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Allow Permissions to Lightroom Classic on macOS

  1. Lightroom Classic User Guide
  2. Introduction to Lightroom Classic
    1. What's new in Lightroom Classic
    2. Lightroom Classic system requirements
    3. Lightroom Classic | Common Questions
    4. Lightroom Classic Key Concepts
    5. Lightroom Classic tutorials
    6. Set Preferences for working in Lightroom Classic
    7. Reset Preferences for working in Lightroom Classic
  3. Workspace
    1. Workspace basics
    2. Display the Library on a second monitor
    3. Personalize identity plates and module buttons
    4. Watermark your photos in Lightroom Classic
    5. Color management
  4. Import photos
    1. Specify import options
    2. Set import preferences
    3. Import photos from a camera or card reader
    4. Import photos from a folder on a hard drive
    5. Import photos automatically
    6. Import photos from Photoshop Elements
    7. Import photos from a tethered camera
    8. The Filename Template Editor and Text Template Editor
    9. Set up tethered camera support for Fujifilm cameras
  5. Organize photos in Lightroom Classic
    1. Face recognition
    2. Work with photo collections
    3. Group photos into stacks
    4. Flag, label, and rate photos
    5. Use keywords
    6. Metadata basics and actions
    7. Find photos in the catalog
    8. Work with video in Lightroom Classic
    9. Advanced metadata actions
    10. Use the Quick Develop panel
  6. Process and develop photos
    1. Develop module basics
    2. Create panoramas and HDR panoramas
    3. Flat-Field Correction
    4. Correct distorted perspective in photos using Upright
    5. Improve image quality using Enhance
    6. Work with image tone and color
    7. Masking
    8. Apply local adjustments
    9. HDR photo merge
    10. Develop module options
    11. Retouch photos
    12. Cure red eye and pet eye effects
    13. Use the Radial Filter tool
    14. Adjustments with Lens Blur
    15. Edit and Export in HDR
    16. Remove Tool
    17. Remove distracting people
    18. Remove reflections
  7. Viewing photos
    1. View photos
    2. Browse and compare photos
    3. Set Library view options
    4. Share photos for comments and feedback
    5. Smart Previews
  8. Export photos
    1. Export files to disk or CD
    2. Export photos from Lightroom Classic
    3. Publish photos online
    4. Export to hard drive using publish services
    5. Presets for export, and other settings
  9. Work with external editors
    1. External Editing preferences
    2. Open and edit Lightroom Classic photos in Photoshop
  10. Manage catalogs and files
    1. How Lightroom Classic catalogs work
    2. Create and manage catalogs
    3. Back up a catalog
    4. Locate missing photos
    5. Create and manage folders
    6. Manage photos within folders
  11. Maps
    1. Work with the Map module
  12. Photo books
    1. Create photo books
  13. Slideshows
    1. Create slideshows
    2. Slideshow module panels and tools
    3. Specify the slide layout
    4. Add overlays to slides
    5. Play and export slideshows
  14. Print photos
    1. Print module basics
    2. Print module layouts and templates
    3. Work with print job options and settings
  15. Web galleries
    1. Create web galleries
    2. Use the Web module panels and tools
    3. Work with web gallery layouts
    4. Work with web gallery templates and settings
    5. Preview, export, and upload web photo galleries
  16. Keyboard shortcuts
    1. Keyboard shortcuts
  17. Content Authenticity 
    1. Content Authenticity in Lightroom Classic
  18. Lightroom and Adobe services
    1. Creative Cloud Libraries
    2. Using Adobe Stock in Creative Cloud apps
  19. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed Issues
    2. Known Issues
  20. Technical Support
    1. Performance Guidelines
      1. Basic troubleshooting steps to fix issues in Lightroom Classic
      2. Optimize performance
      3. Keep Lightroom up to date
      4. Preference file and other file locations | Lightroom Classic
      5. Allow Permissions to Lightroom Classic on macOS
    2.  Technical issues
      1. GPU Issues
        1. Troubleshoot graphics processor (GPU) and graphics driver issues | Lightroom Classic
        2. Lightroom Classic GPU FAQ
      2. Startup Issues
        1. Windows | Lightroom doesn't start
        2. Error: Lightroom catalog cannot be opened
        3. Error: 'Unexpected error opening catalog' occurs in Lightroom after Windows 10 upgrade
        4. "Assertion failed" update error | Windows
        5. Error MSVCR110.dll opening apps in Windows 10
      3. Rendering Issues
        1. Troubleshoot issues with Develop module
      4. Stability Issues
        1. Troubleshoot crash or freeze in Lightroom Classic
      5. Miscellaneous Issues
        1. FAQ | Color in Lightroom Classic
        2. Lightroom desktop and mobile apps unavailable to Education memberships | Kivuto
    3. Workflow Issues
      1. Catalog Issues
        1. Error : Lightroom catalog cannot be opened
        2. Troubleshoot corrupt catalog
        3. Locate missing photos
        4. Recover catalog and images after resetting preferences
        5. Lightroom Classic catalog FAQ
      2. Sync Issues
        1. Lightroom Classic sync FAQ

Since macOS 10.14 (Mojave), Apple has a new privacy structure to help ensure that all applications obtain user consent before accessing documents, downloads, desktop, and network volumes. Sometimes, after macOS upgrades, these permissions get revoked. In such cases, you may see a "No Photo Found" message while accessing the folders such as Documents, Downloads, Desktop, External Volumes, or Network Volume, even though they are connected.

You may see error messages like:

  • No Photos Found message while accessing a folder during import
  • Image missing icon while accessing an image
Note

If not providing permission to standard folders is intentional, you can ignore the following message and select Don't Show Again.

error

Note

 If you have Time Machine mounted on your system, the dialog may appear. It is advised to ignore it by selecting Don't show again.

Provide Files and Folders access to Lightroom Classic

To provide Files and Folders access to Lightroom Classic on macOS, follow the steps given below:

  1. Select System Settings> Privacy & Security.

    For macOS Monterey and earlier, select System Preferences > Privacy & Security.

  2. Go to Files and Folders.

  3. Select Desktop FolderDocuments FoldersDownloads Folder, and Removable Volumes from the options.

    permissions
    Files and Folders option in System Settings on macOS

Provide full access to Lightroom Classic on macOS

 How to give full disk access to Lightroom & Lightroom Classic on macOS

If you are still facing problems while accessing photos, you should give full access to Lightroom Classic by following the steps below: 

  1. Select System Settings Privacy & Security.

    For macOS Monterey and earlier, select System Preferences > Privacy & Security.

  2. Go to Full Disk Access.

  3. Select Adobe Lightroom Classic.

    full-disk-access

    If Lightroom Classic is not available in the list of applications, you can add Lightroom Classic by clicking the (+) button and navigating to the Applications folder on macOS.

Note

Here's a Quick tip to easily grant Full Disk Access to Lightroom Classic on macOS. The step-by-step instructions will ensure that Lightroom Classic has the permission to seamlessly access and manage files on your Mac's disk or external storage devices.

Use a script to restore permissions

If you face an issue with folder permissions, try this easy-to-run, shell script-based solution explained below. This shell script automatically restores ownership and read/write permissions and removes the Access Control List (ACL) from the set of Adobe user folders and their subfolders.

To run the shell script, do the following:

  1. Download LightroomCorrectPermission.zip using the above link. By default, the file is downloaded to /Users/[user name]/Downloads/LightroomCorrectPermission.zip.
  2. Unzip the downloaded zip file to extract the LightroomCorrectPermission.sh shell script file.
  3. On your Mac desktop, type Terminal in the Spotlight search box and launch the Terminal app.
  4. From the Finder, drag the unzipped LightroomCorrectPermission.sh shell-script file (from step 2) onto the Terminal window. You see the following text in the terminal window:
    /Users/[username]/Downloads/LightroomCorrectPermission.sh
  5. Press Enter to run the shell script.
  6. When prompted, enter your Mac login credentials.
    Note: Ensure that you use the account with administrator privilege to log in.
  7. Launch Lightroom.

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