While trying to save a file such as .jpg or Word file (.doc/.docx), ever came across a message on the screen that reads, ‘You don’t have permission to save in this location’? Under normal circumstances, saving anything on your PC should not be a problem. The error message will also prompt that you ‘act with administrative authority.’
For someone who works on their PC or laptop, this error can be very annoying. To help you get through this issue, we listed ten proven solutions that fix this error. All the solutions are ones that you can try yourself, you just have to follow the given steps.
What does this error message mean?
The error message ‘You don’t have permission to save in this location’ indicates that you cannot modify files and folders on the PC, as somehow, you are not authorized to do so. Hence in such a scenario, the system requires administrative permissions.
The error might appear on any device that uses Windows 10, especially one where the hard drive has recently been formatted.
Why does it occur?
Your PC can display ‘You don’t have permission to save in this location,’ due to several reasons:
- User Account Control is enabled.
- The administrators have not been provided with ‘administrative permissions.’
- Surprisingly, an antivirus can cause this error as well.
- Loss of permissions, even from an administrator login.
- The Protected Mode feature is enabled.
- An older file system.
10 proven solutions to the ‘You Don’t Have Permission to Save in This Location’ error message
We have included all the solutions that you will need to fix this issue. These methods are not only useful, but they also save time because they’re easy and quick!
Solution 1 – Disable User Account Control
User Account Control (UAC) is a feature of Windows Security that prevents unauthorized changes to the operating system. It is done to prevent a third-party or an untrusted source (software or code) from making changes to your system.
It works as a verification system that promptly asks if you want to allow a particular app to make changes or not. It ensures that any changes made by the Administrator are approved first. It is advised that if UAC is enabled, you should try disabling it to resolve the ‘You don’t have permission to save in this location’ error. To disable UAC, follow the steps below:
- In the Windows search box, type ‘User Account Control’.
- There will be a slider. Slide to the position where Never Notify is written, and click OK.
While performing this fix, be sure that you log in through an administrator account.
Solution 2 – Give administrative permission to the current user
Follow the steps below to allow administrative permission to the current user.
- Right-click on the Start icon.
- Click on Run.
- A dialog box will appear, type “netplwiz” in the box and press Enter.
- The Users Accounts window will appear. Select the username that you are using and click Properties.
- Now, click on the Group membership option.
- Select Administrator.
Now, check if this sorts the issue: ‘you don’t have permission to save in this location’. If it doesn’t, we have more fixes for you!
Solution 3 – Allow Administrator to have Full Control
Even if you are using the Administrator account and cannot save to a particular location, the Administrator Account doesn’t have Full Control. Follow these steps to give access to Administrator for Full Control:
- Right-click on the specific folder you want to save your document or file in.
- Select Properties.
- Click on the Security tab above.
- Click on the Edit option.
- Select Administrators, and check the Allow column of Full Control.
Now check if the issue of ‘You Don’t Have Permission to Save in this location’ resolves. Even with Full Control, if the error persists, you would have to try something else.
Solution 4 – Temporarily disable your antivirus software
Many people claim that disabling the antivirus software fixes the ‘You Don’t Have Permission To Save In this Location’ error. Antivirus software changes your PC’s settings to prevent unwanted changes from different applications that might be harmful. Try temporarily disabling your antivirus software to check if the issue is resolved.
If your antivirus was the cause of the problem, you will need to look for a new security solution. There are many good options on the market, so don’t be afraid to test multiple ones until you find the product that works well with your system.
Solution 5 – Try saving the file to a different location
A hassle-free solution would be to save the file to a different location. Probably the easiest fix because you don’t need to change any system settings. When the message ‘You Don’t Have Permission to Save in this location’ appears, there is an option to save the file to a different location. Select Yes.
However, you would have to select the destination folder manually, which might be time taking in some cases. It can happen that your new selected folder also returns the same error message. In that case, you should read on for another solution method.
Solution 6 – Run the Program as Administrator
Windows is developed in a manner to give most permissions to an administrator account. You can try running the application that cannot save to a specific location as an administrator to give it elevated privileges. To achieve this, you need to do the following:
- Right-click on the specific program that you want to use to save the file.
- An option of ‘Run as Administrator‘ appears in the drop-down box. Select it.
- Save the file from the application as usual.
While this might be a temporary solution, you can get your important work done in case of a time constraint.
Solution 7 – Disable the Protected Mode Feature in Windows settings
You can also get the error message ‘You Don’t Have Permission to Save in this Location’ when using a web browser. The easy way: disable the Protected Mode feature in your settings. To do so, follow these steps given below:
- Right-click on the start icon.
- Select the Run option.
- Enter “inetcpl.cpl” in the dialog box that appears on your screen and select OK.
- Click on the Security tab.
- Uncheck the Enable Protected Mode checkbox option.
- Click Apply and then OK.
Solution 8 – Change the owner of the directory involved
Fix the ‘You don’t have permission to Save in this Location’ error by merely changing the owner of the folder that is involved in saving the file. Follow the steps below:
- Right-click on the folder where you want to save.
- Select Properties.
- Go to the Security tab and click Advanced.
- Now, in the pop-up window that appears, navigate to the Owner option, and select the Change option.
- An empty box will appear in front of you to check if the object name is legal – type a name for the object and select Check names.
- If it is correct, the complete name and other information about the object will be displayed in front of you; click OK.
- Now place a tick on Replace Owner on subcontainers and Objects.
- Click on OK.
Solution 9 – Use the Compatibility Troubleshooter
Some applications might not be fully compatible with Windows 10, causing the error ‘You Don’t Have Permission to Save in this Location.’ Fix it by using the Compatibility Troubleshooter. Follow the steps given:
- Find the application which is causing the problem and right-click it.
- Select Troubleshoot Compatibility.
- Click on Troubleshoot Program.
- Check the box: “The Program Requires Additional Permission“.
- Select the Next option.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and click on Finish when done.
After the troubleshooting is over, you will be able to save files if this application was causing the problem.
Solution 10 – Format the drive as NTFS
If you face this issue while saving the file to removable storage like a USB stick, you could try formatting the drive with an NTFS file system.
Warning: Create a backup of the data that is on the removable storage before you start applying this method. You will lose all your data on the drive during the process.
Note: There are two types of file systems. One is FAT32, which is an older version and comes with some limitations. Another is NTFS, which is newer and does not have the same restrictions as FAT32. It is preferred to use the NTFS file system in most cases. If you have an older FAT32 device, you can upgrade it to NTFS by formatting the drive.
Follow these steps very carefully:
- First, ensure that the removable drive is connected.
- Click on This PC in the Start Menu.
- Select the drive where you are not able to save files and right-click it.
- Select ‘Format’ from the drop-down menu.
- When the Format window appears, select NTFS in the File System section.
- Enter the label (the name that you want to give to the newly formatted drive)
- Check the Quick Format box.
- Click Start.
Windows will take some time to format the drive.
You can also format internal drives similarly. However, make sure to do a complete backup of your data first.
While saving a file might appear to be the most basic task a computer can do, this particular error can cause you a lot of trouble. If you are still unable to save a particular file after going through the above methods, look for professional IT support in your area to help fix your system.
