In some cases, you may have difficulty deleting a file from your PC or Mac because the file is classified as Read Only. By changing the file attributes, you can easily delete Read Only files in Windows or Mac OS X.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Use the Properties Menu to Eliminate the Read Only Attribute

  1. 1
    Right-click the file in Windows Explorer.[1]
  2. 2
    Choose "Properties" from the drop-down menu.
    Advertisement
  3. 3
    Uncheck the box next to the "Read Only" option in the "Properties" menu.[2]
    • If the box is checked and grayed out, either the file is in use or you don't have permission to change it.
    • Quit any programs that are using the file. If needed, login as an administrator to gain permission to alter the file.
  4. 4
    Delete the file.
  5. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Use the Attrib Command to Turn Off the Read Only Attribute

  1. 1
    Click Start and select Run. If you don't see the Run command, then click All Programs > Accessories > Run.
  2. 2
    Remove the Read Only attribute and set the System attribute. Type the following command:
    • attrib -r +s drive:\<path>\<foldername>
    • For the test folder, for example, type attrib -r +s c:\test
  3. 3
    Delete the file.
  4. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Delete Read Only Files in Mac OS X Using Finder

  1. 1
    Open Finder. Find the file that you want to delete and click to highlight it.
  2. 2
    Click File at the top of the Finder menu, then select Get Info.
  3. 3
    Select the "Privilege" option in the Sharing & Permissions section.
  4. 4
    Click on the box next to "Owner."
  5. 5
    Set the file to Read & Write status.[3]
  6. 6
    Delete the file.
  7. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Delete Read Only Files in Mac OS X Using Terminal

  1. 1
    Select Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
  2. 2
    Type cd <directory>. For example, if you want to adjust permissions for a file in your documents folder, then type cd Documents.
  3. 3
    Input the command ls -l to view the directory contents in long form. Permissions are displayed on the far left column.
  4. 4
    Type chmod u+rwx "filename" to grant read, write and execute permissions. Close Terminal.
  5. 5
    Find and delete the file.
  6. Advertisement

Community Q&A

  • Question
    Mine is a CD, and it comes up as no such file or directory. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Format it, like nfts or so. If it shows up as no directory, try another CD, and if that doesn't work, your disc drive is broken.
  • Question
    How do I delete "read only" files from a Blackberry?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Click and hold on the files icon, and drag it to the trashcan icon.
  • Question
    What should I do if the attribute box is faded?
    Julie
    Julie
    Community Answer
    If the attribute box is faded, that means it has an attribute attached to it. In this case, you would use Method 2 to remove the attribute.
Advertisement

Warnings

  • Deleting certain Read Only files may cause certain programs not to function properly. Be sure to research what the file does before you decide to delete it.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
Advertisement

Things You'll Need

  • PC or Mac
  • Windows or Mac OS X

References

  1. Garnik Ovsepyan. Computer Specialist. Expert Interview. 1 July 2021.
  2. Garnik Ovsepyan. Computer Specialist. Expert Interview. 1 July 2021.
  3. Garnik Ovsepyan. Computer Specialist. Expert Interview. 1 July 2021.
  4. How to Delete/Rename Stubborn Files
  5. You cannot view or change the Read-only or System attributes of folders in Windows

About This Article

Garnik Ovsepyan
Co-authored by:
Computer Specialist
This article was co-authored by Garnik Ovsepyan. Garnik Ovsepyan is a Computer Specialist and the Owner of HeliX PC based in Burbank, California. With over 25 years of experience, Garnik specializes in custom computer builds, computer repairs, virus removal, computer tune-ups, hardware and software troubleshooting and installations, diagnostics, and data backup and recovery. This article has been viewed 249,103 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 15
Updated: September 9, 2021
Views: 249,103
Categories: Basic Computer Skills
Advertisement