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To take ownership of a file or folder in Windows 10 or 11, open its Properties > Security > Advanced settings and change the owner. If you still cannot perform the task afterward, change the object’s permissions separately. You can also use the built-in takeown command from an elevated Command Prompt.
What taking ownership changes
Windows records an owner for each securable object. The owner is generally the user or process that created it. Ownership gives a user the ability to change that object’s permissions, even if the user is currently denied other access. It does not automatically grant every permission needed to delete, open, or modify the object. Microsoft’s access-control overview explains ownership, permissions, and inheritance.
Change ownership in File Explorer
- In File Explorer, right-click the specific file or folder and select Properties.
- Open the Security tab, then select Advanced.
- In the advanced security settings, select the owner-change control, choose the intended user or group, and apply the change. Windows may ask you to approve administrator elevation. The exact wording of controls can vary by Windows build.
- If you need the ownership change to apply to files and subfolders inside a folder, select the option to replace the owner on child containers and objects, if shown. Check that the selected folder is the intended scope before applying it.
- If the original task still fails, return to the Security settings and review or grant the permission required for that task.
File Explorer’s Security tab provides access to permission settings, and objects can inherit permissions from their container. See Microsoft’s access-control overview for details.
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Open Command Prompt as an administrator, then run this built-in Windows command with the path to the target:
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takeown /f "C:pathtofile-or-folder"
Replace the example path with the actual file or folder path. Keep quotation marks around paths that contain spaces. By default, takeown assigns ownership to the currently logged-on user; adding /a assigns it to the Administrators group instead.
For a directory and its descendants, add /r:
takeown /f "C:pathtofolder" /r
Recursive changes affect the selected directory’s subdirectories, so use the narrowest folder that contains the affected items. When a recursive operation encounters a directory you cannot list or read, /d Y or /d N handles the confirmation prompt. Choose the response appropriate to the operation rather than adding it automatically. Microsoft documents these options and their behavior in the takeown command reference.
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Taking ownership may still leave you without the permission needed to complete the task. Microsoft notes that you may need to grant yourself full permissions through Windows Explorer after using takeown. See the command’s remarks.
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| Consideration | File Explorer | takeown |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | Changing ownership through a visible owner and permissions interface. | Command-line or repeatable operations. |
| Scope | Can include child containers and objects when the corresponding option is selected. | Can process a directory and its subdirectories with /r. |
| After ownership changes | A separate permissions change may be needed. | A separate permissions change may be needed. |
If access is still denied
- Check permissions: Reopen the object’s Security settings and inspect whether the account has the permission required for the action. Changing ownership and granting permissions are distinct steps.
- Check inheritance: If permissions come from a parent folder, review the relevant inheritance settings rather than repeatedly changing ownership. Windows objects can inherit permissions from their container. Microsoft explains access-control inheritance.
- Limit the scope: Avoid applying changes to an entire drive or Windows system directory when the problem is limited to one file or data folder. Recursive operations reach descendants, and ownership provides substantial control over permissions.
- Ask your organization’s administrator: On a managed or domain-joined computer, policy may determine who has the Take ownership user right. Group Policy can control this setting, so an administrator may need to resolve a restriction. See Microsoft’s Take ownership of files or other objects policy guidance.
Why the Take ownership right should be restricted
The Take ownership user right lets a user take control of securable objects. Because owners can change object permissions, granting this right broadly can create a security risk. Microsoft advises treating it as a security-sensitive policy; do not assign it to untrusted users. Read Microsoft’s policy guidance.
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