Paragon Software in new MacOS Tahoe not working

If Paragon Software (e.g. Paragon NTFS for Mac) is not working properly on macOS “Tahoe” (macOS 26), here’s a structured breakdown of probable causes and potential fixes. (Since “Tahoe” is relatively new, compatibility issues are expected.)

Why Paragon Might Fail on macOS Tahoe

Lack of Official Support / Compatibility

Paragon’s published support matrix shows support up through macOS Sequoia (15) and earlier versions (Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, etc.). But it does not currently list macOS Tahoe (26) as a supported OS for many of its versions.

This means that even if it installs, its kernel extensions (KEXTs) or file system drivers may not be recognized or allowed under Tahoe’s system security model.

System Security / Kernel Extension Restrictions

Newer macOS releases enforce stricter policies on kernel extensions, system-level drivers, and sandboxing.

Paragon’s driver (e.g. ufsd_NTFS.kext) may not be automatically loaded or may be blocked by default.

You may need to explicitly “Allow” the extension in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Security (or “Kernel extensions / system extensions” prompts).

For Apple Silicon Macs, you might need to reduce the security policy (e.g. “Reduced Security”) in recovery mode so the Paragon extension can load.

Driver Not Enabled / Components Not Launched

Even if installed, the driver component might not be automatically launched. Paragon’s support docs mention using launchctl commands to enable their NTFS driver processes:

If the extension is not loaded, writing or mounting NTFS volumes may not work.

Paragon Support

Licensing / Version Mismatch

Users with licenses bought prior to September 2022 reportedly found their licenses invalidated due to Paragon’s licensing system change.

Even if you have a valid license, if your installed version is too old (i.e. pre‑Tahoe aware), it might not function properly.

Paragon’s support page for “After macOS update, NTFS for Mac no longer works” recommends reinstalling the software with a version officially supporting the OS.

Paragon Support

Conflict with Other NTFS Tools / Drivers

If you have other NTFS‑driver software (e.g. Tuxera, NTFS-3G, macFUSE) installed previously, they can conflict. Paragon’s troubleshooting guide suggests fully uninstalling conflicting drivers before reinstalling.

Incorrect Permissions / Full Disk Access Not Granted

Paragon’s driver needs full disk access to function. If macOS blocks that, drives may mount in read-only mode or not mount at all. The user must manually add  to Full Disk Access.

What You Can Try (Step‑by‑Step Fixes)

Below is a suggested approach to restore functionality or work around the issue.

Check Compatibility / Updates

Visit Paragon’s official site and see if a version supporting macOS Tahoe is released. (Some marketing pages already mention “Supported Operating Systems: macOS Tahoe” in their latest product page.)

Paragon Software Group

If a Tahoe‑compatible version is available, download it.

Uninstall Existing Paragon Driver / Software

Use Paragon’s official uninstall process (found in Paragon’s support pages) to remove all components cleanly.

Reboot your Mac.

Reinstall Latest Version

Install the Tahoe‑compatible version.

During installation, allow loading of kernel extensions or system extensions when prompted.

Reboot again.

Enable & Load Kernel Extension / Driver

In System Settings → Privacy & Security, check for prompts to “Allow System Extensions” or “Allow Paragon.”

Use Terminal to load or reload the KEXT:

sudo kextunload /Library/Extensions/ufsd_NTFS.kext

sudo kextload /Library/Extensions/ufsd_NTFS.kext

Or use kmutil if required:

sudo kmutil load -p /Library/Extensions/ufsd_NTFS.kext

Grant Full Disk Access

Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access

Add com.paragon-software.ntfsd and other Paragon components to the list.

Lock settings, then reboot.

Use launchctl to Enable Driver

sudo launchctl enable system/com.paragon-software.ntfsd

sudo launchctl enable system/com.paragon-software.ntfs.loader

Then reboot and test mounting NTFS drives again.

Paragon Support

Test with a Simple NTFS Drive / Volume

Try mounting a known-good NTFS drive to see if the failure is general or specific to that drive.

Contact Paragon Support / Send Logs

If none of the above works, collect verbose logs and contact Paragon Support.

Paragon Support

Use sudo kextutil -vvv /Library/Extensions/ufsd_NTFS.kext to see detailed error messages.

Consider Alternatives / Workarounds

If Paragon doesn't yet reliably support Tahoe, you may try:

Other third‑party NTFS drivers (e.g. iBoysoft NTFS, Donemax NTFS) which advertise compatibility with macOS Tahoe.

Open-source solution using macFUSE + NTFS‑3G (though performance may be lower).

Reformat your external drive to exFAT (if cross-platform read/write access is acceptable).

Use the built-in macOS read-only support and copy files via another machine when write access is needed.

Possible Limitations / Risks

Disabling or loosening system security (e.g. SIP, kernel extension policy) can reduce protection and expose your system to risk. Only do it if you understand the implications.

Using third-party drivers always carries stability risks, especially when macOS updates frequently.

If you reformat drives (e.g. to exFAT), you will lose data — back up first.

Older licenses (pre‑2022) may not be recognized in new licensing schemes, forcing you to re‑purchase.

If you like, I can check whether Paragon has already issued a stable Tahoe‑compatible driver (with download links) and guide you through installing it step by step on your Mac (Intel or Apple Silicon). Would you like me to do that for your system?