Error message: specified folder is not writable

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Level 1

8 points

Error message: specified folder is not writable

Hello,

When I try to save a file or edited photo from within an application to a folder on an external harddisk, I get the error message 'The specified folder is not writable'. I can however save the file on my internal harddisk and drag it there.

When I check the permissions of the disk or folder, I see that I (the admin for the computer) have full read & write permissions.

The problem occurs in any application. I therefore suspect it to be an OS problem.

In the Files & Folders tab of the Privacy window in Settings > Security & Privacy, I cannot add a program. The '+' sign remains greyed out for me. I am wondering if this another problem, or really part of the same problem.

I am on a brand new Macbook Pro with Big Sur (11.1)

I have looked online and found a few proposed solutions. All seem to mess with the OS through a command in terminal resetting something or disabling something. I am little nervous messing with this and wonder if this is necessary.

Thanks for any help you might have.

MacBook Pro

Posted on Dec 28, 2020 4:32 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 28, 2020 2:05 PM in response to Rogierbos69

Full Disk Access is NOT just for the internal drive. You should grant Full Disk Access in System Preferences->Security & Privacy->Privacy to any application that you want to allow access to your external drives. If you already did and still can’t save to it: can you write to that location in any way, for example can you drag a file in the Finder to the same location in the external drive?

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Answer 2

Dec 29, 2020 5:42 AM in response to Rogierbos69

Rogierbos69 wrote:

Yes, I can (as stated in the very first message)

Sorry, you did say that, and I missed it.

Did you grant Full Disk Access to the applications in question? You did say you can do it, but did not confirm you actually did it, and whether it helped. It certainly should help, in fact it should be the solution.

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

210,991 points

Dec 29, 2020 9:58 AM in response to Rogierbos69

Rogierbos69 wrote:

My impression is the cause of the problem is indeed how the harddisk is formatted. Not sure how to solve that...

I doubt that because the it would have come from the manufacturer correctly formatted unless you did an eraser and reinstall at any time.

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

210,991 points

Dec 28, 2020 10:52 AM in response to Rogierbos69

How is that external HD formatted?

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Answer 5

Barney-15E

Level 10

117,454 points

Dec 28, 2020 6:30 AM in response to Rogierbos69

You cannot add apps to that list. The app must ask for access.

You could try adding the app to Full Disk Access

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Answer 6

Rogierbos69 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 28, 2020 10:10 AM in response to Barney-15E

That I can do.

It does however not address my original problem: I need apps to be able to save to attached disks. Full Disk access just gives access to the internal disk.

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