12 Solutions to Fix “The System Cannot Find the Path Specified” Error on Windows

You may have encountered the error message, "The system cannot find the path specified" while copying a file/folder path or installing a program. This often occurs when the direct link to a file or folder item is broken or invalid. If this is not the case, your device may be infected with a virus. Try one of the following solutions to fix the error in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Tip: Dealing with an error clipping tool Instead? We show you what to do.

What is the error “The system cannot find the path specified”?

The error "The system cannot find the path specified" means that the currently logged-on user does not have proper permission to access a file or folder. It is encountered at the command prompt when navigating to a directory path using cd or attempting to open unavailable files from their links using dir.

The error message also appears on the Windows desktop when trying to install or start a program.

The specific path error was a common annoyance in Windows 7 and earlier. It may still occur in Windows 10 and its predecessors (due to user error), but it's increasingly rare in Windows 11 due to its support for advanced malware control. Here's how to deal with this error if it ever appears.

1. Fix invalid folder path

While typing inside the command prompt, users may accidentally type an invalid folder path. (It's much easier to copy and paste.) To correct this, check the actual folder path and make changes.

1. Go to The selected folder using file explorer.
2. Right click to view Folder propertiesIn the following example, we fix the incorrect folder path for the desktop.
   
3. Go to the tab "general" Copy and paste the folder path from "Location".
   
4. Paste the actual folder path into Command Prompt To check if the specified path error still exists.
   

2. Delete invalid environment path variables.

To help navigate between files and folders, Windows uses a series of shortcut commands called environment variables, the most important of which are:  %path% variableYou can manually check its entire list to determine if there are any invalid entries, which should be deleted immediately.

1. Open “View advanced system settings” of Control Panel or list Windows search.
   
2. Go to the tab "Advanced Options" and click environmental variables within “Startup and Recovery”.
   
3. Select an entry "The Path" within System variables , and tap "amendment". This will open a new pop-up window.
   
4. Explore each path variable and copy the entire path.
   
5. using File Explorer tabs in Windows 11 Or in the address bar in Windows 10, look for the Path variable.
6. If the path does not exist, return to the previous screen to delete its variable. This will prevent errors with the specified path.
   

3. Modify the owner of the file/folder permissions

Whether you're logged in as an administrator or otherwise, you may find that you don't have permissions for the file or folder you want to access. This can be fixed by modifying the owner as described.

1. Right click on the inaccessible folder and click "Properties".
   
2. Under the tab "Safety" You can see the full list of user names associated with folder permissions.
3. Click Options advanced" To change permissions.
   
4. Among the options "advanced" You can see "The owner" Current folder. Click "A change" To modify the owner.
   
5. If you are logged in as an administrator, look for the object name administrator under “Name verification”.
   
6. The correct user or group name must be highlighted with an underscore below the object. Click "OK" For confirmation.
   
7. When the current owner of the folder is changed to the logged in user (or administrator), you should not see the error again.
   

Good to know: File Explorer is not working The way it's supposed to work? Try these fixes for common issues.

4. Ensure that the file/folder path location is accessible.

A file or folder's path location may be inaccessible for several reasons. Find out by navigating to the specific folder and right-clicking the file to view its properties. If the folder can be opened directly from its folder path (which can be viewed in "Location" under the "General" tab), there are no problems enabling access to the folder.

There are many other methods for viewing inaccessible folders, as covered in this example.Open WindowsApps folder in Windows.

5. Check if the file/folder is not deleted.

Sometimes you may find that only a file or folder is missing because it was deleted without your knowledge. As a result, the system cannot find the path specified in Command Prompt and other modes. To check the current status of deleted files and folders, use the search icon in the File Explorer window, which will display a list of currently available items. Also, check the Recycle Bin to see if these deleted files are still present.

6. Recreate shortcuts for the file/folder in question.

The specified path error may occur automatically if the folder shortcuts are corrupted. In such cases, you need to delete these shortcuts and recreate them in the File Explorer window.

1. It is very easy to create a new shortcut for selected folders: right click and go to Show more options As shown here.
   
2. Click Send to and select desktop In the shortcut menu for the file or folder.
   

7. Turn on folder access control

There are some third-party applications that can make changes to folder permissions without your knowledge, including making their paths inaccessible. To prevent this, Windows provides a security feature called Controlled Folder Access, which can undo any malicious changes to your device.

1. using Run command Win + R , write windowsdefender: To launch the Windows Security window.
2. Search within Virus & Threat Protection -> Ransomware Protection About a menu option called “Folder access control”If it is off, turn it back on.
   
3. Click on the link Protected folders Which will take you to a new page where you can Add a protected folder.
4. Browse computer folders to add to the list. Protected foldersYou can add an entire drive, such as C:\drive , as shown below. This will cover everything within your computer's settings.

8. Check device performance and health.

If your Windows device is unhealthy, you may be experiencing malware that could introduce unwanted changes to your system. To undo the damage, it's a good idea to check your device's performance and health and take corrective action if necessary.

1. Open Windows Security Followed by the home page. It will give you Security at a glance Balkam.
2. Ensure there is a green check mark next to each device security option. If not, take the recommended action.
3. Open menu item Device performance and health.
   
4. Check the health report for each option: storage, battery life, apps and software, and Windows Time service.
5. If any of these display issues are present, they should be fixed by the user. For example, if certain applications are interfering with your system's security, they should be removed immediately.
   

Tip: If you're not a fan of Windows' built-in security suite, you can Permanently disable Windows Defender.

9. Enable virus and threat protection settings

If a piece of malware has infiltrated your computer, you can easily remove it using the Virus & Threat Protection settings in Windows Defender.

1. Settings option can be opened Protection from viruses and threats From Windows Search in System Settings or Windows Security window as shown in the previous steps.
   
2. Turn on all protection settings, including: Real-time protection و Cloud-delivered protection و tamper protection و “Send sample automatically.”
   
3. Run a quick scan in Windows Defender for viruses and other threats to help identify and quarantine malware on your device.
   

10. Security Intelligence Update

It's possible that a new variant of the malware has arrived, causing problems accessing files and folders. This can be fixed using Windows Defender Security Intelligence, which combats zero-day threats.

1. Open Windows Security and go to “Protection from viruses and threats.”
2. Go to Security updates And check if it is "Security Intelligence" On your device requires an update.
3. If updates are not received, your device is vulnerable to changes related to viruses and spyware. Click "Check for updates" To correct the problem.
   
4. Security Intelligence takes a few minutes to update itself. Afterward, a green check mark appears, indicating that new threats will be flagged.
   

11. Download and install all pending Windows updates.

If you don't update your Windows device, errors may occur in system folders, making them inaccessible. Therefore, reversing the pending update is the best way to address this.

1. Go to Settings -> Windows Update and click "Check for updates".
2. Download all necessary and cumulative updates for your Windows device as described.
   

12. Use troubleshooting in advanced startup mode

If all else fails, you can fix errors accessing the specified path using troubleshooting steps in Advanced Startup mode.

1. It can be viewed from “Settings -> System -> Recovery -> Recovery options -> Advanced startup.”
2. Click the button "Restart now" To continue with the advanced troubleshooting step.
   
3. A blue troubleshooting screen will flash after the reboot. There are several good solutions in this window. You can uninstall any recent updates that may be causing system errors. Another option is to open Command Prompt And I wrotewith sfc /scannow or DISM.exe , which are proven methods to repair corrupted registry files.
   

Tip: You can Give Windows 11 a try , without completely removing Windows 10 from your system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What does it mean when the system cannot find the specified path but it exists?

answer. If you see that the system cannot find the specified path error, but it exists (check solutions 4 and 5), it means that something on your computer is preventing you from accessing the network location or drive that contains the file or folder.

Q2. How do I fix broken file paths?

answer. One way to fix broken file paths in Windows is to remove special characters from file names, as they can interfere with Windows' path variables. You can also search for any shortcut files associated with broken file paths and delete them. These shortcuts can be recreated later.

Q3. How to fix System cannot find the specified path in Task Scheduler?

answer. While selecting an automatic task in Windows Task Scheduler You may encounter a specified path error. An SFC scan should resolve the issue along with other methods such as: Change task conditions and clean boot Windows.