PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied

Question

Everytime I try to delete a file using os.remove() in Python 3.5.1, I get this message PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied

And here is that simple code:

def clean_thrash(path):
    dirlist=get_dirlist(path)
    for f in dirlist:
        fullname=os.path.join(path,f)
        if fullname == os.path.join(path,"thrash.txt"):
            os.remove(path)
        if os.path.isdir(fullname):
            clean_thrash(fullname)

Didn't even delete a single file in the directory or sub-directory.

You are trying to remove a directory not file. `os.remove()` removes file with given path not directory — Tanu, May 22 '16 at 17:10
Possible duplicate - https://stackoverflow.com/questions/26091530/permissionerror-winerror-5-access-is-denied-python-using-moviepy-to-write-gif — ChrisF, Dec 05 '17 at 12:13

score 14 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 22 '21 at 10:12

I too had this problem, and after searching found a good solution.

Essentially, before calling os.remove(file_name) we need change file permissions.

import stat
Before calling os.remove, call os.chmod(file_name, stat.S_IWRITE)

For example:

import os
import stat

def clean_thrash(path):
    dirlist=get_dirlist(path)
    for f in dirlist:
        fullname=os.path.join(path,f)
        if fullname == os.path.join(path,"thrash.txt"):
            os.chmod(fullname , stat.S_IWRITE)
            os.remove(fullname)
        if os.path.isdir(fullname):
            clean_thrash(fullname)

I hope this fixes your problem.

score 10 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 09 '18 at 14:10

10

If you are using windows, you can simply do:

import shutil
shutil.rmtree(directory_path)

Hope this works!

answered Sep 09 '18 at 14:10

Ghantey

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score 1 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:59

1

You have to be administrator user if you are on Windows or have to have sudo permissions if you are on Linux. try running code with sudo

see this answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/32199615/6356497

edited May 23 '17 at 11:59

Community

1
1

answered May 22 '16 at 17:08

Revaz Shalikashvili

143
1
9

Thank You for the response..+Revaz – Saraghu Ravi May 22 '16 at 17:10
1

I fixed it by replacing os.remove(path) by os.remove(fullname) – Saraghu Ravi May 22 '16 at 17:11

PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied

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