Here’s the simplest way to access a file or directory as root in GNOME Files.
![][1]
In Windows, you generally get an option to open a file or folder as “Open As Administrator” in the right-click context menu.
That feature is part of the File manager, i.e. for Windows; it’s part of Windows Explorer. However, it is executed by the operating system and its permission control modules.
In Linux distributions and file managers, the situation is a little different. The different desktop has their way of handling this.
Since modifying the files and folders as admin (or root) is risky and may cause a broken system, the feature is not easily available to users via the GUI of file managers.
For example, KDE Plasma’s default file manager Dolphin recently [added this feature][2] so that when a root privilege is required, it will ask for you with a PolicyKit KDE Agent (polkit) window – as shown below. Not the other way around. You want to open/execute something via root from the file manager.
It’s worth mentioning that you can not use “sudo dolphin” to run the file manager itself with root privilege.
![Dolphin root access after KIO with Polkit implementation][3]
In a way, it saves many unforeseen situations. But advanced users can always use sudo via the terminal to do their job.
### GNOME Files (Nautilus) and root access to files, directories
That being said, [GNOME Files][4] (aka Nautilus) has a way to open files and folders via root.
Here’s how.
* Open GNOME Files or Nautilus.
* Then click on other locations at the left pane.
* Press CTRL+L to bring up the address bar.
* In the address bar, type in below and hit enter.
```
admin:///
```
* It would ask for the admin password; once you authenticate yourself successfully, you get the system open for you as admin.
* Now, here onwards, whatever you do, it’s as admin or root.
![Enter the location address as admin][5]
![Give admin password][6]
![Opening GNOME Files as root][7]
But, as always, be careful what you do as an admin. It’s often easy to forget after you authenticate yourself as root.
There’s always a reason why these options are not easily visible to prevent you and many new Linux users from breaking their system.
