The permissions on the Windows folders are really complex and it is very frequent to receive errors such as " Access denied ", especially if we create many users on the PC and we tweak in the folder settings (but rest assured sometimes the permissions change without having done anything!). File permissions are used to give permissions to read, open, edit or delete files and folders .
For some Windows folders we can see the padlock icon; this means they have a security policy and limited permissions.
It is not uncommon to receive the error message " Unable to access ... " " Access denied ", even if you are on the PC administrators card, perhaps because you wanted to prevent another computer user from being able to open a file or folder.
We see in this guide how to manage folder permissions in Windows, so as to have full access to files and folders, indicating at the end of the guide also a quick modification tool for these permissions for each folder in an easier and faster way.
READ ALSO: Create and manage user accounts on Windows
The access denied error in Windows is quite frequent due to authorization problems; like any good modern PC there are some files and folders that can only be opened and used by computer administrators.
To improve Windows security, Microsoft has also denied administrators access to certain folders; the only way to fix this is to change the permission to open and edit a file or folder.
Authorization and ownership are two different things: by giving everyone ( Everyone ) permission to a folder, you will gain complete control of it.
However, only the owner can assign permission to other users registered as accounts in Windows.
1) Change owner
The computer administrator can change the Owner of a file or folder in the following way:
(The administrator may also not be the owner of a Windows folder or file when the owner is System, i.e. the permissions assigned to folders and files essential for the system to function).
To change the owner, right click on any file or folder, select Properties, go to the Security tab and press the Advanced button.
Next we have to press the Change button.
We will be shown a strange search window, in which we will have to enter the name of our account (if we do not remember precisely, we can use the Search name button to get the exact account name).
At the end, just confirm to be able to become the owner of that file or folder.
On Windows 7 and 8.1 the steps are similar, we will only have to go to the Owner tab, open the list of selectable owners and, if absent, go to Other users or groups, press on Advanced and then on Find to have the complete list of users and groups to choose from for the new owner.
READ ALSO: Change owner of folders in Windows (also TrustedInstaller)
2) Change permissions and access
Assuming to use the computer with an Administrator user and we wanted to add or block a user when accessing a specific folder, let's see how to change the permissions of files and folders .
An administrator who cannot access a folder does not have permission and finds the " Access Denied " error even if he is the owner of the file.
To take full authorization of a file or folder just right-click on it, bring us to Security and press the Edit button.
Select the Administrators user and check that the Full Control item under the Allow column is enabled, so as to assign all the permissions, then click Apply and OK .
On Windows 10 it may be a good idea to assign Full Control permissions also to Authenticated Users, who are users with Microsoft accounts associated with the system.
When finished, press OK .
Enabling Full Control you get read, write, modify and delete permissions; unfortunately you could still receive the Access Denied error by making these changes, because you do not have permission to change the permissions.
To resolve let's go back to the Security tab, press on Advanced, go to the Permissions tab and note that your account does not have complete control.
If we own the file or folder, press the Add button, then click Select an entity and enter Administrators or the name of your account, then put the check mark on Full control to be able to unlock all permissions to the file or folder.
READ ALSO: Manage the permissions of shared folders
3) Block access and permissions for specific users
And if we wanted to prevent access to a specific folder or file for a specific PC user "> prevent the deletion of a file.
4) Quickly unlock locked files
All these complicated procedures are usually done occasionally to delete undeletable files or to open system files.
To do this first, we can use tools such as unlocking files and deleting them even if they cannot be deleted, such as the program offered by IObit Unlocker and downloadable from here -> IObit Unlocker.
Once installed on the PC, simply click the Add button at the bottom to select the locked file or folder and let the program act, which will try to make the files accessible again by automatically setting the right permissions or by closing any programs or processes that keep "hostage" the file or folder.
5) NTFS Permission Tool
To manage the permissions of folders or files in a much simpler way we can download the portable program (which does not require installation) and free NTFS Permission Tool .
To download the latest version of the program just click here -> NTFS Permission Tool .
By default the tool is in English; if it were in Japanese go to change the language by clicking on the first menu from the left (it would be File), the penultimate item (or the second from the bottom).
I really recommend downloading this program because it makes managing permissions and permissions in Windows really easy and immediate .
Just drag a file or folder on the interface to change the permission for all accounts registered on the PC.
We can also change the owner and, by pressing the right button on the element to be configured, copy and paste the permissions as well as access an Advanced menu that makes it easier to organize the permissions, especially if you need to set different permissions for each user of the computer.
If you find yourself going crazy behind the permissions, authorizations, inheritances and how they spread to the subfolders and files included, this small quick modification program of the permissions will become truly indispensable; network administrators will thank!
READ ALSO: Programs to protect files and folders with passwords .
