Computer Tricks and Secrets

Short answer: when Windows says "Access Denied" or "You need permission," you can fix it by taking ownership of the file or folder and granting your account full control . Do it through the item's Properties > Security > Advanced dialog, or in one command with takeown and icacls . Here is how, safely. The safe warning first Only take ownership of files that are genuinely yours (like data left by an old user account or an external drive). Do not change ownership of core Windows system files, that can break the OS or create security holes. For your own locked-out data, though, this is exactly the fix. Method 1: the Properties dialog Right-click the file/folder > Properties > Security tab > Advanced . Next to Owner , click Change , type your username, click Check Names, then OK. Tick Replace owner on subcontainers and objects (for a folder), then Apply. Back on the Security tab, click Edit , select your user, and check Full control ...