Skip to main content
Available 24/7 for Emergency Support
(727) 230-8000
Geeks in Sneaks
'Access denied' when opening folders you used before
Windows ProblemsIntermediate10-15 minutes

'Access denied' when opening folders you used before

Difficulty
Intermediate
Time
10-15 minutes
Category
Windows Problems

Getting 'Access denied' on folders you used to access? Here's how to regain access and fix folder ownership issues in Windows.

đź’ˇWhat's Happening

You're trying to open a folder you've used before—maybe on an external drive, a network location, or even on your own computer—and Windows says "Access denied" or "You don't currently have permission to access this folder". This is especially frustrating because you know you created these files or accessed this folder before.

Common causes include: moving a hard drive from another computer, Windows updates changing permissions, upgrading Windows while keeping your files, user account changes, or folders that were encrypted by a previous user account.

âś“Quick Checks

Before diving into fixes, check these:

  • Make sure you're logged in as an Administrator account (Settings → Accounts → Your info)
  • If this is an external drive, try unplugging and reconnecting it
  • Check if the folder is from a different computer—if so, the previous owner's permissions are still attached to it
  • If you recently reinstalled Windows, your old user account permissions won't match your new account

🔧Step-by-Step Fixes

Fix 1: Click 'Continue' to Permanently Gain Access

Sometimes Windows just needs confirmation that you want access to the folder.

  1. Double-click the folder you can't access
  2. Windows will show an "Access denied" message with a Continue button
  3. Click Continue
  4. Windows will add your account to the folder's permissions automatically
  5. Wait a moment—it might take 10-30 seconds if the folder has many files
  6. The folder should now open normally

If there's no Continue button, move to the next fix.

Fix 2: Take Ownership of the Folder

This manually grants you ownership and full access to the folder and all its contents.

  1. Right-click the folder and select Properties
  2. Go to the Security tab
  3. Click Advanced
  4. At the top next to "Owner:", click Change
  5. In the "Enter the object name to select" box, type your Windows username
  6. Click Check Names—if it underlines your name, you typed it correctly
  7. Click OK
  8. Check the box Replace owner on subcontainers and objects (this applies to all folders and files inside)
  9. Click Apply
  10. You might see warnings—click Yes/OK to proceed
  11. This might take a few minutes if there are many files
  12. Click OK to close all windows, then try opening the folder again

Fix 3: Grant Yourself Full Control Permissions

After taking ownership, you might still need to explicitly give yourself permissions.

  1. Right-click the folder and select Properties
  2. Go to the Security tab
  3. Click Edit
  4. Look for your username in the list
  5. If it's there, click it and check Allow next to Full control in the bottom section
  6. If your username isn't in the list:
    • Click Add
    • Type your Windows username and click Check Names
    • Click OK
    • Select your username and check Allow next to Full control
  7. Click Apply, then OK
  8. Close the Properties window and try opening the folder

Fix 4: Use Command Prompt to Force Ownership (Advanced)

If the graphical method doesn't work, Command Prompt can forcibly take ownership.

  1. Press Windows Key + X and select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin)
  2. Click Yes when User Account Control asks
  3. Type this command (replace the path with your actual folder path):
    takeown /f "C:\Path\To\Folder" /r /d y
  4. Press Enter (this might take several minutes for large folders)
  5. Then type this command to grant permissions:
    icacls "C:\Path\To\Folder" /grant YourUsername:F /t
    (Replace "YourUsername" with your actual Windows username)
  6. Press Enter and wait for it to complete
  7. Try accessing the folder again

Example: takeown /f "D:\My Documents" /r /d y

⚠️If Nothing Worked

If you still can't access the folder after trying these fixes:

  • Check if the folder is encrypted: If the folder name appears in green, it's encrypted with EFS (Encrypting File System). If it was encrypted by a different user account, you won't be able to access it without the encryption certificate from that account.
  • Try Safe Mode: Restart in Safe Mode (Settings → Recovery → Advanced startup) and try accessing the folder there. Safe Mode bypasses some permission restrictions.
  • Check disk errors: Open Command Prompt as Admin and run chkdsk D: /f (replace D: with your drive letter). Disk errors can cause permission problems.
  • Use a Linux Live USB: If you absolutely need the files and nothing else works, you can boot from a Linux USB drive and copy the files (Linux ignores Windows permissions).

đź“žWhen to Call a Pro

If the folder contains critical files (family photos, work documents, tax records) and you can't access them despite trying these fixes, don't keep experimenting—you risk permanently losing access or corrupting the data. A professional can use specialized tools to recover the files safely, especially if encryption is involved.

Also, if you're getting access denied errors on system folders (like C:\Windows or C:\Program Files), be very careful. You shouldn't need to access those folders normally, and forcing access could break Windows. If a program is asking you to access those folders, something else might be wrong that needs expert diagnosis.

Need Professional Help?

If you're in the Tampa Bay area and need hands-on assistance, Geeks in Sneaks provides friendly, on-site tech support in Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, and Dunedin.

Schedule a Visit

Related Topics

permissionsaccessownership

Need Professional Help?

If you're still having trouble, our expert technicians can help.

Learn about our pc repair service