Preferences folder read-only error | Permissions issue

Issue

On rare occasions, you may face any of the following issues:

  • Illustrator stops responding
  • Illustrator seems to intermittently slow down
  • An error message is displayed about the Preferences folder being read-only
Preferences folder read-only error
Preferences folder read-only error

Solution: Manually set the Preferences folder attributes to read-write

Follow the instructions given below to give read and write permissions to Adobe folders.

Windows

Perform this procedure, once each for the following folders:

C:\Program Files\Adobe

C:\ProgramData\Adobe

C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe

C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator <version> Settings

  1. Open the File Explorer window. Click the View tab, and then select Hidden items.

  2. Navigate to the folder using the paths given above.

  3. In File Explorer, right-click the folder and choose Properties.

  4. Click the Security tab, and then click Edit to set permissions.

  5. In the Permissions dialog, select your user name. In the Permissions area, deselect the Deny checkbox.

  6. Click OK twice.

  7. Launch Adobe Illustrator.

macOS

Perform this procedure, once each for the following folders:

/Users/<user>/Library/Preferences/

/Users/<user>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/

  1. Open Finder, and navigate to the path given above.

  2. Control-click the folder and choose Get Info.

  3. If the item is locked, click the lock icon () to enter an administrator’s name and password.

  4. In the Sharing & Permissions section, from the Name column, select your name (or a user profile).

  5. From the Privilege column, choose Read & Write.

  6. In any subsequent prompt, choose to apply the permission to all subfolders as well.

  7. Click the lock icon () to save your preferences.

  8. Launch Illustrator.

Note:

In folder paths or names listed in the procedures, replace the parts between angular brackets '<>' with the details required.

  • Replace <user> with your account name.
  • Replace <version> with the version of Illustrator you are using.

 Adobe

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