm currently on 10.12.4. I have tried finding a solution to this for a while, but I am at a loss. Does anyone here have any ideas?
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Icon Previews Not Appearing
- Thread starter insomniac321123
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While in a Finder window, Click View > Show View Options
Is Show Icon Preview checked or unchecked? Reverse it and see what happens.
It could be that the one account is hosed, to an extent. The conservative approach, trying the simplest thing then the next, then the next, etc. would be to delete com.apple.finder.plist from that user account's Library/Preferences folder. Then you have to Restart Finder, or Restart the computer.
Is Show Icon Preview checked or unchecked? Reverse it and see what happens.
It could be that the one account is hosed, to an extent. The conservative approach, trying the simplest thing then the next, then the next, etc. would be to delete com.apple.finder.plist from that user account's Library/Preferences folder. Then you have to Restart Finder, or Restart the computer.
So i tried both of your suggestions with no luck. When you say the account is hosed, do you mean the only way forward is using a new account and abandoning this one? Thanks for your help.
Well, by "to an extent" I meant that maybe deleting the plist file and restarting might fix it. Given that it didn't work, remove the phrase I just quoted and then the answer to your last question is "Yes".
Ok. That seems like more trouble than its worth. Thanks for your advice!
Ok. That seems like more trouble than its worth. Thanks for your advice!
Ok. That seems like more trouble than its worth. Thanks for your advice!
You can test the "extreme" method quite simply. Just create a new account, login to it, and confirm whether the column view behaves correctly or not regarding icon previews.
If the new account misbehaves, then the problem is deeper than a Finder plist file can fix, and is probably some system-wide setting somewhere, or possibly some component responsible for loading previews has become damaged or misconfigured in some way. In any case, the fact that it fails in a new account is adequate proof that the problem won't be solved with a new account. You can then delete the test account.
On the other hand, if the new account does work correctly, then it strongly suggests the problem is account-specific. Unfortunately, it could be a Finder preference or setting, or some extension or add-on in the problematic account. You'd then have to take further diagnostic steps, such as Etrecheck, and compare the working (new) account info with the broken (existing) account info.
If the new account misbehaves, then the problem is deeper than a Finder plist file can fix, and is probably some system-wide setting somewhere, or possibly some component responsible for loading previews has become damaged or misconfigured in some way. In any case, the fact that it fails in a new account is adequate proof that the problem won't be solved with a new account. You can then delete the test account.
On the other hand, if the new account does work correctly, then it strongly suggests the problem is account-specific. Unfortunately, it could be a Finder preference or setting, or some extension or add-on in the problematic account. You'd then have to take further diagnostic steps, such as Etrecheck, and compare the working (new) account info with the broken (existing) account info.
At that point, I'd just move files to the account that works rather than try to pin down the culprit and fix it.
That seems to be the only solution. I'm just not sure if its worth the hassle of moving to a new account. Thanks again for your help.