Windows protect your files and folders from unauthorized access. However, sometimes while protecting the data, it can create unwanted trouble for you. In such a scenario, you may have errors like, You need permission to perform this action in Windows 10.
Such warnings are not only because of unauthorized access but can also be caused by a broken registry, malware, third-party antivirus software, or some glitch in the system. You need to try different fixes to get rid of the ‘You do not have permission to open this file/folder’ error and perform the required action on the files/folder again.
14 Solutions To Fix ‘You Need Permission To Perform This Action’ in Windows 10
As mentioned above, there are many reasons one can have issues while opening, deleting, or modifying a file or folder. You can also experience a permission error while installing new software on your computer. And as there is no one reason for ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10, the list of solutions is long. Check out all the working solutions to fix the issues with permissions on your Windows 10 PC.
1. Disable Antivirus
Some third-party antivirus software can cause the permissions error on your Windows computer and can also give you the access denied error message. You can disable the third-party antivirus software on your PC temporarily to check if it resolved the issue.
If you can perform the required action on the file/folder after disabling the antivirus software, you can uninstall it entirely from your system. However, if you have already paid for it, you need to speak with the support and resolve it. We recommend using antivirus software from a trusted source to have guaranteed protection for your computer.
2. Try Reinstalling the Software
If you face trouble while installing any specific software, the issue can be with the downloaded file and not with your system. You can download the file again from a trusted source and then try reinstalling it.
However, suppose the application is already installed on your device and is giving ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10 error. In that case, you can uninstall it first and then install it again.
To uninstall the application that is giving trouble, launch the Settings app by pressing Windows key + I. Now, go to the Apps and search for the affected software.
When the software comes up, click on it, and then click on Uninstall.
Once the software is uninstalled, download it from the trusted source and start with the installation process. If a glitch is causing the software not to function properly, reinstalling it will fix the issue.
3. Run SFC and DISM Scan
The damaged and corrupted system files can cause issues with permissions. You can use the SFC (System File Checker) utility provided by Windows 10 to scan and fix such damaged system files. To use this utility, you need to open the command prompt terminal.
Type cmd in the Start menu and right-click on the Command Prompt from the search result. Click on Run as administrator from the context menu.
In the command prompt terminal, type sfc /scannow command and press Enter.
The command execution may take time, do not close the command prompt or shut down your device in between. Once the command is executed, try performing the action on the files, folders, or applications and check if it is still having issues with permissions.
If you are experiencing problems again, you can execute the DISM command after the SFC scan to repair the Windows. Open the command prompt as administrator again and execute the below command.
DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
Check if ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10 error is resolved or not.
4. Take Ownership of the Folder/File
You can get issues with permissions if you don’t own the file or folder you are trying to open, delete, or modify. In such cases, you can take ownership of the file/folders. This can work if you are getting an access denied warning message while opening or deleting any file or folder. The ownership of any type of file or folder can be taken by following the below steps.
Step 1: Right-click on the folder/file and select Properties.
Step 2: Navigate to the Security tab and click on the Advanced button there.
Step 3: In the Advanced Security Settings window, click on Change.
Step 4: In the Select User or Group window on your screen, click on Advanced.
Step 5: Now, click on the Find Now button to display all the users below.
Click on your username. Optionally, you can select Everyone as well if it is not a crucial file. And then click on, OK.
Step 6: You will now see the account name you selected under ‘Enter the object name to select.’ Click on Check Names and then on OK.
Step 7: Now, click on Add to add permissions to the account you have selected.
Step 8: On the next window, click on Select a principal.
Step 9: Now, follow step number 6 and step number 7 to add the account name.
Select Type as ‘Allow’ and Applies to as ‘This folder, subfolders, and files’ and then give full control to the account by checking all the checkboxes under ‘Basic permission.’ You won’t be able to check Special permissions, so ignore that option.
Click on OK.
Once done, check if you can perform the required action on the folder. If you still get ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10 error, try taking ownership of the file or folder using the command prompt terminal.
5. Use Command Prompt to Take the Ownership
If you didn’t take the ownership manually or are more comfortable with the command prompt, you could use commands to change the affected file/folder ownership.
Right-click on the affected file/folder and go to the General tab. There check the location and copy-paste it in the Notepad for future reference.
Now, type cmd in the Start menu and then right-click on the Command Prompt. Select Run as administrator.
When the command prompt terminal opens, type in the below command and press Enter.
takeown /f “C:\Users\Urvi\Revisions” /r /d y
Here, you can add your own file path along with the file/folder name in the double-quotes. After the execution of the above command is done, execute the other command given below.
icacls “C:\Users\Urvi\Revisions” /grant administrators:F /T
Add the folder/file path in double-quotes in this command as well. Once you finish executing both the commands, perform the required action, and check if you can do so without any errors.
6. Restart Computer in Safe Mode
You can restart your computer in safe mode and perform the required action there. If some application or driver is preventing you from performing the action like delete, update, or open, the safe mode will fix it.
In safe mode, you can perform the action on the affected file or folder without ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10 error. There are many different ways to reboot in safe mode. You can refer to the guide on Windows 10 safe mode to know how to do it in all possible ways.
7. Add your Account to the Administrators Group
If you are working on the file or folder using the non-administrator user account, you can get the access denied errors. In such a scenario, you can add your current account to the administrator group and get the privileges to get rid of ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10 error.
Step 1: Press Windows key + X from your keyboard and open Computer Management. You can also search for it in the Start menu.
Step 2: In the Computer Management screen, go to System Tools ➜ Local Users and Groups ➜ Users and then double-click on the account name you are using currently.
Step 3: Go to the Member Of tab and click on Add.
Step 4: Now, add the Administrators group to the Enter the object names to select. You can refer to the above solution for help or simply add Administrators after the computer name.
Step 5: Select the Administrators group and click on Apply, followed by OK.
Now, check if you can modify the affected file or folder.
8. Make the Current User Account as Administrator
If you don’t wish to add your account to the administrator group, you can make it an administrator account fully. Your account will have all the administrator privileges after doing this.
Step 1: Press Windows key + R to open Run, type control userpasswords2 there, and click OK to open User Accounts.
Step 2: In the User Accounts dialog box, go to the Users tab and click on your username (account name).
Step 3: Click on Properties.
Step 4: Now, go to the Group Membership tab and select the Administrator option. Click on Apply and then OK to make your current account the administrator account.
After making these changes, restart your device and log in again. You may now be able to perform the required set of actions without having ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10 error.
9. Fix the Windows 10 Registry
The registry in Windows 10 stores crucial information about settings and other applications. If the registry is damaged, you may not be able to do many things on your computer. Well, this includes troubles in permission while deleting, opening, or modifying a file/folder or even installing an application.
You need to fix the registry when it is damaged or corrupted so that your Windows machine can run smoothly. Our guide on how to fix the registry can help you fix it quickly and conveniently. Once the registry is fixed, you can access the files/folder/drive without any issues with the security permission.
10. Scan for Virus and Threats using Windows Security
You need to scan for viruses and threats residing on your computer and get rid of them to fix the ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10 error. If you don’t have third-party antivirus or have disabled it, you can scan for viruses using the Windows Security feature. It is a built-in feature that comes along with all the Windows 10 PCs.
Step 1: Press Windows key + I by using the keyboard and launch the Settings app.
Step 2: Now, go to the Update & Security option and click on Windows Security
Step 3: In Windows Security settings, click on Virus & threat protection option.
Step 4: Click on the Scan options link when the new Windows Security window opens.
Step 5: Select the Full scan option to thoroughly scan your device for viruses and malware and then click on Scan Now to start the scanning process.
If you are specifically facing issues with the folder and have less time in hand, you can opt for Quick scan as well.
Windows will scan and remove the viruses and threats from your PC. After you are done scanning, you can check if you can perform the required action or not.
11. Perform a Clean Boot
You can experience ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10 error if any third-party application is a culprit. Well, a clean boot can help you find a trouble maker.
Step 1: Type msconfig in the Start menu and open System Configuration from the search result.
Step 2: Navigate to the Services tab and check the checkbox next to ‘Hide all Microsoft services.’
Step 3: Click on Disable all button to disable all services which are not Microsoft.
Step 4: Now, go to the Startup tab and click on the Open Task Manager.
Step 5: Go to the Startup tab and disable all the services and applications which are unwanted in the Task Manager window.
Close all the windows, make sure your click on OK in System Configuration to save the changes. Restart the PC and check if you can make changes to the folder, file, or drive that was giving issue previously.
You can then enable services and software one by one to find the culprit. The process may take time, but you will have the troublemaker application post doing this.
12. Check Disk for Errors
You can check for the bad sectors in the drive using the chkdsk command in Windows 10. If the issue is because of some corrupt part in your drive, you may not perform the desired action.
Open the command prompt with administrator user privileges as shown above and execute the below command.
chkdsk c: /f /r
You can replace C with the drive letter you are facing issues with.
You may need to restart your PC so that the disk can be checked for errors and also fixed by Windows. Hence, close all the windows and save all the pending tasks before executing the command.
13. Use Unlocker Software
If nothing from above helps you make the changes to the file or folder, you can try using the Unlocker software. With the help of this program, you can rename, change, or delete a folder/file easily, which is prevented or blocked by Windows. The software is free to use and work in case of access denied errors as well.
Once downloaded, extract the folder and install the Unlocker program. Make sure you uncheck the checkbox that installs the delta toolbar.
After installing the Unlocker, open it, and then navigate to the location that has the affected file or folder.
You can then click on the drop-down menu to select the action you want to perform. Click on OK to confirm your selection.
This can be a useful program if you just wish to delete, rename, or move the file or folder.
14. Clean install Windows 10
You can install Windows 10 again to get rid of ‘You need permission to perform this Action’ in Windows 10 error. However, before you start the installation process, make sure you backup all your data, as it can erase all your personal files from your device. You can make use of installation media to clean install Windows 10.
If you don’t want to follow the lengthy process of clean installation, you can simply reset or refresh your PC. After doing this, you can access files, folders, applications, and drives without any permission issues.
Conclusion
Windows 10 does not allow unauthorized access to any files, folders, applications, or settings. You need the right access and credentials to modify or open a certain part of the Windows system. However, this can cause frustration when you have all the right access and privileges, but then too, you cannot perform certain functions and actions on your device.
With the above list of solutions, you can quickly fix the error, You need permission to perform this Action in Windows 10 error. The guide also provides you an option to use third-party software to perform a certain action on the affected file or folder.
