can not delete media on windows, file permission issue.

[geekzombie]

Hello. I looked for this particular issue in the forums but didnt find one. hence posting here. I have tried looking it up on google etc. but only found solutions for linux server.

So what my issue is, that I am running Jellyfin 10.10.7 on windows as a service. Its a windows 10 laptop that I am using as a server. and the laptop is logged in with my user. and the jellyfin is also running in the same user. 

Jellyfin is working well for everything, it scans my library from the HDD I have added, and plays it all well. however when I try to click on three dots and choose delete media, it gives an error after I confirm deletion. "There was an error deleting the item from the server. Please check that Jellyfin has write access to the media folder and try again."

I understand Jellyfin needs the write permission, but I dont know how to give it permission on windows? If anyone can guide me that would be amazing!


In the logs I found the following error message.



[2025-11-10 15:57:26.499 +05:00] [INF] [148] Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.LibraryManager: Removing item, Type: "Movie", Name: "My Movie", Path: "X:\Path\to\Movie Folder\Movie-File.mkv", Id: 973dbf6d-cc94-87a0-9c2d-bcc44f991700
[2025-11-10 15:57:26.501 +05:00] [INF] [148] Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.LibraryManager: Deleting item path, Type: "Movie", Name: "My Movie", Path: "X:\Path\to\Movie Folder", Id: 973dbf6d-cc94-87a0-9c2d-bcc44f991700
[2025-11-10 15:57:26.503 +05:00] [ERR] [148] Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.ExceptionMiddleware: Error processing request. URL "DELETE" "/Items/973dbf6dcc9487a09c2dbcc44f991700".
System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access to the path 'Movie-File.mkv' is denied.
  at System.IO.FileSystem.RemoveDirectoryRecursive(String fullPath, WIN32_FIND_DATA& findData, Boolean topLevel)
  at System.IO.FileSystem.RemoveDirectory(String fullPath, Boolean recursive)
  at Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.LibraryManager.DeleteItem(BaseItem item, DeleteOptions options, BaseItem parent, Boolean notifyParentItem)
  at Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.LibraryManager.DeleteItem(BaseItem item, DeleteOptions options, Boolean notifyParentItem)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Controllers.LibraryController.DeleteItem(Guid itemId)
  at lambda_method1366(Closure, Object, Object[])
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ActionMethodExecutor.SyncActionResultExecutor.Execute(ActionContext actionContext, IActionResultTypeMapper mapper, ObjectMethodExecutor executor, Object controller, Object[] arguments)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethodAsync()
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ControllerActionInvoker.Next(State& next, Scope& scope, Object& state, Boolean& isCompleted)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeNextActionFilterAsync()
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ControllerActionInvoker.Rethrow(ActionExecutedContextSealed context)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ControllerActionInvoker.Next(State& next, Scope& scope, Object& state, Boolean& isCompleted)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeInnerFilterAsync()
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.<InvokeNextResourceFilter>g__Awaited|25_0(ResourceInvoker invoker, Task lastTask, State next, Scope scope, Object state, Boolean isCompleted)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.Rethrow(ResourceExecutedContextSealed context)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.Next(State& next, Scope& scope, Object& state, Boolean& isCompleted)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.InvokeFilterPipelineAsync()
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.<InvokeAsync>g__Awaited|17_0(ResourceInvoker invoker, Task task, IDisposable scope)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.<InvokeAsync>g__Awaited|17_0(ResourceInvoker invoker, Task task, IDisposable scope)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.ServerStartupMessageMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext, IServerApplicationHost serverApplicationHost, ILocalizationManager localizationManager)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.WebSocketHandlerMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext, IWebSocketManager webSocketManager)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.IPBasedAccessValidationMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext, INetworkManager networkManager)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.LanFilteringMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext, INetworkManager networkManager, IServerConfigurationManager serverConfigurationManager)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authorization.AuthorizationMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.QueryStringDecodingMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext)
  at Swashbuckle.AspNetCore.ReDoc.ReDocMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext)
  at Swashbuckle.AspNetCore.SwaggerUI.SwaggerUIMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext)
  at Swashbuckle.AspNetCore.Swagger.SwaggerMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext, ISwaggerProvider swaggerProvider)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.AuthenticationMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.RobotsRedirectionMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.LegacyEmbyRouteRewriteMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext)
  at Microsoft.AspNetCore.ResponseCompression.ResponseCompressionMiddleware.InvokeCore(HttpContext context)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.ResponseTimeMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context, IServerConfigurationManager serverConfigurationManager)
  at Jellyfin.Api.Middleware.ExceptionMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
[2025-11-10 15:59:58.532 +05:00] [INF] [136] Emby.Server.Implementations.Session.SessionWebSocketListener: Sending ForceKeepAlive message to 1 inactive WebSockets.

[bandit8623]

"X:\Path\to\Movie Folder\ go here right click. select security. check that the user u have running the jelly service is listed. if not u need to add that user. make sure it has read and write permissions.

[geekzombie]

Thanks for your response. I have my own logged in user listed there.

And as far as I know jellyfin is run by the same user, however, how can I confirm which user is running jellyfin server?

[bandit8623]

in start menu type services. u should be able to click services. then search for jellyfin. on the right it will show. if you didnt change it its likely the user you used to istall it. at any rate when u figure out the user then you will need to follow the steps above to get the right access to those folders for your user.

can i ask why you used as a service? i use it but you need to change alot of permissions for it to work right. i would reccomend u reinstall as a normal install to amke things easier.

[geekzombie]

I have tried that, but I can not find jellyfin in services list. Which means I must have not installed it as a service.

I am not sure what to do. I have tried fixing permissions of the media folder. (I have given it my local user as well as administartor. My jellyfin server owner is administrator) but nothing changed.