How to fix 'You don't have permission to save in this location' error on Wiindows

When Windows displays the error 'You don't have permission to save in this location', this prevents you from saving files to the desired folders. There can be a number of reasons for this, ranging from lack of permissions to a folder to third-party programs conflicting.

If you can't figure out what's causing the error, follow these troubleshooting tips to eliminate the error.

1. Modify folder permissions

Since the error mostly appears due to lack of necessary permissions, the first thing you should do is modify the folder permissions to give yourself full control over the folder.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Right-click on the folder where you want to save the file and select Properties.
2. In the Properties window , switch to the Security tab.
3. Select your username from the list and click Edit to modify the folder permissions.
4. Select the Allow box next to Full control.
5. Click the Apply button , then click OK.

2. Change folder owner

If changing the folder permissions doesn't help, you can make yourself the owner of the folder. This will allow you to freely access, modify, and save files in that folder. Note that you can only do this if you are logged in with an admin account.

Follow these steps to change folder ownership on Windows:

1. Right-click on the folder whose ownership you want to change and select Properties.
2. In the Security tab , select Advanced.
3. Click Change next to Owner.

1. In the Enter the object name to select field , enter your username and click the Check Names button . Then, click OK.

1. Check the checkbox that says Replace owner on subcontainers and objects .
2. Click Apply and then click OK.

Once you take ownership of the folder, the permissions error should no longer bother you. If the above method does not work for some reason, you can use a third-party tool to take ownership of a folder on Windows. The biggest advantage is that these tools allow you to take ownership of multiple files at once.

3. Run the application with admin rights

Such errors can occur if the application or program you are using lacks the necessary permissions to access files on your PC. You can fix the problem by simply running the program with admin rights.

Right-click on the program without saving your file and select Run as administrator . Select Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.

Try saving your file to your desired folder. If the error persists, move on to the next solution. However, if this method works, you can configure Windows to always run your application with admin rights in a few steps.

4. Run the Program Compatibility troubleshooter

If running the application as admin doesn't help, you can turn to the Windows Program Compatibility troubleshooter for help. It will automatically detect and fix any compatibility issues with the program and help you fix it. Here's how to run the tool.

1. Right click on the program and select Troubleshoot compatibility.
2. In the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter window , select Troubleshoot program.
3. Check the checkbox that says The program requires additional permissions and click Next.

1. Click the Test the program button and try saving your file again.

5. Check your antivirus program

Sometimes, your PC's antivirus software can be overly cautious and prevent applications from accessing specific folders. When that happens, Windows may display an error message saying "You don't have permission to save in this location."

To fix this, you can go through your antivirus settings and whitelist your app or program from there. Alternatively, you can also temporarily disable your antivirus and then save your file. Make sure you turn your antivirus back on after saving the file.

6. Disable User Account Control

User Account Control (UAC) is a security feature on Windows that prevents applications and users from making system-level changes without permission. While this feature protects your PC from unwanted system changes, it can sometimes interfere with Windows processes and cause problems, such as the problem described here.

You can temporarily disable User Account Control on Windows to see if that fixes the error. Here's how you can do it.

1. Press Win + S to open the Search menu.
2. Type change user account control settings and select the first result that appears.
3. In the User Account Control Settings window , drag the slider to the bottom and click OK.

1. Select Yes when the User Account Control prompt appears.

After disabling User Account Control, check if you can save files to the desired folder.

7. Save the file in another location, then move it

One way to bypass the "You don't have permission to save in this location" error is to save the file in a different location, then move it to the desired folder. This is another workaround that you can use if the above methods don't work.

8. Troubleshooting in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a useful tool that can help you troubleshoot various problems with your PC. If none of the above methods work, you can try starting Windows in Safe Mode.

When you boot into Safe Mode, Windows runs with only the necessary drivers and programs. This will help you determine if the "You don't have permission to save in this location" error is caused by a third-party application or service running in the background.

There are several ways to boot Windows into Safe Mode. Use your preferred method to boot your PC into Safe Mode, then check to see if you can save files successfully. If this method works, it's likely that a program or service running in the background is causing the problem. Apps and programs you've recently installed are more likely to cause the problem.

In most cases, you can fix the 'You don't have permission to save in this location' error by modifying folder permissions or running the program with admin rights. Otherwise, you may have to resort to other methods listed above to fix this annoying error message.

Lesley Montoya

Update 22 January 2025