I am unable to access PDF download with "Access Denied" message on my iMac running macOS Sonoma

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Level 1

10 points

I am unable to access PDF download with "Access Denied" message on my iMac running macOS Sonoma

I have downloaded a few pdfs. I use Chrome. When I click the files from the browser bar to open them, I get access denied. If I drag them to my desktop and open from there all is fine. I just tried again using Duck Duck Go (I'm liking this) I get prompted where I'd like to download to and I chose desktop and again, easy to open. I'm thinking the problem is the Chrome browser. Not sure if you can help but I figure it can't hurt to ask. I'm on a Mac 24 inch M1 2021 using Sonoma 14.5.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iMac (M1, 2021)

Posted on Jul 6, 2024 10:04 AM

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Answer 1

MrHoffman

Level 10

153,693 points

Jul 8, 2024 2:19 PM in response to ymm424

Who owns the Downloads folder?

In Finder and its Get info, the Sharing and Permissions shown should be your own login shortname with Read & Write access, and Everyone with No Access.

From the command line, the output of ls should look something like this:

% ls -le@d ~/Downloads
drwx------@ [links] mrhoffman  [group]  [size] [last modified]/Users/mrhoffman/Downloads
	com.apple.macl	   72 
 0: group:everyone deny delete
%

The important stuff there is drwx------@ and your shortname (mrhoffman shown), and group:everyone deny delete

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Answer 2

a brody

Level 10

85,382 points

Jul 6, 2024 1:39 PM in response to ymm424

Have you tried changing the download folder in the Chrome preferences to the desktop?

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Answer 3

Jul 7, 2024 10:44 AM in response to ymm424

Does it work if you use Safari, Firefox or Brave?

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

217,266 points

Jul 7, 2024 3:17 PM in response to ymm424

Maybe it's time to remove Google: Google is known to "phone home" with users data as was found out with this new Google Photos service: Google Photos may be free — but there's still a cost.

Also consider the following:

Chrome is Bad

Video demonstrating above

Google Chrome Listening In To Your Room Shows The Importance Of Privacy Defense In Depth.

Unseen Burdens in Chrome That Can Lead a Mac to Lag

How to Manage the Secret Software That Google Chrome Installs on Your Mac\

Google Chrome's Sham 'Do Not Track' Feature

Just some food for thought.

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Answer 5

ymm424 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 8, 2024 1:15 PM in response to Matti Haveri

So i just went to safari to download something...and when I click it in the upper right it says the downloads are failing. Weird. Next I went to Safari, and when I tried to download it pops up saying I don't have permissions to save to downloads folder. So now I'm getting super frustrated. I don't have Brave.

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Answer 6

ymm424 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 7, 2024 5:12 AM in response to a brody

Yes, I changed it to desktop but still wouldn't work. Seems only to work when I drag the downloaded file manually to my desktop. Any other ideas?

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Answer 7

MrHoffman

Level 10

153,693 points

Jul 9, 2024 9:24 AM in response to ymm424

ymm424 wrote:

...I couldn't find the command line,...

Launching Terminal.app gets you there.

But your downloads seem to be working.

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Answer 8

ymm424 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 9, 2024 8:14 AM in response to MrHoffman

I own the downloads folder. I did as you said: go to finder, get info, found sharings & permissions, and changed the part about everyone to No Access.

I couldn't find the command line, but it seems that just changing everyone to No Access did the trick. Not sure why but I tested it by again downloading a file from Etsy and this time I was able to easily open it. Thanks so much. I just hope that changing everyone to No Access doesn't have repercussions elsewhere :). Thanks again.

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