macOS 'The operation can't be completed' error fixed

I know this error is infuriating. You’re dragging a folder from your Mac to an external drive, and boom — “The operation can’t be completed because an unexpected error occurred (error code -36).” The file’s half-copied. You try again. Same thing.

This error usually hits when copying to external drives, but it can also show up on local moves, especially in macOS Ventura and Sonoma. The root cause is almost always a corrupted metadata file, a bad disk sector, or a permissions conflict. Let’s kill it.

1. Corrupted .DS_Store or hidden metadata files

This is the most common trigger. macOS uses .DS_Store files to remember folder view settings. When those files get corrupted — often after an unclean eject or a partial copy — Finder chokes and throws error -36.

The fix: delete metadata files using Terminal

1. Open Terminal (it’s in Applications > Utilities).
2. Run defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE; killall Finder — this shows hidden files.
3. Now navigate to the source folder and the destination folder in Finder. Look for files named .DS_Store, .localized, or any file starting with a dot.
4. Run this command from Terminal to clean the source folder and its subfolders:

   dot_clean /path/to/source/folder

   Replace /path/to/source/folder with the actual path. You can drag the folder into Terminal after typing dot_clean to auto-fill the path.
5. After that, hide hidden files again:

   defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE; killall Finder

Real-world case: I see this most often on WD and Seagate external drives formatted as exFAT. The .DS_Store files get mangled when the drive isn’t ejected properly. Running dot_clean fixes it every time.

If you’re on an APFS or HFS+ volume, the same fix works. Dot_clean isn’t just for external drives — it’ll repair .DS_Store corruption on any volume.

2. Disk errors or bad sectors on the source or destination drive

If the first fix doesn’t work, the problem might be physical or logical corruption on the drive itself. macOS error -36 can also mean the drive couldn’t read a specific block of data.

The fix: run Disk Utility First Aid on both drives

1. Open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities).
2. In the left sidebar, select your source drive (the one you’re copying from).
3. Click First Aid and then Run. Let it finish — could take a few minutes.
4. Repeat the same for the destination drive.
5. If First Aid reports “overlap extent” or “invalid node structure” errors, you might need to back up the drive and reformat it. But usually First Aid will fix minor corruption.

Skipping it? Don’t skip First Aid on the destination drive. I’ve seen cases where the source drive was fine but the external drive had a bad block that triggered -36. Running First Aid on both covers your bases.

For APFS volumes, First Aid is especially thorough — it checks the container, volume group, and snapshots. On HFS+ drives, it’s a bit more basic but still handles most directory errors.

3. Incorrect file permissions on the destination folder

Less common but sneaky. If you’re copying to a folder that has weird permissions — maybe from an old Time Machine backup or a shared drive — macOS will refuse to complete the write and throw error -36.

The fix: reset permissions on the destination

1. Open Terminal.
2. Navigate to the destination’s parent folder. For example, if it’s on your Desktop:

   cd ~/Desktop

3. Run this command to reset permissions on the destination folder (replace MyFolder with your actual folder name):

   sudo chmod -R 755 MyFolder

   You’ll be prompted for your admin password.
4. Also reset the owner to your user account:

   sudo chown -R $(whoami) MyFolder

5. Now try the copy again.

This fix works especially well if you’re copying to a folder that was created by a different user (like an admin account vs. a standard account) or to a drive that was previously on a different Mac.

One more thing: If you’re on macOS Monterey or older, you might also run into this when copying to a folder synced to iCloud Drive. The permissions can get tangled. The chmod/chown combo above sorts it out.

Quick-reference summary

Try them in order. Nine times out of ten, dot_clean is your hero. If not, First Aid usually catches it. The permissions fix is your last resort. You’ve got this.