Windows 10: Enable or Disable Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10

How to: Enable or Disable Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10

How to Enable or Disable Windows Defender Exploit Guard Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10


Starting with Windows 10 build 16232, Controlled folder access is introduced in Windows Defender Antivirus.

Controlled folder access helps you protect valuable data from malicious apps and threats, such as ransomware. It is part of Windows Defender Exploit Guard.

Controlled folder access in add an app to the list of safe or allowed apps to prevent them from being blocked.

You can add additional folders to the list of protected folders, but you cannot alter the default list, which includes folders such as Documents, Pictures, Movies, and Desktop. Adding other folders to Controlled folder access can be handy, for example, if you dont store files in the default Windows libraries or youve changed the location of the libraries away from the defaults.

For more details about Controlled folder access, see:

• Help prevent ransomware and threats from encrypting and changing files | Microsoft Docs
• See how CFA can help protect files from being changed by malicious apps | Microsoft Docs
• Turn on the protected folders feature in Windows 10 | Microsoft Docs
• Add additional folders and apps to be protected by Windows 10 | Microsoft Docs
• Stopping ransomware where it counts: Protecting your data with Controlled folder access Microsoft Secure

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the Controlled folder access feature of Windows Defender Exploit Guard in Windows 10.

*Warning You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable Controlled folder access.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: Turn On or Off Controlled Folder Access in Windows Defender Security Center
• Option Two: Turn On or Off Controlled Folder Access in PowerShell
• Option Three: Enable or Disable Controlled Folder Access in Local Group Policy Editor
• Option Four: Enable or Disable Controlled Folder Access using a REG file

OPTION ONE [/i] Turn On or Off Controlled Folder Access in Windows Defender Security Center

*note Turning on or off Controlled folder access will modify the DWORD value in the protected registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access

EnableControlledFolderAccess DWORD

0 = Off
1 = On

1. Open the Windows Defender Security Center, and click/tap on the Virus & threat protection icon. (see screenshot below)



2. Click/tap on the Manage ransomware protection link under the Ransomware protection section. (see screenshot below)



3. Turn On or Off (default) Controlled folder access for what you want. (see screenshots below)





4. Click/tap on Yes when prompted by UAC to approve.

5. When finished, you can close Windows Defender Security Center if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] Turn On or Off Controlled Folder Access in PowerShell
1. Open an elevated PowerShell.

2. Enter the command below you want to use into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)
(Default - Turn off Controlled folder access)
*Arrow Set-MpPreference -EnableControlledFolderAccess Disabled

OR

(Turn on Controlled folder access)
*Arrow Set-MpPreference -EnableControlledFolderAccess Enabled
3. You can now close the elevated PowerShell if you like.











OPTION THREE [/i] Enable or Disable Controlled Folder Access in Local Group Policy Editor

*Warning If this option is enabled or disabled, it will prevent turning on or off Controlled folder access using Option One and Option Two.

*note The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Four below.
1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Defender Antivirus\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled folder access




3. In the right pane of Controlled folder access in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Configure Controlled folder access policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (default), step 6 (enable), or step 7 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


5. To Use Default Controlled Folder Access Settings
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshots below)

*note Not Configured is the default setting.

6. To Always Enable Controlled Folder Access
A) Select (dot) Enabled, select Block in the "Configure the guard my folders feature" drop menu, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshots below)

7. To Always Disable Controlled Folder Access
A) Select (dot) Enabled, select Disable (Default) in the "Configure the guard my folders feature" drop menu, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshots below)






8. When finished, close the Local Group Policy Editor.





OPTION FOUR [/i] Enable or Disable Controlled Folder Access using a REG file

*Warning If this option is enabled or disabled, it will prevent turning on or off Controlled folder access using Option One and Option Two.

*note The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD values in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access

EnableControlledFolderAccess DWORD

(delete) = Default
0 = Disable
1 = Enable


1. Do step 2 (default), step 3 (enable), or step 4 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Use Default Controlled Folder Access Settings
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Default_Controlled_Folder_Access.reg

Download

3. To Always Enable Controlled Folder Access
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Always_Enable_Controlled_Folder_Access.reg

Download

4. To Always Disable Controlled Folder Access
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Disable_Controlled_Folder_Access.reg

Download
5. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

6. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

7. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Add Turn On or Off Controlled Folder Access context menu Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Allowed Apps through Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10
• How to Add Allow App through Controlled Folder Access context menu in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Protected Folders for Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Windows Defender in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Windows Defender Real-time Protection in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Windows 10 Limited Periodic Scanning with Windows Defender
• How to Enable or Disable Windows Defender Block at First Sight in Windows 10
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:)

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Controlled Folder Access is off. Shouldn't this be on?

Suggestion to also read

• this article (ignore ads):
  How to Protect Your Files From Ransomware With Windows Defender’s New “Controlled Folder Access”
• and this thread:
  Controlled Folder Access Feature in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Questions?
  

 

Error Access Denied while acessing the folders from User> AppData folders on Windows 10

Hi,

Welcome to Microsoft Community and thank you for posting. We appreciate your interest in Windows 10.

I understand the inconvenience you are facing with access files and folders.

Do let us know the complete error code/ error message of this issue?

As you have tried with providing the permissions to each folder and issue persists after the restart, try the below and check if it helps.

Step 1: Try to disable the third party anti-virus software if installed any and check.

Step 2: As, as a work around, I suggest you to enable the built-in administrator account and check if this issue persists.

Steps to enable Built-in administrator.

• • Press Windows + X key together on your desktop screen.
  • Click on Command Prompt (admin) to open Command Prompt.
    
  • Type the following command and hit Enter:

• net user administrator /active: yes (Check for the spaces)

　　　4. Now log off from the current user and try to login to the administrator account that is enabled.　　

Note: Please follow the same steps and type net user administrator /active: no to disable admin account after the troubleshooting is done.　

Step 3: I suggest you to refer to the below Microsoft article with 3-diffrent issues related to accessing the files and folders and check if it helps.

"Access Denied" or other errors when you access or work with files and folders in Windows

(Applies to Windows 10 as well)

Hope this information helps. Reply to the post with an updated status of the issue to assist you further.

 

SETUPEXE blocked by Controlled Folder Access?

Suggestion to read:

• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...older-access-windows-defender-security-center
• How to Configure and Use Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10 » Winhelponline
  
• Configure Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10 - gHacks Tech News
• Change Windows Defender Controlled Folder Access Settings
  - Windows 10 Security System Tutorials
• Controlled folder access notification only partly readable - Microsoft
  Community
• Controlled Folder Access - Odd Warning - Microsoft Community
  
• Windows 10 Folder Inaccessible - Microsoft Community
  

 

Say goodbye to ransomware with Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

Yes, ransomware will be a thing of the past with Windows 10 Fall Creators Update thanks to something called "Controlled Folder Access" in Windows Defender.

Windows 10 will hide your important files from ransomware soon | The Verge

These are protections for your files against ransomware at the kernel and Windows Defender level. Rest easy, your files are safe.

About damn time Microsoft!