How to Fix 'You Need Permission to Perform This Action' on Windows

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Troubleshooting steps to fix permission errors in Windows

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Check your user account type.

2 Check if another program is using the file.

3 Activate the built-in administrative account.

4 Run the program or file as an administrator.

5 Change the security permissions of the file or folder.

6 Change ownership of the file or folder.

7 Add yourself to the administrators group.

8 Change your account to an administrative account.

9 Make sure the folder or file isn’t locked.

10 Make a copy of the file or folder.

11 Change your User Account Control settings.

12 Disable third-party security software.

13 Try the action in Safe Mode.

14 Run a virus scan.

15 Run System File Checker and Chkdsk.

16 Uninstall and reinstall any problematic programs.

17 Reset Windows.

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Co-authored by Travis Boylls Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: September 29, 2025 Fact Checked

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Access control error messages like “You need permission to perform this action,” “file permission denied,” “cannot delete file,” and “folder access denied” are frustrating. This can happen when you try to copy, move, or delete a file or folder, or when you try to run, install, or uninstall a program. It could be that your Windows account doesn’t have administrative privileges, or you are trying to alter a system-critical file. The file or your system may also be corrupt, or you may have malware. This wikiHow article teaches you how to troubleshoot and fix permission issues in Windows 10 and 11.

Top Fixes for Windows Permission Errors

Make sure you are signed in with an account that has administrative privileges. If not, sign in as an administrator and give your user account administrative privileges. Adjust the permission settings for the file or folder or take ownership of it. Make sure there aren’t issues with the file or folder or Windows.

Steps

1

Check your user account type.

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1. 
   You may be signed in as a guest or a standard account. To check what type of account you have, press Win + R to open Run. Type “Control Panel” into Run and click OK. Click User accounts, followed by User Accounts again. Check what type of account you have under your username and email address to the left. If you have a standard or guest account, you may need to sign in as an administrator and make your account an administrative account. If you don’t have access to an administrative account, you may need to contact the system administrator and ask them to change your account type. The account types are as follows:

   • Administrator: An administrator has full access to the system and other user accounts. They can access and modify any file, install or uninstall programs, run any program, and make changes to the security settings.
   • Standard: A standard user can run programs and access their personal files. They can change settings that do not affect the entire system or other user accounts. They can run most programs installed on the computer, but may be restricted in what programs they can install and uninstall.
   • Guest: Guest accounts have minimum privileges. They are for users who need to use a computer temporarily. They cannot access private files, install programs, or make changes to the system.
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2

Check if another program is using the file.

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1. 
   Another program may be using the file and preventing you from opening it. Check the programs you have running in the taskbar. If you have the file open in another program (i.e., Photoshop, Photos), you’ll need to quit the program. Additionally, you can press Ctrl + Alt + Del and click Task Manager. Check if there are any programs running in the background that might use the file you want to open. If so, click the program and click End Task at the top to stop the program.

3

Activate the built-in administrative account.

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1. 
   You can use the administrative account to change your account and permission settings. If you are the owner of your computer and your main account is not an administrative account, you may be able to activate the built-in administrative account. You can then log in to the administrative account and change your local user account to an administrative account, access files, and install programs as an administrator. Use the following steps to activate the administrative account:

   • Click the Windows Start menu.
   • Type “CMD”.
   • Click Command Prompt.
   • Type “net user administrator /active:yes” and press Enter.
   • Restart your computer.
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4

Run the program or file as an administrator.

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1. 
   Using administrative privileges allows standard users to make administrative actions. If you get this error message while trying to run or install a program, you may be able to complete the action by running the file or program as an administrator. To do so, make sure you have the administrative account activated. Right-click the executable (“.exe” or “.msi” file) or right-click the program in the Windows Start menu. Click Run as administrator.

5

Change the security permissions of the file or folder.

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1. 
   The security permissions may be restricting your access to the file or folder. If you are signed into an administrative account, you may be able to change the security permissions to grant yourself (and other users) full permission to access or change the file or folder. Use the following steps to do so:

   • Right-click the file or folder.
   • Click Properties.
   • Click the Security tab.
   • Click Edit.
   • Click your username in the window at the top.
   • Click the checkbox next to “Full Control.”
   • Click Apply followed by Ok.
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6

Change ownership of the file or folder.

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1. 
   You may not be the owner of the file or folder. If Windows doesn’t have your user account listed as the owner of the file or folder you are trying to make changes to, you may get the “You need permission to perform this action” error message. Use the following steps to take ownership of the file or folder:

   • Right-click the file or folder.
   • Click Properties.
   • Click the Security tab.
   • Click Advanced towards the bottom of the Window.
   • Click Change next to “Owner” at the top.
   • Click Advanced at the bottom of the window (Windows 11).
   • Click Find Now on the side.
   • Select your account username and click Ok.
   • Click Ok again.
   • Check “Replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object” at the bottom.
   • Click Apply, followed by Ok.

7

Add yourself to the administrators group.

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1. 
   You may not have administrative privileges. If you're not using a standard account or using Windows Home Edition, you may be able to add yourself to the administrators group. This will give you permission to access all files and folders. Use the following steps to add yourself to the administrators group:

   • Right-click the Windows Start menu.
   • Click Computer Management.
   • Expand Local Users and Groups (this option is not available on Windows Home Edition).
   • Click the Users folder.
   • Right-click your username and click Properties.
   • Click the Member of tab.
   • Click Add.
   • Enter “Administrators” in the “Enter the object names to select” field.
   • Click Ok.
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8

Change your account to an administrative account.

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1. 
   Your account may not have administrative privileges. If you are using a standard account, you may be able to sign into the built-in administrative account and change your account type to an administrative account. To do so, restart your computer and select the administrative account on the sign-in screen. By default, the built-in administrative account does not have a password (if you cannot log into the administrative account, you will need to contact the administrator and have them change your account type). Once you are logged in as an administrator, use the following steps to change your account type:

   • Click the Windows Start button.
   • Click the Gear/Settings icon.
   • Click Accounts.
   • Click Other accounts.
   • Click your user account.
   • Click Change account type.
   • Select Administrator below “Account Type.”
   • Click Ok.
   • Restart your computer.
   • Sign in to your account.

9

Make sure the folder or file isn’t locked.

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1. 
   Another user may have password-protected the file or folder. If the file or folder was created by another user, they may have encrypted it. If this is the case, you will need to contact the original owner of the file or folder and ask them to share the password or unencrypt the file for you.
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10

Make a copy of the file or folder.

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1. 
   You may be able to bypass permission issues by copying the file or folder. When you copy a file or folder, the copy may not have the same restrictions that the original owner placed on it. Right-click the file or folder you are trying to access and click Copy. Then right-click any location on your computer and click Paste. Try to access the copy of the file or folder you made.

11

Change your User Account Control settings.

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1. 
   User Account Control settings may be interfering with your access. You can change or disable user account control settings in the Control Panel. Use the following steps to do so:

   • Click the Windows Start button.
   • Type “Control Panel.”
   • Click Control Panel.
   • Click User accounts.
   • Click User accounts again.
   • Click Change User Account Control Settings.
   • Drag the slider bar down to Never notify.
   • Click Ok.
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12

Disable third-party security software.

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1. 
   Third-party security software may be blocking your access. If you are running any sort of third-party security software, such as third-party antivirus programs, they may be blocking access to your files, folders, and software. Disable any third-party security software that is running and try the action again. To do so, press Ctrl + Alt + Del and click Task Manager. Select any third-party security software that is running and click End Task.

13

Try the action in Safe Mode.

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1. 
   There may be an issue with Windows. If there’s a problem with your Windows system, you may be able to complete the action in Safe Mode. Use the following steps to boot into Safe Mode:

   • Click the Windows Start menu.
   • Click the Gear/Settings icon.
   • Click System (Windows 11) or Update & Security (Windows 10).
   • Click Recovery.
   • Click Restart now under “Advanced Startup.”
   • Click Troubleshoot in Windows Recovery Environment.
   • Click Advanced options.
   • Click Startup Settings.
   • Click Restart.
   • Press 5.
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14

Run a virus scan.

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1. 
   You may have a virus or malware. Viruses and malware can corrupt your system and cause all kinds of errors. You can use Windows Defender to run a virus scan. Use the following steps to do so:

   • Click the Windows Start menu.
   • Type “Windows Security”
   • Click Windows Security.
   • Click Virus & threat protection.
   • Click Scan options.
   • Select Full scan.
   • Click Scan now.

15

Run System File Checker and Chkdsk.

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1. 
   The file or your system may be corrupt. Windows has several built-in file checkers you can use to scan your files and system folders and check for errors. Chkdsk can scan your disk for errors and attempt to repair them. Use the following steps to run System File Checker and Chkdsk:

   • Click the Windows Start menu.
   • Type “CMD.”
   • Right-click the Command Prompt and click Run as administrator.
   • Type “sfc /scannow” and press Enter.
   • Type “DISM/online/cleanup-image.restorehealth” and press Enter.
   • Type “chkdsk /r” and press Enter.
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16

Uninstall and reinstall any problematic programs.

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1. 
   There may be a problem with the software installation. If you are getting this error when trying to run a program or application, try uninstalling the application and reinstalling it. To reinstall the program, download the installation file from the software website or distributor. Use the following steps to uninstall an application:

   • Click the Windows Start menu.
   • Click the Gear/Settings icon.
   • Click Apps.
   • Click Installed Apps.
   • Click the icon with three dots (⋯) next to the app (Windows 11).
   • Click Uninstall.

17

Reset Windows.

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1. 
   Your Windows installation may be corrupt. If you’re getting this error message a lot, there may be a problem with your Windows installation. You may need to reinstall Windows. During the reset process, you are given the option to keep your files or erase everything. Try to keep your files first. If this doesn’t work, you may need to erase everything. If you have to erase everything, you will lose all the files and data on your computer. Be sure to back up your computer before resetting it. Use the following steps to reset your computer:

   • Click the Windows Start menu.
   • Click the Gear/Settings icon.
   • Click System (Windows 11) or Update & Security (Windows 10).
   • Click Recovery.
   • Click Get Started or Reset PC under “Reset this PC.”
   • Click Keep my files or Remove everything.
   • Click Next.
   • Click Reset.
   • Follow the instructions to reinstall Windows.
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