Foibles with files and backups

Fix problems with storage and in Time Machine.

A COMMON PROBLEM to have with a file on your Mac is forgetting where you put it. You can use Spotlight (Cmd+Spacebar) to locate it, or, in Finder, go to the drive the file should be on and type any part of the file’s name into the search box at the top right. In the options bar, start by searching only within the opened location for focused results, and try This Mac if the file is still elusive.

If a file won’t open or doesn’t contain what you expected, check Time Machine for a recent backup. Not using it? Start now! A USB 3 hard drive costs around $100 for 4TB, and Time Machine makes it effortless to keep a rolling backup from which you can recover individual files — or even restore your whole system. See

If multiple files are corrupted or their apps can’t open them, your hard disk (or SSD) could be having trouble. Check by using Disk Utility, as outlined below.