next.js build error

[Ali1raz]

Body

Hey everyone, I am getting this build error:

> next-project@0.1.0 build
> next build

   ▲ Next.js 15.3.5
   - Environments: .env

   Creating an optimized production build ...
glob error [Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, scandir 'C:\Users\username\Application Data'] {
  errno: -4048,
  code: 'EPERM',
  syscall: 'scandir',
  path: 'C:\\Users\\username\\Application Data'
}
node:internal/process/promises:394
    triggerUncaughtException(err, true /* fromPromise */);
    ^

[Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, scandir 'C:\Users\username\Application Data'] {
  errno: -4048,
  code: 'EPERM',
  syscall: 'scandir',
  path: 'C:\\Users\\username\\Application Data'
}

Node.js v22.11.0
Next.js build worker exited with code: 1 and signal: null

I already tried running that in Administrator in PowerShell inside D:/react/next-project
I am not using webpack or tailwind.config.json

anyone knows how to solve this ?

Guidelines

• I have read and understood this category's guidelines before making this post.

[wstvns]

create a .nextignore with /* and !./.

Then you can add this to your next.config.js
module.exports = { webpack(config) { config.watchOptions = { ignored: ['**/Application Data'] }; return config; }, };

Run with no-cache and it should resolve your issue.

[Ali1raz]

I tried that but it didn't work.

[redradman]

This is a Windows permissions issue where Next.js is trying to scan restricted system directories. Here are several solutions:

Quick Fixes (Try These First)

• Run as Administrator - Right-click Command Prompt/PowerShell → "Run as administrator", then navigate to your project and run npm run build

• Check Node.js permissions - Reinstall Node.js as administrator or use a Node version manager like nvm-windows

• Clear caches - Run npm run clean or manually delete .next folder, then npm run build

Project-Level Solutions

• Add .nextignore - Create .nextignore file in project root:

**/Application Data/**
**/AppData/**
node_modules/**

• Update next.config.js - Add webpack ignore patterns:

/** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
const nextConfig = {
  webpack: (config) => {
    config.watchOptions = {
      ...config.watchOptions,
      ignored: [
        '**/node_modules/**',
        '**/Application Data/**',
        '**/AppData/**'
      ]
    }
    return config
  }
}
module.exports = nextConfig

System-Level Solutions

• Move project location - Avoid paths near system directories, use C:\dev\ or C:\projects\ instead

• Check antivirus - Temporarily disable real-time scanning or add project folder to exclusions

• Windows Defender exclusion - Add your development folder to Windows Defender exclusions

• Use WSL2 - Install Windows Subsystem for Linux and run your Next.js project there

Environment Solutions

• Use Docker - Containerize your build process to avoid Windows permission issues

• Try different terminal - Use Git Bash, VS Code integrated terminal, or Windows Terminal

The issue is Next.js trying to scan C:\Users\username\Application Data which requires elevated permissions. Moving your project to a neutral location like C:\dev\ usually solves this permanently.

[chogalesoham]

🧰 Fix Steps
✅ 1. Run Terminal as Administrator
Open PowerShell or CMD as administrator:

Right-click → "Run as administrator"

Then navigate to your project folder:

bash
Copy
Edit
cd D:\react\next-project
npm run build
📁 2. Create a .nextignore File
This tells Next.js to ignore protected directories during the build:

Create a .nextignore file in your project root with:

javascript
Copy
Edit
/Application Data/
/AppData/
node_modules/**
🛠️ 3. Update next.config.js to Ignore Paths
In your next.config.js, add:

js
Copy
Edit
/** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
const nextConfig = {
webpack: (config) => {
config.watchOptions = {
...config.watchOptions,
ignored: [
'/node_modules/',
'/Application Data/',
'/AppData/'
],
};
return config;
},
};

module.exports = nextConfig;
♻️ 4. Clear Cache and Rebuild
Sometimes a stale .next folder causes issues. Run:

bash
Copy
Edit
rm -rf .next
npm run build

[Ali1raz]

It didn't work, I already tried.

[Ldn26]

if you host in vercel
you can use vercel.json file if u have a compatibility issue in the packages that you use

[jaideeppoojary]

I had the same issue, and I was able to fix it by moving the project to the C: drive, deleting the .next and node_modules folders, and then reinstalling the packages.

Reference: vercel/next.js#62281 (comment)

[nhnamdev]

This error usually happens when a dependency or plugin tries to scan a directory like C:\Users\username\Application Data, but your system blocks it (common on Windows due to permissions).

🔧 Try these steps:

1. Exclude problematic paths – If you're using something like globby or fast-glob, explicitly exclude "Application Data" in your config if possible.

2. Check .next, public, or scripts – Ensure you’re not accidentally including a glob pattern that spans C:\Users.

3. Run in a cleaner directory – Move your project outside of D:/react/ into something like C:/Projects/next-project just to test if directory nesting or spaces cause problems.

4. Clear cache:

   rm -rf .next node_modules
   npm install

[shrutim250]

I hope this will work as i got the same issue and it worked in mine

🛠 Step 1: Create .nextignore File

1. In the root of your Next.js project (e.g., D:/react/next-project), create a file named .nextignore.

2. Add the following line inside the file:

   **/Application Data/**
   

---

🔄 Step 2: Delete the .next Cache Folder

• Run this command in your project directory:

  rd /s /q .next

  Or manually delete the .next folder if you're using File Explorer.

---

⬆️ Step 3: Update Next.js to Latest Version

• Run:

  npm install next@latest

---

🧹 Step 4: Move Project Away from Protected Windows Folders

Ensure your project is not stored under any of the following:

• C:\Users\<username>\
• C:\Program Files\
• C:\Windows\

✅ You're already using D:/react/next-project — so this step is fine.

---

🔍 Step 5: Check for Any Symlinks or Glob Imports

Make sure your project does not reference folders outside your project root, like:

glob.sync('C:/Users/username/Application Data/**') // ❌ Avoid

If you're using any config (e.g., custom scripts, plugins), search for "Application Data" in your project to verify.

---

🧪 Step 6: Rebuild the Project

Once you've completed the above steps:

• Open a terminal as Administrator (PowerShell or CMD)

• Navigate to your project folder:

  cd D:/react/next-project

• Then run:

  npm run build

---

It's Done!

[razibdash]

Use a clean working directory like D:/next-project that doesn't sit inside a problematic user folder. Sometimes the issue happens if a package or script tries to glob files recursively from the home directory.

[Ali1raz]

That error shows on windows. I tried on WSL, and it worked.!!

[Ali1raz]

I tried many solutions, one (that worked) is:

Install WSL (Ubuntu) and delete node_modules and .next and add following in your schema.prisma:

generator client {
provider	= "prisma-client-js"
output		= "../lib/generated/prisma"
binaryTargets	= ["native", "debian-openssl-3.0.x"]
}

and run

pnpm install
pnpm build
pnpm prisma generate

in WSL. prisma generate is important otherwise it will throw error:

This happened because Prisma Client was generated for "windows", but the actual deployment required "debian-openssl-3.0.x".

Note:

Running that in admin Terminal won't work.