TL;DR
To repair disk permissions on Mac:
- Open Disk Utility via Finder > Applications > Utilities.
- Select the disk with suspected issues.
- Click First Aid in the toolbar.
- Click Run and then Continue to start the repair process.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
Is your Mac acting up? Disk permission issues could be the problem. In this post, I’ll show you simple ways to fix them and get your Mac running smoothly again. Let’s get started!
Repairing disk permissions is different on newer software, like macOS El Capitan, Big Sur, and Monterey, than older macOS versions.
How to Repair Disk Permissions on Mac
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Let’s explore several methods to repair disk permissions on your Mac, keeping your system safe and running efficiently.
Before you proceed, make sure to back up your important files and data on Mac to an external hard drive, cloud storage, or Time Machine.
1. Using Disk Utility
(macOS 10.11 El Capitan or later)
Disk Utility is a powerful built-in utility that can help verify and repair disk permissions on your Mac. Follow these steps to use Disk Utility to repair disk permissions on Mac:
- Launch Disk Utility by going to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
- Select the disk you suspect has permission issues from the list on the left side of the Disk Utility window.
- Click the First Aid button in the top toolbar.
- Click the Run button to initiate the permission verification and repair process.
- Tap Continue to confirm your decision.
- Disk Utility will scan your disk for errors and repair any permissions it finds.
The process may take some time, depending on the size of your disk and the number of permissions to be repaired.
2. Using Disk Utility in Recovery Mode
(macOS El Capitan or later)
Access Disk Utility via Recovery Mode to diagnose and repair disk issues directly from a recovery environment. Here’s how to use Disk Utility in Recovery Mode on Mac:
- Start or restart your Mac and immediately hold down the Command ⌘ + R keys until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe. This will boot your Mac into Recovery Mode.
- After the macOS Utilities window appears, select Disk Utility and click the Continue button.
- In the Disk Utility window, you will see a list of available disks and volumes on the left-hand side. Select the disk or volume you want to work with from the list.
- Select the disk and click the First Aid button in the toolbar.
- Next, click Run to start the verification and repair process.
- Wait for First Aid to complete, and click Done.
- After repairing all of the disks on your Mac, go to Apple > Restart from the menu bar and restart your Mac.
- Once the process finishes, you’ll get a comprehensive report detailing what the First Aid process did. This report will provide information on any identified problems or issues.
Remember to exercise caution when using Disk Utility, especially when erasing or partitioning disks, as these operations can result in data loss if not performed correctly.
3. Using Terminal
(macOS Big Sur, Monterey, or later)
If Disk Utility fails, use Terminal commands to manually repair disk permissions on your Mac. Follow these steps to repair disk permissions on Mac using Terminal:
- Open the Terminal application. You can find it in Finder > Applications > Utilities or search for it using Spotlight (Command ⌘ + Space).
- Type the following command and Enter:
sudo diskutil resetUserPermissions / 'id -u'
- Enter your admin password if prompted.
- If you get the Error -69841, enter these two commands:
chflags -R nouchgsudo diskutil resetUserPermissions / 'id -u'- Once the repair process is complete, restart your Mac and check if the issues have been resolved.
Manual repair of disk permissions requires careful execution. Be sure to enter the commands correctly, as any mistakes can have unintended consequences.
4. Using Terminal in Recovery Mode
(macOS Big Sur, Monterey, or later)
Terminal in Recovery Mode offers advanced command-line tools to repair disk permissions and perform system-level tasks. Follow these steps to repair disk permissions on Mac using Terminal in Recovery Mode:
- Initiate Recovery Mode on your Mac by clicking the Apple logo and selecting Restart. While your Mac restarts, press and hold the Command ⌘ + R keys until the Apple logo appears.
- In the Recovery Mode window, navigate to Finder, then go to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
- Once the Terminal is open, type in the following command and press Enter:
repairHomePermissions
- If prompted, provide your user account details.
Repair Disk Permissions on Mac
Disk permissions are crucial in maintaining a stable and secure Mac system. To prevent disk permission issues and maintain a healthy Mac system, consider implementing the following best practices:
- Keep macOS updated to ensure proper disk permissions.
- Perform routine Mac maintenance tasks such as disk cleanup, removing unnecessary files, and managing system caches.
- Block suspicious sites and avoid risky downloads to prevent malware.
