IntelliJ doesn't have write access on MacOS so it can't update

It looks like you run IntelliJ IDEA directly from the .dmg file. You should drag it into the Applications folder and run it from there.

You may also consider using https://www.jetbrains.com/toolbox-app/ for the seamless installation and updates.

It worked! Thank you very much lol

Toolbox might be a way to go, but I had installed Idea and it was updating for many months. With new update 2024.2.1  came out it tells me it has no write access to `/Applications/IntelliJ IDEA.app/Contents` folder and asks to run it as privileged user.

Zikolach Hi,

Please open the Terminal app, and run ls -al /Applications/IntelliJ\ IDEA.app, and share the output.

Check if the file permission is wrong there. It should have similar permission as below:

total 0
drwxr-xr-x@  3 your_username  admin   96 Aug 12 17:33 .
drwxrwxr-x  15 root      admin  480 Aug 19 19:13 ..
drwxr-xr-x@ 16 your_username  admin  512 Aug 12 17:33 Contents

Now when I think of it it looks it has something to do with a company-managed laptop policy (using Mosyle Self-Service software). 

ls -al /Applications/IntelliJ\ IDEA.app 
total 0
drwxr-xr-x@  3 20    staff    96 Aug 28 21:08 .
drwxrwxr-x  41 root  admin  1312 Aug 30 09:36 ..
drwxr-xr-x  15 20    staff   480 Aug 28 21:08 Contents

I've installed it using Homebrew, but the owner was root, group wheel. I've changed the group to staff and added the write permission to the group:

sudo chgrp staff -R /Applications/IntelliJ\ IDEA.app/Contents
sudo chmod g+w -R /Applications/IntelliJ\ IDEA.app/Contents

Hi,
i've used the next solution:

1. Navigate to your .app file, and view its contents;
2. Right-click on the "Contents" folder, and go to “Get Info”;
3. Hit the Lock icon to enable changes and enter your user password;
4. In the permissions section, select "Read & write" for each element;
5. Click the three dots (...) icon and select “Apply to enclosed files and folders”;
6. Restart app;

Maybe it will help somebody

Andreyravkov solution works. One minor thing I'd like to add is the step to show “Contents” folder. Right click on “Rider” app and then click on “Show Package Contents” → this shows “Contents” folder. Then follow his instructions exactly as stated.