How to Fix 'Access Denied' Issues with WD My Passport on Windows 10 and Windows 11

"Access denied to WD My Passport"

"I seem to be unable to access files on my WD My Passport external hard drive. I'm getting an Access Denied error message. See the screenshot for details. How can I resolve this issue and gain access to the drive without losing data?"

If you're getting an access denied error while trying to access WD My Passport external hard drive, chances are that you don't have the permissions to operate on the drive. This often happens when you connect the external HDD to a new desktop or laptop and try to access some data or files located on it that require permissions.

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How to Fix WD My Passport Access Denied Issue on Windows 11/10/8/7

When such an error of access denied occurs, you are left with the grim reality of not being able to open the drive and view its data. Hence, there is an immediate need to find a way to rectify the error for normal usage.

To gain access to My Passport, please follow the instructions carefully:

Step 1: Connect your WD hard drive to your PC, right-click on WD My Passport external hard drive and select “Properties”.

Step 2: Click the "Security" tab.

Step 3: At the bottom of the tab, click on «For advanced permissions or other settings, click Advanced», then click the «Advanced» button.

Step 4: Click the "Change Permissions" button.

Step 5: Click on the Permissions entry to add, delete, or edit permissions. Add a new user called "Authenticated Users," and click "OK." Give this new user "Full Control" under the Permissions section.

Video Tutorial: Fixing the "Access Denied" Error on WD

**Frequently Asked Questions - How to Solve Permission Not Granted Issues?** If you encounter a problem where permissions cannot be granted, try the following methods to resolve it: 1. **Restart the device**: Sometimes, simply restarting your phone, computer, or other device can refresh the system and fix the issue. 2. **Check permission settings**: Access your device's settings menu and look for permission settings related to the application or file in question. Ensure that the necessary access permissions have been allowed. 3. **Update software**: Make sure your operating system and applications are up to date. Developers might have already addressed permission-related issues in updates. 4. **Reinstall the app**: If the issue is specific to an application, try uninstalling and reinstalling it. This could help restore proper permission settings. 5. **Contact support**: If none of the above solutions work, reach out to the customer support of your device manufacturer or the application developer. They may provide a more tailored solution. 6. **Factory reset**: As a last resort, you can consider resetting your device to its default settings. However, note that this will erase all personal data and settings, so make sure to back up your information first. Choose the method that best suits your situation, and hopefully, this will assist you!

Hopefully, the above solutions will address the Access Denied error as expected. In case some people run into new issues while dealing with Access Denied errors, we've gathered some common scenarios for your reference, where you can also find the corresponding solutions.

1. Why am I still getting access denied errors even with "Verified Users" added?

You need to make sure the hard drive isn't encrypted with a password. If it is, anyone can easily access the encrypted hard drive with the password. If that's not the issue, try the other two solutions.

• Go back to Step 5. This time, add a user named “Everyone” in the Security tab of the Properties window and grant it Full Control permission. • Otherwise, try to uncheck the Read-Only box. You need to fix read only hard drive then.

How do I fix the "Access denied to folder" error on my WD My Passport Ultra 1 TB external hard drive?

Sometimes, you might receive an error message that says “You don't currently have permission to access this folder” when trying to open a folder on your hard drive. The message will prompt you to take ownership of the folder in question:

1. Right-click on the folder and select "Properties." 2. Switch to the "Security" tab, then click "Advanced." 3. In the Owner section, click "Change." 4. In the Names list, select your user name and click "OK." 5. Save all changes to apply the permissions and security settings.

How to Recover Data from WD My Passport When Access Denied Occurs

The "Location is not available, access is denied" error can result not only from insufficient permissions but also indicate an issue with the hard drive that prevents access to it.

Disk formatting is a common way to fix corrupted file system issues, and it usually works. However, formatting will lead to data loss, so you should think about data recovery before formatting. You can use the best Western Digital disk recovery software – Free Western Digital WD Disk Recovery, without any hesitation to recover data from an inaccessible WD hard drive.

Using a professional data recovery tool like Data Recovery Wizard can help WD users access files and folders when encountering the "Access denied to My Passport" error. It comes in handy when your WD hard drive is detected but not opening, rescuing your data from the disaster.

Step 1: Select the hard drive that becomes inaccessible on your computer. Click "Scan" to let tools Data Recovery Wizard scan and find your hard drive data.

Step 2: After the scan, you can preview and check the found files in the scan results window. Your lost files are all contained in the "Deleted Files" and "Other Lost Files" folders. You can also click on "Filter" to quickly locate files of a specific type. Preview these files and decide which ones you need to recover.

Step 3. Finally, select the items you want to recover and hit “Recover.” Choose a secure location (like a healthy physical drive on your computer or another external storage device) to save all your lost data from the inaccessible hard drive and hit “OK” to start the recovery process.