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

 

[tjlotfi]

A kind of thanks. It was very helpful. Now it's not doing the trick! Same old prob has returned. Both the read only status and the difficulty in deleting or even moving the read only files that I've replaced using save as files - the pc declares they can't be moved or deleted because the doc is open - it is not open.

 

[tjlotfi]

...just read new additions to the thread and maybe it is that my take ownership version needs updating, so reloaded it onto my system from the link on this forum. Fingers crossed....

 

[sarifnoir]

You sir are a God!!!!!! No more elevator music for me. I have my own music back. Thank you for sharing.

 

[tjlotfi]

I looked at the permissions and the ones on my account are fine. I checked the full control permissions on all accounts (just in case some illogical step might work!). Still not working.

:shock: The first time I restarted after fiddling around with other users permissions, my doc still opened as read only. I restarted again for other reasons and when I opened my doc, hey presto, I'm back to [compatability mode]. Have no idea why or if it will last...

 

[zapp22]

utterly rocks.
i cannot quantify what value he has!

 

[tjlotfi]

and now back to read only again. Trying to take ownership (maybe microsoft doesn't believe in ownership, maybe them having squillions is all a facade...)

 

[MickyWind]

MickyWind

Thanks so much. I must have spent many tens of hours trying to do this. Your fix took me three minutes. Thanks again.

 

[tjlotfi]

If this helps: I copied and pasted my doc onto a new doc (rather than doing 'save as') and it seems to have worked. A week without being reverted to 'read only'. Bloody miracle.

 

[newtech]

Merging the registry files

I merged the registry files as directed but right clicking on anything isn't giving me the option to take ownership. Even after rebooting.

 

[Brink]

Hello Newtech, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Double check that you have merged the "Add_Take_Ownership.reg" file, and not the "remove" one.

Are you logged in as an administrator?

Do you have UAC turned on?

 

[newtech]

It's working!

Thank you for your tip, yes I ran both files! It appears that I'm finished doing what I set out to do. I'm going to keep this forum in my bookmarks. You made my day

 

[Brink]

That's great news Newtech. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[DirtRider]

Very cool, well done

 

[hpanwar35]

thnks very much. I think the problem was that by taking ownership of the folder i was not able to take the ownership of the subfolders .

 

[Avie]

Super - going where no woman has gone before!!
Avie

 

[MrRedman]

Thank you very much !

 

[Laakas]

Will this work on Win Xp Pro Sp3?

Hello guys!

I'm new here and I would like to thank everybody in advance. I just recently re-install my system with Win Xp Pro Sp3 and i have some HD connected... and i was trying now to copy a folder from an eternal HD to and Internal one and I got this following msg:

" Make sure disk is not full or write-protected" and can't copy my folder and i really need to copy that file to the specific HD cuz I did a back up and need bring back the folder.

So I was wondering if having ownership on the folder will help but haven't found anywhere where to get a file like this one you have created here to use for XP.

Thank you for any answer and suppor!

Much appreciate it!!

 

[TeeDoubleUDee]

That's twice in a week that these forums have come to my rescue - thanks so much guys

 

[TraumaDoc]

Is it possible to change the registry entry for the right click take ownership? If I select multiple files, then each file is "changed" by taking ownership in an individual command prompt window. Yes, the window closes immediately after the command is completed, but I'd like to have all the selected file change ownership in a single command prompt box/window. Is this possible? I guess it will do what I want ONLY if you select an actual folder for taking ownership since all files lie in the same path - so one window to do all the permission changes. But not for individual files ? Even though all the files lie in the same folder path? Can it be done?

 

[Chiumiento]

Can I use this to take owner ship of the whole drive C if I want to?