Rufus Error Access To The Device Is Denied
Rufus Error Access to the Device Is Denied: How to Fix It
Rufus is a popular tool that allows you to create bootable USB drives from ISO files. It is easy to use and supports various formats and systems. However, sometimes Rufus may encounter an error that prevents it from writing to the USB drive. The error message says "Error: Access to the device is denied". This can be frustrating and confusing, especially if you need to create a bootable USB drive urgently.
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In this article, we will explain what causes this error and how to fix it in Windows 11/10/8/7. We will also provide some alternative tools that you can use to create bootable USB drives without Rufus.
What Causes Rufus Error Access to the Device Is Denied?
There are several possible reasons why Rufus may show the error access to the device is denied. Some of the common ones are:
The Controlled folder access feature of Windows Defender is enabled. This feature is designed to protect your files and folders from being modified or deleted by malicious software. However, it may also block Rufus from accessing the USB drive.
You do not have sufficient privileges to write to the USB drive. You may need to run Rufus as an administrator or change the permissions of the USB drive.
The USB drive is corrupted or damaged. There may be bad sectors, file system errors, or physical damage on the USB drive that prevent Rufus from writing to it.
The USB port is faulty or incompatible. There may be a problem with the USB port or the connection that causes Rufus to fail.
There is a conflict with other software or processes that are using the USB drive. Some antivirus, security, or backup software may interfere with Rufus and lock the USB drive.
How to Fix Rufus Error Access to the Device Is Denied?
Depending on the cause of the error, there are different solutions that you can try to fix it. Here are some of the most effective ones:
Disable Controlled Folder Access
If you have enabled Controlled folder access in Windows Defender, you may need to disable it temporarily while using Rufus. To do this, follow these steps:
Open Windows Settings and click on Update & Security.
Click on Windows Security on the left pane and then click on Virus & threat protection.
Scroll down and click on Manage settings under Virus & threat protection settings.
Scroll down again and click on Manage Controlled folder access under Ransomware protection.
Toggle the switch to Off under Controlled folder access.
After disabling Controlled folder access, try using Rufus again and see if the error is gone. You can also add Rufus as an allowed app in Windows Defender by clicking on Add an allowed app under Controlled folder access and browsing for Rufus.exe. Remember to turn on Controlled folder access again after creating the bootable USB drive.
Run Rufus as an Administrator
If you do not have enough permissions to write to the USB drive, you may need to run Rufus as an administrator. To do this, right-click on Rufus.exe and select Run as administrator. Alternatively, you can right-click on Rufus.exe and select Properties. Then go to the Compatibility tab and check the box next to Run this program as an administrator. Click OK and then run Rufus normally.
Format or Repair the USB Drive
If the USB drive is corrupted or damaged, you may need to format or repair it before using Rufus. To format the USB drive, follow these steps:
Open File Explorer and right-click on the USB drive.
Select Format from the context menu.
Select FAT32 or NTFS as the file system and check the box next to Quick Format.
Click Start and wait for the formatting process to complete.
To repair the USB drive, follow these steps:
Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Type chkdsk X: /f /r and press Enter, where X is the drive letter of the USB drive.
Wait for the scanning and repairing process to complete.
After formatting or repairing the USB drive, try using Rufus again and see if the error is gone.
Change the USB Port or Cable
If the USB port or cable is faulty or incompatible, you may need to change it and use a different one. Try plugging the USB drive into another USB port on your computer or use a different USB cable if possible. You can also try using a powered USB hub to connect the USB drive to your computer. This may help to solve any power or connection issues that cause Rufus to fail.
Close Other Software or Processes
If there is a conflict with other software or processes that are using the USB drive, you may need to close them and free up the USB drive. Some of the software that may interfere with Rufus are antivirus, security, backup, encryption, partitioning, or disk management software. You can check the Task Manager and see if there are any processes that are using the USB drive. If you find any, right-click on them and select End task. You can also try disabling or uninstalling any software that may cause a conflict with Rufus.
What Are Some Alternative Tools to Rufus?
If none of the above solutions work for you, or you want to try a different tool to create bootable USB drives, there are some alternatives to Rufus that you can use. Here are some of the most popular ones:
: This is a cross-platform tool that can create bootable USB drives from various Linux distributions and other operating systems. It has a simple interface and supports persistent storage.
: This is another cross-platform tool that can create bootable USB drives from ISO files. It has a sleek and modern interface and supports validation and checksum verification.
: This is a unique tool that can create bootable USB drives without formatting or extracting the ISO files. It supports multiple ISO files on one USB drive and has various features such as secure boot, persistence, encryption, and more.
: This is an official tool from Microsoft that can create bootable USB drives for Windows 10/11 installation or upgrade. It can download the latest Windows ISO file and create a bootable USB drive automatically.
Conclusion
Rufus is a great tool to create bootable USB drives, but sometimes it may encounter an error access to the device is denied. This error can be caused by various factors such as Windows Defender, permissions, USB drive corruption, USB port issues, or software conflicts. To fix this error, you can try disabling Controlled folder access, running Rufus as an administrator, formatting or repairing the USB drive, changing the USB port or cable, or closing other software or processes. If none of these solutions work for you, you can also try some alternative tools to Rufus such as UNetbootin, Etcher, Ventoy, or Windows Media Creation Tool.
We hope this article has helped you to solve the Rufus error access to the device is denied and create a bootable USB drive successfully. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below.