Unable to delete pdf in windows 8

Anonymous
2013-02-03T13:50:18+00:00

When I try to delete a pdf file, the computer starts but then a message appears that "the action cannot be completed beacause the file is open in another programme".

However I do not believe that it actually is. I have unistalled the w.8 reader app so that cannot be it.

I only have had the laptop for two months now and it has been covered with the free norton antivirus all the time, so I think

it'd be unlikely that there is malware on the laptop.

Does anyone have an idea what may cause it and how I can solve?

Thanks a lot!

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 No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2013-04-29T11:05:17+00:00

Hi,

I had the same problem.

However, I was able to delete pdf's by hitting Shift+Delete keys.

Be aware that using particular key combination will delete your files permanently!

Good luck!

Was this answer helpful?

20+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2013-02-03T16:44:32+00:00

Right charm>Settings>PC Settings>General> Advanced Boot

Boot to safe mode

Does it still happen?

If so, right click file>properties>security tab>advanced>change owner to your username

then apply and ok

try again

Was this answer helpful?

10+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2014-09-17T07:53:53+00:00

Hello Mace,

Thank you for the reply.

I appreciate your concern.

I would suggest you to update Windows 8 to 8.1 to fix the bugs.

Refer this article:

Update to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/update-from-windows-8-tutorial

Thank you

Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2013-02-03T17:09:32+00:00

Ha, that's an awesome bug...

Be sure to mark your post as answered too, thanks for the tidbit of info, I think I may have come across this Windows bug too

Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments

40 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
  1. Anonymous
    2014-09-16T22:06:41+00:00

    Hello,

    This is not an issue with the user profile, every Windows 8 user account experiences this on multiple computers that we have tried.  It's definitely a bug in Windows 8.  It still works when tried on a Windows 7 desktop. 

    to reproduce: open a windows explorer window

    Click once on a PDF file you may have saved under documents, or desktop

    then have the preview window open within the explorer window

    Windows will not delete the file and gives the error that the file is open and cannot be deleted.

    Again, if you try this in Windows 7, it allows you to delete the PDF file without an issue. 

    Also, we have tested that if it is a word or excel file, it allows you to delete the file in windows 8.  It is only a an issue specifically with PDF files, and nothing else.

    Any ideas when a bug fix will be implemented for this?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments