Fixed! Access Denied When Modifying HOSTS or LMHOSTS File

Resolve "Access Denied" error when modifying HOSTS or LMHOSTS files on Windows 10/11

Modifying hosts files is a relatively advanced operation. You may encounter errors such as "Access Denied" during modification of HOSTS or LMHOSTS files. If you also experience this issue, please continue reading this article and we will provide you with a solution.

"Access Denied" Error: Modify HOSTS or LMHOSTS file

Sometimes, you need to change the hosts file to resolve certain issues or block specific websites on your computer. The hosts file is stored in the computer's installation directory and cannot be edited without authorization. Don't worry, follow the steps below and you can easily resolve the error of "Access denied when modifying HOSTS or LMHOSTS files".

Fix "Access Denied" error when modifying HOSTS or LMHOSTS files on Windows 10/11

Method 1: Run Notebook as an administrator

Before editing the hosts file, you need to run Notepad as an administrator. The operation steps are as follows:

1. Type Notepad in the search bar, right-click Notepad and select Run as administrator.
2. Click File > Open > Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc > Change Text Files (*.txt) to All Files > Select hosts Files > Click Open.

3. Make the required changes and save.

Method 2: Cancel the read-only attribute of the hosts file

If the hosts file is set to read-only, it cannot be changed or edited. To resolve the error "Access denied when modifying HOSTS or LMHOSTS files", you may need to delete this property manually.

1. Press Win E to open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc".
3. Right-click on the hosts file and select Properties from the context menu.
4. Under the General tab, uncheck the Read-Only property.

5. Click Apply and OK to save the changes.

Method 3: Change the security settings of hosts file

To access these files, you need special permissions. If you lack permissions, you may encounter the error "Access denied when editing hosts file". Here is how to grant permissions:

1. In File Explorer, navigate to "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc".
2. Right-click on the "hosts file" to select "Properties".
3. Under the Security tab, click Edit.
4. Now you can see a list of users and groups. Make sure your username has full access and control permissions.

Select your user account and select "Full Control".

5. Click Apply and OK to apply the changes.

Method 4: Change the location of the hosts file

It is reported that changing the file location also helps to resolve the error of "Access denied when modifying HOSTS or LMHOSTS files".

1. In File Explorer, navigate to "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc".
2. Find the "hosts file", right-click it and select "Cut" > Paste the copied file on your desktop.
3. Open the "hosts file" on the desktop > Make the necessary changes to it > Press Ctrl S to save the changes you made.
4. Copy and paste the changed hosts file to its original location.

Summarize

In this guide, we introduce four ways to fix the “Access denied when modifying a HOSTS or LMHOSTS file” error. Also, don't forget to use reliable backup software such as MiniTool ShadowMaker to protect your data security.

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