How to Fix: PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission Denied in Python

When your Python code encounters a situation where it lacks the necessary permissions to access a file or directory, it raises PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied in Python. This article will explore how to address the Errno 13 Error in Python effectively.

What is PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission Denied in Python?

PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission Denied denotes a situation where a program attempts to execute an operation—such as file reading or writing—without the requisite permissions. This error typically arises when a user lacks the necessary privileges to access, modify, or execute a particular file or directory. The error message associated with Errno 13 explicitly indicates that permission is denied for the specified operation.

Error Syntax

PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied

below, are the reasons for the occurrence of PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied in Python:

• Improper File Path Handling
• Incorrect File Content in Python

Improper File Path Handling

This Python code opens a file named “GFG.txt” for writing and writes “Hello, world!” into it. However, the file path contains backslashes (\), which might cause issues if not handled correctly.

Python3

with open(r"C:\Users\R.Daswanta kumar\OneDrive\Pictures\GFG\file\GFG.txt", "w") as file:
    file.write("Hello, world!")

Output:

Incorrect File Content with Python

Below, code to overwrite the content of a file named “GFG.txt” located at a specific path. If executed without sufficient permissions, Python will raise a PermissionError (Error 13) indicating a permission denied error.

Python3

file_path = r"C:\Users\R.Daswanta kumar\OneDrive\Pictures\GFG\file\GFG.txt"

with open(file_path, "w") as file:
    new_content = "New content to replace the existing content."
    file.write(new_content)

print("File content modified successfully!")

Output:

Solution for PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission Denied in Python

Below, are the approaches to solve PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission Denied in Python:

• Proper File Path Handling
• Correct File Content in Python

Proper File Path Handling

Below, code defines a file path and opens a file named “GFG.txt” in write mode, enabling it to overwrite existing content. It then replaces the content with the specified new text and confirms successful modification.

Python3

file_path = r"C:\Users\R.Daswanta kumar\OneDrive\Pictures\GFG\file\GFG.txt"

with open(file_path, "w") as file:
    new_content = "New content to replace the existing content."
    file.write(new_content)

print("File content modified successfully!")

Output

File content modified successfully

Correct File Content in Python

The following code first checks if the file exists, then attempts to modify its permissions to allow writing. If successful, it proceeds to overwrite the file’s content with new text. If the user lacks necessary permissions, it prints a message indicating permission denial. Finally, it confirms both the modification of file permissions and the content.

Python3

import os

file_path = r"C:\Users\R.Daswanta kumar\OneDrive\Pictures\GFG\file\GFG.txt"

try:
    if os.path.exists(file_path):

        os.chmod(file_path, 0o666)
        print("File permissions modified successfully!")
    else:
        print("File not found:", file_path)
except PermissionError:
    print("Permission denied: You don't have the necessary permissions to change the permissions of this file.")

with open(file_path, "w") as file:
    new_content = "New content to replace the existing content."
    file.write(new_content)

print("File content modified successfully!")

Output

File content modified successfully

Conclusion

In conclusion , To sum up, Error 13 is a frequent Python issue that arises from inadequate permissions when attempting to access certain files or folders. You may simply fix this problem and create reliable Python code by using the ‘os’ module, comprehending file permissions, and putting appropriate error handling in place.