How to Fix External Hard Drive Access Denied Error

So, you connected your external drive, ready to access your files, but instead, you see the “Access Denied” message. Yeah, it’s not that uncommon of an issue. What now? Now we will show you several different ways to fix this error (since there can be different problems that cause it). The methods here are battle-tested and reliable, as this problem is as old as Windows itself, and we’ve helped many people resolve the external hard drive access denied issue in the past.

We’ll also explain how to protect the data on your drive while troubleshooting, so you don’t lose anything important. Let’s start.

Quick Solutions to External Hard Disk Access Denied Problem

As we mentioned, this error can happen for a variety of reasons, so it makes sense that different problems require different fixes. Based on our previous battles, we would list possible underlying issues and what can be done about them like this:

How to Retrieve Data When Access Is Denied to an External Hard Drive

If access is denied to your external hard drive, it means you can’t reach your files through normal methods like File Explorer or any other file manager. So, what do you do? In this situation, you can use data recovery software. These tools are typically used to recover deleted or lost data, retrieve files from formatted drives, and so on. But they can also help you access your existing data when the system denies access. As long as your computer detects the drive, that’s all we need.

Here is a tutorial on how to use Disk Drill to bypass access denied for the external hard disk:

1. Download Disk Drill and install the program.
2. Connect the external hard drive to your computer. Whether it’s a Western Digital, Seagate, or a lesser-known brand, it should show up in the list of storage devices. Disk Drill displays all connected storage, including internal drives, external drives, USB flash drives, and so on.
3. Select the external hard drive from the list of devices and click the Search for lost data button.
4. As the scan progresses, you can wait for the scan to complete and click the Recover All… button to retrieve everything Disk Drill finds. Or, you can click on Review Found Items during the scan to browse the files in real-time and pick and choose which ones you want to recover.
5. Once the scan completes (or as you browse in real-time), you’ll see a list of files organized into subcategories like Deleted or Lost, Reconstructed, and Existing. As you might’ve guessed, your files will likely appear under Existing, since they’re still on the drive but inaccessible due to the error. If you spot files in Deleted or Lost that you previously deleted, great—Disk Drill might recover those too.
   🗨️

   If you don’t recognize a file name, hover over it, and you’ll see a small eye icon, click on it to preview the file.

6. Select the files you want to recover.
7. Click Recover and select a location to save your files.

With Disk Drill’s Basic version, which is free, you can scan and preview files as many times as you want. However, the free version limits data recovery to 500 MB. If you need to recover more files without restrictions, consider the PRO version, which offers unlimited recovery. That’s it! Disk Drill makes this process pretty straightforward. Not only is it capable—it’s also one of the safest data recovery options available. However, if Disk Drill doesn’t feel like the right fit for you, there are other alternatives worth checking out.

How to Fix “External Hard Drive Access Denied” Error

Now, let’s look at various fixes for the external HDD access denied issue. These methods tackle the most common causes of the problem, from permission errors to file system corruption. Some fixes might seem obvious to you, while others might feel like a lot of effort. There’s no way to know exactly which one will work in your case, so take your time, go through each method, and read carefully.

Method 1: Fix the Access Using Windows Security Tab

If the connection isn’t the issue, the most common reason for an external hard drive access denied problem is permission settings in Windows. So, that’s what we’ll check next. Sometimes, the OS doesn’t recognize your user account as the owner of the drive, or the permissions aren’t set correctly.

Essentially, you need to take ownership of your external hard drive to regain access. Here is how you can do this on Windows 10/11:

1. Open File Explorer, right-click on the external hard drive and click Properties.
2. In Properties, click on the Security tab. Here, click on Advanced, towards the bottom of the window. This will open the Advanced Security Settings window.
3. Click on Change. Make sure you have administrative rights.
4. In the Object Name text box, type in the name of your user account, then click Check Names. Click OK.
5. Tick the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects checkbox.
6. Click on Add in the Advanced Security Settings window.
7. Click on Select a principal.
8. Similar to step 4 above, type in your user account in the Object Name text box. Click on Check Names and then click OK.
9. Check the Full Control option and click OK.
10. Click OK on the next screen, then close Properties.

(Alternatively) Take the Ownership With CMD command (takeown)

If you’re comfortable using Windows Command Prompt, you can use the takeown command to take ownership of the external hard drive. It could be that there is access denied to a folder on the external hard drive, instead of the entire drive. The takeown command can be used to resolve this, as well as take ownership of the entire drive:

1. Type “cmd” in Windows Search (Windows Key + S) and right-click on Command Prompt > Run as administrator.
2. Now, type the following command and press Enter: takeown /F X:\ /r. Replace X: with the drive letter of the external hard disk drive.
   ⚠️

   Be careful with the takeown command, especially when choosing the drive. You don’t want to accidentally use it on your system drive (C:), since that can cause all sorts of problems with your OS or even prevent your computer from booting, and nobody wants that.

   

3. Finally, to change ownership of the drive, type icacls X:\* /grant Everyone:F /t and press Enter. Again, X needs to be replaced with the drive letter.

Method 2: Change the Drive Letter

When you connect an external hard drive, Windows assigns it a drive letter, like D, E, or F, to identify it. But sometimes, things can go wrong. When there’s a conflict with another device trying to use the same letter, your hard disk might throw an “access denied” error. To fix this, all you need to do is assign the drive a different letter that’s not already being used by another device.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Press Windows Key + R to launch the Run application.
2. Type diskmgmt.msc in the text box and press Enter to launch Disk Management.
3. Look for your external hard drive in the list. It might be labeled with the brand name (like WD or Seagate) or appear as “Disk X.” If it doesn’t have a letter or isn’t visible in File Explorer, that’s likely the problem.
4. Right-click on your external drive and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths. This lets you assign a new letter or fix any conflicts.
5. Click Change, then choose a different letter that isn’t already in use.
6. Click OK to save the new settings. Windows will update the drive letter, and your external drive should now appear in File Explorer.

If the letter change doesn’t immediately fix the problem, restart your computer. Windows sometimes needs a quick reboot to fully catch on to the new letter.

Method 3: Check the Drive for Corruption With Error Checking Tool

Another common reason for the external HDD access denied error is file system corruption. The file system is the framework that organizes and manages how your data is stored, accessed, and retrieved on a drive. It’s what allows your OS to communicate with the drive and keep track of all your files.

When the file system gets corrupted—whether from sudden power outages, improper ejection, malware, or bad sectors—your OS can’t read the drive properly. That’s why you get errors like access denied. Tools like Windows’ Error Checking or CHKDSK can scan for and often repair these issues.

Here is how to run the error checking utility to fix access denied to external hard drive error:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Right-click on the external HDD and click Properties.
3. In Properties, click on the Tools tab and then click Check. You will need administrative privileges.
4. On the next prompt, click Scan and Repair. Wait for the scan to be over and then click Close.

Alternatively, you can run CHKDSK directly in Command Prompt. It performs the same function as the Error Checking tool. Just press Windows Key + R, type cmd, and press Enter. In the Command Prompt window, type: “chkdsk X: /f /r” (replace X: with the drive letter of your external hard drive).

Method 4: Format External Hard Drive

And our final fix for the external hard drive access denied error is formatting the drive. If all other methods fail and you’ve already recovered your data, formatting the drive will reset it to a clean state.

Here is how to format a drive:

1. Press Windows Key + R to launch the Run application.
2. Type diskmgmt.msc in the text box and press Enter to launch Disk Management.
3. Right-click on the external drive and click Format. Click yes on the confirmation prompt.
4. In the Format options menu, tick Perform a Quick Format and press OK. Click Yes on the next prompt as well.
   🗨️

   The “Perform a Quick Format” checkbox lets you choose between a faster or more thorough formatting process. With Quick Format enabled, the drive skips bad sectors scan, only clears the file system, and leaves the data technically recoverable until overwritten. If you leave the box unchecked, Windows performs a full format, which scans for bad sectors and removes data more thoroughly. Choose Quick Format for speed or a full format if you suspect issues with the drive or need a secure wipe.

   

5. Windows will format the external hard drive.

If you’re not sure which file system you need, here’s a quick guide to help you decide:

• NTFS: Best for Windows systems, supports large files, and modern features like encryption and permissions.
• FAT32: Works on both Windows and macOS but has a 4GB file size limit. It’s great for devices that need compatibility across multiple systems. These days, FAT32 is not usually used for external hard drives.
• exFAT: A modern version of FAT32 without the file size limit. It’s perfect for external drives used on both Windows and macOS.

Stuck? Have Questions? Get Help from Online Communities

We’ve covered pretty much everything you need to know to fix the hard disk showing the “access denied” error. However, you might still run into additional questions or unexpected obstacles—these types of problems can be unpredictable. If that happens, feel free to start a discussion in our Handy Recovery Advisor Community, where our team and readers can offer guidance and share tips.

It’s also worth checking out some Reddit communities, like r/DataRecoveryHelp or r/techsupport, which has over 2 million members. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help, but be ready to provide as many details as possible, such as your drive’s info, the error messages you’ve encountered, and what you’ve already tried. The more information you share, the easier it will be for others to assist you.

FAQ