To manage files with root (administrator) privileges, it’s not the best idea to use Nautilus (Nemo) basic file manager. It is so deeply integrated with other system components that you are running a risk of breaching access permissions regarding elements of your home directory. The same would be true for Xubuntu versions with Thunar file manager, and Lubuntu versions with PCmanFM file manager. For the reason cited above, it is better to manage files as a root user with a simple file manager app which is not integrated with the desktop environment. To install it, open the terminal and type this command (use the copy/paste options): Linux Mint, Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install gnome-commanderCopy Fedora Workstation: sudo dnf install gnome-commanderCopy At a certain moment of this process, you will need to type your password. When the packages are installed, type the command to launch the installed file manager: pkexec gnome-commanderCopy