New install of Bridge 2024 not working with external hard drive and brand new Mac

[teresaw92373786]

I bought a new MAC yesterday (see stats below). this morning before doing anything else on the MAC, I completed  a clean install of Photoshop and Bridge. 

-Bridge is not reading the Western Digital external hard drive (EHD). 

-Photoshop reads the EHD with no problem.I can  import multiple images from the EHD via Script/Load Files into Stack to do focus stacking in PS.  

-Even after giving Bridge permission in Security/Privacy in Settings (and rebooting), it still will not read the EHD. The EHD icon shows in the Content window next to the Mac HD, but when I click on the EHD, the message in the window says “No items to display”. I’ve waited several minutes hoping Bridge was needing to read the files.  

 -Accessing the EHD with PS shows up immediately with folders/files readily accessible. 

I had this problem with Bridge 2024 on my 2015 MacBook. After working with tech support (we could never figure out the problem), I decided to keep using Bridge 2023 so I could have access to the EHD, hoping a new Mac in the future would solve the problem.  Well, it's the future.

With my workflow, I keep the images on the EHD and use Bridge as an image file management tool (which for me is a cleaner workflow than using LR, 99% of my work is with PS). Now I don’t have the option of doing a clean install of Bridge 2023.

Any ideas or suggestions (except to migrate Bridge 2023 from my old Mac. The reason for a clean install is to get rid of all the orphan folders/files Adobe leaves behind when updating)?? And yes, I tried both USB-C ports on the Mac.

MacBook Pro 16”  - Apple M3 Pro, 18 GB memory, 1 TB hard drive, Sonoma 14.5

Photoshop 2024 - 25.9.1 (as of 2 Jul 2024 AM)

Bridge 2024 - 14.1.1274 (as of 2 Jul 2024 AM)

Ext hard drive - Western Digital My Passport Ultra for Mac (Nov 2021) using USB-C connection, 5TB

thanks,

Teresa

[gary_sc · Accepted solution]

It sounds like you've not given Bridge permission for Apple's protection. Simply put, this is an Apple protection issue, not Adobe's. You may have given PS these settings, you have to do it for each application.

Go into System Preferences and select the Privacy & Security tab on the left. Note that there are two options on the right you'll need to deal with: "Files and Folders," and "Full Disk Access."

First, going into Files and Folders, note that in various years of different releases of Adobe Bridge, different needs are needed. I do not know why this is, but it's always better to check and make sure that just because you did it for one release, you may or may not need it for a subsequent release.

Lastly, go into the Full Disk Access option. If you do not see your application in the list, click on the "+" symbol at the very bottom of the window. This will bring up a standard Finder window. Navigate to your Applications Folder, find Adobe Bridge, and add it to the list (You will need to add your Administrator's password to do this.). Then you can "switch" it to the "ON" position. 

Please let us know if this works or not.

[teresaw92373786]

Thanks so much, that's what I needed - the Full Disk Access.  I did look for this info before posting, must have overlooked it somewhere!

[gary_sc]

Great, glad to hear that that was it. If it makes you feel any better, this has been missed by many folks. As such, could you please tap the "Correct Answer," as this will help other folks find this if they have the same issue.

Again, thanks for letting us know.

[budding_novelist]

Thank you.  I got a brand new MacBook Pro and was having trouble with Bridge 2025.  This solved my problem.  Thank you!