Reference
Troubleshooting
Answers to the questions people ask most, from permission prompts to server errors.
macOS keeps asking whether PaneShift may access a folder§
macOS protects Desktop, Documents, Downloads, iCloud Drive, removable and network volumes, and asks once for each. In the Direct edition, give PaneShift Full Disk Access to stop the questions: Settings › Access › Open Full Disk Access, turn on PaneShift, and restart it. See Disk access.
“PaneShift can't open” a folder (App Store edition)§
The App Store edition can only open folders you granted. Choose the folder in the dialog that appears, or grant a parent folder (for example your home folder) in Settings › Access.
A folder says its permissions don't allow reading it§
The folder belongs to another user or to the system, and your user may not read it. PaneShift does not yet run operations as administrator. Use the Finder's Get Info window or sudo in Terminal for those folders.
The F-keys change the brightness instead§
Use ⌘3 to ⌘8, hold fn, or turn on “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys” in System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts › Function Keys.
A shortcut does nothing§
- Another app or macOS may use it globally. Check System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts, for example Mission Control, which takes ⌃← and ⌃→.
- Check Settings › Keys in PaneShift. Total Commander Defaults restores the standard keys.
- Plain keys such as +, - and Space act on the panel only while the panel has the focus, not while you type in the command line.
I don't see hidden files§
Press ⇧⌘.. Files and folders whose names start with a dot, and files the Finder hides, then appear dimmed.
A server panel stopped loading§
Click Try Again in the orange bar above the list. It opens a new connection. If that fails, open Connect to Server (⌘K) and connect again: the Connection Log shows what the server answers.
An FTP server connects but shows no files§
Open Connect to Server (⌘K) and connect again. The Connection Log shows every command and the server's replies; the last lines usually name the problem, for example a refused data connection or a folder the account may not list. Public mirrors need Anonymous login turned on.
SFTP says the identity of the server has changed§
The server's key is different from the one PaneShift saw before. That is expected after the server was reinstalled or moved. It can also mean someone is intercepting the connection. Check with the server's administrator before you click Trust the New Key.
SMB shares don't mount§
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| The server refused the user name or password. | Check both. Some servers want DOMAIN\user or user@domain. |
| The server doesn't allow guest access. | Enter a user name and password instead of connecting as a guest. |
| The share doesn't exist on the server. | Check the share name, or leave Share empty to choose from a list. |
| The server has no shares this user can open, or no share was chosen. | Ask the administrator for access, or pick a share in the dialog. |
| The server can't be reached. / The server didn't answer in time. | Check the address and that you are on the same network or VPN. PaneShift gives up after 20 seconds. |
| The server uses a login method or SMB version macOS doesn't support. | Old NAS boxes may offer only SMB1. Turn on SMB2 or SMB3 on the server. |
| The account is restricted on the server. / The password must be changed on the server first. | Sign in to the server once from Windows or its web interface and fix the account. |
A paused download starts over§
Resuming works for FTP, FTPS and SFTP downloads. WebDAV and S3 downloads and all uploads start from the beginning. Don't delete the .paneshift-part file if you want to resume later.
Apple Intelligence features are greyed out or report an error§
They need a Mac that supports Apple Intelligence, with it turned on in System Settings › Apple Intelligence & Siri. Right after you turn it on, the model may still be downloading; try again later.
A ZIP I packed with a password doesn't open in the Finder§
PaneShift encrypts ZIP files with AES-256. The Finder's Archive Utility can't open those. Use PaneShift, 7-Zip, Keka or Total Commander.
Reporting a problem§
Write to paneshift@goty.cz. Include your version and build from PaneShift › About PaneShift, and what you did just before. For server problems, Copy Log in the Connection Log window gives the details. Crash and hang reports collected by macOS are kept in ~/Library/Application Support/PaneShift/Diagnostics.