Fix: Folder keeps reverting to Read Only error on Windows 10

by Vlad Turiceanu
Vlad Turiceanu
Vlad Turiceanu
Editor-in-Chief
Passionate about technology, Windows, and everything that has a power button, he spent most of his time developing new skills and learning more about the tech world. Coming... read more
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  • 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.
how to fix Folder Keeps Reverting to Read Only

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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.

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NOTE
A shared folder keeps resetting to read-only

Speaking about updates, shared folders are more prone to be impacted by this erratic behavior than others.

Thus, if a shared folder keeps resetting to read-only after having installed a Windows update, you might want to revert that problematic file.

In addition, running SFC and DISM scans to make sure you address any potential signs of corruption can prove very useful.

Now, an issue like this is very annoying and has to be dealt with. Many users wonder: How do I stop a folder from being read-only?

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 to fix folder keepsreverting to read-only on Windows 10?

  1. Change permissions
  2. Change the attributes

If on your Windows 10 PC is more than one account, 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.

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So first, connect to your computer using the Administrator account.

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:

  1. Find your C Drive, right-click it and then choose Properties.
  2. A new window will appear. Click on Security tab.folder reverting to read only
  3. In the bottom right, click Advanced. Then click on Change permissions.change permissions folder read only
  4.  Choose the user that’s of interest to you and then click Edit.
  5. Under Applies to: drop-menu, choose This folder, subfolders and files.
  6. Under Basic permissions check Full control and click OK.

If there are more than one users on that computer, then follow these steps:

  1. Find your C Drive and double-click on it.
  2. You will see a Users folder. Double-click on it.users folder read only folder windows 10
  3. Now you should see your users folder. Right-click it and choose Proprieties.
  4. Go to the Security tab, and in the bottom-right click Advanced.folder changes to read only windows 10
  5. In the new window, in the bottom-left should see an Enable inheritance button. Click it.enable inheritance folder keeps reverting to read only

After changing the permissions, the issue should be gone. If your still having problems, then go to the next 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:

  1. In the Windows search box type cmd. Right-click the result and choose Run as administrator.folder reverts to read only
  2. To remove the Read-only attribute and to set the System attribute, type in the following command attrib -r +s drive:<path><foldername>.
  3. 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.

If you are still experiencing issues with permission opening files, this guide may help you fix the problem.

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • You will need to change the file properties and permission. Check our easy step-by-step guide to fix this problem quickly.

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