How do I fix "locked files" error when installing from DMG?
What is the "locked files" error?
When installing BusyCal or BusyContacts from a DMG file, you might encounter a "locked files" error from macOS Finder when trying to drag the app to your Applications folder. This is a known issue in macOS 15.x Finder that can prevent successful installation.
How do I fix this error?
Step 1: Remove the existing app
- Open Finder and navigate to your Applications folder
- If BusyCal or BusyContacts is already installed, delete the existing app by moving it to Trash
- Empty the Trash to completely remove the old version
Deleting the application will not delete your calendar data or preferences - that will remain untouched. Just make sure you don't use a 3rd party Uninstaller / Clean-up app, which may result in a complete uninstall of your data as well.
Step 2: Install from the DMG
- Download the latest version from BusyCal or BusyContacts
- Double-click the downloaded DMG file to mount it
- Drag the app icon from the opened DMG window directly to your Applications folder
- The installation should now complete without the "locked files" error
Why does this happen?
This error occurs because you may have at some point downloaded the app from the App Store in the past. macOS will automatically download and install the App Store receipt but set restrictive permissions on it such that the app's bundle can no longer be modified.
This issue affects the DMG installation method and does not occur with the PKG installer versions of BusyCal and BusyContacts, as with the latter, the installer takes care of deleting the bundles before replacing them.