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Update 23/9: Apple has updated its support document indicating that this issue can be resolved by installing the latest macOS Big Sur 11.6 update.



In a newly published support document on its website, Apple has acknowledged an error that some users may receive when they try to use a scanner with a Mac in the Image Capture app, Preview app, or the Printers & Scanners section of System Preferences.

mac-scanner-permission-error.jpg
A screenshot of the error message from the HP Support Community

When attempting to use a scanner with a Mac, Apple said users might get an error message indicating they do not have permission to open the application, followed by the name of the scanner driver. The message says to contact a computer or network administrator for assistance, or indicates that the Mac failed to open a connection to the device.

The error message starts with: "You do not have permission to open the application."

Affected users have shared complaints about this issue across the Apple Support Communities, Reddit, HP Support Community, and elsewhere. The error message appears to be affecting users on multiple versions of macOS Big Sur.

Apple said this issue is expected to be resolved in a future software update, but no timeframe was given. In the meantime, the support document provides step-by-step instructions on how to temporarily resolve the issue:
  1. Quit any apps that are open.
  2. From the menu bar in the Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder.
  3. Type /Library/Image Capture/Devices, then press Return.
  4. In the window that opens, double-click the app named in the error message. It's the name of your scanner driver. Nothing should happen when you open it.
  5. Close the window and open the app you were using to scan. A new scan should proceed normally. If you later choose to scan from a different app and get the same error, repeat these steps.
This article will be updated when Apple releases a macOS update with a permanent fix.

Article Link: Apple Says Fix Planned for 'You Do Not Have Permission to Open the Application' Error When Using a Scanner on Mac [Updated]
 
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Wolf1701

macrumors regular
Sep 16, 2006
200
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swingerofbirch

macrumors 68040
Image Capture/Preview/Photos is why I am moving to Android/Windows. This forum has been my life for the last four years with my iPhones:


I cannot get *any* Mac to see my iPhones, from macOS 10.12 through 11.

I was finally able to get my photos off of my phones using a Chromebook!

Apple's only solution was to use iCloud Photos.
 

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
15,502
10,728
Is this a sign Apple will retire the Image Capture application, given there are two widespread issues related to it and Apple does nothing?
 

PHenneberry

macrumors newbie
Aug 14, 2021
1
0
This bug happens in macOS 12 beta3;
but in the beta5 this bug was not fixed yet.
Yesterday, I applied Monterey 12 beta 21A5304g, and I lost all admin rights. Although my Mac stills says I am an admin, and I can create new admins, when I look at permissions on the drive, I have only read access and when i attempt to add myself, I receive "The operation can't be completed because you don't have the necessary permissions." Thoughts how to recover without reimaging? Yesterday I ran migration assistant, removed the existing admin account, and had MA add a new admin (same name) and restore all 1.2 GB of data, at the end - still no access. Outlook and many other apps are crashing as they don't have permissions to write temp files.
 

ikramerica

macrumors 68000
Apr 10, 2009
1,540
1,826
Image Capture/Preview/Photos is why I am moving to Android/Windows. This forum has been my life for the last four years with my iPhones:


I cannot get *any* Mac to see my iPhones, from macOS 10.12 through 11.

I was finally able to get my photos off of my phones using a Chromebook!

Apple's only solution was to use iCloud Photos.
Good luck with Windows. I had to manually remove my Mom’s photos to Windows because the normal download process would fail after about 20-30 pictures.
At least there was a way to manually do it.
 

azentropy

macrumors 601
Jul 19, 2002
4,004
5,329
Surprise
I've actually had a similar issue with dropping files onto a printer to print. Works on my iMac, but get that similar/same permissions issue when doing it on my M1 MBA. Had this issue with 11, and now still with the 12 beta. I haven't spent too much time with it as I don't print much anymore.
 

Kylo83

macrumors 601
Apr 2, 2020
4,028
13,024
Just download HP Smart app for macos and use that’s you don’t scan using the build in setting on the hp printers
 

ArtOfWarfare

macrumors G3
Nov 26, 2007
9,541
6,026
Image Capture/Preview/Photos is why I am moving to Android/Windows. This forum has been my life for the last four years with my iPhones:


I cannot get *any* Mac to see my iPhones, from macOS 10.12 through 11.

I was finally able to get my photos off of my phones using a Chromebook!

Apple's only solution was to use iCloud Photos.
Yeah... Apple's offerings have turned to absolute garbage over the years.

Obviously the software Apple acquired from NeXT was great, but I think they also got a lot of great engineers and managers out of that. In the time since, they've lost all the talent. Now it seems like they're run by business people who are more interested in pumping stuff out than actually having it be any good.

Meanwhile, Microsoft had the opposite happen. They had been run by business people, and now they're full of technical leadership. As a result, the quality of Windows has massively improved over the past 5 years.
 

sintra1

macrumors member
Sep 8, 2004
97
70
Harrow North West London
The beauty of the apple ecosystem used to be simplicity and privacy. Now, not so much. Simple things like printing, scanning and, yes, storing, are all now problematic with apple.
Anyone who has been in the Mac eco system since Classic and the Chooser will be well versed in updates breaking various printer and scanners drivers, indeed making not a few overnight expensive paper weights.

Use of CUPS drivers has meant special functions are/were not supported with many many printers.

Nothing changes
 
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4jasontv

Suspended
Jul 31, 2011
6,272
7,548
Ok, since the topic of scanners has come up. What are people's recommendations for good MacOS scanners? iOS support is a bonus.

The last one I had used a SCSI port, and now I am getting pressure from the co-inhabitant that we need to declutter our archives. We have boxes of looseleaf documents of many, many sizes.

I would like to avoid a printer, if possible. We have a Brother printer that works well enough and yet I still hate them.
 
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