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

 

[garysgold]

Hello Solowin,

Welcome to Seven Forums.

Try rt. click on the prog/shortcut and select run as administrator. See if it works then.

Hope this helps.

Gary


edit: could be your av or firewall blocking the ads?

 

[solowin]

I'm not seeing any difference running as or as not administrator. I had tried that yesterday, with the same result.

One thing I'm finding odd, (the more I dig into this program) - within my file structure, I have My Documents/Embroidery and then a number of Folders. Some of these folders have additional folders with a hierarchy of design types, digitizers, etc. but some folders have embroidery files that aren't further filed. These "loose" files are visible within the SEU programs, whereas my files that are further organized aren't visible! I've examined the file properties, security/sharing etc. and can't find one thing different between the higher folders and the ones buried a few layers deeper. All these files are within my "locked" user folder, so maybe the lock has nothing to do with my inability to use these files - I'm totally at a loss here!

Thanks for your suggestion, and if you have any other ideas, I'd be happy to give them a try.

 

[garysgold]

Don't know anything about the program. Maybe it is incapable of reading child folders. Have you checked out the site for the software to see if the FAQS say anything or if there is a forum for questions there?

 

[CarlTR6]

Very useful. Thanks much

 

[katie7]

HelloBrink,

I have dl and installed, works good -- thanks!

Where in my account is full control?

 

[Brink]

Hello Katie,

You can take a look at steps 11 to 22 in the tutorial below for more on how to give "Full Control" to your account of a file.

Take Ownership of file - Vista Forums

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[katie7]

Great!

Thanks Shawn. I can't tell you how sick I am of this. Take today. I saved a Google image but would it allow...no. I had to change the saveas four times before i managed it.

In Win Xp my favorite lol it was a breeze to save.

Thanks again Shawn!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Katie.

 

[intenseatpon]

Can't install the shortcut

Maybe I'm being dense, but...when I right click on the .reg file and select Merge, I get the error message that there's no program associated with it, and I don't know what to associate with it.

 

[Brink]

Hello Intenseatpon, and welcome to Seven Forums.

It's just that your REG file extension that is not associated properly. Double check in Default Programs to make sure that the REG file extension has it's "Current Default" program set as Registry Editor (C:\Windows\regedit.exe). Afterwards, you should be able to merge the REG download here.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Shrantellatessa]

Works great, thanks!

EDIT. I almost messed up my system! I don't know if it's because of the .reg file or because of this Restorator (mentioned in Start Button - Change tutorial thread); so for now I'm sticking with my ugly Windows 7 Start Orb until there's a safer method

PS. I couldn't do a System Restore (didn't even work in Safe Mode); I had to create another Admin Account, go into Safe Mode, then do a System Restore. Worked like a charm but I'll be more careful this time

EDIT 2. I have finally managed to replace that start button!
I had to combine two tutorials for that. The problem that I had is that Windows wouldn't let me take Full Control of explorer.exe (which is what I was trying to do manually and via Take ownership shortcut), so all I had to do is only tick "Modify" instead of "Full Control" in explorer.exe permissions and voila!

 

[bigtony]

Excellent!! I had to Sign up just to express my thanks! I had a problem when I re-id3tagged a folder with thousands of mp3 files in it with a program and it locked all the files from being edited or moved for some reason and used this and fixed it!

 

[zapp22]

Awesome.
this redeems so many posts .....

 

[Rahman7]

Thanks Bro!!!

 

[tjlotfi]

can't find the zip file I just downloaded to help

I'm sure this is me just being a bit thick. I've just clicked on download and apparently downloaded the zip programme onto my llaptop, only I can't right click on the extrracted reg file as instructed because I can't find it. I've run a search and tried downloading again in case I did something wrong, but apparently it isn't here.....

 

[CarlTR6]

I'm sure this is me just being a bit thick. I've just clicked on download and apparently downloaded the zip programme onto my llaptop, only I can't right click on the extrracted reg file as instructed because I can't find it. I've run a search and tried downloading again in case I did something wrong, but apparently it isn't here.....

Have you got an anti-malware program that is blocking it quarantining it?

 

[tjlotfi]

I just came to this page and a dialogue box told me I had a message but when I tried to view it, it was not allowed and suggestion made was that my pop up blocker could be preventing it. I looked at that, my pop up blocker isn't on ... God, will this never end!

 

[AClockWorkLemon]

I've been using this for ages, but i need to get rid of it for a short amount of time. However, when i merge the file that is supposed to get rid of it, the context menu item is still there and functioning fine. I have also had this problem with the copy to.../move to... reg hack.

Any help would be GREAT

Thanks in advance,

AClockWorkLemon

 

[Brink]

Hello AClockWorkLemon,

Double check in Default Programs to make sure that the reg file extension has it's "Current Default" program set as Registry Editor (C:\Windows\regedit.exe). Afterwards, try the REG download again.


If not, then double check the registry locations below to see if you have these takeownership keys to delete.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\takeownership]
 
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\takeownership]
 
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\takeownership]
 
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\takeownership]

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[AClockWorkLemon]

Ahh, much appreciated. I think i didn't use the reg from this site, so i also had to delete the "runas" key in each case as well.