If you encounter the error message ‘Unable to save permission changes, Access is denied‘ on your Windows 11 PC, read this post to learn how to fix it. Seeing this error is a common issue in Windows, but it can occur under various circumstances. The root cause usually concerns permission settings, user roles, or security restrictions.
For example, you may encounter the error while trying to change permissions on files or folders without sufficient administrative privileges, when attempting to modify system-protected files, or if the file is in use by another process. The error can also occur with write-protected external drives or if Group Policy restrictions are in place in corporate environments.
The complete error message reads:
Unable to save permission changes on [filename].
Access is denied
Fix Unable to save permission changes, Access is denied
To fix the error message Unable to save permission changes, Access is denied in Windows Security of Windows 11/10, use these solutions:
- Take Ownership of the file or folder
- Restore permissions to default
- Enable the hidden Administrator account
Before you begin, we recommend that you create a system restore point so that you can reverse the system changes if they do not work as you want them to.
1] Take Ownership of the file or folder
There are multiple ways to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows 11. Let us cover them one by one.
A] Using Advanced Security Options in File Explorer
This is the easiest and most user-friendly way to take ownership of a file or folder through the graphical interface.
Ensure you’re running File Explorer (or the tool you’re using to modify permissions) with administrator privileges. Right-click the file/folder and select Properties. Go to the Security tab and click Advanced.
In the Advanced Security Settings window, click Change next to the owner’s name.
Enter your user account name in the Select User or Group window or select Advanced > Find Now to select it from the list.
Your name will reflect as the new owner of the file or folder in the Advanced Security Settings window. Check Replace owner on subcontainers and objects to take ownership of all subfolders and files within the folder. Click OK, return to the Security tab, and then try modifying the permissions again.
B] Using the TAKEOWN Command:
If you’re dealing with system files or multiple files, the takeown command is a quick way to take the ownership.
Open Command Prompt as an administrator and execute the following command:
takeown /F "file_or_folder_path" /R /D Y
while replacing “file_or_folder_path” with the full path of the file (with extension) or folder you want to take ownership of.
The /F flag specifies the file, /R is for recursive ownership (subfolders and files), and /D Y forces acceptance of ownership without prompt.
Once done, you can use other commands to set permissions for the file.
C] Using the ICACLS Command
While icacls generally handles permissions, it can also take ownership of files and folders in Windows.
Open Command Prompt as an administrator and execute the following command:
icacls "file_or_folder_path" /setowner "owner_name" /T /C
while replacing “file_or_folder_path” with the path to the file or folder whose ownership you want to change.
The /setowner flag changes the owner of the file/folder to the specified user, the /T flag ensures that permissions or ownership changes are recursively applied throughout the entire directory structure, and the /C flag continues the operation despite any errors (file lock, permission issue, etc.).
2] Restore permissions to default
By resetting the file or folder’s permissions to their original state (what they were when Windows was first installed or when the file or folder was created), you can eliminate any custom settings that might be blocking access or modifications to the file, causing the ‘Access is denied’ error.
To reset file or folder permissions to default, open Command Prompt using admin privileges and execute the following command:
icacls "file_or_folder_path" /reset /T /C
You may also use a graphical utility called Reset NTFS file permission to reset NTFS file permissions in Windows.
3] Enable the hidden Administrator account
The hidden Administrator account is a built-in Windows account with higher-level privileges that allow full control over the system. It can force ownership and permission changes on files or folders that might be restricted to even regular administrators.
To enable the hidden Administrator account, execute the following command in an elevated Command Prompt:
net user administrator /active:yes
Once enabled, log in to Windows using this account (it becomes visible on the login screen) and then attempt to change the file permissions.
Read: Access denied, Error deleting File or Folder in Windows.
Unable to save permission changes on Wuauserv
The Wuauserv service manages Windows Updates on a Windows 11/10 PC. This service is protected by the OS and changing its permissions without the right privileges can lead to the ‘Access is denied’ error. To fix the error, take ownership of the Wuauserv service and then change the permissions. Please note that this may expose your system to security vulnerabilities, so do this only if absolutely necessary.
Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Locate Windows Update in the list and stop the service (right-click > Stop).
Next, press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv
Right-click on the ‘wuauserv‘ folder in the left panel and choose Permissions. In the Permissions window, click Advanced. Next to the Owner field, click Change.
In the Select User or Group window, type your username, click Check Names, and then click OK.
Back in the Advanced Security Settings window, check Replace owner on subcontainers and objects. Click OK to close the dialog box.
After taking ownership, you can modify the permissions. Once you’re done, restart the Windows Update service.
Unable to save permission changes The media is write protected
The error ‘Unable to save permission changes on [file/folder]. The media is write protected’ occurs when you try to modify existing file or folder permissions on a storage device that is write-protected. It could be a USB drive, an external hard drive, SD card, or sometimes even an internal drive. To fix the issue, use the Diskaprt utility to remove the write protection from the drive.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and execute the following command in the Command Prompt window, one after the other:
diskpart
The above command will launch the Diskpart tool. Next, execute:
list disk
You will see a list of all connected disks. Next, execute:
select disk X
In the above command, replace ‘X’ with the number corresponding to the disk that’s giving the error. Next, execute:
attributes disk clear readonly
This will clear write protection from the disk (if the write protection is specifically applied to a single volume on the disk, then you may need to clear it at the volume level as well).
Finally, execute exit to exit Diskpart.
Unable to save permission changes on USB access is denied
The error ‘Unable to save permission changes on USB. Access is denied’ occurs when you try to modify file or folder permissions on a USB drive but don’t have the necessary privileges. Check if the USB drive is write-protected through a physical switch or software settings, and disable any write protection if applicable. Consider taking ownership of the USB drive by accessing its properties and adjusting permissions accordingly. Additionally, connect the USB drive to a different USB port or computer to rule out hardware issues.
How do I get permission to access a file in Windows 11?
To get permission to access a file in Windows 11, you need to use an administrator account to take ownership of the file and grant yourself the required permissions (e.g., full control). This account has the necessary privileges to modify file ownership and permissions. You can verify your account’s administrative status by going to the Settings app and navigating to Accounts > Your info section.
How do I fix permission denied in Windows 11?
Contact your system administrator to adjust the policies or gain appropriate access rights if you’re part of a workgroup or domain. If you’re the administrator, take ownership of the file or folder and adjust the security permissions. To avoid conflicts caused by active processes or security software, try modifying file permissions in Safe Mode. This mode loads only essential system files and drivers, reducing interference and making it easier to change permissions or troubleshoot access issues.
Read Next: File in use, The action can’t be completed because the file is open in another program.
