File properties are essential metadata that provide information about a file, such as its size, type, creation date, and permissions. Understanding and managing these properties is crucial for system administrators and power users who need to maintain an organized and secure file system. In the Windows environment, file properties can be accessed and modified using various tools like File Explorer, Command Prompt (CMD), and PowerShell. This article will guide you through the different methods to view and manage file properties in Windows.

Examples:

1. Viewing File Properties via File Explorer:

• Open File Explorer and navigate to the file whose properties you want to view.


• Right-click on the file and select "Properties."


• A window will appear showing various tabs like General, Security, and Details, where you can view different properties of the file.

2. Viewing File Properties via CMD:

• Open Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Windows search bar and hitting Enter.


• Navigate to the directory containing the file using the cd command.


• Use the dir command to list the files along with their basic properties.
  

   dir



• For more detailed properties, use the attrib command followed by the file name.
  

   attrib filename.ext

3. Viewing and Modifying File Properties via PowerShell:

• Open PowerShell by typing powershell in the Windows search bar and hitting Enter.


• Navigate to the directory containing the file using the Set-Location cmdlet.
  

   Set-Location -Path "C:\path\to\directory"



• Use the Get-Item cmdlet to retrieve the file and pipe it to Format-List to view detailed properties.
  

   Get-Item -Path .\filename.ext | Format-List -Property *



• To modify a property, such as the file's read-only attribute, use the Set-ItemProperty cmdlet.
  

   Set-ItemProperty -Path .\filename.ext -Name IsReadOnly -Value $true

4. Changing File Permissions via ICACLS:

• Open Command Prompt with administrative privileges.


• Use the icacls command to change file permissions. For example, to grant full control to a user, use:
  

   icacls filename.ext /grant username:F