How to Open Applications With Root Privileges on a Mac

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

You can open any Mac application with root privileges, as long as you have an administrator password. As always, do not use root access unless you know what you are doing, as you could cause serious damage to the application or to your computer.

Things You Should Know

  • Root privileges lets you open any Mac application with an administrator password.
  • Using root privileges can damage your device if done incorrectly.
  • Limit yourself tasks you understand well to avoid damage to your applications and computer.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

PDF download Download Article
  1. Most graphical applications are not designed for root access. Limit yourself to specific tasks you understand well, or you may end up with inaccessible files, application crashes, or security vulnerabilities. [1]
  2. Log into an administrator account on your computer. Go to Applications → Utilities and launch Terminal .
    • This administrator account must have a non-blank password, or Terminal will not allow you to access root privileges.
    Advertisement
  3. The sudo command lets you launch applications with root access, but it requires the path to the executable file within the application package. Most default Mac applications, as well as many third-party programs, organize the package contents the same way, so it's worth trying this: [2]
    • Enter sudo "\ file path from hard drive to application .app/Contents/MacOS/ application name " .
      For example, to open iTunes, type sudo "/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunes" and press ⏎ Return .
    • Enter the password for the administrator account you are currently logged into. Press ⏎ Return .
    • If the command works, the application should open with root privileges. If the Terminal says "command not found," continue to the next step.
  4. If the quick way didn't work, locate the application in Finder. Right-click (or Control -click) its icon and select Show Package Contents from the drop-down menu.
  5. You should now see one or more folders inside the application. Locate the executable file inside this folder. This is usually inside /Contents/MacOS.
    • The executable often has the same name as the application, but it could have another name, such as "run.sh."
    • The executable file icon is usually a black square with the word "exec" in small letters.
  6. Type sudo followed by a space. Do not enter the command yet.
  7. This should automatically insert the file path to the executable file.
  8. Hit ⏎ Return . Enter the password for the administrator account you are logged into, and press ⏎ Return again. The application should launch with root privileges.
    9. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

PDF download Download Article
  1. Many system administrators prefer to work in an ordinary user account to limit the possible damage from mistakes or malware attacks. [3] This method still requires an administrator password, but allows you to gain temporary root access without having to switch users. To get started, open a Terminal window.
  2. Enter the command su - followed by a space and an administrator's username on this computer. [4] Enter that administrator's password. You are now operating as that user.
    • The hyphen in the command is optional, but recommended. It sets the environmental variables and directories to those of the admin user, which limits the chance of accidental damage.
  3. The typical usage is sudo "\ file path from hard drive to application .app/Contents/MacOS/ application name " . If this doesn't work or you need more guidance, refer to the administrator instructions above.
  4. Once you've completed all tasks that require root privileges, enter exit in Terminal. This will exit the administrator user and return you to your normal account.
    5. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Troubleshooting

PDF download Download Article
  1. This feature, introduced in Mac OS 10.11 El Capitan, limits access to important files even for the root user. [5] If you are unable to make the desired changes, you can disable SIP. Only do this if you are confident in your ability and understand that a mistake could wipe your computer or make it nonfunctional: [6]
    • Restart your computer. Hold down ⌘ Command + R after you hear the start-up noise to enter Recovery Mode.
    • Select Utilities from the top menu, then Terminal .
    • Enter csrutil disable; reboot in Terminal.
    • Let the computer restart as usual. You can now use the steps above to open any application with full root privileges. When you are finished, consider repeating these instructions with enable instead of disable to reinstate SIP.
  2. It may be safer and more reliable to edit configuration files using a text editor within the Terminal. Nano is a simple option available by default. To use it with root privileges, just enter sudo nano followed by a space and the file path to your text document. [7] You can then edit the document from within Terminal. When finished, press Control + O to save, then Control + X to quit nano.
    • For example, sudo nano /etc/hosts will open the hosts file with root access.
    • It's a good idea to make a backup before you edit any configuration files. To do this, enter sudo cp filepath_of_config_file new_filepath of backup . For example, sudo cp /etc/hosts /etc/hosts.backup creates a copy of the hosts file named hosts.backup. If you make a mistake, move the misconfigured file with (for example) sudo mv /etc/hosts /etc/hosts.bad and restore the backup with sudo cp /etc/hosts.backup /etc/hosts . [8]
    3. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Why does mine say "operation not permitted"?
    Community Answer
    You'll need to be logged in to an administrator account to do that.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 9
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • The quotation marks around the file path are only necessary if the file path contains spaces.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warning

      • A mistake in root access could wipe your computer or make it unusable. The risk is higher in 10.10 or earlier, or in 10.11 with SIP disabled. Keep your administrator password private to prevent others from gaining root access.

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Automatically Shut Down Your Computer at a Specified Time
      How to
      Force Shut Down or Restart a Frozen Mac
      Can You Change Your Apple ID Without Losing Everything? Learn How to Keep What You Need
      How to
      Install MacOS on a Virtual Machine Using VirtualBox
      How to
      Tell if Your Mac Is Too Old to Update
      6 Quick Steps to Download & Install Spotify on macOS
      How to
      Install AltStore on an iPhone or iPad
      How to
      Change the Scroll Direction on a Mac
      How to
      Open Executable Files on Mac: Wine, Parallels, and Boot Camp
      How to
      Find Your Internal & External IP Address on a Mac
      How to
      Disable Password Login on Mac (Plus Troubleshooting)
      How to
      Create a TXT File on Mac
      5 Ways to Turn On a Mac Computer - wikiHow
      How to
      Quickly Open the Launchpad on a Mac
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/directory-utility/about-the-root-user-dirub32398f1/mac
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204012
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/directory-utility/about-the-root-user-dirub32398f1/mac
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/enter-administrator-commands-apd5b0b6259-a7d4-4435-947d-0dff528912ba/mac
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204899
      6. ↑ https://developer.apple.com/documentation/security/disabling_and_enabling_system_integrity_protection
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/use-command-line-text-editors-apdb02f1133-25af-4c65-8976-159609f99817/mac
      8. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202292

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 800,893 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement