The macOS has been considered as a less troublesome and most stable Operating System. Often, Mac users are plagued with several issues including some errors, slowing down, quitting the applications unexpectedly, and many others.

Mac error code 61 is one of the common errors faced by several users all over the globe. When this error occurs, you will see the error notification “The operation can’t be completed. An unexpected error occurred (error code 61).” 

Sometimes, it also comes with the error message “iPermErr = -61 /*write permission error* /.” This issue is known as ‘Write permission error.’ 

Usually, this particular error message appears when the computer has saved any app inside the directory file and can’t get permission to access it. This error prevents the device to run properly. 

If you also encounter the same error, you have to solve it immediately to continue with the device. You should go through this article to have a brief idea about the causes and solutions regarding this specific error. So, let’s begin. 

What Causes the Mac Error Code 61? 

There are several reasons, which often trigger this error. Have a look at the below-mentioned points to recognize the reasons for this error. 

• Incomplete operation of the system. 
• Corrupted or damaged directories or system files. 
• Misconfigured settings of the system. 
• Spyware or malware attacks, virus infection. 
• Downloaded suspicious files. 
• Outdated or incompatible software installed on the system. 

After identifying the main reason, you just need some hacks to solve it. 

Fix Mac Error Code 61 with Some Easy Tips and Tricks 

Here, we are going to list down some approaches which can help you to identify and solve this error. You should follow the methods explained below: 

Way 1: Keep the Computer and its Applications Up-to-Date

The older version of the macOS and the outdated applications of the system can be attacked easily by malicious activities. Some applications may be incompatible with the new features of the device and cause Mac error 61.

Keeping the Operating System and the apps up-to-date not only helps you to run the device properly but, also fix unexpected errors like Mac error code 61. To update the system and the applications to its newest version, you should perform the following steps. 

In the beginning, navigate to the Apple menu and open the App Store. Tap on the Updates icon from the top panel of the screen to check for the available updates.

If some of the programs you are using are not downloaded from the App Store, you should update them manually. To do that, you should open the application and go to the Preference settings. Afterward, tap on the ‘Software Update’ option. 

After completing the updating procedure, perform a virus or malware scanning of the system. It is to make sure that this error is not triggered by a virus or any malicious software. 

Way 2: Clean the Preferences Files

The preferences files in macOS save certain parameters or rules. Its purpose is to instruct the programs on how they should run on the system. So, overloaded or damaged preferences files in the system can cause this error. 

Hence, you can fix the error code 61 by cleaning the preferences files of the system. To perform this solution, you should follow the steps provided below: 

1. First, navigate to the top of the menu bar and open the Go tab. 
2. Choose the ‘Go to Folder…’ to open the corresponding folder box. 
3. Type “/Library/” in the specific field and hit the Return key from the keyboard. 
4. Launch the Preferences folder from the Library and search for the problematic applications related to the preferences files.  
5. Then, eliminate the files to the Trash and restart the system. Check if the device starts to operate smoothly. 

Some users also try to clean the preferences files using the Trash. But, this is not the genuine method, as some preferences files cannot be cleaned properly from the device. Hence, it’s better to go with the steps stated above. 

Way 3: Disable the Unwanted Start-up Items

Applications showing on the start-up items are the programs that will open by itself while booting the system. If there are any useless or invalid items, it can also create the Mac error code 61. 

So, to fix this error, you should check the log-in items from the start-up list. You can delete the programs that you are not using for a long time. Else, you can also disable the app that doesn’t require to be run automatically on the system. 

How to Disable Unwanted Start-up Items? 

1. In the beginning, open the Apple menu and choose the ‘System Preferences’ options from the sub-menu. 
2. Navigate to the ‘Users and Group’ category to see the list of the start-up programs on the system. 
3. Choose the particular program that you want to remove from the system. Afterward, you should tap on the minus sign (‘-’) button. 

Way 4: Eliminate the Temporary Cache and Junk Files

Both the apps and the system creates temporary junk or cache files under the current user account. If those files get corrupted, then it might be the reason behind this error. 

To solve this issue, you should log into the Guest account. This will determine if the issue is related to the account or rooted in the system. If you also face the same error on the Guest account, the error is more likely to occur due to system-related problems.

But, if you see that the error disappears after logging into the Guest account, the error might appear due to your user account. 

Whatever be the reason, you can troubleshoot the error by clearing the cache or junk files in the system. You can use the Mac optimizer to clear the temporary junk or cache files of the system. To do that, you can perform the steps as follows:

1. First, open the Mac optimizer. Then, click on the ‘System Scan’ option. 
2. Once it detects all the problems, tap on the ‘Clean’ option to initiate the cleaning procedure. 
3. Choose the ‘Duplicate Cleaner’ option from the left pane of the screen. 
4. Afterward, tap on the ‘Start Scan’ option. 

Once you have completed the above steps, you need to empty the trash to reclaim the space on the hard disk.   

Way 5: Repair the Disk Permissions Using Disk Utility Tool

If there are any problems with the disk permission, it can also create the error code 61. Fixing such disk permission issues can help you to get rid of this error. 

To fix the desk permission, you can use the in-built Sisk Utility tool on the computer. To run this app, take a glance at the steps mentioned below: 

1. Go to the Application and open the Utility folder. 
2. Choose the Startup disk and navigate to the First Aid tab. 
3. Tap on the ‘Repair Disk Permission’ option to run the utility tool. 

Now, you should check if the issue has been resolved. In this post, we have provided 5 easy ways to fix Mac error code 61. After executing the above hacks, we hope it will help you to put an end to this bug.