How to Add Reset Permissions to Context Menu in Windows


On NTFS and ReFS volumes, you can set security permissions on files and folders. These permissions grant or deny access to the files and folders.

Every container (ex: folder) and object (ex: file) on the PC has a set of access control information attached to it. Known as a security descriptor, this information controls the type of access allowed to users and groups. The security descriptor is automatically created along with the container or object that is created.

When you are a member of a group (ex: "Administrators") that is associated with an object, you have some ability to manage the permissions on that object. For those objects you own, you have full control.

Permissions are defined within an object's security descriptor. Permissions are associated with, or assigned to, specific users and groups. For example, for the file Temp.dat, the built-in Administrators group might be assigned Read, Write, and Delete permissions, while the Backup Operators group might be assigned Read and Write permissions only.

Each assignment of permissions to a user or group is represented in the system as an access control entry (ACE). The entire set of permission entries in a security descriptor is known as a permission set or access control list (ACL). Thus, for a file named Temp.dat, the permission set includes two permission entries, one for the built-in Administrators group and one for the Backup Operators group.

There are two types of permissions: explicit permissions and inherited permissions.

• Explicit permissions are those that are set by default on non-child objects when the object is created, or by user action on non-child, parent, or child objects.
  See also: Change Permissions of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key for Users and Groups in Windows 10
• Inherited permissions are those that are propagated to an object from a parent object. Inherited permissions ease the task of managing permissions and ensure consistency of permissions among all objects within a given container.
  
  • Inherited Deny permissions do not prevent access to an object if the object has an explicit Allow permission entry.
  • Explicit permissions take precedence over inherited permissions, even inherited Deny permissions.

By default, objects within a container inherit the permissions from that container when the objects are created. For example, when you create a folder called MyFolder, all subfolders and files created within MyFolder automatically inherit the permissions from that folder. Therefore, MyFolder has explicit permissions, while all subfolders and files within it have inherited permissions.

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove a Reset Permissions context menu to reset effective permissions of files and folders back to their default inherited permissions in Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11.

You must be an administrator to be able to add, remove, and use the "Reset Permissions" context menu.

EXAMPLE: Reset Permissions in Context Menu of files and folders




Here's How:

1 Do step 2 (add), step 3 (add w/pause), or step 4 (remove) below for what you would like to do.

2 To Add "Reset Permissions" to Context Menu

A) Click/tap on the Download button below you want to download the .reg file below, and go to step 5 below.

(Right click)
Add_Reset_Permissions_to_context_menu.reg

Download

OR

(Shift + Right click)
Add_Shift+_Reset_Permissions_to_context_menu.reg

Download

3 To Add "Reset Permissions" with Pause to Context Menu

This option pauses the command when you use the "Reset Permissions" context menu to be able to see the command results. This can be handy to verify if resetting permissions for a file or folder was successfully processed or not.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below you want to download the .reg file below, and go to step 5 below.

(Right click)
Add_Reset_Permissions_with_Pause_to_context_menu.reg

Download

OR

(Shift + Right click)
Add_Shift+_Reset_Permissions_with_Pause_to_context_menu.reg

Download

4 To Remove "Reset Permissions" from Context Menu

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 5 below.

Remove_Reset_Permissions_from_context_menu.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 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink

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• Change Permissions of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key for Users and Groups in Windows 10
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• How to Add Inherited Permissions Context Menu in Windows
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