Cannot delete a file open in windows explorer

If it still doesn't work, move on to the next step. Again, open Task Manager and go to the Processes tab. Here you will find the Windows Explorer program currently in use.

Select the process and click on the 'End Task' option. In the new window that opens, type explorer. This process will restart Windows Explorer to eliminate any issues with memory or cached files that may be causing the problem. Again go to the file location and try to delete it. Previously, Microsoft had acknowledged that the thumbnails cache related to files and folders could cause the 'File is Open In Another Program' error, so handling the thumbnails cache could help fix the error.

Type gpedit. Go to the right pane and double click 'Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs. All thumbnails in File Explorer will be disabled, allowing you to perform the desired action on the file. You can then turn on the thumbnail again by following the steps above and changing it again to Not Configured. Temporary files are stored on your computer whenever you modify a file in any way.

If the thumbs. Double-click the Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs. Disable thumbnail caching policy to delete thumbs. After you complete the steps, you should now be able to delete network folders with thumbs. Search for regedit , right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option. Right-click the Windows folder, select the New submenu and click on Key. Registry disables thumbnail caching policy to delete thumbs. Once you complete the steps, the new settings will apply, and you should now be able to delete thumbs.

In some situations, the entire partition may turn to inaccessible once file system gets corrupted. Bad sectors. Bad sectors on hard drive or other storage device can cause write or read disk error. Bad sector is neither accessible nor writeable due to permanent damage.

What to do when you cannot delete file or folder? Method 1: Close program via Task Manager If folder in use cannot delete, you can manually end running process or application that holds the file you cannot delete in Task Manager. Open Task manager.

Alternatively, you can get it by right clicking Taskbar and selecting Start Task Manager. On the Windows Task Manager click Process tab and look for the application that is using the file you want to delete. Right-click the application and select End Process Tress and all instances of the process will be closed.

Method 2: Disable Thumbs. Disable this option and click Apply followed by OK. Download PartitionGuru from Eassos site and install it to a Windows-based computer.