Fix Folder keeps reverting to Read Only for good
- A folder is reverting back to the Read-Only status. This problem most often occurred after installing Windows 10 updates, and in some cases, because of account permissions.
- The simplest solution is to change the permissions. Most of the time, some changes in permissions can make a folder read-only.
- If File Explorer is giving you a hard time, you can go to our Fix File Explorer errors hub for answers.
- We wrote thousands of articles about Windows 10, so if you encounter any problems, you will find a solution in our Complete guides on troubleshooting Windows 10 hub.
File and folder attributes are kept by Windows in the file system.
They are stored in the respective location with the file and folder name, extension, date and time stamp, and any other information available.
If you right-click on any given time on a folder and go to its proprieties, you’ll see a Read-Only check-mark.
It seems like many users reported that after they clear the check-mark, the folder is reverting back to the Read-Only status.
This problem most often occurred after installing Windows 10 updates, and in some cases, because of account permissions.
Nevertheless, an issue like this is very annoying and has to be dealt with.
What can I do if a folder reverts to Read-only in Windows 10? The simplest solution is to change the permissions.
Most of the time, some changes in permissions can make a folder read-only. Additionally, you can log in as an administrator or change the attribute of the folders.
For more info on how to do that, check the steps below.
How can I remove Read only from a folder in Windows 10?
If on your Windows 10 PC are more than one accounts, make sure that you’re trying to access the file or the folder from the Administrator account.
Because the folder was created by the admin account and you are trying to access it from a guest one, you won’t be able to make any changes to it.
So first, connect to your computer using the Administrator account.
Solution 1 – Change permissions
A lot of users have reported this problem. Because the majority of them confirmed that they solved it by changing the permissions, we suggest that you try this first.
If you are the only user on the Windows 10 PC, do the following to change the permissions:
- Find your C Drive, right-click it and then choose Properties.
- A new window will appear. Click on Security tab.
- In the bottom right, click Advanced. Then click on Change permissions.
- Choose the user that’s of interest to you and then click Edit.
- Under Applies to: drop-menu, choose This folder, subfolders and files.
- Under Basic permissions check Full control and click OK.
If there are more than one users on that computer, then follow these steps:
- Find your C Drive and double-click on it.
- You will see a Users folder. Double-click on it.
- Now you should see your users folder. Right-click it and choose Proprieties.
- Go to the Security tab, and in the bottom-right click Advanced.
- In the new window, in the bottom-left should see an Enable inheritance button. Click it.
After changing the permissions, the issue should be gone. If your still having problems, then go to the next solution.
You might also be interested in learning how to take ownership of a file or a folder on Windows 10
Solution 2 – Change the attributes
If a certain folder has the Read-only attribute, then a program can’t save files or make changes to it. To change the Read-only attribute to System by using the Attrib command in cmd, follow the steps:
- In the Windows search box type cmd. Right-click the result and choose Run as administrator.
- To remove the Read-only attribute and to set the System attribute, type in the following command
attrib -r +s drive:<path><foldername>. - Customize folders as some programs may not operate correctly with folders that have these attributes. To remove them, type
attrib -r -s c:<foldername>.
Keep in mind that removing the Read-only or the System attribute of a folder can cause some customization loss, but it’s not particularly important unless you have something specific in mind.
We hope that these solutions worked for you, as many other Windows 10 users confirmed them.
Don’t forget to leave any other questions you may have in the comments section below, and we’ll be sure to take a look.
Frequently Asked Questions
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That usually happens after a Windows 10 upgrade. Read-only is a file/folder attribute which gives permission only to a specific group of users to edit the files or folders. Read our exclusive guide to fix this problem.
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If you can’t change a folder from its read-only state, that means that you don’t have sufficient permissions to do so. Try to log in as an administrator and try again.
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You will need to change the file properties and permission. Check our easy step-by-step guide to fix this problem quickly.
