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.

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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.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-01-30T19:45:44+00:00

    Having to click unblock to delete a file is outrageous...

    Whatever next, Microsoft will be expecting us all to click "enable edit" to amend documents we deliberately open, oops...  Forgot they already do that.......

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-10T18:28:48+00:00

    Just adding my name to the list of this bug. Win 8.0

    Can't delete PDFs (seemingly) due to Preview Pane. Tried some of the workarounds listed in this thread but didn't work. What appears to work is : Close the explorer window. Re-open. Click on a non-PDF file. Right click on the pdf to be deleted and you're good to go.

    Pretty ridiculous.

    Are there staff from MS here? Wouldn't it be a good idea to report this and let users know a fix is being developed

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-02-16T19:03:22+00:00

    Your solution to an obvious bug in the deletion of files when preview pane is on is to say "Follow these 5 steps to get around it"? Are you actually a Microsoft support engineer? This answers you have given are so useless and vapid it amazes me.

    So instead of being able to use the ONE CLICK method from the contextual menus, your solution involves 5 steps? Does this not imply to you that perhaps there is a bug?

    Perhaps you can give a more meaningful solution? Or give us a bug report number to show you are actually following up on this? Or is this the level of service Microsoft provides now?

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-02-27T16:34:26+00:00

    Exactly!

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