Prevent Files From Being Deleted Or Renamed In Windows

Stop standard users from messing with your stuff

No matter what purpose you use your computer for, there are likely some files on your machine that you don’t want anyone to rename or delete. But unfortunately the way Windows works, there’s really no default mechanism to help you prevent your files from being deleted on your computer. Any user who has access to your machine can find your files and modify, rename, and even delete them off your computer.

Safeguarding these important files is a task in itself. Although Windows doesn’t protect your files by default, it does offer an option that helps protect your files from any deletion attempts. In fact, there are multiple ways both in-built as well as third-party ones that help keep your files from getting modified on your computer.

Prevent Files From Being Deleted Using The Default Option

The best way to prevent file renaming and deletion in Windows is to use the default option available on your system. It requires no installation and can easily be accessed and used even by beginners.

Your selected file is now protected from being modified, renamed, or deleted on your PC. If the user you’ve denied access tries to delete the file, they’ll get a permission error and they won’t be able to proceed with the task.

Prevent Files From Being Renamed And Deleted By Hiding Files

Another way you can prevent your files from being deleted or renamed is to hide your files. This way your files won’t appear in File Explorer and any other user won’t see it let alone deleting the file on your machine.

Your file should now be hidden.

If you have the option to view hidden files enabled on your machine, you’ll need to turn it off or your file will become visible.

Your hidden file should now be completely hidden and it won’t be visible in the Explorer until the above option is enabled.

Use Prevent To Remove The File Delete And Rename Options

A user is able to delete orrename your filesonly because they get the option to do so in File Explorer. What if you could somehow disable the options that you don’t want in the Explorer menu so a user can’t even initiate any unwanted actions?

Well, there’s an app that lets you do it.

MeetPrevent, a small application that allows you to disable certain options in File Explorer on your computer. It lets you disable options like Rename, Delete, Cut, and Copy so no one can touch or modify your chosen files.

It’s completely free to download and use this app on your computer. Also, it only occupies a small amount of memory space on your machine.

When you decide that it’s time to allow those options to be used, simply press the keyboard shortcut you assigned to the app and the app will stop functioning. You can then rename, delete, cut, and copy your file as you could do before.

Mahesh has been obsessed with technology since he got his first gadget a decade or so ago. Over the last few years, he’s written a number of tech articles on various online publications including but not limited to MakeTechEasier and Android AppStorm.Read Mahesh’s Full Bio

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Prevent Files From Being Deleted Or Renamed In Windows#

Prevent Files From Being Deleted Using The Default Option#

Prevent Files From Being Renamed And Deleted By Hiding Files#

Use Prevent To Remove The File Delete And Rename Options#