How to view and change the file attributes in Windows

Updated: 12/01/2019 by Computer Hope

In Microsoft Windows, you can see the attributes of a file by viewing the file properties. To view and change the file properties, follow the steps below.

Tip

To adjust the file attributes in MS-DOS or the Windows command line, use the attrib command.

  1. Right-click the file that you want to view or change the file attributes.
  2. Select the Properties option.
  3. In the file Properties window, you see the attributes under the General tab, as shown in the picture below.

Properties window in Microsoft Windows

  1. Check or uncheck the attributes you want to enable or disable. For example, to make a file read-only so it cannot be modified or changed, check the Read-only box, click Apply, and then OK.
Note

If you are not able to change the file properties, the file is likely encrypted or password-protected, preventing you from modifying the attributes.