Solved: How to Fix 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” Error on Windows

If you are facing the 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” error on your Windows computer, this comprehensive guide will provide you with detailed troubleshooting steps on how to fix this error.

The 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” error is a common issue faced by many Windows users. This error message usually occurs when you try to create, rename, copy or delete a file or folder inside a directory in the system with insufficient permissions or privileges. In other words, this error occurs when you try to copy, paste, or modify something inside Windows folders that Microsoft does not allow unauthorized access to. This applies to the following system folders: Windows, Program Files, System32.

The error message reads:

An unexpected error is keeping you from renaming the folder. If you continue to receive this error, you can use the error code to search for help with this problem. Error 0x80070522: A required privilege is not held by the client.

In this article, we’ll explain what this error means, its possible causes, and provide you with step-by-step solutions to resolve it. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to fix the 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” error on your Windows device.

Understanding the 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” Error

The 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” error is a common Windows error that occurs when a user tries to perform a specific action that requires elevated privileges, but the client doesn’t have the necessary permissions to perform the task. This error can occur when a user tries to install software, run a command, or access specific system files.

Possible Causes of the 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” Error

Several factors can cause the 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” error. Some of the possible causes include:

• Insufficient User Permissions: If the user account you’re using doesn’t have sufficient permissions to perform the task, you may encounter this error.
• Corrupted System Files: Corrupted or missing system files can also cause this error.
• Malware or Virus Infection: Malware or virus infections can cause system files to become corrupt, resulting in this error.
• Outdated or Incompatible Drivers: Outdated or incompatible drivers can cause this error when trying to access specific system resources.

This error can occur for various reasons, such as:

• You are logged in as a standard user and not as an administrator.
• You are trying to access a system file or folder that is protected by Windows.
• You are trying to modify a file or folder that is owned by another user or group.
• You have a corrupted or outdated device driver that is interfering with the file system.

How to fix the 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” error?

There are several methods that you can try to fix the 0x80070522 error, depending on the situation and the file or folder that you are trying to access. Here are some of the most common solutions:

Solution 1: Enable Native Windows Administrator

Step 1: Press Windows + R keys to launch the Run dialog.

Step 2: Type lusrmgr.msc and click OK to open Local Users and Groups.

Step 3: Select the Users folder in the left pane.

Step 4: In the right pane, right-click on the Administrator user account and select Edit.

Step 5: In the General tab, uncheck the Account is disabled option.

Step 6: Click Apply and OK to save the changes.

Step 7: Close the User Management window.

Step 8: Log out and sign in using the Administrator account.

Alternatively, you can use the Windows Terminal app to enable administrator privileges and perform advanced functions. Steps as below:

Step 1: Open the Start menu.

Step 2: Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the “Run as administrator” option.

Step 3: Type the following command to enable the Windows Administrator account and press Enter:

net user “Administrator” /active: yes

To verify if the command was executed successfully, click on the Start menu and type User Accounts in the search field. Click on the User Accounts option that appears and then click on Manage Accounts. Verify that the Administrator account is presented.

Step 4: Log off your user and sign in with the administrator account that has been activated.

Note: To disable the administrator account, type in the command prompt:

net user Administrator /active: no

Solution 2: Run the File Explorer as an administrator

Sometimes, running the File Explorer with elevated privileges can help you bypass the permission issue and perform the desired action. To do this:

Step 1: Right-click on the File Explorer icon on your taskbar or Start menu.

Step 2: Select “Run as administrator” option.

Step 3: Try to copy, move, delete or rename the file or folder again and see if the error persists.

Solution 3: Run the program as an administrator

If you are trying to copy, move, or delete a file or folder using a program that does not have administrative privileges, you can try running the program as an administrator. To do this:

Step 1: Right-click on the program icon.

Step 2: Select “Run as administrator” option.

Step 3: Try to perform the operation again and see if the error is gone.

Solution 4: Disable User Account Control (UAC) settings

User Account Control (UAC) is a feature of Windows that prevents unauthorized changes to your system settings and files. However, sometimes it may interfere with your operations and cause the 0x80070522 error. Follow these steps to disable your User Account Control settings:

Step 1: Go to the “Control Panel“.

Step 2: Click on “Security and Maintenance“.

Step 3: From the left pane, click on “Change User Account Control settings”

Step 4: Move the slider to the bottom or the lowest level (Never notify) to disable the User Account Control.

Step 5: Click on “OK“.

Step 6: Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Solution 5: Take Ownership of the File or Folder

If you are trying to modify a file or folder that belongs to another user or group, you may need to take ownership of it first. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Navigate to the file or folder where you are facing the error.

Step 2: Right-click on the file or folder and select “Properties“.

Step 3: Go to the “Security” tab.

Step 4: Click on the “Advanced” button.

Step 5: Click on the “Change” link next to the owner name.

Step 6: Enter your username or click on “Advanced” to find your account.

Step 7: Check the box next to “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects.”

Step 8: Click on “OK“.

Step 9: Click on “Apply” and “OK” to close the properties window.

Step 10: You may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Now, you should be able to modify the file or folder without any error.

Solution 6: Grant yourself full control over the file or folder

One of the main reasons for the 0x80070522 error is incorrect file or folder permissions. If taking ownership is not enough, you may also need to grant yourself full control over the file or folder. Follow the steps below to do this:

Step 1: Navigate to the file or folder where you are facing the error.

Step 2: Right-click on the file or folder and select “Properties“.

Step 3: Go to the “Security” tab.

Step 4: click on the “Edit” button.

Step 5: Select your username from the list.

Step 6: Check the box that says “Full control” under the “Allow” column.

Step 7: Click on “OK“.

Step 8: You may also need to check the box that says “Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object” if you want to apply the permissions to all subfolders and files.

Step 9: Click on “Apply” and “OK” to close the properties window.

Step 10: Click on the “Yes” button to confirm the security prompt.

Now, you should be able to modify the file or folder without any error.

Solution 7: Disable Admin Approval Mode

Admin Approval Mode is a feature of the User Account Control (UAC) that can restrict several functions on your computer, such as creating or modifying files inside the root folders. However, you can disable it by following a few simple steps.

Note: This setting does not apply for Home Edition Windows

Step 1: Press Windows + R keys to open the Run box.

Step 2: Type secpol.msc in the Run box and click OK to open Local Security Policy.

Alternatively, you can open Local Security Policy via Control Panel > Administrator Tools.

Step 3: Expand the Local Policies folder.

Step 4: Click on Security Options.

Step 5: In the right pane, double-click on “User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode” policy.

Step 6: Select Disabled in the Local Security Setting tab.

Solution 8: Modify EnableLUA registry key to 0

You can conveniently fix the error message 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” by modifying a EnableLUA registry key on the Registry Editor.

Step 1: Press Windows + R keys to launch the Run dialog.

Step 2: Input regedit.exe and click OK.

Step 3: Go to the path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\system

Step 4: Double-click on the key – EnableLUA.

Step 5: Change its Value data to 0.

Step 6: Save the change and restart your computer.

Solution 9: Disable Your Antivirus Program Temporarily

Sometimes, antivirus software can interfere with the smooth functioning of your system and cause the 0x80070522 error. To fix this issue, you need to disable your antivirus software temporarily. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Click on the Windows icon on your taskbar.

Step 2: Type “antivirus” in the search bar.

Step 3: Click on the antivirus program installed on your computer.

Step 4: Look for the option to disable the antivirus program temporarily. Click on it.

Step 5: Select the time duration for which you want to disable the antivirus program.

Step 6: Try creating the file or folder again. If the error is fixed, the antivirus program was causing the error. If the error persists, move on to the next step.

Solution 10: Perform a System File Checker Scan

A corrupted system file can also cause the 0x80070522 error. To fix this issue, you need to perform a System File Checker (SFC) scan. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Right-click the Start button, type Command Prompt, and click Run as administrator.

Step 2: Click Yes on the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.

Step 3: Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

Step 4: Wait for the scan to finish and restart your PC if prompted.

Solution 11: Run the Check Disk Utility

Running the Check Disk utility can also help fix the 0x80070522 error. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Press Windows key once

Step 2: Type cmd in the search box.

Step 3: Choose Run as administrator to open an elevated command prompt. If the UAC prompts then click on Yes to proceed further.

Step 4: Type chkdsk /f /r and press Enter.

Step 5: Restart the computer.

Solution 12: Update Your Drivers via Device Manager

Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause device not responding issues on Windows. To fix this, you’ll need to update your drivers. You can do this manually by going to the manufacturer’s website and downloading the latest drivers for your system. Alternatively, you can use a driver update tool to automatically update your drivers.

Here’s how you can update your drivers via Device Manager:

Step 1: Open Device Manager: Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager from the menu.

Step 2: Locate the device with the driver issue: Look for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark next to them, as this indicates a driver issue.

Step 3: Update the driver: Right-click the device with the driver issue and select Update driver. Follow the prompts to update the driver.

Solution 13: Update Your Device Drivers via Windows Updates

Windows Update can also provide updated drivers for your devices. To check for updates:

Step 1: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

Step 2: Select the Advanced options.

Step 3: Click on the Optional Update.

Step 4: Click the drop-down button on the Driver Update and check the list of updates available.

Step 5: Select the Update and Install button, then wait for the drivers to install.

Step 6: Restart the Windows after device driver installation complete.

Solution 14: Perform a Clean Boot of Your System

Sometimes, a third-party application can cause the 0x80070522 “A required privilege is not held by the client” error. To fix this issue, you need to perform a clean boot of your system. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open a Run box.

Step 2: Type msconfig and click the OK button to open the System Configuration window.

Step 3: In the General tab, click on the radio button beside Selective startup. Uncheck the Load startup items checkbox.

Step 4: Go to the Services Tab, then check on Hide All Microsoft services and click on Disable all button.

Step 5: Click the Apply button, and then click on the OK button. Choose Restart Later option.

Step 6: Press the Windows + R key to open a Run box.

Step 7: Type msconfig and click the OK button to open the System Configuration window.

Step 8: Choose Startup and select Open Task Manager.

Step 9: look at the last field called Startup Impact and disable all the ones with High Impact by right-clicking on it and choose Disable.

Step 10: Restart your Windows and it will startup in the clean boot mode.

Step 11: If the same error not showing again, then try to find out the problematic application by adding one application or driver at a time to clean boot selection and check.

Solution 15: Perform a system restore

If none of the above solutions work for you, you may need to perform a system restore to revert your system to a previous state when everything was working fine. To do this:

Step 1: Open System Restore: Press the Windows key + R and type rstrui.exe in the Run dialog box.

Step 2: Choose a restore point: Select a restore point from the list of available options. Choose a point in time when your device was working properly.

Step 3: Restore your device: Follow the prompts to restore your device to the selected restore point.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: What is the 0x80070522 error code?

Answer: The 0x80070522 error code is a Windows error that indicates that the user does not have the required privilege to perform a file operation, such as copying, moving, or deleting files from a protected folder or drive.

Question: How can I fix the 0x80070522 error in Windows?

Answer: Some of the possible methods to fix the 0x80070522 error in Windows are:

• Run the File Explorer as administrator
• Change the ownership of the folder or drive
• Disable the User Account Control (UAC)

Question: What are the causes of the 0x80070522 error in Windows?

Answer: Some of the common causes of the 0x80070522 error in Windows are:

• Copying, moving, or deleting files from the System32 folder
• Copying, moving, or deleting files from a network drive or a shared folder
• Copying, moving, or deleting files from a removable drive
• Copying, moving, or deleting files that are in use by another program or process

Summary

The 0x80070522 error is a common Windows error that occurs when the user does not have the required privilege to perform a file operation. This error can be fixed by running the File Explorer as administrator, changing the ownership of the folder or drive, or disabling the User Account Control (UAC). However, disabling the UAC is not recommended, as it may compromise the security and stability of the system.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The methods and solutions provided in this article may not work for every situation and may have potential risks. The author and the publisher are not liable for any damages or losses that may result from the use of the information in this article. Always backup your data and consult a qualified IT expert before making any changes to your system.