4 Ways to Fix Unable to Rename Folders on Windows 11
Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he’s a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife.
Try Basic Fixes
Fix 1: Restart Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer is a process that provides the Graphical User Interface (GUI) for File Explorer. If the process encounters any issues,File Explorer may not function properlyand you might have trouble renaming folders. Here’s what you can do to fix it.
Step 1:PressCtrl + Shift + Escon your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
Step 2:In theProcessestab, right-click on theWindows Explorerprocess and selectRestart.
Fix 2: Disable Controlled Folder Access
Controlled folder access is a feature in the Windows Security app that helps protect your files and folders from unauthorized changes. This feature may occasionally prevent you from renaming folders. You can temporarily disable it to see if it helps.
Step 1:Open the Windows Security app on your PC and navigate to theVirus & threat protectiontab.
Step 2:Click onManage ransomware protection.
Step 3:Toggle off the switch forControlled folder access.
Fix 3: Get Ownership of the Folder
You might be unable to rename a folder on Windows due to a lack of necessary permissions. To fix this, you should get ownership of the folder you’re trying to rename by following the steps below.
Step 1:Right-click on the folder you wish to rename and selectProperties.
Step 2:Under theSecuritytab, click theAdvancedbutton.
Step 3:Click onChangenext to the Owner.
Step 4:Type in your username in the text field and click theCheck Namesbutton. Then, clickOK.
Step 5:Check the box that readsReplace owner on subcontainers and objects. Then, hitApplyfollowed byOK.
Fix 4: Try Clean Boot
There’s a chance that a third-party app or program running in the background is interfering with Windows and causing such problems. To verify this, you can boot your PC in a clean boot state where it only runs with essential apps and services.
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Rto open the Run dialog, type inmsconfig, and pressEnter.
Step 2:Under theServicestab, mark the box that readsHide all Microsoft servicesand click theDisable allbutton.
Step 3:Switch to theStartuptab and click onOpen Task Manager.
Step 4:In theStartuptab, select a third-party app and click theDisablebutton at the top. Repeat this step to disable all third-party apps and programs.
Restart your PC to enter the clean boot state and see if you can rename folders. If this method works, you’ll need to look through any recently installed apps and programs and remove them.
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Last updated on 14 May, 2024
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