If you are trying to install the Topaz Labs software and are seeing this error message:
Error: The directory /Applications/Topaz Labs LLC is not writable by the current user
Follow these steps:
1. You will need to download the Permissions Utility. Click on this link to download: Permissions Utility
2. Go to the Download folder on your computer
3. Double click the Topaz+Studio+Permissions+Utilty+2.0.0.zip file to open it
4. Hold down the control key on your keyboard (THIS STEP IS NOT OPTIONAL)
5. Click the Topaz+Studio+Permissions+Utilty+2.0.0 to open the context menu (while holding down the control key)
6. Select Open from the Context Menu
7. Click the Open button in the dialog that comes up
8. Click the Yes, let's get started! button
9. Click the Ok button
10. If any other windows come up or any error messages pop up after this in the Utility just click ok, it is usually just telling you that it made a folder or that it can't do something, but that should be fine.
Easy Mode: Just Delete your Topaz Labs LLC Folders and Start Over
The easiest way to address this is to delete your entire Topaz Labs LLC folder and start over. This will give the installers a chance to install correctly with the correct permissions. I recommend this as the easiest approach, but you will have to reinstall your software again. If you have a lot of software, this could take a while.
However, you can adjust your permissions for any file or folder using Get Info. We will show you how below.
1. Go to the /Applications folder
2. Right-click Topaz Labs LLC and select Get Info
Ctrl + click or right-click the Topaz Labs LLC folder and select "Get Info"
3. Click the triangle icon next to "Sharing and Permissions" to expand it.
4. Click the lock icon in the bottom right to unlock your settings
5. Make sure all three groups, user group, admin group, and everyone group, have at least "Read and Write" access
No | After |
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Look at the right side of that table above.
Now everything says Read & Write. That's what you want. That is the goal here.
You need write access so that your installer can write files to that folder :)
Click on those settings and set them all to "Read and Write"
6. Open a Finder window
7. Hold down CMD + SHIFT + G to open the Go To Panel
8. Enter "~/Library/Application Support/" where it says "Enter a path"
9. Right-click on the Topaz Labs LLC folder and select "Get Info"
10. Click the triangle icon next to "Sharing and Permissions" to expand it.
11. Click the lock icon in the bottom right to unlock your settings
12. Make sure all three groups, user group, admin group, and everyone group, have at least "Read and Write" access
No | After |
![]() |
![]() |
Again, look at the right side of that table above.
Now everything says Read & Write. That's what you want. That is the goal here.
You need write access so that your installer can write files to that folder :)
Click on those settings and set them all to "Read and Write"
13. Hold Down CMD + SHIFT + G to open the Go To Panel
14. Paste the "~" where it says "Enter a path"
15. Right-click on Topaz Labs LLC and select "Get Info"
16. Click the triangle icon next to "Sharing and Permissions" to expand it.
17. Click the lock icon in the bottom right to unlock your settings
18. Make sure all three groups, user group, admin group, and everyone group, have at least "Read and Write" access
No | After |
![]() |
![]() |
Again, look at the right side of that table above.
Now everything says Read & Write. That's what you want. That is the goal here.
You need write access so that your installer can write files to that folder :)
Click on those settings and set them all to "Read and Write"
Lastly, Run your installer again to confirm that the error message goes away.
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