How to Force Delete A File on Windows 11/10/8/7? [Can't Delete File Solutions]

How to Force Delete a File That Cannot Be Deleted Windows 11/10

Fast fix - You can use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Delete to delete files or folders permanently. If you're still unable to delete files in Windows 11/10, check the 4 ways in this post on how to force delete a file that cannot be deleted on your Windows 11/10 computer.

Workable Solutions	Step-by-step Troubleshooting
1. End Task from Task Manager	Go to Start, type Task Manager, and choose "Task Manager" to open it...See how to force delete a file
2. Delete Files/Folders Using CMD	Press the Windows key + R and type cmd to open the Command Prompt...See how to force delete a file
3. Use Safe Mode to Delete Files	Open "Settings" > Click on "Update & Security" > Click on "Recovery"...See how to force delete a file
4. Using a Third-party Tool	Launch BitWiper, right-click the partition you want to erase > click "File Shredder"...See how to force delete a file

Why Can't I Delete A File/Folder on Windows 11/10/8/7

Sometimes you may encounter a folder that you're unable to delete, which can be frustrating. To resolve this issue, it's essential to identify the underlying reason. In most cases, the file is in use or locked, which prevents deletion. However, if the folder remains inaccessible despite no active usage, it's possible that a virus may be the culprit.

The file is likely locked by another program, which can prevent deletion, modification, or movement, even if the program is not visible. This can occur when a file is open by another app or process, and Windows puts it into a locked state. The file may unlock automatically once the application is no longer using it, but sometimes it may not unlock successfully, resulting in a warning that the operation cannot be completed because the file is open by another program.

Can't Remove Windows.old Can't Delete EFI Can't Delete Apps

Before taking action to delete the undeletable files, try these simple tips first. You may be able to delete them without any issues.

Close all the programs.
Restart your computer.
Let the antivirus scan your computer to see if there's a virus on your computer and get rid of it.

If these files still exist, the following methods would be helpful to you.

Method 1. How to Delete A File That It Is Open in System from Task Manager

You can't delete a file because it's open in the system, and you might get a message saying that the file cannot be deleted as it's currently in use by an application.

force to delete a file - 1

To force Windows 11/10 to delete a file, you can follow the steps below:

Step 1. To open the Task Manager, go to the Start menu, type "Task Manager", and select it from the search results.

Step 2. To resolve the issue, find the application currently using the file and select the "End task" option to close it.

Step 3. Then, try to delete the file again on your Windows PC.

force to delete a file -2

Method 2. How to Delete A File that Won't Delete with Command Prompt

To delete a file or folder using the Command Prompt, you can simply type the command "del" followed by the path to the file or folder you want to delete, and press Enter. For example, if you want to delete a file called "example.txt" in the current directory, you would type "del example.

Step 1. Press the Windows key + R, type cmd, and click "Run as administrator" to open the Command Prompt.

open command prompt

Step 2. To delete a file or folder in the Command Prompt, type `del` followed by the path to the item you want to delete, and press Enter. For example, to delete a file named `text.txt` located on the desktop, you would type `del c:\users\JohnDoe\Desktop\text.

Method 3. Enter Safe Mode to Fix "File Won't Delete"

If a file is locked, a simple reboot or booting into Safe Mode can often resolve the issue, allowing you to unlock and delete the file.

Step 1. To access the Windows Recovery Environment, go to Settings, then click on Update & Security, followed by Recovery. From there, click on Advanced Startup and select the "Restart now" button.

Step 2. Click on "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Settings".

Step 3. Click the "Restart" button.

Step 4. On "Startup Settings," press F4 to enable Safe Mode.

click trouble shoot and choose the following settings

To exit Safe Mode on your device, use File Explorer to delete the previously locked files, then restart your device normally.

 Tip: Before wiping the whole partition to delete undeletable files, back up other useful files first, as the process can't be canceled once started and will delete all data on the partition.

Method 4. Delete File that Cannot Be Deleted Using a Third-party Tool

There are many third-To delete locked files and resolve the problem, you can use party applications designed to help with this issue. One such tool is Qiling BitWiper, which can assist in cleaning up junk files and wiping the entire data. It is fully compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7 and other versions.

Free download this software and start deleting undeletable files now.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Step 1. Launch Qiling Disk master and click "File Shredder".

Step 2. Select the files you need to shred, or you can drag files, documents, images, music files, etc., into the center area of the program.

Step 3. Set the number of erase times and click "Proceed", and the program will immediately shred all the selected files.

Be cautious when unlocking and deleting files on Windows 11/10, as it may cause system and program issues, especially if you're deleting sensitive files. Proceed with care, and consider seeking advice if you're unsure of the consequences.

Video Guide - Fix Can't Delete A File or Folder on Windows 11

This tutorial by Britec09 teaches you how to force delete files and folders using the command prompt, PowerShell, and Unlock-It, providing a step-by-step guide to overcoming file deletion obstacles.

Use CMD - 1:06
Run Powershell - 4:34
Unlock software - 5:31

Bonus Tips - How to Recover Deleted Files or Folders

If you've mistakenly deleted a file on your Windows computer, don't worry, you can recover it with ease using data recovery software, such as Deep Data Recovery, which is my top recommendation, allowing you to recover deleted files with minimal effort.

Restore data from internal and external hard drives, solid-state drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, and other storage devices.
Retrieve lost videos, photos, Word files, music, and more.
Repair corrupt/damaged photos, and repair MP4/MOV files.
To recover deleted files, download and install Deep Data Recovery on your computer, then follow the program's operations.

Step 1. Select file types and click "Next" to start

Launch Deep Data Recovery software. Select the file types you want to recover and click "Next" to proceed with the recovery process.

Select file types that you want to recover

Step 2. Select the location to scan

To recover deleted files, select the device and drive where the files were permanently deleted using Shift delete or emptied from the recycle bin, and then click the "Scan" button to start the recovery process.

Step 3. Check the results

The software will automatically scan the selected drive, then select the "Deleted Files" and "Other Lost Files" folders. You can use the "Filter" feature or the "Search files or folders" button to quickly find the deleted files.

Step 4. Recover deleted files

Select the deleted files and click "Preview" to see the files that will be recovered. Then, click "Recover" to save them to a secure location or device.

How to Delete Files that Cannot Be Deleted FAQs

If you're having trouble deleting files on Windows 11/10, the solutions above should help. If you're still experiencing issues, consider checking out the frequently asked questions for additional assistance.

How do you force delete a file that won't delete?

To open the Run dialog box, start by opening the Start menu (Windows key), typing "run", and hitting Enter.
In the dialogue that appears, type cmd and hit Enter again.
To delete a file in the command prompt, type `del /f filename`, replacing `filename` with the name of the file you want to delete. You can specify multiple files by separating them with commas.

How to force delete folder?

To permanently delete a folder, it's recommended to use the Shift + Delete shortcut or try alternative methods such as Command Prompt, Safe Mode, or third-party file shredder software to ensure the folder is completely removed and cannot be recovered.

Can't delete a file is open in the system?

To Overcome the "File in Use" Error:

Close the Program. Let's start with the obvious.
Reboot your computer.
End the Application via the Task Manager.
Change File Explorer Process Settings.
Disable the File Explorer Preview Pane.
Force Delete the File in Use via the Command Prompt.

How do I end a DLL process?

To search, click on the "Start" menu, then click on the "Search" button, and select "All files and folders" from the dropdown menu.
Then type the name of that DLL file you want to stop running into the search dialogue box.
Locate the DLL file and write down the full file path for the DLL file.

Can I delete Aow_drv?

You cannot delete the aow_drv log file. It's a system file and deleting it is not possible.

Conclusion

This post offers four effective solutions to a common problem. Many users have reported success with the first method, which is my top choice. If you have a different solution that you'd like to share, please let us know - our readers would appreciate hearing about it.