You Need Administrator Permission To Delete Folder [7 Fixes]

If you are working in Windows 10, there is a need to delete files and folders. An account without admin access is used in Windows 10. A new security feature prevents folder deletion.

When you try to delete a folder while logged in as a regular user, you’ll see a message. “You’ll need to provide administrator permission to delete this folder.” There are various options for resolving this problem, some of which are discussed in this article.

You Need Administrator Permission To Delete Folder

Causes: “You’ll Need To Provide Administrator Permission To Delete This Folder” Error Message 

Strong Security

The security and privacy rules of the Windows 10 generate the permissions problem. 

Administrative Access

Users must be granted administrative access to copy, remove, rename, or change settings. The permission prevents Unauthorized users. It includes guest users and external sources. Also, scripts from accessing system data with this permission.

Malware Attack

An attack on a computer by a virus. It tries to get access to the operating system as an administrator. The virus is trying to take advantage of system flaws.

File permissions are set to prevent unauthenticated objects from having complete access. It aids Windows in determining a user is eligible for specific file access and write rights.

Admin Password Security

Administrators can change file permissions. Users will be unable to conduct some tasks unless they have permission. It will show the “You’ll need to provide administrator permission to delete this folder” error message. I will assist you with changing the access permissions. To resolve this issue, you will take control of the system files.

Solutions For You Need Administrator Permission To Delete Folder

  1. Take Ownership Right Of The Folder
  2. Change User Account Control Settings
  3. Activate The Built-in Administrator Account (Command Prompt)
  4. Use SFC Scan
  5. Use Safe Mode
  6. Change User Privilege Settings
  7. Delete a Folder via Third-party Software

1. Take Ownership Right Of The Folder

  • Pick Properties from the menu of the folder you want to delete.
right click properties
  • Select the Advanced option from the Security menu. On the interface, click the Change button.
advanced in Security options
click change
  • Now, On the interface, click the Advanced button.
  • Click the Find Now option and then select the user to whom you wish to transfer ownership.
find now and change Admin rights
  • To save the changes, click OK on each interface.
  • Pick Properties from the menu of the folder you want to delete.
  • Select the Advanced option from the Security tab.
  • On the first pop-up screen, click the Add button on the Permission tab.
add permissions
  • On the second pop-up interface, click the Select a principal link.
  • Click the “Advanced” security settings.
  • On the fourth pop-up interface, click the Find Now button.
  • From the list of search results, choose your account.
  • To save the changes, click OK on each interface.
  • After you’ve completed these steps, you can see if you could successfully delete that folder.

2. Change User Account Control Settings

“You’ll need to provide administrator permission to delete this folder” error message appears.

Due to problematic UAC settings, you may need authorization to “delete folder” in Windows 10. It is pretty simple to fix because all you have to do is disable “User Account Control settings.”

Follow these steps to alter your UAC settings:

  • To launch the Run dialogue, press Win + R.
  • Press Enter after typing “UserAccountControlSettings.”
UserAccountControlSettings
  • It will display the UAC options. Select OK after adjusting the slider Never to Notify.
User Account Control Settings
  • With UAC turned off, try removing the folder again.
  • Once the application has been installed, return the UAC settings to their previous state.
  • It should give you complete control over your system and allow you to delete the folder. Now check if the error messages persist.

3. Activate The Built-in Administrator Account (Command Prompt)

You can initiate the built-in administrator account in Windows by using an elevated Command Prompt. Elevated CMD is a version of the Windows command line program. It has administrator rights added to it. 

This account can then be used to get authorization to delete the folder in question. Perform the following steps on your computer:

  • Ctrl+Shift+Enter will open Command Prompt in elevated mode. You can also use the Start and look for Command Prompt. Choose Open as Administrator from the menu by right-clicking.
  • Enter the following command lines of text into the command prompt.
    • net user administrator /active
  • net user administrator [SetPasswordHere]” is the next command to type.
Activate The Built-in Administrator Account
  • Substitute the former password with a new one of your choice when you turn on your computer for the first time. 
  • Log in with the new password and the default admin account. You can delete the folder in question because the account has admin capabilities.
  • You can’t delete a folder if it’s corrupted in some instances. If this is the case, the built-in System File Checker application in Command Prompt can quickly resolve the issue.

4. Use SFC Scan

The System File Checker (SFC) is a command-line utility program in Windows. It can scan your system for broken system files and repair them.

This utility can be used to restore missing or corrupted system files. You can use the included program to check for damaged files and fix them. As a result, this can also be used to correct this issue.

  • By hitting Win + R, you can bring up the Run dialogue box.
  • To run the command Prompt with administrator properties, type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
  • To run a full system scan, type the following command and press Enter:
    • sfc /scannow
sfc /scannow
  • Leaving the command prompt window open is a good idea.
  • Depending on your system, the scan could take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. Restart your device once the scan is finished.

5. Use Safe Mode

If you don’t have admin authority, you can delete a folder by restarting your computer in safe mode. Safe Mode is used to troubleshoot problems with your operating system.

As a result, you get enhanced rights without having to start up non-essential processes. It allows you to remove data material from the computer, which is how folders are deleted. 

Follow the procedures below while logged in to accomplish this:

  • Go to the Windows Settings menu. You can utilize the Win + I keyboard shortcut.
  • Select Update & Security from the drop-down menu.
Update & Security
  • Select Recovery from the left-hand panel menu.
  • Select Restart Now from the Advanced Startup menu.
 Restart Now
  • Click Troubleshoot in Recovery and then Advanced Options.
  • To enable Safe mode, press the Restart button and F4 under the Startup settings.
  • Locate the data you wish to delete and try to delete the folder while in Safe Mode.
  • Once you’ve successfully erased the folder, restart your computer to exit Safe Mode.
  • “You’ll need to provide administrator permission to delete this folder” error message. It can also be seen in safe mode. Some computer files are either missing or corrupt.

6. Change User Privilege Settings

When this alert displays, the simplest way is to delete a folder. Increase the rights of the current user account under folder properties. It can be done by going into your Advanced Security Settings and following the steps outlined below:

  • Right-click the folder you want to remove. Pick properties from the drop-down menu.
  • Click Advanced under the Security tab once you’re within the Properties box. Select the “Change” link next to the word Owner in the following window.
  • Select Advanced to confirm the change. Click on your user name in the results and select the OK button.
  • Return to the Select User or Group window and click OK, Apply, then OK again. You may click OK a few times to confirm and save the modification.
  • Since the account has been given complete control, you should now be able to delete the folder.

7. Delete a Folder via Third-party Software

You can also utilize various third-party applications to eliminate folders and disable the obnoxious alert. You can use CCleaner to remove the folder so it can’t be recovered. 

Make a backup of the folder before using such applications if you need to keep a copy.

Conclusion

You now know how to proceed if you require permission to delete a folder. These are all the possible ways to fix this error message when deleting a folder. Try all of them to discover which works most suitable for you.