GuidesError Fixes You Do Not Have Permission To Open The Application

[FIXED] You Do Not Have Permission To Open The Application

Fix the issue by reinstalling the app, verifying sharing and permissions, and more.

The message, “You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance),” appears on macOS Big Sur when trying to launch applications or files

Key Takeaways

  • The error means you cannot open or install apps on your macOS system.
  • It may occur due to restricted access, incorrect system configurations or disabled settings for the app.
  • Several solutions for this error include removing the app’s quarantine, disabling SIP, and allowing full disk access to the app.

What Can’t You Open An Application On MacOS?

If you encounter an error message “You do not have permission to open the application,” and it advises you to “contact your computer or network administrator for assistance,” it can be because the app is not signed or verified by Apple. Consequently, the system may perceive the app as a security threat.

Furthermore, your user profile may not have adequate access to launch the file, which another user on the system may own. Plus, if you have recently installed this app on your device, it could be under quarantine due to security risks.

How To Fix “You Do Not Have Permission To Open The Application?”

Many fixes can get you out of the situation, for instance, reinstalling the app, blocking ocsp.apple.com on your macOS, force signing the app, and more. Before heading on, do not forget to read How To Check Insufficient Power Supply.

Ask Permission From The File Owner

If the troublesome app or file exists on a shared drive, you may need to contact the file owner to permit you to access the file under your user on the macOS device.

Reinstall The App

Another foremost troubleshooting step is to uninstall the app in which you are facing this error. Reinstall the file from the App Store and launch it to send away the error message.

Change Recent Items To None

Recent Items maintains a history of the recently used apps and files on the system. Changing it to None declutters the system by removing unnecessary files, data, and corrupt content. Furthermore, a Reddit user found this fix effective in resolving the error on their macOS Big Sur.

  1. From the Apple menu, highlight Recent Items.
  2. Click on Clear Menu from the sub-box.
    Clear Menu
    Clear Menu
  3. Next, go to System Preferences from the Apple menu.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    System Preferences – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  4. Pick the General icon.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    General – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  5. Look at the last option on this dialog box, Recent Items.
  6. Set it to None.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Recent Items – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]

Use The Go Menu

Access the Go menu when you cannot open some apps on your macOS Big Sur. Apart from this, learn how our team got through the error where Computer Restarts When Trying To Print.

  1. Close all the running apps on your computer.
  2. Click on the Go button from the top bar.
  3. Select Go to Folder.
    Go Menu
    Go Menu – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  4. Type /Library/Image Capture/Devices in the dialog box and hit Go.
    Go
    Go – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  5. Now, Double-Click on the app that you cannot open.
  6. Close this menu and Re-open the app.

Read And Execute Access For Everyone

This command will allow read and execute access for everyone on your system. Therefore, anyone can read and access the file, while the owner can also write it

  1. Launch Terminal on your Mac computer.
  2. Type sudo chmod -R 755 /path/to/your/file. 
    For Slack, type; sudo chmod -R 755 /Applications/slack.app
    Codes
    Codes- Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]

Remove The Quarantine 

The system may quarantine newly installed apps on your macOS as a security prevention to ensure it is safe for the device. Therefore, you can unquarantine the app after installation. Plus, the method resolved this error message for several users who encountered the same issue on macOS devices.

  1. Open Terminal on your macOS PC.
    Terminal
    Terminal – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  2. Type xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /path/to/your/app. Replace path/to/your/app with the instructions to the problematic app. For instance, if the app is Atom, the code should go like this: xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Atom.app
  3. Hit Enter to remove quarantine from the app.

Force Sign The App

Signing an app with a credible Developer ID Certificate enhances the app’s security to run on your system. Be careful to execute the command accurately. Otherwise, it may lead the app to malfunction. 

  1. Execute the command codesign –force –deep –sign “Developer ID Application: Your Developer Name” /path/to/your/app.
    In the code, replace Developer’s Name with your name and /path/to/your/app with instructions to reach the app. For Slack App, the code would be; codesign –force –deep –sign “Developer ID Application: Laiba” /Applications/slack.app.
  2. Press the Enter key to run the command.  

Force Quit The App

You can force quit an app if it is not responding or displaying errors while launching. This fix will completely quit the app on your system, and you can restart it after a minute. Besides, see how we fixed Windows Could Not Prepare Computer To Boot Installation Error.

  1. Access the Apple menu.
  2. Select Force Quit from the mini-menu.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Force Quit – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  3. Highlight the relevant app and hit the Force Quit button.
You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
Force Quit App – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]

Update The App

Using the latest versions of apps on your devices is always recommended to keep up its hassle-free functioning. An outdated version can lead to loading issues, app crashes and freezing, and even the “”You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)” error. 

  1. Go to App Store.
    App Store
    App Store – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  2. Select Updates from the left bar and see if any latest updates are available for the concerned app.
    Updates
    Updates – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  3. You can also manually Search for the app to look for its updates.

Update MacOS On Your Device

It is mandatory to keep your macOS updated with the latest changes to allow a smooth running of its apps and features. We also have an extensive guide on How To Update Windows [11, 10, 8, And 7].

  1. Head to System Settings.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    System Settings – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  2. Pick General from the left panel.
  3. Press Software Update.
    Software Update
    Software Update – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  4. The system will begin looking for updates.
    Checking For Updates
    Checking For Updates – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  5. Download any available updates for your computer.

Disable Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper is a built-in defense trait on macOS that is enabled by default. The Gatekeeper lets you install trusted apps only from the App Store and recognize their developers.

  1. Click on the Search icon on the top bar.
  2. Type Terminal and open the result.
    Terminal
    Terminal – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  3. Enter the code, sudo spctl –master-disable, and hit Enter.
  4. Write your Password and press Enter.
  5. Execute the code, spctl –status.
    Codes
    Codes – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  6. It will Disable the Gatekeeper service on your Apple computer. 

Disable System Integrity Protection (SIP)

SIP is a security feature in macOS that protects the system files and apps against viruses and malware attacks. Temporarily disable SIP until you can smoothly launch the problematic app and re-enable the service.

Check Whether SIP Is Enabled

  1. Click on Finder on the left edge of the top bar.
  2. Choose the first option, About This Mac.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    About This Mac – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  3. It will open a pop-up.
  4. Pick System Report.
    System Report
    System Report – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  5. Select the Software section from the left bar.
  6. Find System Integrity Protection and see if it is Enabled on your system.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    SIP Enabled – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  7. Lastly, Quit System Preferences.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Quit System Preferences – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]

Disable SIP

  1. Hit the Apple logo at the top bar.
  2. Press Restart from the drop-down. Simultaneously, hold the Command+R keys on your keyboard.
    Restart
    Restart – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  3. Confirm Restart.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Restart – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  4. Wait for the Apple Logo to appear and the Release The Keys.
  5. Allow the loading to complete.
    Loading Screen
    Loading Screen – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  6. You will see an Examining Volumes screen once you reach the Recovery Mode. Wait till it goes away.
    Examining Volumes
    Examining Volumes – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  7. Navigate to Utilities on the top bar.
    Utilities
    Utilities – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  8. Select Terminal from the mini-menu.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Terminal – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  9. Execute the command, csrutil disable to Turn Off SIP.
    Codes
    Codes – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  10. Quit Terminal.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Quit Terminal – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  11. Restart your computer to apply the new settings.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Restart – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]

Block ocsp.apple.com 

Online Certificate Service Protocol (OCSP) is a security barrier when installing new apps on your macOS device. It checks the validity of digital certificates and the security of websites and apps to keep your computer safe from threats. Blocking this service lets you install apps and services from third-party sources and use them without hindrance.

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Enforce the command cd /etc.
  3. Then, write sudo nano hosts and hit Enter.
  4. It will ask for your Password. Type and Enter.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Codes – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  5. Next, add a line after the pre-existing codes. Type 127.0.0.1 and ocsp.apple.com in front of it.
  6. Hold together Ctrl+X on the keyboard to Exit the menu.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Code – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  7. Press to save the changes.
    Press Y
    Press Y – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  8. Lastly, hit Enter.

Also Read: How To Restart A Router? [Ultimate Guide]

Verify Sharing and Permissions 

You can allow different users on your Mac device to read and access different files and apps owned under your user profile.

  1. Click on the Download icon from the bottom bar.
    Download
    Download – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  2. Go to the section where you can view the Downloaded apps on your PC.
  3. Right-Click on the concerned app.
  4. Choose Get Info from the sub-menu to open a new window.
    Get Info
    Get Info – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  5. Locate the Sharing And Permissions option. It is mainly located at the bottom of the window.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Sharing And Permissions – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  6. Press the Lock symbol.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Lock – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  7. Enter Your Password to modify the permissions.
    Enter Password
    Enter Password – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  8. Allow Read And Write privileges for your username.
    Read And Write
    Read And Write – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]

Allow Full Disk Access in Security And Privacy

Granting Full Disk Access to an app means it can access all the files on your system and the data on the computer’s hard drive. Some apps require Full Disk Access to perform their functions, such as disk management utilities, system maintenance tools and more.

  1. Press the Apple Logo at the upper left corner of the screen to open a drop-down.
  2. Choose System Settings.
    Syestem Settings
    System Settings – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  3. Highlight Privacy And Security.
  4. Go to Full Disk Access.
    Full Disk Access
    Full Disk Access – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  5. Navigate to the concerned app and Give Access Via The Toggle Bar.
    Toggle Bar – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
  6. Enter your Password and hit Unlock to save the changes.
    You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance)
    Enter Password – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]

Final Words

Summing up, you can enable various settings for the concerned app when you come across the message, “You do not have permission to open the application (contact your computer or network administrator for assistance),” on your macOS computer. Also, check out How To Play Steam Games On Nvidia Shield Via Steam Link and What Is TDP, Factors, Overclocking & Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Does My Mac Say I Don’t Have Permission To Open An App?

It can occur due to insufficient access for the concerned app, or the app is not signed by or verified by Apple

How Do I Fixes “You Don’t Have Permission To Open The Application?”

You can solve the error by updating the app, force signing it, disabling the Gatekeeper, and more.

Is It Safe To Disable Gatekeeper?

Gatekeeper protects your computer from malware attacks. Hence, re-enable the Gatekeeper once you resolve the issue.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Related articles

October Could Be The Best Month For Games In 2023

2023 has been an eventful year for games, but it has not run out of great releases, as October promises to be arguably the best month yet.

Cyberpunk 2077 Dominated Steam Top Sellers List Last Week

Cyberpunk 2077 and the Phantom Liberty expansion remained the two best-selling games on Steam throughout last week.

Redfall Has Not Received A Single Update Since June

Redfall has not made significant improvements since launch, with the game's last update being released in June.

Naughty Dog Hit With Layoffs Amid Last of Us Multiplayer Troubles

Naughty Dog has let go of several contract developers as The Last of Us Multiplayer continues to struggle with its identity.

High On Life DLC Is Now Available On Consoles And PC

The much anticipated High on Life DLC, High on Knife, is now available to play on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Similar Guides

Ali Rashid Khan
Ali Rashid Khan
Ali Rashid Khan is an avid gamer, hardware enthusiast, photographer, and devoted litterateur with a period of experience spanning more than 14 years. Sporting a specialization with regards to the latest tech in flagship phones, gaming laptops, and top-of-the-line PCs, Ali is known for consistently presenting the most detailed objective perspective on all types of gaming products, ranging from the Best Motherboards, CPU Coolers, RAM kits, GPUs, and PSUs amongst numerous other peripherals. When he’s not busy writing, you’ll find Ali meddling with mechanical keyboards, indulging in vehicular racing, or professionally competing worldwide with fellow mind-sport athletes in Scrabble at an international level. Currently speaking, Ali has completed his A-Level GCEs with plans to go into Business Studies, or who knows, perhaps a full-time dedicated technological journalist.

52 COMMENTS

  1. Its such as you read my mind! You seem to understand so much about this, such as you wrote the e
    book in it or something. I think that you just can do
    with a few % to power the message house a bit, but instead of that, that is magnificent blog.
    A great read. I’ll certainly be back.

  2. Hey! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a
    captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform
    as yours and I’m having difficulty finding
    one? Thanks a lot!

  3. Having read this I thought it was very enlightening. I appreciate you
    spending some time and energy to put this informative article together.
    I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount of time both reading and posting comments.
    But so what, it was still worth it!

  4. Hi! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog
    platform are you using for this site? I’m getting tired of
    Wordpress because I’ve had problems with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives for another platform.
    I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

  5. Right here is the right website for anybody who would like to find out about this topic.
    You know a whole lot its almost tough to argue with
    you (not that I really will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin on a topic which has been discussed for years.
    Excellent stuff, just great!

  6. After I originally commented I seem to have clicked on the
    -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from
    now on every time a comment is added I recieve four emails with
    the exact same comment. There has to be a way
    you can remove me from that service? Cheers!

  7. Do you mind if I quote a couple of your articles as long
    as I provide credit and sources back to your blog?

    My blog site is in the exact same niche as yours and my visitors
    would truly benefit from a lot of the information you present here.
    Please let me know if this alright with you. Appreciate
    it!

  8. I’ve been surfing on-line more than 3 hours as of late, yet I by no means found any fascinating article like yours.
    It’s beautiful value enough for me. In my opinion, if all
    web owners and bloggers made just right content
    as you did, the web can be much more useful than ever before.

  9. I’m not sure why but this blog is loading extremely
    slow for me. Is anyone else having this problem or is it a issue on my
    end? I’ll check back later on and see if the problem still exists.

  10. Its like you read my thoughts! You appear to understand a lot
    about this, like you wrote the e book in it or something.

    I feel that you can do with some percent to force the message house
    a bit, however instead of that, this is great blog.
    An excellent read. I will definitely be back.

  11. After going over a few of the articles on your blog, I seriously
    appreciate your technique of writing a blog. I saved as a favorite it to my
    bookmark site list and will be checking back in the near future.
    Take a look at my website too and tell me how you feel.

  12. Heya this is kinda of off topic but I was wanting to know if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have
    to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no
    coding experience so I wanted to get guidance from someone with
    experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!

  13. I blog often and I really thank you for your content. The article has truly peaked my interest.

    I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for
    new information about once per week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.

  14. I’ve been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this sort of area
    . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this site.
    Studying this info So i’m happy to express that I’ve
    an incredibly good uncanny feeling I found out exactly what
    I needed. I so much certainly will make sure to don?t fail to remember this site and give it a look on a
    continuing basis.

  15. Just want to say your article is as astonishing. The clarity in your post is simply great
    and i can assume you are an expert on this subject. Well with your
    permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming
    post. Thanks a million and please continue the gratifying work.

  16. hey there and thank you for your info – I have definitely picked up something new from right here.

    I did however expertise several technical issues using this website,
    since I experienced to reload the site many times previous to I could get it to load
    properly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK?
    Not that I’m complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will often affect your
    placement in google and could damage your quality
    score if advertising and marketing with Adwords.

    Anyway I am adding this RSS to my email and could look
    out for much more of your respective exciting content.
    Make sure you update this again soon.

  17. Hi there, I discovered your blog by the use of Google even as searching for a similar topic, your site came up, it seems good.
    I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
    Hello there, simply was aware of your weblog via Google, and found that it is really informative.

    I am going to watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you happen to continue this in future.

    A lot of folks will likely be benefited from your writing.
    Cheers!

  18. Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google,
    and found that it is really informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels.
    I will appreciate if you continue this in future.
    Numerous people will be benefited from your writing.

    Cheers!

  19. Amazing blog! Is your theme custom made or did
    you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog stand
    out. Please let me know where you got your design. Cheers

  20. Thanks for your personal marvelous posting! I quite enjoyed reading it, you’re a great
    author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and may come back in the foreseeable future.

    I want to encourage yourself to continue your great posts, have a nice morning!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here