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jwilkinsonmd
Participant
January 6, 2017
Answered

Can't save: "The file may be read-only, or another user may have it open. Please save the document with a different name or in a different folder."

  • January 6, 2017
  • 30 replies
  • 293923 views

I've seen this issue all over the internet when I've searched for an answer. And it looks like it has been around for years. The only solution I've seen is to close the window pane in Windows. But what about for Mac users?

I just bought a new macbook pro. I had a 2011 macbook pro previously, with Acrobat Pro X. I backed up my computer in time machine, started up the new computer, and restored the old computer's data to the new one. Everything is the same and works fine except that I cannot save PDFs when I edit them. The only workaround I've found is to open a new folder, which  I can "save as" to the new location, but then I can't save future edits there unless I send them to yet another new folder.

The error message is: "The file may be read-only, or another user may have it open. Please save the document with a different name or in a different folder."

This is driving me crazy. Someone please help.

    Correct answer Citizen Zero

    This worked for me

    If your file/asset is in a folder that is synced with Google Drive, Drop Box, One drive or the like simply quit the backup/sync utility and then hit save on the file. Note: "Pausing" the sync may not allow a file save. You must quit the sync app.

    30 replies

    Show previous replies
    A
    Anonymous
    August 10, 2018

    worked for me.  Thank You - this was driving me crazy.

      W
      Whammers
      Participant
      July 10, 2018

      Wanted to share in case it helps someone else....the user was saving to OneDrive...Windows 10....Adobe Acrobat Pro DC....same error....did some searching and came across this article and a few others....all suggestions failed....then I simply added her OneDrive for Business account in "Storage" and she could save the file just fine!  Very strange that it doesn't work when pointing to "Storage/My Computer" and selecting her local OneDrive location (C:\OneDrive\OneDrive - xxx-xxx) - which is synced.

      See how things are moving forward - hopefully no more issues!

      nanc61549681
      nanc61549681
      Participant
      June 15, 2018

      I was also having this same trouble on multiple devices, just started yesterday. I use Dropbox Business for file sharing with coworkers. "pause syncing" before saving the file worked GREAT. Then just resumed syncing after saving. Thanks for the help!

      cwoodenkp
      cwoodenkp
      Participant
      May 16, 2018

      I had the same problem on my Macs and after reading posts, I quit Prosoft Data Backup and it seems to be working fine now.

      Unfortunately, I'll have to open the backup software and do the backups manually every day unless I can either find a backup program that doesn't tie up the files or figure out how to make Data Backup not tie up the files.

      CurtEastin
      CurtEastin
      Participant
      April 27, 2018

      Same issue. If you change the default reader from Preview to Adobe Reader, it will save.

      H
      HsSrvnt
      Participant
      April 18, 2018

      I have the same issue, but only with CS5.5 when I'm using Illustrator. It drives me MAD as I have to then have multiple files and remember which one I really am using/working on. There needs to be a fix for this. I didn't have the issue until Win 10 and just a few months ago. I haven't had the issue with my CS6 versions...yet. PLEASE provide an update to fix this. I am in IT and have checked all permissions, no preview panes...nothing is wrong or abnormal, it just won't let me save over a file.

      I'll try turning off Google, but I even tried only having the file on the desktop and that didn't work either. I use G-Drive and would think there'd be a fix for this as a number of people use this.

      H
      HsSrvnt
      Participant
      April 19, 2018

      I paused G-Drive and am also saving to the desktop and have NOT had the issue anymore. I also was able to save to my G-Drive with it paused without any issues.

      Thank you to all for the replies, but the comment about being in IT and using CS5.5 was interesting. If you spend over $1k on a program, do you just dump it if it still works on an OS update? Maybe you have that kind of cash but I do not. Also, I wish they'd keep updating rather than CC as I also own CS6 but you can only use so many copies on so many computers. Getting the facts before posting such a poor opinion would serve you well to learn and to be a better human in the future. Everyone has a story...including you.

      G
      GreenEyedSprout
      Participant
      January 28, 2021

      I had this error when trying to split files using bookmark name as file name. I finally figured out that one of my bookmarks had a "/" in the bookmark name. I would get files created up until that file, then it would error out and say that the file was read only. In reality, it was trying to name the file with a bookmark that had an inappropriate character.

      Citizen Zero
      Citizen ZeroCorrect answer
      Participant
      March 1, 2018

      This worked for me

      If your file/asset is in a folder that is synced with Google Drive, Drop Box, One drive or the like simply quit the backup/sync utility and then hit save on the file. Note: "Pausing" the sync may not allow a file save. You must quit the sync app.

        ImageFirstPrinting
        ImageFirstPrinting
        Participant
        June 22, 2018

        Yep, that was it for me, Google sync was waiting for me to respond to a save or remove. Once I did that, problem went away

        michaeld98100088
        michaeld98100088
        Participant
        July 22, 2017

        I was having the same issue and just realized this was being caused by having "FILE PREVIEW" enabled in my File Explorer. Not sure about on Mac, but on Windows you can turn this option OFF by hitting ALT+P in the Explorer.

        As soon as I turned this off, I am now able to Edit AND Save without seeing that annoying "read-only" error message.


        Hope this helps and good luck!!

          aprils2730483
          aprils2730483
          Participant
          August 10, 2017

          Thank you Michael, and I would like to just map out these instructions for windows users,  as it worked superbly!

          1. Click on File Explorer

          2. At the top of the page, go to the far left pull down menu call "View" (it's the last in the row of File_Home_Share_View)

          3. Click on View

          4. To the right, the first box is the "Panes" box and gives you 3 icons to choose from. Click once on the "Preview Pane" option.

          5. Like Michael said above, you can also use ALT P to toggle this choice on and off.

          This worked for me perfectly.

            A
            Anonymous
            August 18, 2020

            Thank you so much for directions! It worked

              A
              Anonymous
              July 20, 2017

              I too have been searching for an answer for this for a long time, in vein. None of the usual tricks like hiding the review pane, closing the folder, etc. worked for me. 

              Desperate to solve the problem, I tried changing permissions in the folder properties in which I was trying to save the pdf files, and to my amazement, it actually worked.

              After that, I went ahead and  changed permission to the users folder in which all my documents are located, and it solved my seemed to have solved my pdf saving problem once for all.

              How to change permissions - Right click on the folder where your files are located, select properties, select security tab, edit permissions,  change it to full control.

              A note of caution - this makes all files accessible for anyone to copy, modify, etc. - may not be a wise thing to do on a public computer or network.I did it for all users, since I am the only one who uses my laptop. If the internet is private and secure, selecting 'anyone' would be the best thing to do.

                SkinBoi
                SkinBoi
                Participant
                February 8, 2019

                Brilliant! That security setting worked for me! Been trying to find a fix for ages. Thank you

                M
                Miraz5D3E
                Participant
                February 1, 2021

                You saved my job man, thank you!!!

                  MichaelKazlow
                  MichaelKazlow
                  Legend
                  January 8, 2017

                  I have occasionally seen this crop up but not regularly. Acrobat X is not really Sierra compatible. It mostly works, but maybe you are seeing where it does not.

                    J
                    jwilkinsonmdAuthor
                    Participant
                    January 8, 2017

                    Thank you. So does that mean that the solution is getting an updated version of Acrobat Pro?

                    MichaelKazlow
                    MichaelKazlow
                    Legend
                    January 15, 2017

                    Download a trial of the new version and see if it still happens. I have seen this happen even with Acrobat DC but it is not a regular occurrence. I don't know if the problem is the software or the fact that my files are are constantly being synced to the cloud. It doesn't happen regularly, but it does happen more with Acrobat, but some other software once in a while.

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