The “Read Only” option is a valuable feature when you want to protect your folders from accidental or intentional tampering. However, it can be frustrating when a folder keeps reverting to “Read Only” despite turning off this feature. This can significantly slow down your work or prevent you from completing your tasks altogether.
If you are not sure what to do about this problem, you have come to the right place. Read on to find out why your folder keeps reverting to “Read Only” and what to do about it.
How to fix folders becoming read-only again
When a folder keeps reverting to “Read Only”, there are several potential culprits. The problem could lie in one of the following:
- The user account
- The folder itself
- A third party application
- The Windows system
Unfortunately, there is no way to diagnose the problem and go directly to the solution. Therefore, we suggest that you try these methods one by one until you find the one that works for you.
Access the folder using the administrator account
Permissions are an important feature of Windows that can allow or block certain operations. Users with administrator permissions typically have unlimited access, while others have restrictions on what they can do.
Check your permissions if there is more than one account on your PC. A folder created by the administrator account cannot be modified by a guest account. Therefore, make sure you log in with the Administrator account. That is how:
- Navigate to the command prompt by typing “
cmd” in the search box.
- Right-click on the command prompt and choose the “Run as administrator” option.
- Type the following command:
net user administrator /active:yes
Once you are active as an administrator, try accessing the folder again.
Change user permissions
Sometimes permission settings can be changed without your knowledge, causing problems accessing and modifying specific folders. Fortunately, you can quickly grant yourself the necessary permissions, regardless of the number of users.
If you are the only user on your PC, follow these steps to change permissions:
- Double-click the “This PC” icon on your desktop.
- Right-click the “Local Disk (C:)” folder and select “Properties” at the bottom of the menu.
- Go to the “Security” tab.
- Click the “Advanced” button in the lower right corner.
- Tap the “Change Permissions” button.
- Select the user whose permissions you want to change.
- Press the “Edit” button in the lower left corner.
- Check the “Full Control” box under “Basic Permissions.”
- Click “OK” at the bottom right.
When there are more users on a PC, these steps should work:
- Double-click the “This PC” icon on your desktop.
- Open the “Local Disk (C:)” folder.
- Navigate to the “Users” folder.
- Locate your user folder and right click on it.
- Select “Properties” from the drop-down menu.
- Tap the “Security” tab.
- Press the “Advanced” button at the bottom right.
- Click the “Enable Inheritance” button in the lower left corner.
- Save your changes by clicking the “Apply” button at the bottom right.
Change folder attributes
If you are having trouble modifying a folder, the folder itself could be to blame. The folder you are trying to access may contain a “read-only” command in its attribute. As a result, no user can make changes or save new files.
Follow these steps to remove the folder attributes command:
- Guy “
cmd” in the Windows search bar. - When the command prompt appears in the results, right-click on the icon and select the “Run as administrator” option.
- Remove the “Read Only” attribute from the folder by typing the following command with Your profile name and folder name:
attrib -r /s C:\Users\[profile name]\Desktop\[folder name]
attrib -r /s drive:<directory path><folder’s name>
Disable the Controlled Folder Access feature
Sometimes the directory you are trying to change has the Controlled Folder Access feature enabled by default. This feature places restrictions on the actions you can perform within a folder.
To disable controlled folder access, do the following:
- Type “Windows Security” in the search bar and click its icon.
- Select “Virus and threat protection” in the left panel.
- Click “Manage Settings.”
- Navigate to the “Controlled Folder Access” p.
- Tap the “Manage controlled folder access” option.
- Change the “Controlled Folder Access” option to “Off.”
- Restart your PC.
Uninstall third-party security applications
It is not uncommon for antivirus software or third-party security applications to change a folder’s settings if they perceive it as a threat. As a result, the folder may keep returning to “Read Only” status every time you start your PC.
To avoid this, you should uninstall any untrustworthy third-party security applications.
- Press the shortcut “Windows + R” to launch the Run dialog box.
- Guy “
appwiz.cpl”And press “Enter” to open the “Uninstall a program” list.
- Locate the application you want to uninstall.
- Right-click on the app and select the “Uninstall” option from the drop-down menu.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
- Reboot your system.
Repair corrupt files
Corrupt files can cause a folder to constantly revert to “Read Only.” To repair corrupt files and restore the health of your system, you can run an SFC or DISM scan on your system.
An SFC (System File Checker) scan checks and repairs Windows system files. If the scan detects a modified or corrupted file, it automatically replaces it with the correct version.
A DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scan detects and repairs corrupt files in the Windows system image. This is the most powerful Windows diagnostic tool.
You should perform these scans from time to time, even if you are not experiencing any corruption problems.
To run an SFC scan, do the following:
- Open the search bar and type “
cmd.” - Right-click on the Command Prompt icon and click on the “Run as administrator” option.
- Type the following command:
sfc /scannow
Do not close the command prompt until the scan is complete. Upon completion, you will receive one of the following messages:
- Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
- Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
- Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to repair some of them.
The first message means that your folder problems are not related to the system file. The second message means that your issue has potentially been resolved. Go to the desired folder again to quickly check if that is the case.
If you see the third message, it’s time to perform a DISM scan:
- Repeat steps 1-3.
- Type the following command:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth - If the first scan does not identify any damage, run a more advanced scan by typing the following command:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Suppose any of the scans identify a problem with the system image. In that case, you can repair these problems by writing the Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth domain.
After the scans and repairs are complete, reboot your system and run an SFC scan again. Hopefully, you will receive the second message and resolve your folder issues.
Read less and do more
Making a “Read Only” folder is perfect for protecting its integrity. Beyond that, this option can only complicate your life if you try to work using the files inside that folder. Fortunately, you can try the simple solutions described above and you’ll be back to work in no time.
