You dont currently have permission to access this folder windows 10

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If you get You don’t currently have permission to access this folder message & are unable to access files or folders due to permission issues, then this post shows how to troubleshoot File and Folder permission issues in Windows 11/10/8/7. One of the main problems we face with Windows is its permissions issues! Most of them think it’s annoying. Here are a few tips which will help resolve such issues. Most of the time you might find it difficult to open files from an external hard drive after upgrading to Windows. In such cases, you could try to give permission to that folder.

You dont currently have permission to access this folder windows 10

1] Take Ownership of the folder or file

Most of the time the folder permission of the Owner would be set to “Trusted Installer”. In such cases, you’ll get this message “You don’t currently have permission to access this folder”. When you click on Continue, it will say File Access Denied. Try again.

You dont currently have permission to access this folder windows 10

In such cases, you could Take Ownership of the folder or file to open it or to get access to it. There are various methods to Take Ownership. The easiest way is to use the Take Ownership Shortcut on Context Menu.

You dont currently have permission to access this folder windows 10

Download and use Ultimate Windows Tweaker to add it easily to your right-click context menu.

One important thing you have to remember about this is that you should use it wisely. The reason I am stressing this point is that I have seen a lot of situations where people will try to Take Ownership of System files or folders. Altering permission might cause your system to crash.

For instance, you might see the Document and Settings folder under the C drive of a Windows computer. People who have upgraded from Windows XP might not know about “Users” instead of Document and Settings. So if they try to access it and will get the permission error. Document and Settings it’s just a junction point for compatibility with older programs. Always stay away from Windows, Program Files, etc.

2] Disable User Account Control

You dont currently have permission to access this folder windows 10

Let’s say you gave permission but it still fails to open or edit. The next thing I would do is turn off UAC or User Account Control. Sometimes UAC might block permission. Make sure to turn it back on once you have carried out the change.

  • Click the Windows Start button and then click Control Panel. The Control Panel appears
  • Select Large icons on the right-hand side under the View by menu (if you are not already in the Large icons view).
  • This will display the Control Panel features as icons. Locate and click on User Accounts.
  • The User Accounts panel appears.
  • Click the Change User Accounts Control Settings option. The User Accounts Control Settings dialog box appears.
  • Windows UAC settings have a slider to change between different notification levels
  • Change to Never notify

Note: A reboot of the computer will be required after choosing this setting.

Once you complete your Task change the slider to “Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer”.

Related: You need permission to perform this action.

3] Enable Built-in Administrator account

If disabling that UAC didn’t do the trick, the next steps are to Enable the Built-in Administrator account. Built-in Administrator is a hidden administrator account on Windows, which is created while installing the OS. There will be no restrictions on this account. Make sure you disable it after using it.

  • Click the Windows Start button and type in CMD
  • Right Click on CMD and click on Run as administrator
  • The command prompt will open up then type in
net user administrator /active:yes
  • Hit Enter you’ll get a message “Command ran successfully”.
  • Type net user administrator <Password>, and then press ENTER.
  • Please replace the <Password> tag with your passwords which you want to set to the administrator account.

To disable the administrator account type

net user administrator /active:no

4] Reset the default security permissions

If that fails then something is wrong with your Operating System. Sometimes registry settings might get messed up. In those cases, we could try to reset the default security permissions.

  • Click the Windows Start button and type in CMD
  • Right Click on CMD and click on Run as administrator.
  • The command prompt will open up then type in:
secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose

Check this Microsoft KB313222 for more info about this command.

Restart the computer and test it.

5] Run System File Checker

If that doesn’t help then try to run the System File Checker.

  • Click the Windows Start button and type in CMD
  • Right Click on CMD and click on Run as administrator
  • The command prompt will open up then type in SFC /SCANNOW and hit Enter.

If none of the above steps helped, then you might be looking at a corrupted operating system. Try to run a Repair Install or a Reset This PC.

TIPS:

  • Check this post on Unable to change File or Folder Permissions.
  • DropPermission is a freeware that may interest you.

I hope something helps!

You dont currently have permission to access this folder windows 10

Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP. Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.

How do I get permission to access a folder in Windows 10?

Setting Permissions.
Access the Properties dialog box..
Select the Security tab. ... .
Click Edit..
In the Group or user name section, select the user(s) you wish to set permissions for..
In the Permissions section, use the checkboxes to select the appropriate permission level..
Click Apply..
Click Okay..

How do I fix access denied folders in Windows 10?

Windows 10 "Access Denied" Folder Errors: 5 Easy Fixes.
Are You an Administrator? ... .
Fix Access Denied Errors by Taking Ownership. ... .
Review Folder Permissions. ... .
Double-Check Your Antivirus Settings. ... .
Check for File Encryption..

How do I enable permissions in Windows 10?

In Windows 10, use the Privacy page to choose which apps can use a particular feature. Select Start > Settings > Privacy. Select the app (for example, Calendar) and choose which app permissions are on or off.