{"id":8690,"date":"2024-11-14T12:52:25","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T12:52:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/?p=8690"},"modified":"2024-11-14T12:52:25","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T12:52:25","slug":"how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Repair Disk Permissions on Mac"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#how_to_check_permissions_on_mac\" title=\"How to Check Permissions on Mac\">How to Check Permissions on Mac<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#how_to_repair_disk_permissions_on_mac_with_disk_utility\" title=\"How to Repair Disk Permissions on Mac with Disk Utility\">How to Repair Disk Permissions on Mac with Disk Utility<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#use_recovery_mode_to_fix_tough_permissions_problems_on_mac\" title=\"Use Recovery Mode to Fix Tough Permissions Problems on Mac\">Use Recovery Mode to Fix Tough Permissions Problems on Mac<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#disk_utility_didnt_work_fix_permissions_on_mac_with_terminal\" title=\"Disk Utility Didn\u2019t Work? Fix Permissions on Mac with Terminal\">Disk Utility Didn\u2019t Work? Fix Permissions on Mac with Terminal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#how_to_recover_data_from_a_disk_with_permission_issues\" title=\"How to Recover Data from a Disk with Permission Issues\">How to Recover Data from a Disk with Permission Issues<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#to_sum_up\" title=\"To Sum Up\">To Sum Up<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#faq\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#how_do_i_allow_administrator_permission_on_mac\" title=\"How do I allow administrator permission on Mac?\">How do I allow administrator permission on Mac?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#how_to_check_file_permissions_in_macs_terminal\" title=\"How to check file permissions in Mac&#039;s Terminal?\">How to check file permissions in Mac's Terminal?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/#how_to_change_permissions_on_an_external_hard_drive_on_a_mac\" title=\"How to change permissions on an external hard drive on a Mac?\">How to change permissions on an external hard drive on a Mac?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Disk permissions\u2014if you\u2019ve ever owned an older Mac, you know the struggle. They used to mess things up on macOS and Mac OS X all the time, and while it\u2019s less common on newer versions like macOS Sequoia, permission problems can still pop up out of nowhere. One minute, you\u2019re fine; the next, your Mac blocks files, or apps. Why does this happen? Often it\u2019s the aftermath of updates, app installs, or file transfers that leave permissions in chaos.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve helped a lot of people (and more than a few Macs) get back on track with these issues and decided to pull together our best fixes. So, here\u2019s our top advice to repair disk permissions on Mac\u2014no tech support hold music needed.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_check_permissions_on_mac\"><\/span>How to Check Permissions on Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s start with the basics. If your Mac suddenly blocks files or apps, your first move should be to check permissions. Disk permissions control who can open, edit, or access specific files, and over time, they can get messed up. <strong>Here\u2019s how to check permissions on your Mac:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open Finder and locate the file or folder that gives you trouble.<\/li>\n<li>Right-click the file or folder and select &#8220;<strong>Get Info<\/strong>&#8221; from the menu, or hit Command + I.<img fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-8692 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/get-info.jpg\" alt=\"Select &quot;Get Info&quot; from the menu\" width=\"1852\" height=\"1376\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Scroll to the &#8220;<strong>Sharing &amp; Permissions<\/strong>&#8221; section. Here, you\u2019ll see users and their access levels\u2014like Read &amp; Write or Read Only. Make sure your account has the right access for this item.<img class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-8693 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Sharing-Permissions.jpg\" alt=\"Look at the &quot;Sharing &amp; Permissions&quot; section\" width=\"1852\" height=\"1498\" \/><\/li>\n<li>If permissions seem off, click the lock icon, enter your admin password, and set the correct access level.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"frame_bg frame_bg--primary\"><div class=\"frame_bg--title\"><\/div>\u2757 <strong>Note<\/strong>. You should be logged in as an administrator to adjust permissions on files that won\u2019t open. To check, go to <strong>Apple menu &gt; System Preferences\/Settings &gt; Users and Groups<\/strong>. But be careful not to alter system files\u2014only adjust permissions for files you created and need access to.<\/div>\n<p>Now try to open the file or app again. If it still doesn\u2019t work, a full disk permissions repair might be needed.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_repair_disk_permissions_on_mac_with_disk_utility\"><\/span>How to Repair Disk Permissions on Mac with Disk Utility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If individual file permissions didn\u2019t do the trick, Disk Utility is your next stop. <a href=\"https:\/\/support.apple.com\/en-us\/102611\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Disk Utility\u2019s First Aid<\/a> tool scans for and repairs disk errors (and that includes permissions issues), which can often restore access and improve overall performance. It\u2019s a straightforward solution that works on both internal and external drives. <strong>Follow these steps to repair disk permissions with Disk Utility:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Go to Finder, click on &#8220;<strong>Applications<\/strong>,&#8221; then &#8220;<strong>Utilities<\/strong>,&#8221; and select &#8220;<strong>Disk Utility<\/strong>.&#8221; You\u2019ll see a list of available drives on the left side of the window.<img class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-7578 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/disk-utility-app.jpg\" alt=\"Open Disk Utility\" width=\"1796\" height=\"1350\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Choose the startup disk, usually labeled \u201cMacintosh HD\u201d or the name you assigned it. If you\u2019re troubleshooting an external drive, select that instead.<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-7714 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/disk-utulity-first.jpg\" alt=\"Click on the First Aid button at the top\" width=\"2162\" height=\"1488\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Click on the <strong>First Aid<\/strong> button at the top of the Disk Utility window. A prompt will ask if you want to check and repair your disk; click <strong>Run<\/strong> to start.<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-7715 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/disk-utility-run.jpg\" alt=\"Confirm your choice\" width=\"2162\" height=\"1488\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Disk Utility may alert you that running First Aid will temporarily prevent access to your Mac. Click <strong>Continue<\/strong> to confirm, then let it complete the scan and repair process. It may take a few minutes, depending on your disk size and system.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Once First Aid finishes, it\u2019ll notify you if it found and repaired any issues. Restart your Mac, then try to open the same files or apps that were previously blocked to see if the permissions issue is resolved.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"use_recovery_mode_to_fix_tough_permissions_problems_on_mac\"><\/span>Use Recovery Mode to Fix Tough Permissions Problems on Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We\u2019ve seen times when the regular Disk Utility method couldn\u2019t fully fix permissions issues, so we switched to <a href=\"https:\/\/support.apple.com\/en-gb\/guide\/mac-help\/mchl338cf9a8\/mac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Recovery Mode<\/a> for a more thorough solution. Since Recovery Mode runs separately from macOS, Disk Utility can work without interference from any active system processes or files. This setup allows for a deeper scan and repair.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Disk Utility in Recovery Mode looks and works pretty much the same, but to access it, here\u2019s what you\u2019ll need to do:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For Macs with Apple Silicon: Shut down your Mac, then press and hold the power button until \u201cOptions\u201d appears on the screen. Click <strong>Options<\/strong>, then <strong>Continue<\/strong> to enter Recovery Mode.<\/li>\n<li>For Intel-based Macs: Restart your Mac, holding down <strong>Command + R<\/strong> until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Once you\u2019re in Recovery Mode, select <strong>Disk Utility<\/strong> from the options and click <strong>Continue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-7779 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/open-disk-utility-in-recovery-mode.jpg\" alt=\"Select Disk Utility, then click Continue\" width=\"2542\" height=\"1537\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>From here, the steps are the same as in regular mode:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Choose your startup disk or pick an external drive if that\u2019s where the problem is.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>First Aid<\/strong> and then <strong>Run<\/strong> to let Disk Utility check for and fix any disk errors.<\/li>\n<li>When it\u2019s done, restart your Mac.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"disk_utility_didnt_work_fix_permissions_on_mac_with_terminal\"><\/span>Disk Utility Didn\u2019t Work? Fix Permissions on Mac with Terminal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If Recovery Mode didn\u2019t solve the problem, it\u2019s time to move to one last option: <a href=\"https:\/\/support.apple.com\/en-gb\/guide\/terminal\/apd5265185d-f365-44cb-8b09-71a064a42125\/mac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Terminal<\/a>. This method lets you reset permissions directly with a specific command, <strong>diskutil resetUserPermissions<\/strong>, which often does the trick for the toughest permission issues. While it might sound a bit technical, we\u2019ll walk you through each step to get your Mac back on track.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How to repair disk permissions using Terminal:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Go to <strong>Applications &gt; Utilities<\/strong> and double-click <strong>Terminal<\/strong> to launch it.<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-7581 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/applications-terminal.jpg\" alt=\"Launch the Terminal app\" width=\"1806\" height=\"1324\" \/><\/li>\n<li>In the Terminal window, type the following command, then press <strong>Enter<\/strong>:<br \/>\n<strong>sudo diskutil resetUserPermissions \/ `id -u`<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-8694 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/diskutil-resetUserPermissions.jpg\" alt=\"Run diskutil resetUserPermissions command\" width=\"1596\" height=\"1110\" \/><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>This command resets permissions specifically for the logged-in user by using <strong>id -u<\/strong> to fetch your unique user ID (UID). Each user on macOS has a unique UID, so this command directly targets the permissions associated with your account.<\/li>\n<li>Terminal will prompt you to enter your administrator password. Type it in and press <strong>Enter<\/strong> (the password won\u2019t show as you type, so just enter it carefully.)<\/li>\n<li>The system will reset permissions for your user account. This may take a minute.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you see an error like \u201c<strong>Error -69841<\/strong>,\u201d you\u2019ll need to <strong>use this command to clear file restrictions<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><strong>chflags -R nouchg ~<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-8695 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/chflags.jpg\" alt=\"chflags command\" width=\"1596\" height=\"1110\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"frame_bg frame_bg--default\"><div class=\"frame_bg--title\"><\/div>Here\u2019s what this command does:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>chflags<\/strong>: Changes file attributes, or flags, in macOS.<\/li>\n<li><strong>-R<\/strong>: Applies the command recursively to all files and folders in your home directory.<\/li>\n<li><strong>nouchg<\/strong>: Removes the \u201cuser immutable\u201d flag, which is a restriction that prevents files from being modified or deleted.<\/li>\n<li><strong>~<\/strong>: Represents your home directory, so this command applies to all files and folders in your personal folder.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>In simple terms, <strong>chflags -R nouchg ~<\/strong> unlocks all files in your home directory and removes any restrictions that might cause permission errors.<\/p>\n<p><strong>After you cleared these restrictions, re-run the original reset command:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>sudo diskutil resetUserPermissions \/ `id -u`<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once the process finishes, check if you can now access the files or apps that were previously blocked.<\/p>\n<p>This method has worked for us many times, especially for stubborn access problems that Disk Utility couldn\u2019t resolve. After these steps, you should be able to get back into your files and apps. But if the problem\u2019s still there, it might be time to consult with a Mac specialist for extra help.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_recover_data_from_a_disk_with_permission_issues\"><\/span>How to Recover Data from a Disk with Permission Issues<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>We\u2019ve seen cases where people tried to fix permission issues only to make things worse\u2014and sometimes even ended up losing data on the disk they were trying to fix. Luckily, all the methods we covered above won\u2019t lead to data loss. But if you\u2019ve already lost some files, or if you deal with a particularly stubborn permissions mess, data recovery software might be your best friend here. These tools can recover deleted or lost data and often skip right past permission restrictions to get to your files directly. So, even if macOS has locked you out due to broken permissions, data recovery software can still retrieve those files for you.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019d recommend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Disk Drill<\/a> here. It\u2019s our #1 on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/best-mac-data-recovery-software\/\">list of best data recovery tools for Macs<\/a>\u2014a top-rated app with powerful features. The best part? It runs smoothly on different macOS versions and just got an update for macOS Sequoia, which is perfect for our situation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s a step-by-step guide on how to use Disk Drill to get your files back:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Head over to the CleverFiles website and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/download.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">download the app<\/a>. Install it on a different drive than the one you&#8217;re recovering from (if you install it on the same drive you could overwrite the very files you&#8217;re trying to retrieve.)<\/li>\n<li>Open Disk Drill and give it full disk access when macOS asks. This is needed so the app can scan your drive and recover the lost files. You may need to go to <strong>System Settings &gt; Privacy &amp; Security&gt; Full Disk Access<\/strong> to enable Disk Drill\u2019s access.<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-7739 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/full-disk-access.jpg\" alt=\"Grant Full Disk Access\" width=\"2268\" height=\"1518\" \/><\/li>\n<li>In the app, you&#8217;ll see a list of available drives. Choose the drive where you have permission issues or have lost data.<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-7726 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/disk-drill-hfs-select.jpg\" alt=\"Disk Drill displays a list of connected drives\" width=\"2376\" height=\"1618\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Search for lost data<\/strong> to begin. Be patient while Disk Drill works its magic.<\/li>\n<li>As Disk Drill scans your drive, it\u2019ll break the results down into categories like Pictures, Videos, Audio, Documents, and Archives. You can choose a specific category to look at or click on <strong>Review Found Items<\/strong> to see all the files Disk Drill has found. This way, you can easily browse through the results and pick the files you want to recover.<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-7727 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/disk-drill-hfs-scan.jpg\" alt=\"Disk Drill scanning the drive\" width=\"2376\" height=\"1618\" \/><\/li>\n<li>You can preview each file, just hover over it and click the \ud83d\udc41\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udde8\ufe0f eye icon. This lets you quickly check the file to make sure it\u2019s the one you want before you recover it.<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-7728 size-full\" src=\"\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/disk-drill-hfs-preview.jpg\" alt=\"Preview and select the files you want to recover\" width=\"2376\" height=\"1618\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Once you&#8217;ve selected your files, click <strong>Recover<\/strong>. Be sure to choose a location on a different drive (like an external hard drive or USB stick) to store the recovered files. This prevents overwriting any data on the original disk. Just a heads-up, to actually recover the files, you\u2019ll need the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/pro.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PRO version of Disk Drill<\/a>. The free version lets you scan and preview the files, but you\u2019ll need the PRO version to complete the recovery.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>You can read our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/disk-drill-review\/\">full Disk Drill review<\/a> if you want to learn more. It performed great not only in our tests but also in real-world cases. Here\u2019s a short list of what makes it so effective:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Works with HFS+, APFS, FAT, NTFS, exFAT, and other common file systems.<\/li>\n<li>Recovers data from HDDs, SSDs, external drives, USB drives, memory cards, and more.<\/li>\n<li>Offers Quick Scan for fast recovery of recently deleted files and Deep Scan for a more thorough search, ideal for recovering hidden, lost, or corrupted data.<\/li>\n<li>Works seamlessly across different macOS versions, including the latest updates like macOS Sequoia.<\/li>\n<li>Super intuitive interface.<\/li>\n<li>You can preview files before recovery.<\/li>\n<li>On top of recovery, includes backup tools, cleanup options, S.M.A.R.T. monitoring, a duplicate file finder, and data protection features like Recovery Vault.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"to_sum_up\"><\/span>To Sum Up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>With these methods, we\u2019ve fixed dozens of disk permission issues on Macs. The causes have been all over the place, but the solutions? Pretty much the same. We recommend you keep an eye on your macOS, especially when apps ask for permissions. Don\u2019t just click &#8220;ignore&#8221;\u2014that can lead to a whole mess of permission conflicts down the line. And be careful with external devices; <strong>always eject them properly<\/strong>. If you don\u2019t, you might end up with more issues than you bargained for.<\/p>\n<p>In some cases, permission problems came up because of the differences between macOS and Windows. Transferring files between the two can mess with permissions since they handle things differently. To avoid this, format external drives in a universally supported format like <strong>exFAT<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>And, of course, <strong>keep your macOS and apps updated<\/strong>. Delayed updates can result in bugs and compatibility issues that mess with file permissions. Stay on top of things, you\u2019ll avoid most permission problems and keep your Mac running smoothly\u2014no more permission drama!<\/p>\n<section itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\"><div class=\"panel-group sc_accordion_faq\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\" aria-multiselectable=\"true\"><h2 class=\"sc_accordion_faq--title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\r\n    <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading1\" aria-selected=\"true\">\r\n        <h3 class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_i_allow_administrator_permission_on_mac\"><\/span>\r\n            <a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"collapse1\">\r\n                How do I allow administrator permission on Mac?\r\n                <i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i>\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div id=\"collapse1\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading1\">\r\n        <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n            <div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                To give yourself administrator permissions on your Mac, follow these steps:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Click the <strong>Apple menu<\/strong> in the top-left corner and choose <strong>System Settings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>In the System Preferences window, click <strong>Users &amp; Groups<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Click the lock icon in the bottom-left corner and enter your admin password to make changes.<\/li>\n<li>In the left-hand panel, select your user account.<\/li>\n<li>If you\u2019re not an admin, check the box that says <strong>Allow user to administer this computer<\/strong>. This grants you full admin rights.<\/li>\n<li>After checking the box, click the lock icon again to save the changes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Now your account will have administrator permissions.\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\r\n    <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading2\" aria-selected=\"true\">\r\n        <h3 class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_check_file_permissions_in_macs_terminal\"><\/span>\r\n            <a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"collapse2\">\r\n                How to check file permissions in Mac's Terminal?\r\n                <i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i>\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div id=\"collapse2\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading2\">\r\n        <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n            <div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                If you want to quickly check file permissions on your Mac, Terminal gives you a detailed look at who can access, modify, or execute a file. Here&#8217;s how to do it:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open Terminal.<\/li>\n<li>Type this command and press <strong>Enter<\/strong>:<br \/>\n<strong>ls -l \/path\/to\/file<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Replace <strong>\/path\/to\/file<\/strong> with the actual file or folder path you want to check. For example, if the file is on your desktop, the command might look like this: <strong>ls -l ~\/Desktop\/filename<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>After the command, you&#8217;ll see something like this:<br \/>\n<strong>-rwxr-xr-x\u00a0 1 username\u00a0 staff\u00a0 12345 Jan\u00a0 1 12:34 filename<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Here\u2019s how to break it down:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The first part (-rwxr-xr-x) shows the file permissions:\n<ul>\n<li>&#8211; means it&#8217;s a regular file (if it\u2019s a directory, you&#8217;ll see d).<\/li>\n<li>rwx is the owner\u2019s permissions (read, write, execute).<\/li>\n<li>r-x is the group\u2019s permissions (read, execute).<\/li>\n<li>r-x is others\u2019 permissions (read, execute).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>The second part (1) shows the number of hard links.<\/li>\n<li>The third (username) and fourth (staff) show the file owner and group.<\/li>\n<li>The last part (filename) is the file\u2019s name.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you want to check a folder&#8217;s permissions, follow the same process. Just replace the file path with the folder\u2019s path, and you\u2019ll see the permissions for the folder and everything inside it.\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\r\n    <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading3\" aria-selected=\"true\">\r\n        <h3 class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_change_permissions_on_an_external_hard_drive_on_a_mac\"><\/span>\r\n            <a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"collapse3\">\r\n                How to change permissions on an external hard drive on a Mac?\r\n                <i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i>\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div id=\"collapse3\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading3\">\r\n        <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n            <div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                To change permissions on your hard drive on Mac, follow these steps:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Plug in your external hard drive.<\/li>\n<li>Go to <strong>Finder<\/strong>, and locate your external hard drive under the <strong>Devices<\/strong> section in the sidebar.<\/li>\n<li>Right-click on the external hard drive and select <strong>Get Info<\/strong> or select the drive and press <strong>Command + I<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>In the <strong>Get Info<\/strong> window, scroll down to the <strong>Sharing &amp; Permissions<\/strong> section. You\u2019ll see a list of users and their current access levels (Read &amp; Write, Read Only, etc.).<\/li>\n<li>Click the lock icon in the bottom-right corner, enter your admin password, then select the user or group whose permissions you want to change. Set their access to <strong>Read &amp; Write<\/strong>, <strong>Read Only<\/strong>, or <strong>No Access<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Once you\u2019ve made your changes, close the <strong>Get Info<\/strong> window. The new permissions will take effect right away.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>That\u2019s it! You\u2019ve successfully changed the permissions on your external hard drive.\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Disk permissions\u2014if you\u2019ve ever owned an older Mac, you know the struggle. They used to mess things up on macOS and Mac OS X all the time, and while it\u2019s less common on newer versions like macOS Sequoia, permission problems can still pop up out of nowhere. One minute, you\u2019re fine; the next, your Mac [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":560,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[],"slider-tags":[],"class_list":["post-8690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Repair Disk Permissions on Mac: A Comprehensive Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Need to repair permissions on a Mac? 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Check out these simple methods using Disk Utility and Terminal to fix permission errors and recover files.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/how-to-repair-disk-permissions-on-mac\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"InsanelyMac Blog - Mac and iOS Reviews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/best-data-recovery-software-bg.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"301\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jeff Cochin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jeff Cochin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Repair Disk Permissions on Mac: A Comprehensive Guide","description":"Need to repair permissions on a Mac? 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His expertise covers data clouds, failovers, SaaS, and the development of digital marketing strategies for high-growth startups. He possesses extensive knowledge of Mac computers, Apple's ecosystem, and iPhone technology, establishing him as a trusted authority in these fields. For nearly five years, Jeff has worked as a dedicated technical writer, conducting in-depth research and reviewing new applications and services, particularly those related to Apple and Mac technology. When away from writing, troubleshooting, or scripting for Mac and iPhone environments, he enjoys outdoor adventures. A passionate biker, kayaker, and hiker, he frequently explores new trails with friends who share his love for the outdoors.","sameAs":["https:\/\/jeffcochin.contently.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/author\/jeff-cochin\/"}]}},"modified_by":"Andrew Ysk","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8690"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8702,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8690\/revisions\/8702"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/560"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8690"},{"taxonomy":"slider-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/slider-tags?post=8690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}