can't delete file because file is in use

Anonymous
2013-02-22T12:34:36+00:00

So whenever I'm in a file explorer window and I want to delete a file(eg PDF) I get a "File in use" message.

I've figured out that this is caused by the preview pane. No preview pane no message and the file deletes.

I want to know how I can delete a file with the preview pane active because I want to check the contents to make sure it's the correct file I want to delete?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2017-06-18T21:52:58+00:00

Hi Gianluca,

This thread has been created on 2015 and was previously resolved. There has been a lot of changes since then and the resolution provided here may not be applicable anymore. Hence, we recommend you to create your own thread regarding your concern for assistance from our community.

If there's anything else, feel free to reach out to us.

Was this answer helpful?

20+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

140 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2014-01-30T16:28:20+00:00

    Hi Matt,

    thanx - this is the best solution proposed so far, quite ok as a solution.

    Though shame on MS for such a lot of trouble and long discussion for such an easy to fix thing having been left unresolved, and making a lot of people uncomfortable.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2014-01-28T15:44:34+00:00

    I put a short cut in the top mini menu (not sure what it's called) to turn off the reading pane.

    This issue is the last straw for me...headed back to mac after using the surface, sony pro duo, and yoga pro two.... I was intrigued by win8 and touch... But I can't work effectively, so many little annoying issues...

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2014-01-28T07:12:32+00:00

    Also Ganesh I don't know if it is helpful to you but I found multiple copies of every pdf I have opened or modified in folders that look like:

    \AppData\Local\Packages\microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\LiveComm\

    (This is apparently the metro cache folder and seems to store copies of all pdfs)

    The Att folder specifically seems to have hundred of folders with an 8 digit Hex value. An error I got when I tried to force a change of the properties of a pdf was, "The requested operation cannot be performed on a file with a user-mapped section" I'm pretty sure these copies of the pdfs in the LocalState->LiveComm directory are whats causing all the problems since they are seemingly what makes Windows think that the pdfs are open somewhere else.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2014-01-28T06:54:38+00:00

    Yeah, I was able to delete all the ones that gave me the Unblock option in the above manner. Any ones that did not give me that option I just renamed to have a non .pdf file extension and deleted either by deleting normally or by right clicking and selecting Cut and pasting the pdf into the recycle bin. On some occasions the cut and paste into the recycle bin worked without renaming the file to a non .pdf extension. Sometimes it seemed that just cutting/copying and pasting the file either in the same folder or somewhere else would allow me to delete the file normally. I only did a little bit of experimentation but using any combination of the above mentioned methods I was able to delete every pdf without fail.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments