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Error message : the file is locked, you do not have necessary access permissions - macOS Catalina

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Hi all,

So I just updated to to the new OS and I started up Photoshop cc just fine. But when I double click on a smart object to update it, it opens it up the file (Which is a drag and drop vector file from Illustrator) and I try saving the changes I get an error message.

"Could not update smart object files because the file is locked, you do not have necessary access permissions, or another program is using the file. Use the ‘Get Info’ command in the Finder to ensure the file is unlocked and you have permission to access the file. If the problem persists, save the document to a different file or duplicate it in the Finder."

I always drag and drop vectors for Illustrator to Photoshop files and edit the smart object when I needed to but I never encountered this problem before. Can anyone help?

Ive already tried to uninstall and reinstall Photoshop, i've tried using a old version of Photoshop, I made sure the "Always Create smart objects when placing" is checked in prefernces and I also tried unlocking the adobe folder and made sure that I have access to the files but still nothing works.

macOS

sakurashapeCorrect answer

Participant

It works when you do this workaround:
In the Finder, launch System Preferences and navigate to Security & Privacy > Privacy tab > Full Disk Access. Click the lock icon in the lower left, enter your admin username & password. Click the + icon and add Photoshop to grant access to your hard disk.

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PenceMedia

Participant

Just tried Security & Privacy > Privacy tab > Full Disk Access to no avail. Any other suggestions. I just updated to a Mac Studio and updated Photoshop to 23.4.2 Release

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debra.johnson

Participating Frequently

I've started getting this message today:

Could not open “FILENAME” because the file is locked, you do not have necessary access permissions, or another program is using the file. Use the ‘Get Info’ command in the Finder to ensure the file is unlocked and you have permission to access the file. If the problem persists, save the document to a different file or duplicate it in the Finder.

Here are my observations:

I am using a Mac Studio 2022 with the latest install of Monterey and am using Photoshop 23.5.1 (updated three days ago). I wasn't getting this message before the update.
I am working on a Windows-based server.
The files are files that I have just created inside a folder I named. If I try to reopen them from the Finder, I get the error message above. If I restart my machine I can open them, but if I continue saving new files, I get the error message after the restart.
If I open the same files from Photoshop's 'Open' dialogue box, they DO open.
Changing the Security & Privacy Photoshop setting mentioned above hasn't fixed the problem.
I've seen a message elsewhere that the problem can be caused when backups are being done in the background. We have a new IT company taking over just now so they might be backing up in the background. I will need to check!
I've also seen a message to suggest that the problem is fixed by disabling anti-virus software (- although I am not using anti-virus software)
However I did notice that I can open the files via the Finder by choosing Apple's 'Preview' app to open them, so it must be a Photoshop problem.

I hope this helps towards finding the solution! I may install an older version of Photoshop to see if the problem goes away.

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PenceMedia

Participant

I've been having the exact same problem. It only started when 2 weeks ago when I moved from my MacbookPro to Mac Studio Pro and Monterrey.

I tried opening from the 'Open' dialogue from within Photogshop and this has NOT solved the issue for me unfortunately.

My current workaround has been to copy the file to my desktop to open and then save a new version. Quite annoying and I hope there is a fix soon.

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RandyCollier

Participant

nope. same error keeps popping up for many operations. opening, saving, adding a stroke, using the marquee tool.... you can dink around and try something different and it might work. sometimes. This is very frustrationg when your lively hood depends on it. It happened twice this morning while making a photoshop presentation. argh!

and I have tried all the fixes Adobe suggested in another thread. still not working

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Yousuf5EC7

Participant

unfortunately, it hasnt worked for me. I have followed all those steps and I still get the same error message. Help!!!

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Yardmax

Known Participant

Folks, I can happily say that the latest version of Adobe Photoshop CC2020 that I updated to (21.1.2 release), and the latest updates to Catalina (now running v 10.15.4) – those 2 updates, installed last week (right around May 4, 2020) – have finally allowed the Save for Web function to work again! Yay! How long this lasts, since the Save for Web (legacy) seems to be being phased out, I have no idea.

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cj_fay

Participant

I have the same updates that you have and it is still not working correctly.

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Yardmax

Known Participant

I don't know what to tell you on that one. I know it sucks. It took 5 months of me trying everything under the sun, and it finally started working after the last two updates I mentioned above.

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gener7

Community Expert

I looked at Full Disk access under Mojave, and it allowed me to add Photoshop as long as I clicked the padlock and entered my admin password. I have not installed Catalina, but that method does not work?

Here's one method where you add the Unix executable instead of the app:

http://help.kolide.com/en/articles/3387759-how-to-grant-full-disk-access-to-catalina

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Yardmax

Known Participant

I got it to add Photoshop in Catalina. It was grayed out but still allowed me to select it and add the application for full disk access. Alas, this didn't work. I'm beginning to think Adobe is phasing out the Save For Web and wants us to use the "Export As" feature moving forward. This seems to work, but I haven't seen yet where I can save my preferences for saving this way. Until the fix the Save For Web feature, if they do fix it, I feel like I'm stuck – it's too much to go back and revert to an earlier OS. Should have waited.

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gener7

Community Expert

This explains why Adobe is doing away with SFW better than I can:

https://medium.com/@hadenpf/photoshop-save-for-web-legacy-e043a36d700c

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Yardmax

Known Participant

This solution does not work for me. When I go to add Photoshop, it's grayed out and will not let me select it to add. Yes, the system was unlocked first. It won't let me add any apps to have Full Disk Access under the Privacy Tab. But, there is already something in there named "smdb" that I have no idea what it is.

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sakurashapeCorrect answer

Participant

It works when you do this workaround:
In the Finder, launch System Preferences and navigate to Security & Privacy > Privacy tab > Full Disk Access. Click the lock icon in the lower left, enter your admin username & password. Click the + icon and add Photoshop to grant access to your hard disk.

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sarahw98596663Author

Participant

Thank you so much! This helped and worked perfectly!

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sakurashape

Participant

I'm glad I was able to share it with you as this was driving me nuts as well 😉

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Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Known issues in Photoshop 20.0.6 and higher on Catalina.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/photoshop-and-macos-catalina.html

Next time Apple pushes out a significant new OS , you would do well to wait a month and exercise some due diligence beforehand by testing it on a 2nd partition. If necessary, revert to your older OS and stay there.

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Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

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sarahw98596663Author

Participant

I will definitely hold off from updating in the future. Thank you the feedback.

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