ApplicationPoolIdentity Account

If your application pool in IIS 7 is set to run under the ‘ApplicationPoolIdentity’ account, you have likely encountered the need to change the privileges (usually increase) for that account, and may have discovered that the actual account is a little difficult to identify.    While the nuance is well documented, I find myself re-researching the solution every time I run into it, so I figured I’ll document it for myself; at least that way I won’t have to filter through Google results.

Assuming you already know how to set file permissions using the ‘Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts or Groups’ dialog….

• Make sure ‘Built-in security principals’ is selected in ‘Object Types’.
• Make sure your machine names is selected in Locations.
• Search for ‘IIS AppPool\DefaultAppPool’
• Set its permissions appropriately.