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Having trouble getting to your computer files can be very frustrating. When a file has been moved or changed in some way, Access Denied Restricted Folder in Windows 11/10 often show up. You may also get an error message if you don’t have permission to access the document. You can fix the problem and see your files and programs with a number of tools.
This article will look at how to fix situations where you get the message “Access Denied.” We’ll talk about how to fix problems with getting to files in Windows 11, 10, and 7. Common ways to fix “Access Denied” errors are explained in the guide below.
How to Access Denied Restricted Folder in Windows 11/10
Decrypt File and Folder
- Choose the file and folder you want to decrypt.
- Right click on the folder and select properties.
- The first click on the general tab then clicks on the advanced button.
- Clear all the tabs, except “allows files in this folder to have contents indexed.” Then click OK & OK again.
Adding Your Account to The Administrator Group
- On your keyboard, press X+ windows key at the same time. It will open up the Win+ X menu.
- From the list, select computer management.
- When the windows open, go to local users and groups and select users. Now identify your account, double click on it in the left pane.
- Go to “member of” tab and click on “add” button.
- In the tab of “enter the object name to select,” write up your user name or administrator. Now click on change names and press “OK” if everything is okay.
Use Computer Management
- Right-click on the Start button and choose Computer Management.
- Expand Local Users and Groups, then open the Users folder
- Right-click on Administrator, then tap on Properties.
- Uncheck the box next to Account is disabled and press the Apply and the OK button on the bottom side.
- Click on the Groups folder in the left side, right-click on Administrator, then tap on Properties.
- Click on the Add button.
- Enter the word test in the opened window, click on Check Names, then press the Apply and the OK button in the current window as well as in the Properties window.
Check your permissions
- Locate the problematic directory, right-click on it, and choose Properties from the menu.
- Next, navigate to the Security tab and click the Edit button.
- Select your user name from the list and make sure that you check the box next to Full control for Allow column in the Permissions sections, then click OK.
- Press the Windows key + S , type in cmd, and right-click on the most relevant result to Run as administrator.
- When Command Prompt starts, run the command below. By doing so you’ll unlock the administrator account:
- Now log off of your account and switch to the newly enabled Administrator account. From there you should be able to access your files without any problems.
- After you’re done using the Administrator account, go back to your main account and start Command Prompt as administrator again as we did in the first step. Now enter this command to disable the Administrator account:
- net user administrator /active: no
Double-Check Your Antivirus Settings
Sometimes, your antivirus can be too protective and make it hard for you to get to files. If you’ve gone through the steps above and made sure that everything is fine with your file permissions, you might want to check your security tools next.
Check the settings of your antivirus program to see if there is a file shield, ransomware protection, or something similar. Try turning this off, and then try again to open the file. If it doesn’t work, turn off your antivirus for a short time and see if that helps.
Why Are You Getting the “Access Denied” Error?
Access denied error is a common problem on Windows systems. It means that you don’t have permission to look at the file or folder. This is because the current user account you are using on your computer has not been given permission to access the system. Simply put, you are accessing paths, folders, and files with an account that you don’t have permission to use.
This error can also be caused by problems with who owns a file or how a file is encrypted. There’s also a chance that your third-party antivirus software stopped you from getting in. For instance, some programs might think that a real setup wizard is a threat, which is usually a false positive.