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J
JJR512
Participant
February 4, 2023
Question

InDesign startup alert, do not have sufficient permissions for preferences folders

  • February 4, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 1160 views

When I attempt to launch InDesign for the first time, I getg a "startup alert" message about "you do not have sufficient permissions to access the preferences folders". There is a "more info" button that goes to a web page with some instructions on how to fix this. However, what it says to do does not seem possible.

 

The instructions tell me to set some permissions for these folders:

 

1. /Users/<user>/Library/Preferences/<product>
2. /Users/<user>/Library/Caches/<product>
3. /Users/<user>/Library/Application Support

 

The main problem with these instructions is that in my /Users/<myname> folder, there is no folder called "Library". However, in the root drive (same level as the Users folder) there is a folder named "Library" and it does contain folders named "Preferences", "Caches", and "Application Support". However, there is nothing in "Preferences" that seems related to InDesign. Same for "Caches". I did do as instructed for "Application Support", but was told I cannot because I do not have necessary permissions.

 

So where do I go from here?

 

MacOS Ventura 13.2, updated

Creative Cloud indicates all Adobe apps are updated

InDesign 18.1

Photoshop, Premier Pro, and Acrobat all work fine

1 reply

Steve Werner
Community Expert
Steve WernerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 5, 2023

Here are instructions for viewing the Library folder inside the <user> folder which is usually hidden. Hopefully, this will help:

 

https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/reveal-library-folder-in-macos/

    J
    JJR512Author
    Participant
    February 5, 2023

    Thank you. That did let me see the folders I needed to see to follow Adobe's instructions here: https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/preferences-folder-read-only-issue.html

     

    However, once I was able to see those folders, I was also able to see that permissions were already set the way those instructions were saying to set them.

     

    Then I noticed the section here in the forum about similar articles, started looking at them, and came across this: https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/indesign-cc-start-up-error-quot-lack-sufficient-permissions-to-access-the-preferences-folders-quot/m-p/5537493#M20304

     

    These instructions are basically to add Administrator to each folder's permissions with R/W access. So I tried that, and after doing so, InDesign launched successfully.

     

    In case anyone from Adobe should ever see this, I'd like to suggest first of all that you add instructions on how to see those folders in the first place to your instructions. Telling us what permissions to set on them is useless if we can't see those folders by default in Finder. Secondly, consider updating your instructions page with the correct info about adding the Admin to the permissions. Thirdly, consider updating the installation routine for InDesign so it does all this on its own during installation. It's ridiculous that users should have to do this, it should be part of the installation process.

      N
      Nonsji
      Participant
      March 23, 2023

      Thanks for the link to the community post. Helped me a lot. 

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