On a shared Windows file server, two questions come up constantly: “Who can actually access this folder?” and “Who deleted or renamed this file?” Windows technically records some of it, but it is buried in NTFS permissions and Event Viewer logs that are painful to read. So I built Open Folder Auditor — a Windows app that watches your file shares in real time and answers those questions in plain language.
Meet Open Folder Auditor
Open File Auditor runs as a background Windows service, logging activity 24/7 to its own database. Point it at the folders you care about and it keeps a running record of who did what — deletes, renames, modifications — and who has access to which folders. Everything shows up on a simple dashboard instead of raw logs.
The dashboard at a glance
Open the app and the day’s activity is right there: Events today, Deletes, Renames / moves, Modify / create, and the most active user. One look tells you whether it was a normal day or something needs a closer look.
Real-time activity — who changed what
- Real-time activity: a live feed of who changed what, as it happens.
- Open files: see who currently has a file open (great for the classic “this file is locked” mystery).
- Watched paths: choose exactly which folders to audit.
- Deletes / renames view: filter straight to removals and renames when a file goes missing.
Permissions auditing — who has access
- Permissions snapshot: scan a drive’s ACLs to capture who can access what.
- File / folder permissions: read the advanced NTFS rights in a readable form.
- Access groups: see who’s in each file group, so nested-group access stops being a mystery.
- Group access report: export every folder and its members as HTML.
Alerts, reports & scheduling
- Access alerts: set triggers so you’re notified when something sensitive happens.
- Scheduled reports: run a daily report automatically.
- All reports: export to HTML or CSV for compliance or record-keeping.
- Statistics: counts and trends at a glance.
Why it matters
- Security & compliance: prove who has access to sensitive folders, and catch access that shouldn’t exist.
- Accountability: deletes and renames get traced to a specific user and time — no more shrugs.
- Faster troubleshooting: “who moved my file?” or “who has it open?” answered in seconds.
Who it’s for
IT admins and businesses running a shared Windows file server — anyone who needs eyes on file access and activity without living in Event Viewer.
Get Open Folder Auditor
I’m packaging Open File Auditor for download — check back here soon, or reach out via our Contact page for early access or questions about running it on your file server.