Fixing ‘Could Not Create Local Sync Folder’ on macOS Sequoia

October 6, 2026 5 min read

On macOS Sequoia (macOS 15), installing, updating, or configuring Adobe cloud storage and background sync services can result in the error: “Could not create local sync folder” or “Unable to initialize storage directory.” This error occurs because macOS Sequoia enforces stricter Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) privacy policies, read-only system volume constraints, and sandboxing rules on user directories. If Adobe background daemons lack Full Disk Access, or if Apple’s iCloud Drive sync intercepts directory creation calls, the operating system blocks the creation of local Adobe folders.

Fast Fix

Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access. Click the + (Add) button, navigate to /Applications/Utilities/Adobe Creative Cloud/, and add Creative Cloud, CoreSync, and Adobe Desktop Service, ensuring all toggles are set to On. Restart your Mac to apply the permissions.

Quick Status Snapshot

  • Severity: High (blocks installation, local caching, and asset synchronization).
  • Target Layer: macOS Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) framework and POSIX file permissions.
  • Operating System: macOS Sequoia (macOS 15.x).
  • Privilege Level: Local macOS Administrator password required.

Why macOS Sequoia Blocks Local Folder Creation

Starting in macOS Sequoia, Apple expanded system integrity protections to prevent background processes from creating root folders, writing directly to user library containers, or modifying paths without explicit user consent.

[Adobe Installer / CoreSync] ──► Requests creation of ~/Creative Cloud Files
                                                │
                                                ▼
                                    [macOS Sequoia TCC Gate]
                                                │
                     ┌──────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────┐
                     ▼                                                     ▼
        [Full Disk Access Denied]                             [iCloud Drive Collision]
  - TCC blocks background daemon                        - Desktop & Documents Sync redirects paths
  - Kernel returns POSIX Error 13 (EACCES)              - Folder creation blocked by CloudKit
                     │                                                     │
                     └──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┘
                                                ▼
                           [ERROR: Could Not Create Local Sync Folder]

This error is triggered by three primary conditions:

  1. Missing TCC Full Disk Access Flags: Adobe services run as background daemons (launchd). Under macOS Sequoia, background processes cannot inherit permissions from the parent application without explicit Full Disk Access authorization.
  2. iCloud Desktop & Documents Interception: If iCloud Drive is set to sync your Desktop & Documents Folders, any attempt by Adobe to create a sync root or scratch cache inside your user directory is intercepted by macOS CloudKit, which rejects the operation. For related cache behavior, see Why “iCloud Drive” Deletes Your Local Adobe Cache.
  3. Corrupted POSIX User Permissions: Migrating to macOS Sequoia via Migration Assistant often transfers user accounts with mismatched numerical user IDs (e.g., UID 501 vs 502), leaving the user without write ownership of their own ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe directory.

If your permissions issue extends to auto-save failures across other Adobe software on macOS, see Why “Locked Folders” in macOS 15+ Prevent Adobe Auto-Saves.

Diagnostic Path: Identify the Permission Barrier

['Could Not Create Local Sync Folder' Appears]
                      │
                      ├──> Does the error appear during fresh CC Desktop installation?
                      │      └── YES ──► TCC / Gatekeeper block. Grant Full Disk Access.
                      │      └── See: [Error 198: Resolving Error 198 on macOS Sequoia](<http://www.adobeopsguide.com/install-connection/error-codes/error-198-macos-sequoia-fix>)
                      │
                      ├──> Does iCloud Drive "Optimize Mac Storage" have a checkmark?
                      │      └── YES ──► CloudKit redirection conflict. Relocate local path.
                      │
                      └──> Does Terminal report 'Permission Denied' when running mkdir?
                             └── YES ──► POSIX directory ownership mismatch. Reset user permissions.

Step-by-Step Resolution

Step 1: Grant Full Disk Access to Core Adobe Daemons

macOS Sequoia requires Full Disk Access for the actual background binaries, not just the front-end user interface:

  1. Open System Settings on your Mac.
  2. Navigate to Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access.
  3. Authenticate with your administrator password.
  4. Ensure the following items are toggled On:
    • Adobe Creative Cloud
    • Creative Cloud UI Helper
  5. If background daemons are missing from the list, click the + icon:
    • Press Cmd + Shift + G in the file picker.
    • Navigate to: /Applications/Utilities/Adobe Sync/CoreSync/
    • Select CoreSync and click Open.
    • Repeat the process for /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Desktop Common/ADS/Adobe Desktop Service.app.
  6. To understand why modern Adobe releases mandate this access level, read Why “Full Disk Access” is Mandatory for Premiere Pro 2026.
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access (macOS Sequoia)    │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Allow the applications below to access all files:        │
│                                                          │
│ [X] Adobe Creative Cloud                            (•)  │
│ [X] CoreSync                                        (•)  │ <--- TOGGLE ON
│ [X] Adobe Desktop Service                           (•)  │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Step 2: Fix User Directory Ownership via Terminal

If an OS migration altered your local account permissions, restore ownership of your personal application support folders:

  1. Open the Terminal app (via Spotlight or /Applications/Utilities).
  2. Run the following command to reset ownership to your current user profile: sudo chown -R $(whoami):staff ~/Library/Application\ Support/Adobe
  3. Enter your macOS account password when prompted.
  4. Next, repair directory write permissions: chmod -R u+rwx ~/Library/Application\ Support/Adobe
  5. Relaunch Creative Cloud Desktop.

Step 3: Prevent iCloud Drive Path Collisions

If Adobe is attempting to place a local folder inside a directory monitored by iCloud Drive:

  1. Open System Settings > Apple Account (Profile) > iCloud.
  2. Click on Drive (or Saved to iCloud).
  3. If Desktop & Documents Folders is enabled, choose a dedicated local path outside of those locations (such as /Users/<Username>/Adobe_Storage/) when prompted by the Adobe installer.
  4. Never place working caches or sync roots inside /Users/<Username>/Documents/ if iCloud syncing is active.

Hard Stops

  • Do not disable System Integrity Protection (SIP) via csrutil disable in Recovery Mode to bypass folder creation errors. Disabling SIP weakens your system’s security architecture and does not fix underlying TCC permission errors. Always configure the proper permissions in macOS Settings instead.

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