Controlled folder access is designed to protect your valuable data from malicious apps and threats, such as ransomware. This feature works by checking apps against a list of known, trusted apps and blocking unauthorized or unsafe apps from accessing or changing files in protected folders.

Learn about privacy concerns with apps having file system access and find out how to allow or deny apps and services from accessing your file system.

In Windows 10 or 11 turn on Controlled Folder Access to protect your important local folders from unauthorized programs like ransomware or other malware. Get ransomware detection and recovery with Microsoft 365 advanced protection.

A vulnerability exists in Windows that allows unauthorized users to view the full file path to a resource they do not have permissions to access. This vulnerability might occur when the user has FILE_LIST_DIRECTORY access rights on a parent folder and obtains directory change notifications.

Label and protect files in File Explorer in Windows by using the Classify and Protect tool.

Learn how to access Windows device security settings in Windows Security to help protect your device from malicious software.

You can't control most of the permissions for this app in Settings > Privacy. Note that while the app has the ability to access these resources, it might not actually do so.

Find out why some apps need access to your pictures, videos, and documents libraries, and how to allow or deny apps from accessing these locations.

Find and open File Explorer in Windows, and customize Quick access by pinning and removing files and folders.

To lower the possibility of security risks, you should only trust files on a network location that is access controlled or created by the system administrator. A Security Warning dialog box appears when you try to trust a file from a network location.