Abstract art kitbash
Abstract art kitbash

In plain English, AutoCAD 2013 is telling you: “I need to create or modify a file in the folder you are currently looking at, but Windows says I am not allowed to.”

The current directory (or working directory) is the folder displayed at the top of the “Save As” or “Open” dialog box. It could be:

AutoCAD 2013 needs Write and Modify permissions to that folder. Without them, actions like saving, autosaving, or creating temporary files will fail.

The "Cannot write to current directory" error in AutoCAD 2013 is almost exclusively a permissions conflict between legacy software architecture and modern Windows security features. In 90% of cases, correcting the "Start In" path in the shortcut properties or ensuring files are not saved inside the Program Files folder will resolve the issue without requiring complex system administration changes.


AutoCAD 2013 remembers the last used folder for certain operations. If that folder was later moved or became read‑only (e.g., external drive disconnected), the error appears. The fix is to force a new current directory via Save As or the shortcut settings.

If you have tried all seven solutions and still see “Make sure you can write to current directory,” consider:

The following steps should be taken to resolve the issue, ordered from simplest to most advanced.