Learn how to Relaunch Finder without Restarting or Logging Out
With this quick tutorial you will see how to Relaunch Finder without restarting or logging out. This can be very helpful when installing new programs or changing your computer's configuration. There are, believe it or not, times when Finder is just not current. For example, if you change your menu bar, the theme of your computer, or even, rarely, when you transfer a folder to your computer's Desktop. That last example has happened to me twice. I moved a folder full of stuff to my desktop from a computer in my network. Then I opened the folder and it appeared to be empty. That was not the case. I only had to Relaunch finder. You will learn how to do that here in this quick tutorial.
Just before we get started... As in every tutorial on this site I have to warn you my computer is not set up "standard" I have my Dock on the left side of the screen. This should not cause you any problems, you should know where your dock is. I am not even going to include screen captures or Screen Shots in this tutorial because it is pretty easy. If you want them, i will add them, send me a mail through the Request Form. Now that we have that out of the way.
Preparing
There is not much to prepare really, just figure out how you would like to do this. There are three ways to do it. Each being equally easy. The first way you will have to do 4 clicks and the second way you will have to do two, the final way is with a key combo and two clicks. So let's just do it.
Execution
The Four click way:
You will see at the top left of your screen, in the menu bar, there is a little apple. Click that apple. A drop down list will appear. in that list you will see, a bit more than half way down "Force Quit". Click that. now will will get a pop-up window in the center of your screen, or where ever you last left it. in that window you have the option to "Force Quit" Applications. Well, force quitting finder would kinda be dumb. You will notice that if you "Select" Finder your "Force Quit" button will change to "Relaunch". Finally, click on "Relaunch" and finder will relaunch. Easy right?
The Three click way:
There is a Finder icon in your Dock. All you have to do is hold "Option" and "Right-Mouse click. You will see the option "Relaunch". *Click relaunch and it is done.
The Key Combo click way:
Using the key combo "Option Command Escape", nothing to really explain there just do it. Now that little pop-up from our first example is there. "Select" Finder if it is not already selected and Click "Relaunch".
The One Click way:
Do this tutorial: Learn: Relaunch Finder with appleScript and Save as an Application
That was all.