Take Ownership Shortcut

Add "Take Ownership" to Context Menu of Files, Folders, and Drives in Windows​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to add Take Ownership to the context menu of all files, folders, and drives for all users in Windows.

This will allow you to be able to instantly take ownership of a file, folder (and all contents), or drive (and all contents) by changing the owner to the current user and grant the Owner_Rights SID (current owner) full access permission.

You must be an administrator to be able to add, remove, and use the "Take Ownership" context menu.

   Note

Application files (ex: EXE, CMD, MSI) will continue to have Run as administrator instead of Take Ownership in their context menu.

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When you right click or press and hold on a file, folder, or drive, and click/tap on Take Ownership, you may be prompted by UAC for permission to do so first.

If a user is logged in as an administrator, then the user would just click/tap on Yes to approve and take ownership. The owner of the file, folder, or drive would be changed to the current administrator user account. Permissions would be set to allow the Owner_Rights SID (current owner) full control of the file, folder, or drive.

If a user is logged in as a standard user, then the user would need to enter a selected administrator's password to approve and take ownership. The owner of the file, folder, or drive would be changed to the selected administrator account, and not the standard user. Permissions would be set to allow the Owner_Rights SID (current owner) full control of the file, folder, or drive.

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The Take Ownership context menu will not be available when you right click on the C: drive, C:\Program Files folder, C:\Program Files (x86) folder, C:\ProgramData folder, C:\Users folder, and C:\Windows folder. This was done because taking ownership of these system folders can make Windows unstable since it would also take ownership of all the folder's content at the same time.

You will still be able to use the Take Ownership context menu of files inside the folder locations above.

If you would like to have a custom location(s) of your own to not have the context menu, then please feel free to post a request in this tutorial thread. I'll be happy to post back with a custom .reg file for it.

   Warning

This context menu will only work with English Windows installations.

If you have a different language, then please post a reply with what language you have instead. I'll be happy to post back a translated version for you.

EXAMPLE: Take Ownership in Context Menu






Here's How:

1. Do step 2, 3, or 4 below for what you would like to do.


2. To Add "Take Ownership" to Context Menu

   Note

Application files (ex: EXE, CMD, MSI) will still have Run as administrator instead of Take Ownership in the context menu when you use this step.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Add_Take_Ownership_to_context_menu


Download


3. To Add "Take Ownership" with Pause to Context Menu

   Note

This option pauses the command when you use the "Take Ownership" context menu to be able to see the command results. This can be handy to verify setting ownership and permissions was successful or not.

Application files (ex: EXE, CMD, MSI) will still have Run as administrator instead of Take Ownership in the context menu when you use this step.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Add_Take_Ownership_with_Pause_to_context_menu.reg


Download


4. To Remove "Take Ownership" from Context Menu

   Note

This is the default setting, and will also restore the default Run as administrator for .exe files.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Remove_Take_Ownership_from_context_menu.reg


Download


5. Save the .reg file to your Desktop.

6. Double click on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

7. If prompted, click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.



That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Add or Remove the Security Tab from Properties in Windows 7
• How to Restore TrustedInstaller as Owner of a File in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Allow or Deny Permissions to Users and Groups
• How to Add or Remove Users and Groups from "User Rights Assignment"
• How to Allow or Prevent Users and Groups to Take Ownership
• How to Add Reset Permissions to Context Menu in Windows
• Enable or Disable Inherited Permissions for Files and Folders in Windows

Related Windows 10 Tutorials

---

• How to Add View Owner to Context Menu in Windows
• Change Permissions of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key for Users and Groups in Windows 10
• How to Change Owner of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key in Windows 10
• How to Add Advanced security to context menu in Windows 8 and Windows 10
• How to Add a File Attributes context menu in Windows 10
• How to Remove Security tab from Drives, Files, and Folders Properties in Windows 10
• How to Add Reset Permissions to Context Menu in Windows
• Enable or Disable Inherited Permissions for Files and Folders in Windows
• How to Add Inherited Permissions Context Menu in Windows
• How to Add List Permissions Context Menu in Windows
• How to Backup and Restore Permissions of Files, Folders, or Drives in Windows 10
• How to Add Change Owner to Context Menu in Windows 10

 

[merlinver]

I installed a fresh copy of Win 7 on my SSD. I left the 2nd HD attached during this process. After the install finished, I was unable to copy any files to the 2nd HD.
I installed the Take Ownership context menu and used it on the Users Folder of the old drive. Now all those folders link to the C drive, which of course have nothing in them yet. Is there a way to undo this? I used the 2nd HD to backup the C drive before the re-install, so I've lost everything....

Thanks,

Art

 

[Brink]

I installed a fresh copy of Win 7 on my SSD. I left the 2nd HD attached during this process. After the install finished, I was unable to copy any files to the 2nd HD.
I installed the Take Ownership context menu and used it on the Users Folder of the old drive. Now all those folders link to the C drive, which of course have nothing in them yet. Is there a way to undo this? I used the 2nd HD to backup the C drive before the re-install, so I've lost everything....

Thanks,

Art

Hello Art, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Could you explain more about what you mean by that they are now all linked to the C drive?

The "Take Ownership" context menu will only change the owner of the item to the current user, and grant that user full access in permissions. It has not affect on anything else.

 

[merlinver]

I have an SSD and a 2nd platter drive in my laptop. The 2nd drive was used to be the boot drive years ago, once I got the SSD, I made it the boot drive. I left Win 7 on the 2nd as a backup bootable. It’s run for years with no problems. To save space, I used my profile on the old ‘Documents and Settings’ folder on the 2nd for all my docs, pics, etc. For the fresh install, I used a different user name.
After the install, I was getting permission errors trying to transfer items to the 2nd and installing apps. Did some research and found this tool, installed it and used it on the 2nd drive ‘Documents and Settings‘. In that folder were 3 subfolders - Public, Mine and All Users (mine was the only one with meaningful items).
After a *long* time the cmd window stopped scrolling text and closed.
After the script ran the ‘Doc & Settings’ icon is different - where it was a folder with a lock on it, now it’s a small square with an arrow. I open it and see the 3e folders - All Users and Mine have lock icons, Public doesn't. I can open My folder despite the Lock, but most of the icons are arrows - My Docs, My pics, My Music, etc. Double clicking those open the corresponding folder on the fresh Win install on the SSD. There are no docs, pics, or music in them.
In one of the attachments is shows the Doc & Setting folder as I see it now. The other shows what I see when I double click the Desktop folder - as you can see shows the items that are on the current desktop. The path includes the new username, but on the D drive. It should be the items from that very old user.
In addition to all the Spare drive issues, the Documents & Settings folder on the fresh Win7 on C drive has a lock icon and wont let me open it "Access Denied". So the Spare drive Doc&Settings acts like the boot drive Docs and the boot drive is inaccessible
I just remembered something that may help troubleshooting - in the prior install I had redirected my boot drive user folders (docs, pics, music) to the Spare ‘Docs & Settings’ via dynamic link. So previously - clicking the My Documents icon in the side bar opened the Doc folder on the Spare.
But Change Ownership shouldn’t have replaced the folder, just changed the ownership rights to my new username, right? The Spare folders were not the dynamic folders, they were what the SSD pointed to. I thought that dynamic folders were a one way path, not a back and forth thing.
​
I'm long-winded, but I hope this gives a better picture of the issue and hopefully a resolution where I can get my stuff back!

 

[merlinver]

Attachments

 

[Brink]

Ak, ok.

The "Documents and Settings" folder is a protected hidden system folder, and should not be used or messed with as you found out.

You could try using the context menu added by the tutorial below to reset permissions of the folder back to default to see if that may help.

:ar: Add Reset Permissions to Context Menu in Windows | Tutorials

 

[Iori3310]

Hello,

After adding the registry I am getting this message. Also my permission options are grayed out. Please see attachments.

I am looking for solutions for 3 days now. Please help me out.

Thanks in advanced.
Iori

 

[Brink]

Hello Iori,

If the middle screenshot is what you see after using the "Take Ownership" context menu on the "basebrd.dll" file, then it the .reg file in the tutorial may not have successfully merged.

The "Application not found" message indicates it cannot find the cmd.exe file to run the command from the context menu.

Try merging the .reg file again to see if that may help.

 

[Iori3310]

I tried that. I emerged and removed couple of times. But still the problem exists. Please help.

 

[Iori3310]

Ok. I was using some other windows version reg file. Downloaded the this thread file and worked fine. Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Great news.

 

[neroruiz]

tradução

Por favor conseguiriam traduzir o post para Portugues/Brasil

 

[Brink]

Por favor conseguiriam traduzir o post para Portugues/Brasil

Hello neroruiz, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Here's a Portuguese version.

:ar: View attachment Portuguese_Add_Take_Ownership_to_context_menu.reg

 

[didus69]

Hello,
thank you for the french version found on 39 page
best regards

 

[Brink]

Hello,
thank you for the french version found on 39 page
best regards

Welcome to Ten Forums didus69. I'm glad it could help.

 

[Challenge]

Update

Hi Mr. Brink, is there an updated of take ownership for Windows 7 Ultimate 32bits in spanish version?

 

[Brink]

Hi Mr. Brink, is there an updated of take ownership for Windows 7 Ultimate 32bits in spanish version?

Hello Challenge,

Here's a Spanish version for you.

View attachment Add_Spanish_Take_Ownership_with_Pause_to_context_menu.reg

 

[Challenge]

Update

Thanks, Mr. brink

 

[Brink]

Thanks, Mr. brink

You're most welcome.

 

[Challenge]

Take ownership for Windows 10 64 bit

Good Morning Mr. Brink, got a new PC with Windows 10 64bits, is there version of take ownership for Windows 10?

 

[z3r010]

Good Morning Mr. Brink, got a new PC with Windows 10 64bits, is there version of take ownership for Windows 10?

Add Take Ownership to Context Menu in Windows 10 | Tutorials