If you are using iTunes on Windows 10, you may have encountered a strange error that keeps showing up and preventing you from downloading any media files to your local computer.
In this case, I am specifically talking about Windows 10 and, most likely, after you recently updated Windows 10 to the latest version. I googled and almost every site told me that it was some sort of permissions issue in the iTunes media folder and that I had to reset permissions or create a new library to get it working again.
However, based on my technical background, I knew there must be some other problem. After a long investigation, I found that this security setting in Windows 10 prevents iTunes from writing data to the media folder.
This feature is called Controlled Folder Access, and while I recommend leaving it enabled, it can cause all sorts of weird program problems on Windows. In this article, I’ll show you how to fix the two errors below:
Also, when trying to download a song to my computer from iCloud Music, I got a similar but slightly different error.
Windows 10 controls folder access
By enabling Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10, you basically prevent any program from writing to the default folders in Windows such as Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, etc. You have to manually grant permission every program that needs to write to these directories.
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Fortunately, once an app has tried to access the folder and has been blocked, it appears in the recently blocked list and you can simply select it to grant it access.
First click on Start and then Settings.
Then click on Update & Security.
In the left column, click Windows Security. In the next right pane, click the Open Windows Security button.
Now click on Virus & threat protection in the right or left pane.
In the right pane, scroll down until you see the Manage Settings link under the Virus & Threat Protection Settings heading.
You will see many different options here, but keep scrolling down until you reach Controlled Folder Access and click on the control link.
Click the Allow this application to access controlled folder link.
You will see a security popup asking if you want to allow this application to make changes to your computer. Click Yes. Here you will see a list of applications and their paths to which access was granted.
Go ahead and click the Add Allowed App button at the top. When you click on it, you will see an option called Recently Blocked Apps.
If you just closed iTunes, you should see that the top application is the iTunes executable (itunes.exe). If not, you can reopen iTunes and allow the error to appear, then return to that window. Or you can simply click Browse All Applications and manually navigate to the EXE file.
Just click the + button to add an app, and then click Close. Now open iTunes and your error will be gone! Wow! It took a lot of steps, but luckily you only need to do it once.
It is also recommended that you review this list of recently blocked and grant access to any other application that you think is being blocked incorrectly. It also tends to block most of Adobe’s software. Hope this solved your problem. If not, let us know in the comments.
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