Troubleshooting Guide

Solutions for common Sorta issues

Troubleshooting Guide

Having issues with Sorta? Most problems have simple solutions. Find your issue below.

Installation & Launch Issues

"Cannot open Sorta" (security warning)

Problem: macOS shows "Cannot open Sorta" and suggests moving it to Trash.

Solution:

  1. Open System Settings
  2. Go to General → Security & Privacy
  3. Scroll down to find Sorta in the recent apps list
  4. Click Open Anyway
  5. Sorta will launch normally
  6. This only happens first time

Why it happens: macOS security checking new apps

Sorta won't launch after installation

Problem: You installed Sorta but it doesn't appear.

Checklist:

  1. Check Applications folder for Sorta
  2. Try double-clicking it
  3. Look in menu bar (top right) for Sorta icon
  4. Check Dock to see if it's running
  5. Restart your Mac and try again

Solution:

  1. Open Applications folder (Cmd+Shift+A in Finder)
  2. Drag Sorta to Dock (for easy access)
  3. Double-click Sorta to launch
  4. It should appear in menu bar immediately

"Sorta is damaged" error

Problem: macOS says the app is damaged.

Solutions:

  1. Eject the .dmg file if still mounted
  2. Re-download Sorta from filesorta.com/download
  3. Drag new copy to Applications
  4. Try launching again
  5. If still broken, try older version

Verify integrity:

  • Download matches file size on website
  • Check your internet connection is stable
  • Try downloading again

Permissions Issues

"Full Disk Access" permission request

Problem: Sorta keeps asking for Full Disk Access.

Solution:

  1. Click OK when Sorta asks
  2. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security
  3. Find Full Disk Access in the left sidebar
  4. Click the + button
  5. Select Sorta from the Applications folder
  6. Click Open
  7. Sorta is now added
  8. Restart Sorta

"Accessibility" permission not working

Problem: Quick Folder Picker doesn't work, even though you granted access.

Solution:

  1. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security
  2. Find Accessibility in the sidebar
  3. Look for Sorta in the list
  4. If it's there, toggle OFF then back ON
  5. Quit and restart Sorta
  6. Try Quick Folder Picker again

Alternative:

  • Remove Sorta from Accessibility list completely
  • Click + to add it back
  • Restart Sorta

Permissions keep getting requested

Problem: Every time you use a feature, Sorta asks for permission again.

Solution:

  1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security
  2. Look through all permission lists
  3. Find Sorta in each one
  4. Remove it if it appears
  5. Restart your Mac completely
  6. Launch Sorta
  7. Grant all permissions when asked
  8. Sorta should remember now

Project Issues

"Project not found" error

Problem: Sorta says a project doesn't exist, even though you see it in the list.

Cause: The project folder was moved or deleted outside of Sorta.

Solution:

  1. Check if the folder still exists:

    • Open Finder
    • Navigate to where the project should be
    • Is the folder there?

  2. If folder still exists:

    • Sorta will rediscover it automatically
    • Restart Sorta and check again
    • If still showing error, delete from Sorta and re-add

  3. If folder is missing:

    • Sorta can't recover the project
    • Delete the project from Sorta
    • Recreate the project or restore from backup

Can't create a new project

Problem: Clicking "New Project" does nothing.

Solution:

  1. Make sure you're clicking the correct button
  2. Check that the button is highlighted/enabled
  3. Try restarting Sorta:
    • Quit (⌘Q)
    • Wait 2 seconds
    • Relaunch Sorta
  4. Try creating a test project on Desktop
  5. If still failing, check permissions (see above)

"Permission denied" creating project

Problem: Sorta can't create the project folder in your chosen location.

Cause: You don't have write permission for that folder.

Solution:

  1. Try creating the project on Desktop first

    • Desktop is always writable
    • This tests if permission is the issue

  2. If Desktop works:

    • The problem is write permissions
    • Choose a different location (Documents, Downloads)
    • Or check parent folder permissions

  3. If Desktop fails:

    • Restart your Mac
    • Check that you have admin permissions
    • Try again

Files in project aren't showing up

Problem: You added files to a project folder, but Sorta doesn't show them.

Cause: Sorta displays what's on disk; if files aren't there, they won't show.

Solution:

  1. Check files actually exist:

    • Open Finder
    • Navigate to project folder
    • Do you see the files?

  2. If files exist in Finder:

    • Restart Sorta (it may be caching)
    • Close and reopen the project
    • Check file permissions

  3. If files don't exist in Finder:

    • Files may be in wrong location
    • Search for them in Finder
    • Move them to project folder manually

Project taking forever to load

Problem: Opening a project hangs or takes too long.

Cause: Project has too many files.

Solution:

  1. Archive old files:

    • Move completed work to Archive folder
    • Or to external drive
    • Keeps active project lean

  2. Split into multiple projects:

    • "Website_2024_Live" (current work)
    • "Website_2024_Archive" (completed)
    • Smaller projects load faster

  3. Check disk space:

    • Mac needs free space to work efficiently
    • Aim for 10GB+ free disk space
    • Delete unnecessary files if needed

Flows Issues

Flows aren't triggering

Problem: Files don't move automatically even though you have flows set up.

Checklist:

  1. Is auto-sort enabled?

    • Settings → Auto-Sort (should be ON)
    • Check both global and project level

  2. Is the flow enabled?

    • Go to Flows tab
    • Look for your flow in the list
    • Is it toggled ON (not disabled)?

  3. Do conditions match?

    • File type: Does it end with correct extension? (.PNG not PNG)
    • Source folder: Is folder name spelled exactly right?
    • Files: Are they actually in the source folder?

  4. Try a test:

    • Create a simple test file (e.g., test.png)
    • Put it exactly in the source folder
    • Wait 10 seconds
    • Check if it moved

Solutions:

  1. Make sure the flow is enabled
  2. Double-check file type and source folder name
  3. Try editing the flow and resaving it
  4. Restart Sorta
  5. Check Activity log to see what's happening

Files are going to the wrong place

Problem: Flows are moving files, but to incorrect destinations.

Cause: Multiple flows might be matching, or conditions are different than expected.

Solution:

  1. Check Activity log:

    • See which flow triggered
    • Verify it's the right/wrong flow

  2. If wrong flow triggered:

    • Open that flow and edit conditions
    • Make them more specific (add name pattern)
    • Or disable the conflicting flow

  3. If flow matches but destination is wrong:

    • Edit the flow
    • Verify destination folder name
    • Make sure destination folder exists
    • Save and test again

Flow deleted files

Problem: Files moved by flows are now missing.

Cause: Flows only move files; they don't delete them. They're in the destination folder.

Solution:

  1. Check the destination folder

    • Open the project folder in Finder
    • Navigate to where the flow sends files
    • Files should be there

  2. If files are in the destination:

    • Great! Nothing is lost
    • Flows work correctly
    • Move them back if desired

  3. If files are nowhere to be found:

    • Check Activity log
    • See last action before files disappeared
    • Search Finder for the filename
    • Use Trash to restore if deleted

Quick Folder Picker Issues

Quick Folder Picker doesn't appear

Problem: Pressing ⌘⇧Space in a file dialog does nothing.

Cause: App doesn't support Quick Folder Picker, or permissions aren't granted.

Checklist:

  1. Are you in a supported app?

    • Adobe apps (Photoshop, Illustrator)
    • Code editors (VS Code, Xcode)
    • Browsers (Chrome, Safari)
    • Does NOT work in Finder or Terminal

  2. Is there an open file dialog?

    • Open → Save → Export (some app must show dialog)
    • Not just hovering over menu
    • Actual dialog box should be visible

  3. Do you have Accessibility permission?

    • System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility
    • Check if Sorta is enabled
    • If not, add it

  4. Is the shortcut correct?

    • Default is ⌘⇧Space
    • Check Settings if you customized it
    • Make sure you're using the right combo

Solutions:

  1. Try in a different app (use TextEdit first to test)
  2. Grant Accessibility permission if needed
  3. Restart Sorta after adding permissions
  4. Try a different supported app
  5. Check if another app uses the same hotkey

Wrong projects showing in picker

Problem: Quick Folder Picker shows old or incorrect projects.

Solution:

  1. Restart Sorta (it may be caching)
  2. Restart your Mac (clears all caches)
  3. Check that deleted projects are really deleted
  4. The list updates when Sorta runs

Do Not Interrupt Issues

Do Not Interrupt mode doesn't stay on

Problem: You enable ⌥⇧D but it keeps turning off.

Solution:

  1. Toggle it a few times to reset
  2. Restart Sorta:
    • ⌘Q (Quit)
    • Relaunch Sorta
    • Try toggling again
  3. Restart your Mac

Persistent issue:

  • Check System Settings → Notifications
  • Make sure Sorta notifications aren't restricted
  • Reset by removing Sorta from notifications list

Notifications still showing when Do Not Interrupt is on

Problem: Even with Do Not Interrupt enabled, you see notifications.

Solution:

  1. Check the moon icon:

    • Full moon (🌕) = Do Not Interrupt is ON (correct)
    • New moon (🌑) = Do Not Interrupt is OFF (notifications will show)

  2. If icon shows full moon but notifications still appear:

    • Restart Sorta
    • Check System Settings → Notifications
    • Verify Sorta notifications are allowed

  3. If notifications are critical:

    • Go to Settings → Notifications
    • Toggle "Show notifications" OFF entirely
    • Do Not Interrupt becomes irrelevant

Performance Issues

Sorta is slow or makes Mac sluggish

Problem: Sorta uses a lot of CPU/memory or slows down other apps.

Solutions:

  1. Reduce monitoring load:

    • Disable auto-sort temporarily
    • Reduce number of monitored projects
    • Archive old files from large projects

  2. Check available memory:

    • Open Activity Monitor
    • Check how much RAM is available
    • If less than 2GB free, Mac will be slow
    • Close other apps

  3. Restart Sorta:

    • ⌘Q (Quit)
    • Wait 5 seconds
    • Relaunch

  4. Restart Mac:

    • Sometimes helps memory management
    • Clears caches
    • Fresh start often helps

Disk space issues

Problem: "Not enough disk space" or Sorta performance degrades.

Solution:

  1. Check available disk space:

    • Click Apple menu → About This Mac → Storage
    • Aim for 10GB+ free space

  2. Free up space**:

    • Delete old project files
    • Archive to external drive
    • Empty Trash
    • Remove old backups

  3. Monitor going forward**:

    • Regularly archive complete projects
    • Move to external storage
    • Keep projects manageable size

Menu Bar & Interface Issues

Sorta icon missing from menu bar

Problem: You don't see the Sorta icon in the top right of your screen.

Solutions:

  1. Check if Sorta is actually running:

    • Open Activity Monitor
    • Search for "Sorta"
    • If listed, it's running (icon might be hidden)

  2. Show the icon**:

    • Open Sorta (Applications folder)
    • It should appear in menu bar
    • Wait 5 seconds for it to show

  3. If Sorta is running but no icon**:

    • Quit Sorta (⌘Q)
    • Restart Sorta
    • Icon should now appear

  4. Menu bar is full**:

    • Control-click menu bar
    • Click "Customize menu bar"
    • Find Sorta and ensure it's shown
    • Drag to position

Settings won't open

Problem: Clicking settings does nothing.

Solution:

  1. Try again, click carefully on the gear icon
  2. Restart Sorta
  3. Try keyboard shortcut: ⌘, (Command+Comma)
  4. If still nothing, check permissions

General Troubleshooting Steps

The Nuclear Option (System Reset)

If all else fails, try this complete reset:

  1. Quit Sorta: ⌘Q
  2. Remove from System:
    • Go to Applications folder
    • Drag Sorta to Trash
    • Empty Trash
  3. Remove settings:
    • Open Finder
    • Press ⌘⇧G (Go to folder)
    • Paste: ~/Library/Application Support/Sorta
    • Delete the Sorta folder
  4. Restart Mac: Full restart
  5. Reinstall:
    • Download fresh from filesorta.com
    • Install to Applications
    • Launch and set up fresh

Get Support

Still stuck? Get help:

  • Email: support@filesorta.com
  • Website: filesorta.com/support
  • Check our FAQ: filesorta.com/faq
  • Community forums: community.filesorta.com

When contacting support, include:

  • Sorta version (About Sorta in menu)
  • macOS version (About This Mac)
  • Description of issue
  • Steps you've tried

Preventative Maintenance

Regular Checks

Monthly:

  • Review flows that still apply
  • Check project sizes
  • Verify permissions still granted
  • Look for broken flows

Quarterly:

  • Archive old files
  • Update folder structures if needed
  • Review keyboard shortcuts
  • Check for app updates

Backup Your Projects

Regular backups prevent data loss:

  1. Use Time Machine

    • Automatic backups
    • Covers all projects

  2. Manual backups:

    • Duplicate important projects
    • Copy to external drive
    • Archive completed projects

Stay Updated

  • Sorta checks for updates automatically
  • When available, install promptly
  • Updates include performance improvements
  • Bug fixes in updates

Next Steps

Still Need Help?

Contact support:

  • Email: support@filesorta.com
  • Response time: Usually within 24 hours
  • Provide: Version number, OS version, description of issue