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how do I revoke my own perms from all files in C: /windows /serviceprofiles and all subfolders

Vinu Sase- 0 Reputation points
2026-04-08T04:24:10.3366667+00:00

I wanted to test my firewall and I made an inbound rule to deny all incoming requests and after that I um started to see that my pin wasn't available (Something went wrong and pin isn't available now) good thing I had my pass and picture pass ready and like the absolute dummy forgot I can reset the pin in settings and made my way to ngc folder (got my pin working by going to settings) and now I want to SAFELY remove all permissions to the service profiles and preceding folders without wrecking the system because I don't want to mess with upper level folders because they are critical. Can someone help me with this ? system is completely intact I want to just undo what I did. (this windows version hasn't been updated for 3 month [I usually don't go online on windows] ) plus I use this as sort of a testing device but has some critical info I need which can't be backed up . Simple procedure but I'm very much nervous about accidentally removing system or other permissions.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage
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  1. Clary-N 10,005 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-09T07:48:47.4066667+00:00

    Hi Vinu Sase-,

    I’d like to add a bit more context to the guidance already shared.

    You’re absolutely right to be cautious here. As mentioned, manually trying to remove or change permissions across system folders such as:

    C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles

    is not supported and can lead to unexpected behavior. These folders are used by core Windows services (including Windows Hello), and permission changes made there can sometimes cause issues that may not appear immediately but show up later, for example, after a restart or when certain background services try to access those locations.

    Even if things appear to be working normally now (such as your PIN becoming available again), permission changes in these paths may still remain in place because System Restore does not always revert file or folder permissions that were modified manually.

    So in this situation, instead of trying to manually “revoke” your own permissions from those folders, the safer approach would be:

    • Avoid making further permission changes in ServiceProfiles or its parent folders
    • Monitor the system after the next restart for any sign‑in, PIN, Microsoft Store, or Windows Update issues
    • If problems do return, consider restoring from a restore point created before the permission changes were made, or performing a repair install (in‑place upgrade), which can safely reset system permissions without affecting your personal files or installed apps *Disclaimer: Let’s try performing an in-place install or in-place upgrade which will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up before making large system changes. If you want to back up your data first, please do so. Once you are done backing up, you can follow the steps in the following guides: How to run In-place upgrade in Windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A  

    This helps minimize the risk of introducing additional instability through manual permission adjustments.

    I hope this helps clarify things a bit.

    Please feel free to let me know how things behave after reboot. I’ll be happy to continue assisting if needed.

    If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

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    You found this answer helpful.

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  1. Q&A Assist
    2026-04-08T04:24:25.87+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    Do not try to “revoke your own permissions from everything under C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles” manually. The provided guidance explicitly warns that broad ACL/DACL changes under system paths are unsafe and often irreversible.

    From the security configuration guidance:

    • Windows XP and later already have tightened permissions; extensive changes to default permissions are not necessary.
    • Additional DACL changes can invalidate Microsoft’s application compatibility testing and change OS behavior in unintended ways.
    • Extensive permission changes propagated through the registry and file system cannot be undone, and reverting Group Policy or “defaults” does not restore original DACLs.
    • Changing DACLs on system locations can cause:
      • User profiles failing to function
      • Reduced security (unexpected access to other users’ data)
      • Application crashes and system instability
      • Performance problems during Group Policy reapplication

    Because of this, there is no supported “simple procedure” to safely strip a specific user’s permissions recursively from C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles and its parent folders without risking system damage.

    Supported guidance is:

    • Avoid modifying file system DACLs on OS files and folders on production systems.
    • Evaluate any ACL changes only against a specific, known threat and keep them minimal.

    To “undo what was done” safely, the supported options are:

    • Restore from a backup or restore point taken before the permissions were changed (if available), or
    • Reinstall/reset Windows while preserving or first exporting critical data by supported means.

    Direct, large‑scale ACL surgery on C:\Windows and ServiceProfiles is not supported or documented as a safe recovery path.

    References:

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