Read only files windows

There is no "read-only" switch on the drive. All data is still there. But I cannot write anything to it anymore. It wasn't this way yesterday. Typically, when your USB drive is stuck read-only error, also called write-protected, you will be unable to make any modification on the USB drive, which could protect your data from being changed by someone else. But what if you want to make some changes? In some cases, USB drive comes with a physical write-protection switch on the side or bottom.

This switch is used to keep the contents on your drive safe from malware or modification by others. If your USB has this switch, move it to the "unlock" position, which will turn off the USB drive's write protection and enable you to store files and data on the USB drive again. If your USB drives do not have a lock switch, you can use Diskpart to clear its read only attribute in the following steps. Step 1. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great.

By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Method 1. Right-click the file in Windows Explorer. Uncheck the box next to the "Read Only" option in the "Properties" menu.

If the box is checked and grayed out, either the file is in use or you don't have permission to change it. Quit any programs that are using the file. If needed, login as an administrator to gain permission to alter the file. Method 2. Click Start and select Run. Remove the Read Only attribute and set the System attribute. Method 3. Open Finder. Find the file that you want to delete and click to highlight it. Setting the timestamp on a file with the read-only attribute now succeeds on Windows and no longer throws an exception.

Prior to. NET 6 servicing releases, setting the timestamp on a read-only file on Windows resulted in an UnauthorizedAccessException. This change can affect binary compatibility. Customers gave feedback that they expected setting the timestamp on a read-only file to succeed. This change also makes the Windows behavior consistent with Linux. Finally, the behavior was unintentional, caused by a bug.