Software⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-05-31

How to Fix: Postgres ERROR: could not open file for reading: Permission denied

Postgres ERROR: could not open file for reading: Permission denied solution

Quick Answer: Change the ownership of the file to the Postgres user and group, then try importing the CSV file again.

The error 'Permission denied' when trying to import a CSV file into Postgres on Mac OS X can be frustrating. This issue typically arises due to the lack of necessary permissions or ownership rights for the user attempting to access the file.

🛑 Root Causes of the Error

  • Insufficient permissions or ownership rights for the user attempting to access the file.

✅ Best Solutions to Fix It

Method 1: Change File Ownership

  1. Step 1: Open the Terminal and navigate to the directory where the file is located using the command `cd /users/darchcruise/desktop/`.

Method 2: Grant Necessary Permissions

  1. Step 1: Use the `chown` command to change the ownership of the file from the default user (`darchcruise`) to the Postgres user. The command would be `sudo chown postgres:postgres /users/darchcruise/desktop/items_ordered.csv`. Note that you need to use `sudo` because changing the ownership requires administrative privileges.

Method 3: Grant Read Permissions

  1. Step 1: Use the `chmod` command to grant read permissions for the Postgres user. The command would be `sudo chmod u+r /users/darchcruise/desktop/items_ordered.csv`. This method is sufficient if you only need to import the file without modifying it.

✨ Wrapping Up

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the 'Permission denied' error when trying to import a CSV file into Postgres on Mac OS X.

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