Can not delete PDF files in Windows File Explorer

Anonymous
2013-11-19T14:25:27+00:00

I am reviewing files in Windows File Explorer with the Preview Pane active so I can see what the file is. When I want to delete a file I do right click/Delete or use the Delete button on the Ribbon. However, when I come to a PDF file that I no longer need I can't delete it. I get a message that says "File in Use". "This action can't be completed because the file is open in another program. Close the File and try again." 

If I click "try again" sometimes after 4 or 5 tries the file finally is deleted. It seems that with the Preview Pane active File Explorer thinks the PDF is open in another program. How do I fix this problem so I can delete PDFs in Windows File Explorer with the Preview Pane active?

Thanks for all the suggestions. The one that fits my work flow well is Amr's .

"Simply choose the file with your mouse, hold down the shift button then click on "Delete".

It will permanently delete the file, which is fine."

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

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Anonymous
2015-04-07T14:33:23+00:00

Hi Jerry,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft community.

This issue might occur if any third party program is accessing the file.In regards to the issue, I require additional information to make sure that helps us to resolve the issue easily:

  1. How are you trying to delete these files?

As a first step, I suggest you to restart the computer multiple times and check if that works. Because, restarting computer will close the applications that are running in the background and fixes many issues.

I also suggest you to refer the suggestion provided by Tomfly13 on April 29, 2013 and check if it helps.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-files/unable-to-delete-pdf-in-windows-8/39f9ddad-a8df-42d0-a404-eaedf381993f

Please reply us on the status of the issue to assist you further

Thanks.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-11-20T07:46:16+00:00

    Hi,

    Were there any changes made on the computer prior to the issue?

    This issue might occur if any third party program is accessing the file. Follow these methods to troubleshoot the issue:

    Method 1:

    Step A: Boot the computer in **Safe mode** **** wherein the computer starts with basic drivers and no third party programs. Check if you are still receiving the error message. The article applies to Windows 8 operating system also.

    Step B:

    If the issue does not persists in Safe Mode then perform a **clean boot** to check if any third party application is causing the issue, as clean boot helps in eliminating software conflicts.

    Note: After troubleshooting, refer to the section “How to reset the computer to start as usual after troubleshooting with clean boot” to return the computer to a Normal startup mode.

    Method 2:

    If the issue is not resolved, try to run Microsoft Safety Scanner for any spyware or malware infection:

    http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx

    Note: The Microsoft Safety Scanner expires 10 days after being downloaded. To rerun a scan with the latest anti-malware definitions, download and run the Microsoft Safety Scanner again. Any data files that are infected may only be cleaned by deleting the file entirely, which means there is a potential for data loss.

    Hope this helps. If you have any further issues on the computer, please post your question regarding Windows and we will be happy to help you.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-01-07T12:51:35+00:00

    I have the same problem after I installed Adobe Acrobat (not Adobe Reader).  This appears to happen with both Acrobat X and XI on Windows 7 and 8.

    I believe that problem is that AcroRd32.exe (i.e. Adobe Reader) is used by the preview pane to render the previews and the program is locking the file, preventing it from being deleted, renamed or moved.  The easiest way to stop using Reader is to rename the program file:

    1. Make sure the AcroRd32.exe is not running by checking the Task Manager.
    2. Find and rename AcroRd32.exe to AcroRd32.old, usually in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat 11.0\Acrobat.
    3. Click on a PDF file with the preview pane enabled to start using Acrobat.

    Anytime that Acrobat is update, the AcroRd32.exe file will be updated and re-registered as the default viewer.

    I know that you can tweak the registry, http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/cc144144%28v=vs.85%29.aspx but this is not straightforward

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-01-22T11:10:54+00:00

    thank you for your answer. Got the same issue on the following setup:

    Windows Server 2012 R2

    Adobe Acrobat XI

    As soon as a pdf is displayed in the preview pane of windows explorer, AcroRd32.exe pops up in the taskmanager. If another file gets selected or even if windows explorer is closed, it takes approx 15 seconds untill AcroRd32.exe gets closed and the file handle finally gets released. I used to wait for some 15 seconds after de-selecting a pdf before trying to rename/move/delete it. Seems to be a bug in Adobe Acrobat XI. Renaming AcroRd32.exe is just a workaround. Hopefully Adobe is gonna come up with a fix through an update.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-02-03T20:23:04+00:00

    exact same problem here on windows 8.1 and adobe reader 10.1.9

    extremely annoying

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