{"id":2915,"date":"2015-08-19T11:35:59","date_gmt":"2015-08-19T16:35:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.splasmata.com\/?p=2915"},"modified":"2015-08-19T13:21:49","modified_gmt":"2015-08-19T18:21:49","slug":"how-to-change-a-file-or-folders-permissions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.splasmata.com\/?p=2915","title":{"rendered":"How to change a file or folder’s permissions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every file on your Mac<\/strong> can be set so that different users and groups can access the file or folder in different ways. \u00c2\u00a0It sounds\u00c2\u00a0strange, but the files you see in your home folder, in your Documents folder or on your Desktop, can even be set up so that you can’t make any changes at all. \u00c2\u00a0It gets even more confusing when these permissions change\u00c2\u00a0by freak accident or through an unexpected act of nature. \u00c2\u00a0You’ll use a file for ages when, possibly following an eclipse, solar flare, or presidential election, it’s suddenly unusable and you’ve no idea why… \u00c2\u00a0But you’ve got this.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you see\u00c2\u00a0a message that you don’t have permission<\/strong> to read or write a particular file or folder, here’s what to do:<\/p>\n

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  1. Single-click<\/strong> the file or folder so that it’s highlighted.<\/li>\n
  2. Go to the File<\/strong> menu at the top left of your screen and click the Get Info<\/strong> menu item. \u00c2\u00a0An Info window will appear.<\/li>\n
  3. Look for the padlock icon<\/strong> at the bottom right of the Info window. \u00c2\u00a0If it’s locked, click it once and enter an administrator’s username and password to unlock it.<\/li>\n
  4. Look for the Sharing & Permissions<\/strong> section near the bottom of the Info window. \u00c2\u00a0If the triangle next to Sharing & Permissions is pointing to the right, click it once to see a list of who has permission to access the file or folder.<\/li>\n
  5. Look in the Name column for a particular user (your name will have “Me”<\/strong> next to it), click\u00c2\u00a0the value in the Privilege column\u00c2\u00a0next to that user, then click the setting you need. \u00c2\u00a0For yourself, you’ll usually click the\u00c2\u00a0“Read & Write”<\/strong> menu item.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Permissions, or privileges, come in the following flavors:<\/p>\n