The NoviFS File System switch won’t stay on
It’s the most common one, and it’s a macOS bug, not something you did.
Switch snaps back off?
Use the “By Category” view.
On some Macs this works straight away. On others, macOS has a bug in the By App view (it affects other file-system apps too). The By Category view works:
- In Login Items & Extensions, scroll down to Extensions.
- Click the menu that says By App and choose By Category.
- Click ⓘ next to File System Extensions.
- Turn on NoviFS File System, then click Done.
- Go back to NoviFS. It shows NoviFS File System is on by itself.
Every problem, and its fix
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| The NoviFS File System switch won't stay on (it snaps back off, or tapping does nothing) | Change the Extensions view from By App to By Category, click ⓘ next to File System Extensions, and turn it on there. See how. |
| NoviFS File System isn't listed in System Settings | Make sure NoviFS is in the Applications folder and you opened it from there. Wait a few seconds, then quit and reopen System Settings. |
| System Settings shows two NoviFS entries | There’s more than one copy of NoviFS on your Mac. Delete every copy except the one in Applications (check Downloads), empty the Trash, and restart the Mac. |
| A drive shows Read-only | Check, in order: your license is activated; NoviFS File System is on (setup guide, step 2); on macOS 15, the helper is allowed (step 3). Then unplug the drive and plug it in again. |
| Activation says the key is already in use on another Mac | Free the old Mac first. See Moving NoviFS to a new Mac in the setup guide. |
| NoviFS says the drive is busy when ejecting | Close any apps or Finder windows using the drive and try again, or choose Force. |
| NoviFS asks to use “NoviFS License” in your keychain | An earlier copy of NoviFS saved the license. Type your Mac password and click Always Allow. |
| Open NoviFS at login says “waiting for your OK”, or won’t stay on | macOS needs your approval: click Open Login Items in NoviFS ▸ Settings ▸ General (or open System Settings ▸ General ▸ Login Items & Extensions) and turn NoviFS on under Open at Login. |
| NoviFS says it isn’t allowed to open a drive or folder | macOS was told not to let NoviFS read it. Open System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ Files & Folders, find NoviFS, and turn on Removable Volumes (for drives) or the folder in question. NoviFS has an Open Privacy Settings button for this. |
| “Too big for this drive”: files of 4 GB or more won’t copy to a drive | The drive is FAT32, which can’t hold a file of 4 GB or more. NoviFS copies everything else and tells you which files were left out. To copy big files, the drive must be exFAT or NTFS (erasing it in Disk Utility as exFAT deletes what’s on it, so copy your files off first). |
| “The name has characters this drive can’t store” | Windows drives don’t allow \ / : * ? " < > | in names. Rename the file on your Mac, then copy it again. |
| A drive was unplugged while copying | NoviFS stops and says so. Plug it back in and copy again; choose Skip for files that already arrived. Always eject before unplugging. |
| The iPhone doesn’t appear, or says Unlock it and tap Trust | Use a cable that carries data (some charging cables don’t). Unlock the iPhone and tap Trust. If you tapped Don’t Trust before: iPhone ▸ Settings ▸ General ▸ Transfer or Reset iPhone ▸ Reset ▸ Reset Location & Privacy, then plug it in again. |
| Copied iPhone photos don’t open on a Windows PC | They’re HEIC photos. In NoviFS’s iPhone view, open the options button next to Copy to and turn on Convert HEIC photos to JPG, then copy them again. |
| After updating NoviFS, drives are read-only again | Check that NoviFS File System is still on (setup guide, step 2). |
Still stuck?
Email info@novifs.com with your macOS version (Apple menu ▸ About This Mac) and what you see. A screenshot helps. We usually reply within a day.