com.apple.safari operation not permitted

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Operation not permitted

I am trying to delete files from trash on my MacBook. I have tried to remove with:

Can not remove all files from Trash in OS X

But I get Operation not permitted error

Any help is appreciated.

• What you are trying to do is empty at the same time your own Trash / Recycle Bin and the system's. Some items may have been marked for deletion pending a reboot by the OS, but they will be deleted at its discretion, not yours. What happens if you just try a "sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash"? –  user1019780 Commented Jun 11, 2020 at 11:23
• @Didier Still the same rm: /Users/Admin/.Trash/2e4/SafariFamily: Operation not permitted rm: /Users/Admin/.Trash/2e4/com.apple.Safari/SafariFamily: Operation not permitted rm: /Users/Admin/.Trash/2e4/com.apple.Safari: Directory not empty rm: /Users/Admin/.Trash/2e4/SafariFamily: Operation not permitted rm: /Users/Admin/.Trash/2e4/com.apple.Safari/SafariFamily: Operation not permitted rm: /Users/Admin/.Trash/2e4/com.apple.Safari: Directory not empty –  NathanGL Commented Jun 11, 2020 at 11:37
• OK, this explains that: you're trying to permanently delete a file related to a preinstalled application (Safari). macOS won't allow that, not even in Recovery Mode, unless you disable System Integrity Protection first (sudo csrutil disable), reboot in normal mode, and use the commands you've already used in Terminal. Is there a reason why you tried to uninstall Safari in the first place? –  user1019780 Commented Jun 11, 2020 at 13:38
• Thanks, @Didier turned off System Integrity Protection and can delete it now. Well, I couldn't uninstall Safari so I tried removing it totally and that happened. It simply didn't work for me. –  NathanGL Commented Jun 11, 2020 at 19:54
• You're not supposed to uninstall Safari. It's part of macOS, same Internet Explorer is/was part of Windows. Only way to totally and cleanly uninstall it is via a third-party like AppCleaner, but it's not recommended at all. Glad you solved your problem, though. –  user1019780 Commented Jun 11, 2020 at 22:02

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How to Fix Terminal Operation Not Permitted Error on Mac

One of the issues that you may run into when learning to use Terminal is the “Operation Not Permitted” error. Luckily, this error is pretty simple to fix. It simply means that the Terminal does not have access to whatever file you are trying to reach.

As someone who is always toying with macOS, either to fix an issue on one of my customers’ computers or to work on one of my own projects, I have seen just about every Terminal error under the sun. 

Let’s check out a few tips you can put to use if you run into the “Terminal operation not permitted” error.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

The causes of “terminal operation not permitted” on mac, fix #1: ensure the file you are accessing is not locked, fix #2: remove apple quarantine extended attribute, fix #3: ensure full disk access is enabled for the terminal, disable sip, final thoughts.

• Terminal Operation Not Permitted Error on Terminal on your Mac is a relatively easy fix, and typically it is caused by one of the following possibilities.
• The file being accessed is locked , meaning you might need to unlock it via Finder.
• The folder has Apple Quarantine Extended Attribute , which you can easily remove via Finder.
• If Terminal does not have Full Disk Access , you can easily check this.
• Lastly, System Integrity Protection (SIP) might need to be disabled . But This is a temporary fix, and SIP should be reenabled as soon as possible. 

For more seasoned Mac users, the Terminal app is a very convenient way to do many things on the backend of your Mac that you wouldn’t normally be able to do on the GUI (Graphical User Interface). 

For less seasoned Mac users, it can be a bit more complicated, but if you have the right commands and understanding of the terminal, it is easy to learn. 

If you’re running into the error “Terminal operation not permitted,” it could be due to the file being locked, the file having a quarantine attribute, the terminal not having full disk access, or a system integrity problem . 

Let’s start with the easiest fixes first.

The first (and arguably easiest) problem that could be causing the Operation Not Permitted error is simply that the Terminal cannot reach the file you are trying to alter because it is locked. To check if the file is locked, we can use Finder. 

Step 1: With Finder Open, Navigate to the desired folder. Right-click (or click the trackpad with two fingers). Choose Get Info . 

Step 2: Verify that the Locked box is not checked and blue (like the image below), if it is, click to remove the check. 

Step 3: Try to run your Terminal Command again.

Sometimes, when your MacOS detects that there is a file that can be executed located in your folder, it will add a com.Apple.Quarantine attribute to the folder. This prevents the executable from running. If this is the case, then Terminal may not be able to run properly. 

Open the desired folder in Finder, if you see a folder or file with the name com.Apple.Quarantine, then move it to the trash bin.  

If Terminal does not have Full Disk Access , then it may run into problems when it has to access the file that you are trying to work with. 

Take the following steps to ensure you have full disk access.

Step 1: Open System Settings using the Apple menu. 

Step 2: Navigate to Privacy & Security on the left and Full Disk Access on the Right.

Step 3: Click to turn on Terminal.

Step 4: Enter your TouchID or Password to Confirm.

Step 5: Terminal will now show as turned on.

Fix #4: Temporary: Disable SIP (System Integrity Protection)

System Integrity Protection, or SIP is a very important feature on your Mac that helps to keep the entire computer safe from unauthorized programs and code. 

Because of this, this is not a recommended fix if you are not familiar with Terminal . Additionally, if you choose to move forward with this method, be sure to re-enable SIP when you are done.

• Start your Mac in Recovery Mode (Use Command-R keys at startup)
• Use the Utility menu to launch Terminal
• Enter the command: csrutil disable
• Restart your Mac normally
• Use the Utility Menu to launch Terminal
• Enter the command: csrutil enable

Seeing the Operation Not Permitted Error on your Mac can be quite frustrating. However, it is often an easy fix! 

One of the four fixes in this article should have helped you to solve this problem and continue to use Terminal normally. This could have been unlocking the folder that you were trying to alter in Terminal, removing the quarantine attribute, providing Terminal with Full Disk Access, or disabling SIP. 

Which fix worked for you? Were you able to solve the Terminal operation not permitted error? Let us know in the comments!

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ls operation not permitted on ~/Library/Safari or ~/Library/Mail

Since upgrading to macOS Safari (10.14.1), each of the commands

ls ~/Library/Safari

ls ~/Library/Mail

&mdash; even if preceded by sudo&mdash; gives error

Operation not permitted

Is there some way to get around what I presume is a security measure added in Mojave?

iMac, macOS Mojave (10.14), 4.0GHz Corei7, 32GB, 3Tb Fusion

Posted on Nov 19, 2018 7:16 AM

Posted on Nov 19, 2018 7:19 AM

I know I can get around this by going into System Preferences > Security & Privacy and giving Full Disk Access to Terminal.

But is there some less "blunt" way to do it?

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Nov 19, 2018 7:19 AM in response to murrayE

Nov 19, 2018 8:05 AM in response to murrayE

Apple has introduced more security controls in Mojave, so Terminal's Full Disk Access is the only resolution.

Can't Remove SafariFamily

I have recently removed Safari Technological Preview using AppCleaner from https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/ .

The issue that I am facing is that there is a residual file named "SafariFamily" (with no extension) that I can't seem to get rid of no matter what i tried.

Dragging the item into the trash would result in the error message:

"The operation can’t be completed because one or more required items can’t be found. (Error code -43)"

Placing the file in a folder, put the folder in trash and trying to empty trash would result in:

"The operation can’t be completed because the item “Folder” is in use."

Using sudo rm on the file results in:

"rm: SafariFamily: Operation not permitted"

I have also tried deleting the item from safe mode as will as using the First Aid in Disk Utility.

Any idea how I can remove it?

Not sure if you've found a fix for it yet, but I was having the same issue.

What worked for me is booting into recovery mode and disabling system integrity protection (csrutil disable) and rebooting. Then I used terminal to force empty the trash containing Safarifamily (sudo rm -R <path to file in trash>) You can just simply open the trash in finder and drag the file or parent folder into the terminal, just make sure there is a space after -R

just remember to boot back into recovery mode afterwards and re-enable system integrity protection (csrutil enable)

Thank you, this worked right away!😁

Thanks a ton. This really worked. Pesky files sitting for almost an year got removed today

I have done your direction but terminal didn't work, it wasn't except to type my password although I have been able to write (sudo rm -R and path to file safarifamily in trash)

Help me, please!