Access is denied message can appear while trying to access certain directories or applications thus interfering with your work. If access to a network share, an Intranet, or the Internet is being refused to you and you are seeing the message above, then you do not have the authorization to access the resource in question and will need to use another account.
How do you fix Access Denied errors on Windows?
1. Take ownership of the directory
1.1 Automatically assign permissions
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1. Locate the problematic folder, right-click it and choose Properties from the menu.
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2. Navigate to the Security tab and then click the Advanced button.
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3. Locate the Owner section at the top and click on Change. The Select User or Group window will now appear.
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4. In the Enter the object name to select field enter Administrators or your user name, then click the Check Names button. If everything is in order your input will change.
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5. Click OK to save changes. The owner section will now change.
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6. Check Replace owner on subcontainters and objects and click Apply and OK to save changes. Some users are suggesting to check Replace all child object permission entries option, so you might do that as well.
The problem is present on all versions, so you can get Access denied message on Windows 11 as well. Luckily, we have solutions that will help you regardless of the version you’re using.
This error usually appears when you try to access a file or a directory while having insufficient privileges. This happens if you’re not an administrator or if you don’t have ownership over a folder.
To fix the problem you just have to assign ownership to your account, and you can do that by following these instructions:
1.2 Manually assign permissioms
In some cases, you might have to manually assign permissions to your account. To do that, follow these simple steps:
- Navigate to Advanced Security Settings.
- A list of all users will appear. If your user account isn’t listed, click the Add button.
- Click on Select a principal.
- Now enter your user account name, click Check Names, and then OK. We already showed you how to do that in Step 5 above, so be sure to check it out.
- Set Type to Allow and Applies to This folder, subfolders, and files and check Full control. Now click the OK button.
If your user name is already available, simply double-click it and perform Step 5.
1.3 Use Command Prompt to take ownership
Another way to take ownership is to use Command Prompt. To do that, start Command Prompt as administrator and enter the following lines:
takeown /f “path_to_folder” /r /d yicacls "path_to_folder" /grant administrator:F /T
Of course, be sure to replace path_to_folder with an actual path to the inaccessible folder. After running these two commands you should have full access to the problematic folder, and thus fix the Access is denied error with Command Prompt.
2. Add your account to the Administrators group
Sometimes Access is denied message appears if you try to access a folder while not having administrator privileges. This can be a problem, but you can fix it by adding your account to the Administrators group.
To do that on Windows 10, follow these steps:
- Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu. Select Computer Management from the list.
- When the Computer Management window opens, navigate to Local Users and Groups followed by Users. Now double-click your account in the left pane.
- Navigate to the Member Of tab and click the Add button.
- In Enter the object names to select field enter Administrators and click Check Names. If everything is in order, click OK.
- Select Administrators and click Apply and OK.
- After doing that, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.
3. Enable the hidden Administrator account
Windows 10 by default has a built-in Administrator account that you can use. By using this account you should have unrestricted access to your PC.
Due to security measures, this account isn’t easily accessible, but you can enable it by doing the following:
- Press Windows Key + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.
- When Command Prompt starts, run the following command and press Enter. By doing so you’ll unlock the administrator account:
net user administrator /active: yes - Now log off of your account and switch to the newly enabled Administrator account. From there you should be able to access your files without any problems.
- After you’re done using the Administrator account, go back to your main account and start Command Prompt as administrator again. Now enter the following command to disable the Administrator account:
net user administrator /active: no
Keep in mind that after switching back to your main account the issue might still persist. If needed, you can use the Administrator account to make the necessary changes to your system and fix the problem.
4. Check your permissions
Sometimes you’ll get Access is denied message if you lack certain permissions to access the desired directory. However, you should be able to fix the problem by following these steps:
- Locate the problematic directory, right-click it and choose Properties from the menu.
- Navigate to the Security tab and click the Edit button.
- Select your user name from the list and make sure that you check Full control for Allow column in Permissions section.
This is a simple solution, but if your user name isn’t on the list you’ll have to add it manually and then change its permissions.
Several users reported that you need to grant Full control to both Administrators and Users over the problematic folder, so be sure to try that as well.
In some cases, you might even want to give Full Control to Everyone in order to fix the problem.
5. Use Command Prompt to reset permissions
According to users, you might be able to fix this problem simply by using Reset Permissions tool. Simply download the tool, run it, select the problematic directory, and check all available options.
After doing that, you should be able to access the directory without any problems, otherwise, OneDrive may be causing this issue, so to fix it you need to do the following:
- Right-click OneDrive icon in the bottom right corner and choose Settings from the menu.
- Go to Auto Save tab and set both Documents and Pictures to This PC only. Click OK to save changes.
If that doesn’t solve the problem, you’ll need to perform the following steps as well:
- Start Command Prompt as administrator.
- When Command Prompt opens, enter the following commands:
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cd /users/Your_Username -
icacls Pictures /reset /t /q -
cd /<path to OneDrive folder> -
icacls Pictures /reset /t /q
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- After doing that, restart your PC.
If the problem still persists, you might have to repeat this solution and disable OneDrive until Microsoft fixes the problem.
6. Set your account as administrator
If you’re getting Access is denied message, you might be able to fix it simply by setting your account as an administrator. This is rather simple and you can do it by following these steps:
- Press Windows Key + R and enter control userpasswords2. Press Enter or click OK.
- User Accounts window will now appear. Check Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer. Now select your account and click on Properties.
- Navigate to the Group Membership tab. Select Administrator and click Apply and OK.
- After doing that, restart your PC and check if the issue still persists.
7. Close Google Drive and reinstall it
Access is denied message sometimes appears while using Google Drive. To fix the issue, you need to completely close Google Drive and end all processes associated with it. To do that, follow these steps:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- When Task Manager opens, locate all Google Drive processes, right-click them and choose End Task from the menu.
- After ending all Google Drive processes, uninstall the application.
- Now press Windows Key + R and enter %localappdata%Google. Press Enter or click OK.
- Locate the Drive folder and rename it to Drive.old.
- Install Google Drive again and check if the problem is resolved.
8. Edit your registry
According to users, this error message can appear if you try to access a network-shared directory. This can be a big problem, but you can resolve it by making a few changes to your registry.
Modifying the registry can cause certain issues, so be extra cautious and export your registry just in case. To modify your registry, do the following:
- Press Windows Key + R and enter regedit. Press Enter or click OK.
- When Registry Editor opens, in the left pane navigate to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters - In the right pane, right-click the empty space and choose a New followed by DWORD.
- Enter AllowInsecureGuestAuth as the name of the new DWORD.
- Double-click the newly created AllowInsecureGuestAuth DWORD to open its properties. Set Value data to 1 and click OK to save changes.
- After doing that, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.
Keep in mind that this solution only applies to network-shared folders, so it won’t work with local folders.
9. Turn off User Account Control
User Account Control is a useful feature that will prevent applications and users from running commands that require administrative privileges.
This is a useful feature, but sometimes it can cause Access is denied message to appear, especially when installing new software. To fix the issue, you need to do the following:
- Press Windows Key + S and enter user accounts. Now select User Accounts from the list of results.
- When the User Accounts window opens, click on Change User Account Control settings.
- Move the slider all the way down and click the OK button to save changes.
- After doing that, try to install the application again.
10. Disable your antivirus software
Antivirus software is rather important, but sometimes third-party antivirus can cause this error to appear.
According to users, they got Access is denied message while trying to install certain applications, and the cause was their security software.
To fix this issue you just need to temporarily disable your security software and try to install the application again.
If the problem doesn’t appear, it means that the issue was caused by your antivirus software, so you should consider updating or replacing it.
There are multiple efficient antivirus programs that will not interfere with other applications on your PC. Then, discover them and choose from the best antiviruses compatible with Windows10.
- Drive is not accessible in Windows 10/11? Check these fixes
- FIX: Error 0x80070005 Access is denied
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- Full Fix: Elevated permissions are required to run DISM
- Application has been blocked to accessing graphics hardware
11. Change ownership or permissions of Temp and Installer folders
When installing new software its temporary files are usually moved to Temp or Installer folders. However, if you don’t have the necessary permissions, you might not be able to install the desired application.
If this error message appears while trying to install applications, be sure to check if the following folders have the necessary permissions
- C:\Windows\Installer
- C:\Users\Your_username\AppData\LocalTemp
If needed, you might have to change ownership or permissions in order to fix this problem.
12. Check environment variables
In some cases, Access is denied message can appear while trying to create a zipped folder in Windows.
This is usually because the %TEMP% variable isn’t properly set. To fix this problem, you need to configure environment variables by doing the following:
- Press Windows Key + S and enter advanced system settings. Select View advanced system settings from the menu.
- Click on Environment Variables button.
- Locate TEMP on the list and check if its value is set correctly. If not, double-click the TEMP and set its value to:
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalTemp
- Save changes and restart your PC.
After doing that, navigate to the %TEMP% folder by entering %TEMP% in the address bar in File Explorer. Once you open the Temp folder, try to create a new folder and delete it.
If you can’t create or delete a folder, you’ll need to take ownership of the Temp folder or change your permissions.
13. Fi Access is denied on Windows 10 cmd
1. Pin Command Prompt to Start Menu
If you’re getting Access is denied message while trying to start Command Prompt, you might want to try pinning it to Start Menu.
- According to users, this workaround solved the problem for them, so you might want to try it. To do that, simply press
WindowsKey +Sand enter command prompt. - Right-click Command Prompt from the list of results and choose Pin to Start from the menu.
- After doing that, try launching Command Prompt using the Start Menu shortcut.
2. Run Command Prompt as administrator
Sometimes Access is denied can appear in PowerShell or Command Prompt while trying to run a certain command.
This message indicates that you don’t have the necessary privileges to access a specific file or to perform a specific command. However, you can fix this issue in most cases simply by running Command Prompt as an administrator.
We already explained how to start Command Prompt with administrative privileges in one of our previous solutions, so be sure to check them out.
14. Fix Access is denied on Windows 10 hard drive
1. Change your permissions
If you can’t access a hard drive partition due to Access is denied message, you might want to try changing your permissions or the owner.
We already explained how to do that in our previous solutions, so be sure to grant Full Control to your user account in order to access your hard drive partition.
Several users reported that you can fix the problem by giving Full Control to Everyone group, so try that as well. Keep in mind that you might have to add the group manually if it’s not available on the list.
It’s crucial to remember that you shouldn’t change the permissions of your system drive. If you have problems accessing your C: drive, you might want to try a different solution.
We have to mention that this solution can be potentially dangerous, so keep in mind that you’re using it at your own risk.
2. Change the sharing settings
According to users, if this error appears while accessing external hard drive you can fix it simply by changing a few settings. To fix the issue, due to the following:
- Open This PC, locate your external hard drive, right-click it and choose Properties from the menu.
- Navigate to the Sharing tab and click on Advanced Sharing.
- When the Advanced Sharing window opens, check the Share this folder option and then click on Permissions.
- Select Everyone from the list and check Full Control in Allow column. Click Apply and OK to save changes.
- After saving the changes, check if the problem is resolved.
3. Check if USB drives are blocked
Sometimes you might not be able to access an external hard drive due to Access is denied message. This can occur because USB drives are blocked by your registry.
Before we start fixing the problem, we have to mention that this solution can be potentially dangerous, so be extra cautious. To search your registry, do the following:
- Open Registry Editor.
- Select Computer in the left pane and press
Ctrl+F. Enter RemovableStorageDevices, and click Find Next.
- If you find RemovableStorageDevices values, set Deny to 0 and save changes.
Keep in mind that these values might not be available on your PC, so if you can’t find them you should probably skip this solution.
4. Uninstall HP Device Manager
If you’re having this error while accessing a hard drive partition on an HP device, you might want to try removing HP Device Manager software.
Several users reported that this application prevents them from accessing their hard drive, so be sure to remove it and check if that solves the problem.
15. Fix Access is denied on Windows 10 Notepad
1. Run Notepad as administrator
This error message can appear sometimes while starting Notepad. If you have the same problem, you should try running Notepad as an administrator.
To do that, simply locate the Notepad shortcut, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator. If that solves the problem, you should set Notepad to always run with administrative privileges.
To do that, follow these steps:
- Locate the Notepad shortcut, right-click it, and choose Properties from the menu.
- Go to the Shortcut tab and click the Advanced button.
- Now check Run as administrator option and click the OK button.
- Click Apply and OK to save changes and try to start Notepad using the shortcut. If you did everything right, Notepad will always start with administrative privileges.
2. Change how files open
Access is denied message can appear if Notepad starts automatically with Windows. This is usually caused by .ini files, but you can easily solve this issue. To do that, follow these instructions:
- Go to your C: drive.
- Click on View and check Hidden files and File name extensions.
- Now locate any .ini file in C: directory, right-click it to choose Open with followed by Choose another app.
- Select the Provisioning package runtime processing tool and click OK.
- Restart your PC.
After your PC restarts, check if the problem is resolved.
3. Delete desktop.ini files
If Notepad and Access is denied message appears every time you start your PC, you might want to try deleting the desktop.ini file.
This file is located in these directories:
- C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Startup
- C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Visit both directories and remove desktop.ini files from them. Keep in mind that this file can be hidden, so be sure to reveal hidden files and folders. We already showed you how to do that in our previous solution, so be sure to check it out.
After deleting desktop.ini files, the problem should be completely resolved and Notepad won’t start anymore along with Windows.
Why is Access denied when I am the administrator?
User Account Control is a helpful security feature that is included with Windows 10. The purpose of this feature is to alert you anytime you or an application tries to carry out an action that needs administrator capabilities.
Even if you are logged in with an administrative account, you can get a notice saying that access is forbidden when you try to use this function. You may get around that however by turning off the User Account Control option on your computer.
To find out more solutions, check out our guide on how to fix Access denied on Windows 10/11 administrator account.
You might also want to read our article on what to do if the default save location couldn’t be set for more information.
Another variation of the access denied error is an error occurred while attempting to create a directory when you attempt to install a program. This message usually means that you don’t have the proper privileges to access this directory. Sometimes, you might even get Access denied message on administrator account.
In other instances, you’ll get You need permission to perform this action error. In most cases, switching to a proper account or taking ownership of the folder in question will fix the problem.
Access is denied message can affect both files and folders, and it can even prevent you from installing new applications. This can be a big problem, but we hope that you manage to solve it by using one of our solutions.
Все способы:
- Способ 1: Запуск консоли от имени администратора
- Способ 2: Работа с конфликтными процессами
- Способ 3: Отключение шифрования каталога
- Способ 4: Изменение владельца директории
- Способ 5: Проверка ПК на наличие вирусов
- Способ 6: Проверка целостности системных файлов
- Способ 7: «Чистая» загрузка Windows
- Способ 8: Сброс Windows до заводских настроек
- Вопросы и ответы: 0
Способ 1: Запуск консоли от имени администратора
Если вы работаете с «Командной строкой» в одном из расположений или запускаете ее просто удобным для вас методом, попробуйте дополнительно предоставить права администратора. Часто это позволяет решить все проблемы, особенно если речь идет про использование локальной учетной записи, у которой по умолчанию этих прав нет.
Выбрать можете совершенно любой метод запуска консоли, который поддерживает получение прав администратора. Самым удобным все еще остается поиск через «Пуск», поскольку сразу же справа отображается список доступных действий, среди которых можно выбрать требуемое.
Способ 2: Работа с конфликтными процессами
Возможно, один из запущенных процессов мешает открытию «Командной строки», поэтому в Windows 10 и появляется ошибка «Отказано в доступе». Самостоятельно обнаружить конфликтную программу можно только если вы изначально пытаетесь открыть консоль из конкретного расположения и знаете, какие приложения в нем находятся и могут быть запущены. Однако начать стоит с простого перезапуска «Проводника», чтобы исключить мелкие сбои.
- Щелкните правой кнопкой мыши по «Пуску» и из появившегося контекстного меню выберите пункт «Диспетчер задач».
- В списке отыщите «Проводник», выделите его и воспользуйтесь кнопкой «Перезапустить», расположенной справа внизу.
- Вернитесь к директории и попробуйте запустить «Командную строку». Если ошибка сохраняется, отыщите процесс, который может быть связан с программами, находящимися по целевому расположению. Снимите все задачи и снова проверьте возможность взаимодействия с консолью.
Способ 3: Отключение шифрования каталога
Поскольку ошибка «CMD: отказано в доступе» в большинстве случаев появляется, если «Командная строка» открывается для работы из конкретного расположения, то сосредоточимся именно на связанных методах решения. В первую очередь советуем проверить наличие шифрования папки, откуда запускается консоль. Если оно присутствует, отключение может помочь исправить ситуацию.
- Щелкните по каталогу правой кнопкой мыши и перейдите в «Свойства».
- На вкладке «Общие» нажмите кнопку «Другие».
- Если присутствует галочка возле пункта «Шифровать содержимое для защиты данных», снимите ее, примените изменения и приступайте к открытию CMD.
Способ 4: Изменение владельца директории
Ошибка с отказом в доступе еще может появиться по причине отсутствия прав на чтение или внесение изменений в той директории, из которой запускается консоль. Решение тут одно — выдать полные права на текущую учетную запись, что вполне реализуемо через свойства каталога. Необходимо пошагово выполнить следующие действия:
- Снова перейдите в «Свойства» папки так, как это было показано в предыдущем методе. Перейдите на вкладку «Безопасность» и нажмите кнопку «Дополнительно».
- В новом окне вы видите текущего владельца папки. Это может быть несколько разных системных учетных записей, но необходимо назначить именно себя, поэтому нажмите по ссылке «Изменить».
- В следующем окне можно самостоятельно указать нового владельца вместе с его расположением, но тут легко ошибиться, поэтому лучше сначала кликнуть по «Дополнительно».
- Используйте кнопку «Поиск», чтобы отобразить список всех доступных учетных записей в разных расположениях.
- Среди них найдите свою и дважды кликните по ней для выбора.
- Подтвердите изменение владельца, затем в предыдущем окне поставьте галочку возле пункта «Изменить владельца подконтейнеров и объектов» и примените настройку.
- Однако это еще не все, поскольку нужно выдать учетной записи полный доступ. Для этого на вкладке «Безопасность» используйте кнопку «Изменить».
- Найдите свой профиль, а при его отсутствии нажмите на «Добавить» и отыщите учетную запись точно так же, как делали это ранее.
- Далее отметьте свой аккаунт и предоставьте для него полный доступ, установив галочку возле соответствующего пункта. Примените изменения и попробуйте снова запустить «Командную строку».
Способ 5: Проверка ПК на наличие вирусов
Одна из вероятных причин появления рассматриваемой ошибки — заражение компьютера вирусами. Угроза может блокировать выполнение разных процессов, включая и запуск «Командной строки» отдельно или в конкретном расположении. Если стандартный Защитник не справился со своей задачей и уже пропустил вирус на ПК, то для дальнейшего сканирования и удаления угроз лучше использовать сторонние антивирусы. Более детально об этой теме читайте в материале от другого нашего автора по ссылке ниже.
Подробнее: Борьба с компьютерными вирусами
Способ 6: Проверка целостности системных файлов
При отсутствии прогресса в решении проблемы на помощь может прийти проверка целостности системных файлов. Возможно, в ОС случился сбой или какие-то важные компоненты были повреждены, из-за чего появляется текущая ошибка или даже в дополнение к ней другие, о которых вы еще не знаете или не замечали. Нужно самостоятельно запустить сканирование при помощи стандартных утилит и проверить, чем завершится данный процесс. Отметим, что сделать это удастся только в том случае, если «Командная строка» все-таки запускается без привязки к конкретному проблемному расположению.
Подробнее: Как проверить целостность системных файлов в Windows 10
Способ 7: «Чистая» загрузка Windows
Существует вероятность, что ситуация с «CMD: отказано в доступе», которая возникла в вашей Windows 10, связана с действием сторонних программ. Они могут блокировать вызов разных процессов или обращение к файлам. Тут уже стоит отталкиваться от того, что именно вы хотите реализовать через консоль и из какого расположения ее запускаете. Если так быстро определить виновника не получается, обратитесь к «чистой» загрузке Windows, которая отключает все пользовательские службы и программы.
- Щелкните правой кнопкой мыши по «Пуску» и выберите из меню пункт «Выполнить».
- Введите команду
msconfigи нажмите Enter, чтобы подтвердить переход к нужному приложению. - В нем выберите вкладку «Службы» и поставьте галочку возле пункта «Не отображать службы Майкрософт», чтобы скрыть их и случайно не отключить.
- Теперь отключите все оставшиеся службы, используя кнопку с соответствующим названием.
Подтвердите внесение изменений и перезагрузите компьютер. Попробуйте выполнить те же самые действия с «Командной строкой» и проверьте, исправлена ли ошибка. Если да, нужно по очереди запускать каждую из сторонних служб и смотреть, на каком этапе проблема снова даст о себе знать. Это позволит определить конфликтную программу и далее сделать выводы: отключить ее, попытаться исправить или вовсе удалить.
Способ 8: Сброс Windows до заводских настроек
Бывает, что ничего из перечисленного выше так и не помогло исправить ситуацию с «CMD: отказано в доступе». Тогда ничего не остается, кроме как использовать самые радикальные методы. Можно полностью переустановить Windows 10, но есть более удобный вариант — сброс до заводских настроек, что осуществляется непосредственно через настройки, без использования загрузочных флешек с образом ОС.
Подробнее: Возвращаем Windows 10 к заводскому состоянию
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You are here: Home / Windows / Folder Access Denied Windows 10 Error – How To Fix?
Out of the hundreds of errors and bugs in Windows 10, the errors that trigger while accessing files or folders are the worst. These errors truly infuriate the users to the core. One such example is the Access Denied error in Windows 10, which arises when the user tries to access files or folders. Other errors like the “error opening file for writing” can also arise while accessing the files or folders.
The error “Access Denied” in Windows 10 mainly arises due to insufficient permissions for accessing the file or folder. In this article, we have discussed the various causes for this error and how you can troubleshoot it.
What Is Causing The Error “Access Denied” In Windows 10?
This error can arise due to the following causes:
- The ownership of the file has changed.
- If the file is encrypted, then this error will get triggered stopping the user from accessing the file.
- The file can be corrupted, which is why the user is unable to access it.
- This error can also arise due to corruption in the hard drive.
- The antivirus can also stop the user from accessing files that it considers a threat to the system.
Troubleshooting The Access Denied Error
As mentioned above, there can be various causes for this error. Now, it’s time to troubleshoot those causes one by one.
Solution 1: Take Ownership Of The File
If the file or folder triggering this error is old or if you have just updated to Windows 10 from a previous version of Windows, then most likely the ownership of the file has changed. In this scenario, taking ownership of the file should fix the error.
To take ownership of the file or folder, follow the steps given below:
- Right-click on the file or folder and click on the Properties option.
- Select the Security tab and click on the Advanced option.
- Click on the Change option beside the Owner.
- Enter Administrators or your user name in the Enter the object names section and click on the Check Names option.
Click on OK to save the changes.
- Check the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects option and then click on Apply and OK to save the changes.
Now check if still the file access is denied in Windows 10. If the error persists, then you will probably have to manually assign permissions to the account. To manually assign permissions to your account, follow the steps given below:
- Open the Advanced Security Settings of the file or folder again and click on the Add option.
- Click on the Select a principal option and enter your user name.
- Select the Check Names option and then click on OK.
- Click on the drop-down menu beside the Type option and select allow.
Also, select This folder, subfolders and files in the drop-down menu beside the Applies to option. - Check the Full control box in the Basic permissions section.
- Finally, click on OK.
Taking ownership of the file or folder should fix this error. However, if still the file access is denied in Windows 10, then try the next solution.
Solution 2: Make Your Profile Administrator
If taking ownership of the file didn’t work, then accessing the file from a profile that has administrative privileges should work. To change your profile into the administrator, follow the steps given below:
- Open the Run utility by pressing the Windows + R keys.
- Type netplwiz and click on OK.
- Now, click on your user account and click on the Properties option.
- Select the Group Membership tab and check the Administrator option.
- Finally, click on Apply and OK.
Now, try accessing the file or folder and check if the access denied error arises again.
Solution 3: Check If The File Or Folder Is Encrypted
The file can be encrypted, which is why it is triggering the error “Access Denied” in Windows 10 when you try to access it. To check if the file is encrypted, follow the steps given below:
- Open the Properties of the File again.
- Click on the Advanced option in the General tab.
- See if the Encrypt contents to secure data box is checked.
If the box is checked, then you cannot access that file as the previous owner has encrypted it. Ask the previous owner to decrypt it if you want to access it.
Solution 4: Run Chkdsk Scan
If there is corruption in the hard drive, then this error can get triggered. To check if the hard drive has corruption, you can run the chkdsk scan, which is a Windows built-in utility. The chkdsk utility scans for corruption in the hard drive and fixes it.
To run the chkdsk scan, follow the steps given below:
- Open the Run utility again.
- Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys.
- Click on Yes in the pop-up dialogue and an elevated Command Prompt will open on your screen.
- Type chkdsk c: /f /r /x and press Enter. “c” here signifies the drive letter of the partition where the scan will take place, so change it to the drive that you want to scan.
- Wait for the scan to finish. It generally takes 5 hours to check 1 TB of hard drive, so execute this when you have time for it.
After the scan is finished, any bad sectors or corruption in your hard drive should get fixed. The access denied error should be fixed if it was caused by bad sectors or corruption in the hard drive.
If you are facing this error while trying to access files in the external hard drive, then you can do a check disk scan of the external hard drive. To do a check disk scan of the external hard drive, follow the steps given below:
- Open This PC and right-click on the external hard drive.
- Click on the Properties option.
- Select the Tools tab.
- Click on the Check option in the Error checking section.
- Select the Scan Drive option to start the scan.
After the scan is complete, the external hard drive Access Denied in Windows 10 error should be fixed.
Solution 5: Disable Antivirus
Antiviruses have a reputation for not letting the user access files that it considers a threat to the system. The antivirus can be the real culprit for this error in this situation. In this scenario, disabling the antivirus should fix this error.
To disable the Windows Defender, follow the steps given below:
- Open the Run utility again.
- Type windowsdefender://threat/ and press Enter.
Virus & threat protection console of Windows Defender will open on your screen.
- Click on the Manage settings option in the Virus & threat protection settings section.
- Disable the Real-time protection toggle to disable Windows Defender.
If in Windows 10, permission is denied for accessing the file even after disabling the antivirus, then the antivirus is not the culprit. Enable the antivirus again and try the next solution.
Solution 6: Disable The User Account Control
If none of the above solutions have worked, then you can try to disable the User Account Control and see if it works. Disabling the User Account Control is not recommended as it is important for the security of the computer. But it has been reported by some users that the User Account Control can instigate this error.
To disable User Account Control, follow the steps given below:
- Type Change User Account Control settings in the Windows search bar and select the appropriate option.
- Drag the slider on the left side of the screen down to Never notify.
- Finally, click on OK to save the changes.
The error file access denied in Windows 10 should now get fixed. However, if still the file cannot be accessed, then most likely the file is corrupt.
Wrapping Up
So, there you have it. Now you know what to do if the Access Denied in Windows 10 error arises again. If the above solution doesn’t work, then most likely the file is corrupted. Don’t forget to share your views on this article in the comment section below.
The Windows 10 operating system has been tested and reviewed by millions of people all around the world. With such a large number of people using it, it’s no wonder that some problems have been found and fixed. One of the most common issues is the Windows 10 «Access Denied» folder errors. This article will go over five easy fixes for this problem.
These fixes are not guaranteed to work for everyone, but they’re worth a try if you’re experiencing any issues with your Windows 10 OS.
1. Check if you are the Administrator
This article will help you to fix the «Access Denied» Error on Windows. There are multiple reasons for this error and there are different ways to resolve it. The first thing that you should do is to check whether you are the administrator of the computer. If not, then there might be some problem with your user account or the permissions of a particular file or folder. For those who don’t know how to fix this error, they can follow these steps:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard and click on Task Manager.
- Click on More details in the bottom left corner of your screen and then click on File Explorer (or Computer) from the list that appears.
- Right-click on Recycle Bin and select Properties from the drop-down list.
- Now, click on the Security tab and then click on the Advanced button near the Edit group.
- Change your current user account to Administrator and then click OK.
2. Take Ownership to fix Access Denied Errors
We can take ownership of the file that is giving us the access denied error.
To do this, we will need to:
1) Right-click on the file that is giving us access denied error
2) Click on “Properties”
3) Click on the “Security” tab and then click the “Advanced” button.
4) In the “Owner” box, select your account and then click OK.
There are four different types of permissions: «Full Control,» «Modify,» «Read & Execute,» and «Read.» Each permission type offers different levels of access to files and folders. For example, if you have full control over a folder, then you can delete files in that folder
When you change file ownership settings, you may be denying yourself access to the files.
The best way to prevent that is by changing the permissions of the files and folders. You can do this by going into File Explorer, clicking on the folder or file you want to change ownership of, then clicking on Properties > Security > Advanced.
3. Review Folder Permissions
The «Access Denied» folder error is not a Windows 10 error. It is an error that happens when you are trying to access the «Access Denied» folder.
This error can happen for many reasons, but the most common reason is that your permissions need to be adjusted. You can fix this by going into your Folder Permissions and adjusting them accordingly.
4. Double-Check Your Antivirus Settings
The «Access Denied» Folder error is a common Windows issue. It usually happens when the antivirus blocks a program from accessing a folder that it needs to access. To fix this error, you will need to check your antivirus settings and make sure that it does not block any of the programs from accessing the folder in question.
The first thing that you should do when you get this error is to double-check your antivirus settings.
If you are using Windows 10, then make sure that the antivirus is set to «On» and that it has been updated. If you are using Windows 8 or Windows 7, then make sure that your antivirus is set to «On» and has been updated.
5. Check for File Encryption
The «access denied» folder error can be caused by a number of factors. One of the most common reasons is that the user does not have sufficient access privileges to access the file or folder.
To fix this issue, you need to encrypt your files and folders. This will make it so that only people with a password will be able to open them.
Windows has a built-in file encryption feature that can be used to encrypt files and folders. When you encrypt a folder, the folder is locked and the user needs to enter the password in order to access it.
The «Access Denied» Folder error on Windows can be fixed by checking for file encryption and checking if it is set up correctly.
Fixing «You Have Been Denied Permission to Access This Folder» and «Destination Folder Access Denied»
As we are moving towards a more digital world, we are seeing more and more data breaches. With the increase in data breaches, companies are now looking for ways to ensure that their sensitive data is protected. One way of doing this is by using encryption.
Encryption is a process of transforming information into a code that can only be read by those with permission to do so. The idea behind it is to protect the information from unauthorized access or use and to provide confidentiality.
There are two types of encryption: symmetric and asymmetric encryption. Symmetric encryption uses the same key for both encrypting and decrypting the message while asymmetric uses different keys for each function.
FAQs
What are the most common causes of «Access Denied» folder errors?
An «Access Denied» folder error is a common problem in Windows 10. This error can occur for a number of reasons, but the most common causes are:
- The file permissions have been changed.
- The file is in use by another program or process.
- The file is corrupted.
How can the “Access Denied” errors be fixed?
The “access denied” error is a common issue that has been bothering many webmasters and developers. It happens when the user tries to access a file or folder that they don’t have the appropriate permissions for.
There are many ways to fix this error, but most of them require some technical knowledge. However, there are some solutions that are easier to apply and will solve the problem in no time.
A webmaster can change their security settings in order to allow public access to the file or folder that is being blocked by this error. This way, anyone will be able to view it without any trouble.
What are some of the best tools for fixing «Access Denied» folder errors?
Some of the best tools for fixing these folder errors include the following:
- Disk Utility
- Terminal
- Finders’ Go to Folder Tool
- OneDrive Troubleshooter
How can I prevent the “Access Denied” errors from happening in the future?
In order to prevent the «Access Denied» errors from happening in the future, it is important to make sure that you close all programs and applications before restarting your computer. This will ensure that all files are closed and will not be open when you restart your computer. Another way is to close all programs, then restart your computer and then open each program one by one.
Imagine how annoying it would be if you were being denied use of any items that you own or if you aren’t allowed to use a certain application on your phone or computer. Similarly, it can be quite infuriating for you to not be able to access a certain file or folder on your PC. You may often get an error displaying the message, Access is denied. Some instances when the error may be encountered include opening a file, copy-pasting a file, moving a file from one location to another, deleting a file or folder, or launching a particular application. Most of these errors stem from a common cause that is a lack of appropriate permissions. In this article, we will be explaining how to fix access denied error by attaining all required permissions to access a seemingly inaccessible file on Windows 10.
Table of Contents
The exact error message also varies slightly depending on the action being performed or the files being accessed. You might receive any of the following error messages:
- Location is not available. E:\ is not accessible.
- F:\ is not accessible. Access is denied.
- Access is denied or Folder Access Denied.
- You need permission to perform this action.
- You require permission from Administrators to make changes to this folder.
Recommended Troubleshooting Tips
- Before we get to the more technical stuff, temporarily disable your antivirus software and then try accessing the file. Antivirus programs can often block access to certain files to prevent malicious applications and viruses from causing any damage to the PC. If this doesn’t work, then read 5 Ways to Completely Uninstall Avast Antivirus in Windows 10.
- Similarly, Windows Defender Firewall may block the file or permissions. So, you can follow our article on How to disable Windows Defender Firewall to disable it temporarily.
Note: Since doing so puts your PC at a greater risk of virus/malware, enable it as soon as this error is rectified.
Method 1: Change Owner of File/Folder
Access is Denied error most commonly occurs when you try to access a file without owning the necessary permissions. You can rectify this by changing the owner of the file or folder in question. This would allow you i.e., your user account the file owner and will let you access it without any problems.
1. Right-click on the file/folder you are having trouble accessing and select Properties.
2. Go to the Security tab and click on the Advanced button to look up special permissions.
3. Click on the Change option for the Owner label, as depicted.
4. Click on the Advanced… button present at the bottom-left corner.
5. Then, click on Find Now button.
6. In the search results that arrive, locate and choose your user account and click on OK.
7. Your account name will now be displayed under Enter the object name to select (examples): section. Click on OK to save.
8. Check the following options shown highlighted in the pic below:
- Replace owner on subcontainers and objects
- Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permissions entries from this object
Note: This will change the ownership of the folder as well as all the files inside the folder.
9. Click on Apply followed by OK to save the changes.
Note: Alternately, you can also change the owner of a file or folder from Elevated Command Prompt by simply executing takeown /f “path of the file/folder” command.
Also Read: How to Encrypt a Folder in Windows 10
Method 2: Grant Full Access to File/Folder
Sometimes, you might be the owner as well as an administrator but still, might fail to access a file or folder. This transpires when Full Control of the item is not yet assigned to the account. Fortunately, gaining full control over a file/folder is as trivial as ticking a box.
Note: File permissions can only be modified from an administrator account.
1. Once again, right-click on the problematic file (e.g. Important Documents) and select Properties.
2. Go to the Security tab and click Administrators in the Group or user names section, as shown.
3. Then, click on the Edit… button to change file permissions.
4. In the Permissions for Authenticated Users section, check the box marked Allow for Full control option shown highlighted.
Also Read: How to Fix uTorrent Access is Denied
Method 3: Check & Modify File Encryption
If you are sharing the PC with your siblings and each one of you has a different user account, it is plausible that one of them encrypted the file to keep it safe from the prying eyes of others. Encrypted files can only be accessed by the user account that carried out the encryption or ones with the required encryption certificate. To check if the file is indeed encrypted
1. Go to the File/Folder Properties window and click on the Advanced… button in the General tab, as illustrated below.
2. Check the Encrypt contents to secure data option under Compress or Encrypt attributes section.
Note: Another giveaway of an encrypted file is a padlock icon.
3. You will need to
- log in from the user account that encrypted the file or folder
- or acquire the encryption certificate along with the encryption key to access said files.
Method 4: Take Ownership of Temp folder
While installing certain applications, you might receive the following error messages:
- Unable to execute file in the temporary directory. Setup aborted.
- Error 5: Access is denied.
- Setup was unable to create the directory full file path. Error 5: Access is denied.
In this case, Access is denied error can be rectified by:
1. Running the setup file as an administrator: Right-click on .exe file of App and choose Run as administrator, as depicted below.
2. Making yourself the owner of Temp folder: Temporary files are often created and saved inside the Temp during app installations. Thus, if you do not have access to the folder, the installation process will fail.
In this situation, navigate to C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp and follow the steps listed in Method 1 to take Ownership of Temp Folder.
Also Read: Fix Hard Drive Not Showing Up in Windows 10
Method 5: Disable User Account Control
The User Account Control or UAC is a security feature in Windows OS that blocks the automatic installation of unauthorized software and prevents third-party applications from modifying system settings. Although, UAC can get unnecessarily strict at times and prevent users from accessing certain files. Implement the following steps to fix Access is denied Windows 10 error:
1. Hit the Windows key, type Control Panel, and click on Open.
2. Set View by > Large icons and click on User Accounts, as shown.
3. Next, click on the Change User Account Control settings option in the right pane.
4. In the User Account Control Settings, drag the slider down to Never notify.
5. Click on OK to save and exit. Try accessing the file now.
Also Read: How to Enable User Account Control in Windows Systems
Method 6: Create New User Account
If you continue to receive the Access is Denied error on your Windows 10 desktop/laptop, a corrupt user account might be causing this ruckus. You can try creating a new user account and accessing the file from it. A new account will be void of any user modifications and will have all the default permissions.
1. Press the Windows + I keys simultaneously to open Windows Settings.
2. Click on Accounts settings, as shown.
3. Go to the Family & other users tab and click on Add someone else to this PC button.
4. Now, enter the Email or phone number to create a new sign-in profile. Click on Next
5. Enter Username, Password & Security questions and answers in the subsequent screens.
6. Finally, click on Finish.
7. Now, press the Windows key. Here, click on the User icon > Sign out, as depicted below.
7. Now sign back in from the newly created account. Check if you can access the item now.
Also Read: How to Create a Local Account in Windows 11
Method 7: Change User As Administrator
Certain files/folders and some actions on Windows 10 can only be accessed or carried out by administrators. In order to gain access to all the files on your PC at once, add your user account in the administrator group. This will provide you with unlimited access and fix access denied error on Windows 10.
1. Hit the Windows key, type Computer Management, and click on Open.
2. Navigate to the System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users in the left pane.
3. In the right pane, right-click the user account from which you are facing the issue and select Properties option.
4. Go to the Member Of tab and click on the Add… button.
Note: If you find Administrators in the list of Member of section, then go directly to Step 7.
5. Type Administrators in the Select Groups window.
Note: You can click on Check Names to check the object name you entered.
6. Click on OK once your entry automatically changes.
7. In the Member Of tab, choose Administrators shown highlighted.
8. Click Apply followed by OK to save these changes.
9. Restart for good measure and try accessing the item again.
Pro Tip: Errors While Launching Command Prompt
Apart from the above scenarios, some users also encountered errors when trying to launch Command Prompt window. This issue can be resolved by:
- either pinning Command Prompt to the Start menu
- or launching it with administrative privileges as illustrated below.
Recommended:
- How to Fix Minecraft Error 0x803f8001 in Windows 11
- Fix WSAPPX High Disk Usage in Windows 10
- Fix Computers Not Showing Up on Network in Windows 10
- C:\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is Unavailable: Fixed
Hope the above methods helped you to resolve Access is denied error on Windows 10. Let us know which topic you want us to explore next. Reach out to us via comments section below.