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You probably landed on this article because you were looking for a solution to this error:

“You don’t currently have permission to access this folder.”

If you encountered this problem after upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10, well, you are not alone. There are many users who experienced the same problem, which prevented them from accessing, deleting, or even renaming their files and folders. The same limitations exist even when the user has signed into their computer using an administrator account.

What Does the ‘You don’t currently have permission to access this folder’ Error Mean?

If you’ve dealt with the Error Code 0x80007005 in the past, the issue in question may seem familiar to you. Both errors are triggered by changes that take place along the process of upgrading to Windows 10.

It is possible that you had a legacy user in Windows 7. Keep in mind that this feature is no longer available on Windows 10. For this reason, the folders get locked automatically. This is your system’s way of telling you that you need to reassign the ownership of the folders.

Why Does the ‘You don’t currently have permission to access this folder’ Error Occur?

According to Microsoft, several factors can cause this issue:

  • Somehow, the user or group was removed from the list of allowed “Group or user names” on the Security tab of the folder.
  • An explicit “Deny” function has been applied by mistake to the user or group.
  • There is a conflict between the New Technology File System (NTFS) permissions and share permissions.

Don’t worry because there are several workarounds for this problem. If you want to know

how to fix the ‘You don’t currently have permission to access this folder’ error

, keep reading this article.

Solution 1: Changing the Ownership of the Folder

As we’ve mentioned, the folders got automatically locked after you upgraded to Windows 10. Now, you’re probably asking, “How do I fix permissions in Windows 10?” All you need to do is follow the instructions below:

  1. Right-click the affected folder, then select Properties.
  2. Go to the Security tab and look for the user name or group section.
  3. If you do not have access to that folder, click the Advanced button.
  4. Once you are in the Advanced Security Settings window, go to the Owner section at the top, then click the Change link. Doing so should bring up the User or Group window.
  5. Once the User or Group window is up, choose Advanced.
  6. Enter your User Account name, then click Check Names. You can also click the Find Now button. Once you see the list of available accounts, choose your account, then click OK.
  7. Remember to select the ‘Replace owner on subcontainers and objects’ option, then click OK to save the changes.

Solution 2: Deselecting the ‘Read Only’ Option

Before we proceed with the instructions, you have to know that this particular solution works only in rare cases. That said, there is no harm in trying it too. Here are the steps:

  1. Launch File Explorer, then right-click the affected folder.
  2. Select Properties from the options.
  3. Once the Properties window is up, deselect the Read Only option.
  4. Click OK and Apply to save the changes.

If you’re lucky, you might regain access to the affected folder. On the other hand, if the solution does not work, you will receive an error message that says, “Access is denied.” Nothing will be damaged, and the affected folder will simply stay locked. So, you do not need to worry about anything. What you can do is try the next solution.

Solution 3: Using Command Prompt

If you learn that you have several folders that are inaccessible, we suggest that you use Command Prompt to take ownership of the Windows root folder. To do that, simply follow the steps below:

  1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key+S.
  2. Now, type “Command Prompt” (no quotes).
  3. Right-click Command Prompt from the results, then select Run as Administrator from the options.
  4. Once Command Prompt is up, run the command below:

takeown /F “full path of folder or drive” /A /R /D Y

  1. Restart your computer.

Solution 4: Providing Permission to Everyone

If the previous methods did not work for you, you might still wonder, “How do I get permission to access a folder?” You can open the Properties window of the folder and provide permission to everyone. Here are the steps:

  1. Open File Explorer and right-click the affected folder.
  2. Select Properties from the options.
  3. Once the Properties window is up, go to the Security tab, then click the Edit button.
  4. Select Add, then type “everyone” (no quotes).
  5. Click Check Names, then click OK.
  6. Go to the Allow section, then select Everyone.
  7. Now, choose Full Control.
  8. Click Apply and OK.

If you’ve tried all the solutions we provided and yet you cannot open your folders, perhaps it is time to check if your PC has been infected by viruses or malware. Somehow, malware has found its way to your computer, preventing you from accessing your folders. To determine if this is the case, we recommend using a powerful security software program like Auslogics Anti-Malware.

Keep in mind that malware can cause serious computer malfunctions, slowdowns, or even a full system crash. So, it is advisable to run a full scan of your PC, using Auslogics Anti-Malware. This way, you can neutralize the threats and bring your computer back to safety.

What’s great about Auslogics Anti-Malware is it can detect malicious items that your main anti-virus may miss. Moreover, it is designed not to conflict with Windows Defender. As such, you can reinforce your security and keep your computer safe and secure.

Can you think of other methods that can help you regain access to your folders?

Please do not hesitate to share them in the comments section below!