Why Ownership of Files and Folders is Important in Windows 10/11?

In Windows 10/11, every system file or folder you see on your PC has a predefined owner. The owner is the person or group that created the system file or folder. The owner is the one who decides how the permissions are set on a system object and to whom permissions will be granted.

In Windows 10/11, the users or the Administrators are not allowed to access a system object, but they are permitted to change ownership of files and folders on their device. They can include NTFS files and folders, registry keys, services, processes, etc.

Taking Ownership of Files and Folders is Important in Windows 10/11. Here are some privileges given to the owner of the folder.

1. Taking ownership grants control over folder access.
2. Facilitates managing permissions for files within.
3. Enables making changes, deleting, or moving items.
4. Essential for resolving permission-related issues.
5. Safeguards against unauthorized access or modifications.
6. Allows customer settings to individual needs.
7. Promotes accountability for folder content and management.

Microsoft has changed the method of changing ownership of folders in Windows 10/11. Earlier, you had to navigate to the Owner tab, click on Edit, select your username, and hit OK to save your changes.

Note: In Windows 10/11, you have a section named Owner, where you will be able to see the current owner of the chosen folder. You can click on Change to select a different owner for the folder.

If you’re not a tech-savvy person like many other people, you also must be having issues with Windows 10 and its functions sometimes. There are times when you’re unable to move or rename your file.  This is due to not having full permission to make changes in the file. However, this isn’t an issue anymore. In the article, we’ll explain how you can take ownership of a folder in Windows 10. 

The system has made some changes since the user account control has been introduced in different Microsoft OS, (such as Vista) and this has enabled a boost in the security of its core. But, before we explain the step-by-step guidance on How to Take Ownership of a Folder in Windows 10, we will understand first the basics of User Account Control.