Sharing files over MacbookPro's running Catalina 10.15.7

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Sharing files over MacbookPro's running Catalina 10.15.7

I have 3 MacBookPro's. I recently upgraded to Catalina 10.15.7. On Mojave I could share files among all the computers on the network. Catalina wont allow access to these folders or files. In Particular I cannot access Desktop, Documents and Download files. Pictures, Movies, Music work fine and can be accessed from every computer on the network. I have enabled file sharing on these folders in System Settings and changed the permissions on each individual folder to sharing. I still have no access to the files in these folders.

Any suggestions ?

Posted on Nov 22, 2025 1:35 PM

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Answer 1

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MartinR

Level 7

24,131 points

Dec 9, 2025 3:12 PM in response to OfCamelot

OfCamelot wrote:

Both Macintosh HD and the User have SMB file sharing enabled in Sharing.

Under Privacy and Security, Full Disk Access, can I add SMB file sharing there ? If so what app should I enable ?

You cannot add file sharing in Full Disk Access.

smbd (Server Message Block Daemon) should already be in Full Disk Access (it's normally put there when you enable File Sharing). If it's not there, you can certainly add it. If you must navigate to the smbd file, it's located in /usr/sbin (which is a hidden folder)

FWIW, in my experience you must first access the top level of the user folder, then you can navigate within it to that user's Desktop, Documents & Downloads folders.

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Answer 2

Dec 9, 2025 10:22 AM in response to OfCamelot

Give full disk access to the SMB file-sharing service

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Answer 3

OfCamelot Author

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Dec 9, 2025 10:42 AM in response to azaksalmarzur28

Both Macintosh HD and the User have SMB file sharing enabled in Sharing.

Under Privacy and Security, Full Disk Access, can I add SMB file sharing there ? If so what app should I enable ?

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