Top 6 Ways to Fix Unspecified Error When Copying File or Folder in Windows

Copying files and folders on Windows is quick and effortless. Sometimes, you may encounter an unspecified error while copying a file or folder on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer. This can happen due to various factors, such as a corrupted file, insufficient storage space, or a problem with the file system.

Resolving such errors can be tricky since the cause is not explicitly stated. We have listed all the possible ways to fix the unspecified error when copying a file or folder on Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers.

1. Make Sure There Is Enough Storage Space

A lack of storage space is one of the most common reasons you may have trouble copying files and folders to a drive. Hence, it’s the first thing you need to check.

Step 1: Press the Windows + E keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer.

Step 2: Select This PC from the left pane. Right-click on the drive where you want to copy files, and select Properties.

Step 3: Under the General tab, check the value next to Free space.

If the available storage space is insufficient to accommodate the size of the file or folder you are trying to copy, free up some space on the drive and try again.

2. Check the Destination Drive Format

Are you attempting to copy a file to an external drive that uses a non-NTFS format? If so, you are likely to encounter such issues. For example, if the destination drive is formatted as FAT32, transferring a file that is larger than 4 GB is most likely to fail and result in an error.

To check the disk format of the destination drive, use these steps:

Step 1: Press the Windows + E keyboard shortcut to open the File Explorer on your PC.

Step 2: Navigate to This PC, right-click on your drive, and select Properties.

Step 3: Under General, check the file system of your drive.

If it says NTFS, disk format isn’t a problem, and you can continue with the solutions below. If it says FAT32, you may have to format the drive into the NTFS format.

3. Remove Write Protection From the Drive

Another reason why you may have trouble copying files or folders to a storage drive is if it is write-protected. In that case, you will need to use the DiskPart utility to remove write protection from your drive. Here are the steps for the same.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the list.

Step 2: Select Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.

Step 3: Type diskpart in the console and hit Enter.

Step 4: Type list disk and press Enter to view a list of storage devices connected to your PC.

Step 5: Note the disk number associated with your storage device from the first column. Then, type the following command to select it.

Select disk N

Replace N in the above command with the actual number associated with the disk.

Step 6: Paste the following command and press Enter to remove write protection for the selected device.

attributes disk clear readonly

After completing the above steps, you can copy files and folders to that drive.

4. Download and Run the File and Folder Troubleshooter

Microsoft offers a File and Folder Troubleshooter that can automatically fix issues preventing you from copying or moving files and folders. Running this troubleshooter can help address the unspecified error encountered while copying a file or folder on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer.

Step 1: Download the File and Folder Troubleshooter from Microsoft’s website.

Download the File and Folder Troubleshooter

Step 2: Double-click the downloaded file. Then, click Next to run the troubleshooter.

Step 3: Select the ‘Renaming or moving files and folders’ option and hit Next.

Wait for the troubleshooter to detect and fix any issues, and then try to copy your files and folders again.

5. Modify File or Folder Permission

Windows may display the unspecified error if your current user account does not have the permission to copy the file or folder. To fix this, you need to obtain full control over the file or folder you are attempting to copy.

Step 1: Right-click on the file or folder you want to copy and select Properties.

Step 2: Under the Security tab, click the Edit button.

Step 3: Tick the Allow checkbox next to Full control. Then, hit Apply, followed by OK.

After completing the above steps, try copying or moving your file or folder.

6. Create a New User Account

Problems with your user account can also trigger the unspecified error while copying files and folders on Windows 10 or Windows 11. If that’s the case, you will need to create and switch to a new user account.

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app. In the Accounts tab, click on Other users.

Step 2: Click the Add account button.

Step 3: Type in your email address and follow the on-screen instructions to create a new user account on Windows.

Switch to the newly created user account and see if you can copy files and folders.

Defeat the Unspecified Error

Copying files and folders is something you may have to do regularly on your computer. While problems like the unspecified error can sometimes prevent you from copying a file or folder on your Windows 10 or 11 PC, it’s nothing you can’t fix with the tips mentioned above.