Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: Access is denied error, when I mklink on Windows 7

Windows Access is denied error when creating a symbolic link.

Quick Answer: The issue arises from the fact that mklink uses the current user's credentials to create the link, not the Administrator's. Try running the command as an administrator or using the elevated command prompt.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 🛑 Root Causes of the Error
  2. 🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes
  3. 🎯 Final Words

The 'Access is denied' error when running the `mklink` command on Windows 7 can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to create symbolic links as a user who has administrative privileges. This issue affects users who are attempting to create symbolic links between directories that are not directly under their home directory.

This problem can be particularly vexing because it appears that the user has sufficient permissions to write files in the target directory, yet is still denied access when trying to create a symbolic link.

🛑 Root Causes of the Error

  • The primary reason for this error is related to the way Windows handles symbolic links. When you run `mklink`, Windows attempts to create a junction point between the source and destination directories. However, if the target directory is not directly under the user's home directory, Windows may deny access due to security restrictions.
  • Another possible cause could be related to the file system permissions or group policies that restrict symbolic link creation in certain environments.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes

Using the `mklink` command with elevated privileges

  1. Step 1: Open Command Prompt as an administrator. To do this, right-click on the Start button and select 'Command Prompt (Admin)'. Alternatively, you can also use Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges.
  2. Step 2: Once in the elevated Command Prompt, navigate to the directory where you want to create the symbolic link using the `cd` command. For example: `cd C:\Users\abc\`.
  3. Step 3: Run the `mklink` command again, specifying the full path of the target and source directories. For instance: `mklink c:\

Using the 'junction' command (Windows Server 2008 and later)

  1. Step 1: If you are running Windows Server 2008 or a later version, you can use the `junction` command instead of `mklink`. This command is specifically designed for creating junction points, which behave similarly to symbolic links.
  2. Step 2: Open Command Prompt as an administrator and navigate to the directory where you want to create the junction point. For example: `cd C:\Users\abc\`.
  3. Step 3: Run the `junction` command followed by the full path of the target and source directories. For instance: `junction c:\

🎯 Final Words

In conclusion, creating symbolic links between directories that are not directly under your home directory can be challenging due to security restrictions in Windows 7. By using elevated privileges or alternative commands like 'junction', you should be able to successfully create the desired symbolic link.

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