How To Fix Insufficient Permissions

If Google Chrome is unable to download files on your computer and coming up with "Failed – Insufficient Permissions" error, you should be able to fix the problem using troubleshooting steps as provided below.

Download Failed - Insufficient Permissions Chrome

Chrome Download Failed – Insufficient Permissions Error

In most cases, "Failed – Insufficient Permissions" error in Google Chrome means that the browser does not have the permission to save the file on your computer.

This could either be due to Chrome being unable to write to its default save location or due to download restrictions placed by the operating system or the antivirus program installed on your computer.

1. Try Incognito Mode

To start with, switch Google Chrome to Incognito Mode and see if you can download the file.

Open a New tab in Chrome Browser > click on 3-dots menu icon and select New Incognito Window option.

Open New Incognito Window in Chrome Browser

Once you are in Incognito mode, try to download the file again.

2. Use Save As Option

Another option is to right-click on the download link and select Save As option, instead of clicking on the Download button, provided by the website.

Move to the next steps, if "Save As" option is not available or if you are still getting "Failed – Insufficient Permissions" error in Chrome browser.

3. Change Chrome Download Location to Desktop

The problem might be due to the Save Location Path in Chrome browser being incorrect or corrupted. Hence, change the download location to Desktop or Documents and try to download the file again.

Open Chrome Browser > click on 3 dots Menu Icon and select Settings option in the drop-down menu.

Open Chrome Settings

From the Settings screen, navigate to Advanced and click on the Change button located under "Downloads" section.

Change Chrome Download Location

Note: Make sure "Ask Where to Save Each File Before Downloading" option is turned OFF.

On the next screen, select Desktop and click on Select Folder button.

Select Desktop As Chrome Download Location

Now, you should be able to download the File on your computer.

4. Enable Installation of Third Party Apps

If you are trying to download Third Party Apps, you need to make sure that your computer has the permission to install Apps from other sources.

Open Settings on your computer and click on the Apps icon.

On the next screen, select Apps & Feature in the left-pane. In the right-pane, click on the Down-Arrow and select Anywhere or Warn while installing Non Microsoft Apps option.

Enable Installation of Third Party Apps on Windows PC

After this you should have no problem downloading Third Party Apps on your computer.

5. Clear Browser Cache & Cookies

Open Chrome Browser > click on 3-dots Menu icon > More Tools >Clear Browsing Data.

Clear Chrome Browser Cache and Browsing History

On the next screen, select All Time as the "Time Range", check Browsing History, Cookies, Cached Images and click on Clear Data button.

Clear Cookies, Browsing History and Cached Images in Chrome

After clearing browsing cache, try to download the file again on your computer.

6. Disable Browser Extensions

Sometimes, incompatible browser extensions can block downloads and interfere with proper functioning of Chrome browser.

Open Chrome browser > click on 3-dots menu icon > More tools > Extensions.

On the next screen, disable Extensions by moving the toggle to OFF position. If an extension is unnecessary, click on Remove to uninstall the extension.

Remove or Disable Chrome Extension

Restart Chrome browser and try to download the file again.

7. Update Chrome Browser

Open Chrome Browser > click on 3-dots menu icon > hoover mouse on Help and click on About Google Chrome.

About Google Chrome

On the next screen, allow Google Chrome to check and apply the Updates (if available).

8. Reset Chrome Browser to Default Settings

Reset Chrome browser to its default Settings and see if this helps in fixing the problem.

Open Chrome browser > click on 3-dots menu icon and select Settings option in the drop-down menu.

Open Chrome Settings

From the Settings screen, navigate to Advanced and click on Restore Settings to their original defaults option, located under 'Reset and clean up' section.

Restore Settings to Default Option in Chrome

On the confirmation pop-up, click on Reset Settings button to confirm.

9. Reinstall Chrome

If above methods did not help, the installation of Chrome browser on your computer might be corrupted. The only remaining option in this case is to delete and Reinstall Google Chrome browser on your computer.

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