Set permissions for folders and files

Published: August 15, 2006

If you have multiple computers connected to your home network and have enabled file sharing, you can open and access files located on other computers on the network. Being able to share files makes computing a lot more flexible for everyone using the network. If you have your files stored on your home office desktop computer, but need a break from sitting at your desk, you can take your laptop to the couch and still access your files.

It's good to share. However, you may not want everyone on your network to have access to all of your files and folders. You might not, for example, want your kids to open your financial or personal files across the network. Fortunately, you can set file permissions to specify who can access which files and folders. Then only you and those you give permission to can touch your documents. And the permissions apply whether your computer is accessed across your network or by another user sitting at your keyboard logged into his or her account.

To restrict access to files or folders:

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Create user accounts on the computer that is sharing the files. Create a user account and password for each person you want to be able to access files—whether they will access the files from their own account on the same computer or from another computer on the network. If you create the accounts using each user’s existing network logon username and password, the file-sharing computer will recognize the users when they connect and will not prompt them for a password.

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Remove administrator access to your files. By default, only your user account and any user with a Computer Administrator account can access your files. To further limit access to your files and folders, you can remove administrator access.

To learn more about the differences between Computer Administrator accounts and Limited accounts, read Create and customize user accounts.

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Add file and folder permissions if you want to grant other users access to your files—whether they will access on the same computer with their own accounts or from another computer across the network.

Remove administrator access to your files

By default, all Computer Administrator accounts have access to all files on your computer. You can never completely block this type of user, because administrators can take ownership of files and then grant themselves permission. However, you can remove this permission to make it more difficult for them. You can also restrict other users from accessing your files.

To remove Computer Administrator access to your files

1.	Click Start, and then click My Documents.
2.	Select the folder or files you want to set permissions for. To select multiple files and folders, hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard and click each file.
3.	Right-click the selected folders and files, and then click Properties.
4.	Click the Security tab.
5.	Click Advanced.
6.	Clear the Inherit from parent the permission entries that apply to child objects check box.
7.	In the Security dialog box, click Copy.
8.	In the Permission entries list, click Administrators. Note: Windows XP uses the SYSTEM account, so you shouldn’t remove it.
9.	Click Remove.
10.	Click OK.
11.	Click OK again.

Now only you and any users you specifically grant permission to can easily open your file. Next learn how to add file and folder permissions for users.

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Add file and folder permissions

To allow another user on your computer (logged in under his or her own account), or on a computer connected to your home network, to open or edit your files

1.	Click Start, and then click My Documents.
2.	Select the folder or files you want to set permissions for. To select multiple files and folders, hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard, and click each file or folder.
3.	Right-click the selected folders and files, and then click Properties.
4.	Click the Security tab.
5.	Click the Add button.
6.	In the Select Users or Groups dialog box, click the Advanced button.
7.	Click Find Now.
8.	In the list at the bottom of the Select Users or Groups dialog box, click the user you want to grant permissions to. If you want to allow anybody with a user account to see your files, click Everyone. Then click OK.
9.	Click OK again.
10.	By default, the user will only be able to open a file but will not be able to save changes. If you want the user to also be able to save changes, select the Modify check box in the Allow column. You don’t need to worry about the other check boxes.
11.	Repeat steps 5 through 10 to allow more people to open your files.
12.	Click OK to save your changes.