macOS Catalina doesn't allow MAMP permission to certain folders (Documents, Downloads, Desktop)

I have been using MAMP for a few years now, I just updated to macOS Catalina, it seems that macOS Catalina is blocking permissions to the Documents folder among a few others (such as Downloads and Desktop).

I have already checked the permissions on these files with terminal and that doesn't seem to be the issue.

Additionally I have

The server gives me this error:

Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /Users/xxx/Downloads/index.html on this server.

The Apache log gives me this error:

[Wed Oct 09 12:31:30 2019] [error] [client ::1] (1)Operation not permitted: file permissions deny server access: /Users/xxx/Downloads/index.html, referer: http://localhost/Users/xxx/

It seems to be an issue with the way macOS is restricting permissions to certain directories. In the settings panel under Security and Privacy there are additional settings for file access, I have granted MAMP those permissions, in addition I have also went inside the MAMP folder and granted Apache's httpd the same permissions, still no luck.

Does anyone have a work around? This is causing me such a headache in development.

I have the same issues. Updated MAMP to the latest build (5.5). Also switched the ports back to MAMP default ports (8888). That worked for me. Also checked if some diffrent server was running on port 80 lsof -nP -i4TCP:80 | grep LISTEN but nothing seem to be using port 80. Could it be Catalina has a new security setting for this?

Catalina has more restrictions on system folders which we can apply an exception:

1. Open System Preferences -> Security and Privacy -> Privacy tab -> Full Disk Access -> Press 'Unlock to make changes' padlock

2. Open Finder Window -> "Go" menu -> "Go to folder" -> type "/usr/sbin/"

3. Drag the file "httpd" to the list inside the Full Disk Access settings.

4. Restart Mamp servers

Same issue here.

Solution: Move your folders into another path (example: Home), don't use Documents or Download or other system folders.

enjoy

Also had Apache not starting after upgrade to Catalina. I had my websites originally located in subfolders of the /Users/***/Sites/ folder, and according to this thread, made a new folder /Users/***/Repos and moved all websites there and updated MAMP Pro doc roots for all hosts. That didn't allow Apache to start.

After that, I found this info:

Check your Template folder, located in /Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/appsolute/MAMP PRO/template/httpd.conf.temp. Rename this file to httpd.conf.temp.bak and try to restart your Apache server.

on this page https://appsolute.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/215197286-My-Apache-Server-will-not-start-

and after doing that, Apache in Mamp Pro was able to start on Catalina.

I have the same issue after update but didn't find any solution yet. For now I moved all my projects into a new folder in root. This one worked for me so far.