# How To Fix Write Protection Problem On Windows Operating System!

**URL:** <https://onehack.st/t/how-to-fix-write-protection-problem-on-windows-operating-system/200669>\
**Category:** Tutorials & Methods\
**Tags:** privacy, tips-tricks\
**Created:** [October 28, 2021, 5:48pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/how-to-fix-write-protection-problem-on-windows-operating-system/200669 "2021-10-28T17:48:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BlueHacker](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/bluehacker/32/174721_2.png) [@BlueHacker](https://onehack.st/u/BlueHacker)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2021, 5:48pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/how-to-fix-write-protection-problem-on-windows-operating-system/200669/1 "2021-10-28T17:48:00Z")

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**Write-protection switch**

Some USB flash drives have a **write-protection switch** on the side or bottom.  
The write-protection switch is useful for keeping the contents of your drive safe from malware when you need to view them on a public computer.

If your device has this switch, move it to the “Lock” position.  
This action effectively sets all files, and the device itself, to read-only mode.

**Using DiskPart to change read-only settings**

You can use the Windows DiskPart command line utility to enable or disable read-only mode on your USB flash drive.

- Press **Win** + **R** to open the Run box. Type **diskpart** and press Enter.
- If you receive a User Account Control prompt asking you for permission to continue, click **Yes**.
- At the **DISKPART\>** prompt, type **list disk** and press Enter.
- From the size of the disk, you should be able to figure out which one is your USB flash drive.
- we know that **Disk 1** is our USB flash drive because its size is listed as **14 GB**.
- Select your USB flash drive with the **select disk** command. we want to work with disk 1, so the command is **select disk 1**.
- You can list the attributes of the disk with the command **attributes disk**.
- To _clear_ the read-only attribute (making the disk writable), use the command **attributes disk clear readonly**.
- Or, to _set_ the read-only attribute (making the flash disk write-protected), use the command **attributes disk set readonly**.
- When you are finished, type **exit** to quit the program.

**Change security permissions in flash drive properties**

- If using **diskpart** , as detailed in the section above,
- does not work to clear the read-only attribute of a USB flash drive, the security permissions may need to be changed.
- It is possible that security permissions have been set so that all users only have Read permissions to files on the flash drive.
- To check if security permissions need to be changed, follow the steps below.

_ **Note** _

If the steps below do not work for your flash drive, it may be preventing permission changes due to being locked by a security program of some kind.

In these cases, you may not be able to make the flash drive writable.

- Open **My Computer** or **File Explorer**.
- Find the **USB flash drive** in the list of drives connected to the computer.
- **Right-click on the flash drive icon** and select **Properties** in the pop-up menu.
- On the Properties window, click the **Security** tab.
- Click the **Edit** button below the _Group or user names_ section.
- In the _Permissions_ window, click the **Everyone** entry, if not already selected. In the **Permissions for Everyone** section, make sure the **Allow** checkbox is checked for the _Modify_ entry. If it is not checked, check the box.
- Click the **OK button** on the **Permissions and Properties window** to save the **security permissions change.**
- If you want to set the flash drive to read-only for all users, in step 6, uncheck all boxes in the **Allow** column, except for the _Read_ entry.

**Happy learning!**