you do not have permission to read the file

lmcsherr · 07-09-2026, 05:30 AM

I use Calibre (v. 8.16.2) to manage my ebooks on my Kindle Paperwhite. Recently, I uploaded a bunch of epubs and most were accepted, no problem. But about a third of them gave me the error:
Could not add *location*\name of book.epub as you do not have permission to read the file
I can open and read the book in Windows file explorer, so I know it's not a drm issue. I could understand it being a kindle issue if all of my epubs suddenly couldn't be loaded. But I just don't know how to solve this issue.

JSWolf · 07-09-2026, 02:57 PM

I suggest you try the latest version of calibre to see if you still have this problem. Reporting an error on an earlier version isn't going to help as it's not going to get fixed.

lmcsherr · 07-09-2026, 03:02 PM

I moved to Calibre 9.11. Same issue.

kovidgoyal · 07-09-2026, 10:09 PM

https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...n-denied-error

lmcsherr · Yesterday, 03:58 AM

Thank you for that link.
Perhaps I need to clarify that I loaded 20 books and 10 of them were accepted, 10 were not, all from the same source, all the same file type (epub). The files aer random between acceptance and non-acceptance (as in, it is not the case that the first 10 were accepted and the last 10 were not).
No SD card was involved.
I am a Windows user.
File permissions were not changed.
Why would a filesytem error occur randomly?
The file is not open in another program.
The file resides on my computer, and I have nearly 3000 books, so the 256 limit is meaningless.
Logically, there is no underlying error for me to fix.
I can open the files in windows File Explorer, but they will not load into Calibre.

lmcsherr · Yesterday, 04:00 AM

Thank you Mr. Goyal, for creating such a wonderful program. I am a proud supporter of Calibre (I try to remember to re-buy each year) and love it. I have a high level of frustration in this scenario because it is otherwise such a great program!

pdurrant · Yesterday, 04:32 AM

Have you checked the file permissions? You might not have changed them, but are the permissions on the ones that worked the same as on the ones that didn't?

Are all the books being imported from the same directory? It might be a permission issue on the directory if not.

IMO, it is overwhelmingly likely that the problem is some kind of permissions issue on your computer with the files, rather than a calibre bug.

It might be a subtle issue, but looking for it is the way forward.

You are fortunate that you have both working and non-working books, so you can look for any differences between them.

JSWolf · Yesterday, 09:02 AM

Try safe mode in case something you are running is causing the problem.

07-09-2026, 05:30 AM	#1
lmcsherr Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2026 Device: kindle paperwhite	you do not have permission to read the file I use Calibre (v. 8.16.2) to manage my ebooks on my Kindle Paperwhite. Recently, I uploaded a bunch of epubs and most were accepted, no problem. But about a third of them gave me the error: Could not add location\name of book.epub as you do not have permission to read the file I can open and read the book in Windows file explorer, so I know it's not a drm issue. I could understand it being a kindle issue if all of my epubs suddenly couldn't be loaded. But I just don't know how to solve this issue.

07-09-2026, 03:02 PM	#3
lmcsherr Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2026 Device: kindle paperwhite	still not working I moved to Calibre 9.11. Same issue.

Yesterday, 04:00 AM	#6
lmcsherr Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2026 Device: kindle paperwhite	P.S. Thank you Mr. Goyal, for creating such a wonderful program. I am a proud supporter of Calibre (I try to remember to re-buy each year) and love it. I have a high level of frustration in this scenario because it is otherwise such a great program!

Yesterday, 04:32 AM	#7
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 75,810 Karma: 320245594 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	Have you checked the file permissions? You might not have changed them, but are the permissions on the ones that worked the same as on the ones that didn't? Are all the books being imported from the same directory? It might be a permission issue on the directory if not. IMO, it is overwhelmingly likely that the problem is some kind of permissions issue on your computer with the files, rather than a calibre bug. It might be a subtle issue, but looking for it is the way forward. You are fortunate that you have both working and non-working books, so you can look for any differences between them. Last edited by pdurrant; Yesterday at 04:34 AM.

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07-09-2026, 02:57 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 84,100 Karma: 153695583 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I suggest you try the latest version of calibre to see if you still have this problem. Reporting an error on an earlier version isn't going to help as it's not going to get fixed.

07-09-2026, 10:09 PM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 46,368 Karma: 29630884 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...n-denied-error

Yesterday, 03:58 AM	#5
lmcsherr Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2026 Device: kindle paperwhite	Thank you for that link. Perhaps I need to clarify that I loaded 20 books and 10 of them were accepted, 10 were not, all from the same source, all the same file type (epub). The files aer random between acceptance and non-acceptance (as in, it is not the case that the first 10 were accepted and the last 10 were not). No SD card was involved. I am a Windows user. File permissions were not changed. Why would a filesytem error occur randomly? The file is not open in another program. The file resides on my computer, and I have nearly 3000 books, so the 256 limit is meaningless. Logically, there is no underlying error for me to fix. I can open the files in windows File Explorer, but they will not load into Calibre.

Yesterday, 09:02 AM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 84,100 Karma: 153695583 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Try safe mode in case something you are running is causing the problem.