What is Error 43 and how to fix it

What is Error 43 and how to fix it?

It’s a regular day and all you were trying to do was move a file between folders or to the trash, when Error 43 on your Mac stopped you in your tracks. You don’t know what causes it and you can’t move forward.

You can either ignore the error and give up on your file or try to fix the issue. Let’s see if we can find a way to fix Error code 43.

What is Error 43?

Error code 43 stands for an error that happens when your Mac can’t locate the file in question and thus can’t complete the requested action, e. g. moving the file to Trash, copying it, or moving it to a different folder.

Reportedly, the error is quite uncommon with newer Mac OS versions, but even once can be enough to stall your workflow. Here are some of the possible reasons for the error:

If the file you are trying to move or delete is being used at the moment, your Mac might not be able to perform the action and throw up Error 43.

Files that haven’t fully downloaded can cause the error and prevent you from moving or deleting them.

If your file is locked, you might not be able to perform actions with it. A file might be locked to prevent it from unwanted changes or accidental deletions. To check if your file is locked, click on the file, select Get info and see if there’s a checkmark next to Locked in the pop-up window.

Finally, your Mac might simply not be able to locate the file on your disk.

Fix error 43 on Mac

There are a few ways you can try and fix error code 43 on Mac.

Sometimes error 43 comes down to just your Finder not responding. To fix this, force quit Finder.

Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen and select Force Quit:

In the pop-up Force Quit window, select Finder and click Relaunch:

If you suspect a different app is using your file, you can force quit it here as well.

Next, run Disk Utility to diagnose your disk for any errors and repair the volume, if necessary.

To find this built-in Mac app, open Finder, navigate to Applications > Utilities, and spot Disk Utility there.

Open the app and click on First Aid button at the top right of your app.

And click Run on the prompt to check your volume for errors:

Since this process can take a while, make sure you have the time and can take a break from your tasks while Disk Utility does the diagnostics and repairs. The warning that appears after you hit Run projects the process can take from several minutes to hours.

Another way to tackle error code 43 when your Mac can’t delete a file is to reset NVRAM.

NVRAM is a non-volatile random access memory that is responsible for retaining data even when your device is powered off. To reset it, shut down your Mac by going to the Apple menu and clicking Shut Down.

Next, press the Power button to turn your device back on. Press and hold keys Option + Command + P + R for around 20 seconds as your Mac boots up.

Note: If your Mac supports a special firmware password and you have it set, you will need to disable the firmware password first and then follow the above steps to reset NVRAM.

If the reason the file you are trying to move or delete is that it’s locked, you can use Terminal to unlock it. Open Finder > Applications > Utilities and locate Terminal. Open the app and type in the command:

This Terminal command should unlock locked files and allow you to delete or move them.

You can also try to delete locked files in safe mode.

To enter safe mode, shut down your laptop and wait 10 seconds. Press the power button to start your Mac back on and press and hold the Shift key right away. Hold it until you see the login window. There, you should be able to see Safe Boot in the Menu bar at the top right of the login screen.

If you are using an Apple silicon Mac, enter the safe mode by shutting down your Mac, waiting 10 seconds, then pressing and holding the power button until you see startup options. Select your startup disk, press and hold the Shift key, and click Continue in Safe Mode. Release the Shift key.

Once you are in safe mode, proceed to delete the files as you usually would by dragging them to Trash or two-finger tapping and selecting Move to Trash in the drop-down menu. Make sure to empty the trash before you exit the safe mode to ensure your files get deleted permanently.

Simply reload your Mac to exit the safe mode.

Another way to try and delete stubborn files on Mac is using Delete Immediately. Access the feature by selecting the files you want to delete and clicking File. Press Option once the menu opens to reveal the Delete Immediately menu option:

This tool deletes your files, bypassing Trash. You can immediately delete files by using the key combination Option + Command + Delete.

Recover data after fixing error 43

If in the process of fixing Error 43 you’ve accidentally removed some files, discovered that some of data is corrupted, or there was a disk utility error, don’t worry – you can try Disk Drill to bring back the data.

Disk Drill will scan your disk and locate the missing files. The app can restore your files that have gone missing, photos you hold dear, and other important information on your Mac. The process is quick and easy, and can help you get back information lost on your Mac.

Final thoughts

If you need to move, copy, or delete files on your Mac and Error 43 keeps popping up, it can be very frustrating to deal with. Sometimes your file is corrupted, while in other cases it’s just locked, hasn’t been downloaded fully, or has system-prohibited special characters in its name. Use the above guide to try and find the solution for your specific need.

If you discover that some of your data is corrupted or accidentally delete files that you need, try Disk Drill to recover your missing files.

To keep your Mac clean and healthy, use CleanMyMac X – this staple app for Mac cleanup, malware and unwanted app removal, and maintenance. CleanMyMac X can perform such handy tasks as identifying old large files you might have forgotten all about and don’t need anymore, cleaning up cache and app junk.

Both Disk Drill and CleanMyMac X are available with a Setapp subscription, just like more than 200 other apps to optimize your work, help with creative tasks, productivity, and more. Browse the list of apps and get Setapp here!

4 Solutions to Fix Error Code 43 on Mac?

Get to know about the error code 43 on Mac and different ways to fix it. The guide has listed 4 different solutions to resolve the MacBook error code 43 easily.

Sue Wayne

Jul 05, 2021 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

If you are a Mac user, then you might already know how smooth and secure the macOS is. Nevertheless, there are times when users encounter issues like error 43 on Mac. The error usually occurs when we try to delete some files or move them from one location to another. Since there can be different reasons for the macOS error code 43, it is important to diagnose the problem and troubleshoot it accordingly. In this post, I’m going to tell you what is error code 43 and how we can fix it.

Part 1: What is Error Code 43 on Mac?

While the macOS error code 43 can take place at any time, it is mostly observed while moving files from a USB drive. For instance, you can get the error code 43 USB on Mac while deleting some files from a pen drive or transferring them from the USB drive to your Mac storage.

You could be getting the error code 43 prompt on your Mac due to the following reasons:

Apart from this, any other issue related to the hard disk partitions or the macOS firmware can also cause the error 43 on Mac.

Part 2: How to Fix Error Code 43 on Mac?

As you can see, there could be all kinds of reasons for getting the error code 43 on Mac. Therefore, you can try some of these suggestions to fix error 43 on Mac, depending on its major cause.

Method 1: Fix the Mac Drive with Disk Utility

The easiest way to fix the Finder error code 43 is by using the Disk Utility application in Mac. It is an inbuilt application that can be used to scan your hard disk and repair it automatically. In case if a hard disk corruption has caused the MacBook error code 43, then this would be able to fix it.

Step 1. Firstly, you need to launch the Disk Utility application on your Mac. For this, you can just look up «Disk Utility» in the Spotlight search or go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.

Step 2. Once the Disk Utility application would be launched, you can view various partitions and external drives on the sidebar. From here, select your Macintosh HD (the main storage of your Mac).

Step 3. This will enable various operations on the right that you can perform on your hard disk. From the toolbar, click on the «First Aid» button and choose to run the first aid scan on your hard disk.

Step 4. Agree to the prompt and wait for a while as your Mac would run the scan and tries to fix the error code 43 on Mac. In the end, you can view the results and restart your Mac to resolve it.

Method 2: Reset PRAM and NVRAM on Mac

Chances are that a firmware issue related to your Mac’s PRAM or NVRAM can also cause the error 43 in Mac. PRAM, which stands for Parameter Random Access Memory, stores details related to your system configuration, display settings, hard disk configuration, and so on. Similarly, NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory) has details about the device, display, and other permanent system components.

If either PRAM or NVRAM has been corrupted in your Mac, then it can cause numerous issues – including the error code 43 USB on Mac. You can fix it by resetting the PRAM and NVRAM on your Mac by following these steps:

Step 1. Firstly, go to your Mac’s Finder and click on the «Shut Down» option to turn your Mac off.

Step 2. Wait for a while for Mac to get turned off and press the Power key to restart it. Immediately, press and hold the Command + Option + P + R keys simultaneously for around 20 seconds while your Mac restarts.

Step 3. Now, you will hear the system chime for the second time that will depict the PRAM has been restored on Mac. Let go of the keys now and wait as your Mac would be restarted with no issues.

Method 3: Get Rid of Locked Files from Trash

A while back, when I got the error 43 on Mac, I discovered it is because of the presence of some locked files in the Trash. If the files are locked or not accessible, then you can’t delete them, leading to the Finder error code 43 prompt. In this case, you can run the following code on Terminal and fix the macOS error code 43.

Step 1. Firstly, you need to launch a Terminal (as an administrator) on your Mac. For this, just go to its Finder > Applications > Utilities and launch Terminal.

Step 3. Once you have successfully processed the command, launch the Trash application on your Mac, and select all the files present in it by pressing the Command + A keys.

Step 4. This will just select all the files in the Trash folder. Now, just drag all files from Trash and drop them to the Terminal to get rid of them. You can also double click the Trash icon to wipe it as well.

Method 4: Forcefully Quit Finder

Finder is one of the most important components in Mac which is responsible for the way we interact with the system. Nevertheless, sometimes it might not get initialized correctly, leading to the Finder error code 43 in Mac. The good thing is that you can easily fix this issue by forcefully quitting the Finder.

Step 1. Just go to the upper-left corner of your screen, click on the Apple logo, and choose to Force Quit the Finder. Alternatively, you can also press the Option + Command + Esc keys at the same time.

Step 2. This will open the Force Quit application window on the screen. From here, you can just select Finder and click on the «Force Quit» button to close it forcefully.

Part 3: How to Recover Lost Data After Fixing Error Code 43?

Sometimes, while fixing the error code 43 in Mac, users end up losing their important files. For instance, the files that are locked could be deleted or you would have formatted the USB drive having some corrupt content. Well, if you have also lost your important files in the process, then you can take the assistance of Recoverit Data Recovery. The application can scan the internal hard disk of your Mac or any other external device for unforeseen data loss.

By following a simple click-through process, you can easily get back all kinds of lost content from the selected location. The tool supports every major kind of data like photos, videos, documents, music, compressed files, and so on. Besides that, it also lets us filter the results and even preview our files beforehand. To learn how to use Recoverit to get back your lost files in Mac, just follow this basic drill.

Step 1: Select a location to scan

Firstly, just launch the Recoverit application on your Mac by visiting Finder > Applications and simply select a location to scan from its home. You can pick the entire drive, a partition, or browse to select folders to scan. If you want, you can connect an external device to your Mac and select it from here.

Step 2: Sit back and hold on for a while

After selecting the target location, simply start the data recovery process and wait for the scan to be over. You can view the progress of the operation on the screen and even halt it in between.

If you want, you can also use the filter option of the tool to pinpoint the type of data you are looking for. There are different options to filter the results on the basis of file type, size, and more.

Step 3: Preview and save your data

After completing the process, you can also preview your files like photos, audios, documents, etc. on the interface. Presently, the application supports the preview of files of a maximum of 15 MB size. In the end, you can preview and select the files that you have lost and click on the «Recover» button to get them back.

While the first scan would be able to meet your requirements, you can also run an advanced video recovery process if you want to from here.

Part 4: How to Avoid Error Code 43 from Appearing on Mac?

Now when you know how to fix the error 43 on Mac, you would easily be able to use your Mac without any hassle. Though, if you don’t want to encounter the error code 43 on Mac again, then consider following these suggestions.

This brings us to the end of this extensive guide on what is error code 43 and how to fix it. As you can see, the error code 43 on Mac can happen due to numerous reasons that I have discussed here. Also, I have come up with different ways to fix the macOS error code 43 that you can implement without any technical hassle. Lastly, if you have lost your data while fixing the error 43 on Mac, then consider using a reliable application like Recoverit Data Recovery. Trusted by professionals, it will let you get back your lost data under different scenarios without any trouble.