ERROR

Unable to create new shapefile, permission is denied

Last Published: April 25, 2020

Error Message

In ArcMap, attempting to create a shapefile from the Catalog tree returns the following error message:

Error:   
Unable to create new shapefile, permission is denied.

The error message is also returned when attempting to save the shapefile in a system folder such as Windows, Program Files, and Program Files (x86).

Cause

The following are probable causes:

  • The shapefile name contains characters such as the forward slash (/), backward slash (\), bar (|), and asterisk (*), which are not supported in ArcGIS Desktop.
  • The user is unable save the shapefile in the folder location due to insufficient permissions to read or write in the system folder.

Solution or Workaround

Depending on the cause, select one of the options below to resolve the issue:

Article ID: 000021456

Software:
  • ArcMap

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