For years, many Mac users have encountered SketchUp files showing generic icons in Finder instead of model previews. I’ve found a workaround and released Mac SKP Icon Repair & Keeper, a free, open-source extension.
Restore Finder previews for your entire SketchUp library in one operation. After installing the extension, choose Extensions > Repair a folder of SketchUp Finder icons… and select your model or component library. The plugin processes that folder and its subfolders automatically, using the thumbnails already embedded in your .skp files to create custom Finder icons.
The plugin does not render geometry or rewrite model contents. It adds only Finder custom-icon metadata; rare files without an embedded preview are left unchanged. The Keeper component automatically restores the current model’s icon after ordinary SketchUp saves and autosaves.
A few practical details:
- Tested on Apple silicon with SketchUp 2021–2026. Intel Macs should work but have not been tested.
- Folder repair requires Python 3 at
/usr/bin/python3. - This is a Finder-icon workaround. It does not repair the Quick Look service or provide iPhone/iPad thumbnails.
Download from SketchUcation
Source code and documentation on GitHub
I’m the author. If you try it, please share your macOS and SketchUp versions and whether it resolves the missing icons for your files.