Windows change access permissions from the command line

Posted by Vivek Gite [Last updated: April 11, 2006]

Linux and Unixish system comes with chmod and other commands to setup/change access permission from command line/shell.

However, when it comes to windows chmod is not available. Windows comes with a special command line utility called CACLS.

You can use it as follows:
CACLS files /e /p {USERNAME}:{PERMISSION}

Where,

/p : Set new permission
/e : Edit permission and kept old permission as it is i.e. edit ACL instead of replacing it.
{USERNAME} : Name of user
{PERMISSION} : Permission can be:

For example grant Rocky Full (F) control with following command (type at Windows command prompt):

C:> CACLS files /e /p rocky:f

Read complete help by typing following command:

C:> cacls /?

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