To delete files and folders, use the Delete command from the context menu or the Delete key. However, sometimes these standard methods do not work and the file cannot be deleted.
Error: the file is in use by another program
As a rule, open applications prevent other programs from manipulating the files they are using. For example, you will not be able to delete an audio file after listening if you do not close the media player. To delete a file created in Word from the folder, you must close this text editor. Therefore, if the message "The object is in use by another user or program" appears, close the file itself and the application in which it was opened.
If the file is shared, it may not be possible to delete it because another user is working on it.
The Task Manager will help you figure out which programs can use the file. It is launched with the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys. The Processes tab lists the active applications. To close a process, right-click on its name and select the “End” command from the context menu. Then try to delete the file again. If this method does not help, restart your computer and try to delete the file using standard tools.
You can start the "Task Manager" in another way. Right-click on the taskbar (blue bar on the bottom line of the screen) and select "Task Manager".
If you cannot delete the file after rebooting, try doing it in safe mode. To do this, restart the computer again and immediately after polling the hardware, before the Windows logo appears, press F8. In the menu for choosing boot options, select "Safe Mode" and try to delete the file using standard tools.
Permissions error
The problem with deleting a file may arise if users work on the same computer under several accounts. Depending on the security policy, they may have different file permissions. For example, the author of the document can make changes or delete the file. Other users are only allowed to read or correct the document. In this case, only its owner (creator) or a user with administrator rights can delete the file.
Unlocker program
Free utility Unlocker works with all versions of Windows. After unlocking, it allows you to perform any actions with files: rename, delete and move. Download the program from the developer's site and install it, after which the utility is integrated into the context menu of all Windows objects. To remove a locked file, right-click on it and choose the Unlocker command. In the window with the list of processes that are blocking the file, select the desired action: delete the process, rename, move or unlock the file.
