Windows 10: Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Pictures Library in Windows 10

How to: Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Pictures Library in Windows 10


Information Starting with Windows 10 build 17063, you can now allow or deny Windows 10 and apps access to the pictures library on your device (PC) for all users.

If you allow access, users on your PC will be able to turn on or off if their apps have pictures library access. If you turn on to allow apps access to your pictures library, you can choose to turn on (allow) or off (deny) access for individual apps.

This tutorial will show you how to change Privacy settings to allow or deny Windows and apps access to the pictures library for all users or only your account in Windows 10.


Note Starting with Windows 10 build 17083, Microsoft is giving you more control so you can now decide which UWP apps can access your pictures, videos, or documents folders. If a UWP app needs access to any of these, a consent dialog will pop up prompting you to accept or deny the request. If you deny access to a particular folder, to protect your privacy that UWP app will revert to only being able to access its local app folder.

CONTENTS:

• Option One: Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Pictures Library for All Users in Settings
• Option Two: Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Pictures Library for All Users using a REG file
• Option Three: Turn On or Off Allow Apps Access to Your Pictures Library in Settings
• Option Four: Turn On or Off Allow Apps Access to Your Pictures Library using a REG file
• Option Five: Turn On or Off Allow Specific Apps Access to Your Pictures Library in Settings

OPTION ONE [/i] Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Pictures Library for All Users in Settings


Note You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.

1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

2. Click/tap on Pictures on the left side, click/tap on the Change button on the right side, and turn On (default) or Off Pictures library access for this device for what you want. (see screenshots below)











OPTION TWO [/i] Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Pictures Library for All Users using a REG file


Note You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.

The downloadable .reg files below will modify the string value in the registry key below.

Code:

Value string value

Deny = Off
Allow = On

1. Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Turn On Allow Windows and Apps Access to Pictures Library for All Users
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_ON_Windows_and_apps_access_to_Pictures_library_for_device.reg

Download

3. To Turn Off Allow Windows and Apps Access to Pictures Library for All Users
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_OFF_Windows_and_apps_access_to_Pictures_library_for_device.reg

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

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

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

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





OPTION THREE [/i] Turn On or Off Allow Apps Access to Your Pictures Library in Settings


Note The setting in this option will be grayed out unless Pictures library access for this device is turned on from Option One or Option Two above.

1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

2. Click/tap on Pictures on the left side, turn On (default) or Off Allow apps to access your pictures library on the right side for what you want. (see screenshots below)











OPTION FOUR [/i] Turn On or Off Allow Apps Access to Your Pictures Library using a REG file


Note This option will not get applied until Pictures library access for this device is turned on from Option One or Option Two above.

The downloadable .reg files below will modify the string value in the registry key below.

Code:

Value string value

Deny = Off
Allow = On

1. Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Turn On Allow Apps Access to Your Pictures Library
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_ON_apps_access_to_Pictures_library_for_current_account.reg

Download

3. To Turn Off Allow Apps Access to Your Pictures Library
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_OFF_apps_access_to_Pictures_library_for_current_account.reg

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

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

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

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





OPTION FIVE [/i] Turn On or Off Allow Specific Apps Access to Your Pictures Library in Settings


Note The settings in this option will be grayed out unless Allow apps to access your pictures library is turned on from Option Three or Option Four above.

The settings for this option are stored in the subkeys in the registry key below. Each subkey represents a listed app.

Code:

1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

2. Click/tap on Pictures on the left side, turn On or Off apps you want under Choose which apps can access your pictures library on the right side. (see screenshot below)


Note Note that each legacy app will not appear individually in the list like Store apps do, but they will respect the toggle.





That's it,
Shawn

:)

 

Quick Access not searching Pictures folder

Summary, that last suggestion didn't work.

• I moved the pictures to another folder temporarily.

• Then I tried to remove the Pictures folder with option one at Add or Remove Folders from This PC in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials. Even after rebooting, the Pictures folder remained.
• So I tried using option two. Same thing: reboot >> Pictures folder still there.

• Since there were no troubleshooting steps for this scenario, just for the heck of it, I ran through the restore steps. Copied some pictures into the Pictures folder, ran a Quick Access search and initial problem remains: Searching all of QA doesn't find any files in Pictures folder, running search on just the Pictures folder does. I want to run a global search and find matching files in any/all of the Documents, Music, Videos, and Pictures folders.

That article dates from 2015 and I'm guessing is out of date. I hope it didn't create potential future problems in my registry.

Bottom line: I'm still looking for a fix.

 

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.

 

Change Folder Destination access Denied

Thanks.

After following the steps suggested, I get the message "Access denied" in command prompt.

Please advise how to allow permission.

 

Access denied on My Pictures after installing windows 10

These steps do not work for me, same situation as questioner. In step 5), it directs to: "NEXT CLICK ON EDIT AND CHECK ALL THE BOX UNDER ALLOW."
Every box of mine is already checked. There is no "apply" button to press, as stated in step #6. i still cannot open my PICTURES file.

NOW WHAT?

 

Access denied on My Pictures after installing windows 10

Hi Will,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

Are you referring to Photo app or Pictures folder from Library?

If you are referring to Pictures and Music folder from Library then I suggest you to login to your administrator and then give permission to the files or folders which you want to view and use. Follow the steps to do so:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Right click on Pictures
(Follow same steps for Music Folder).

3. Select Properties.

4. Now click on Security Tab.

5. Next click on Edit and
check all the box under allow.

6. Click apply and
Ok.

Let us know if it helps. For further assistance feel free to post your queries in Microsoft forums. We will be glad to assist you.

Thank You.