Solve the problem This File Is Open In Another Program
Sometimes Windows refuses to adapt normally to the user, and it may or may not be right. For example, when you move a file from one place to another, delete it, or even rename a file , the system refuses to execute the command and displays a pop-up window saying, “ This action can not be completed because the file is open in another program . ” The file may already be open in another program on Windows, even if it is only open in File Explorer, which causes the system to restrict and prevent it from deleting the file.
But other times, the file may not be open in any program, and you are sure about this. Either way, let’s see what we can do in this case. But before we start, we recommend that you read the article on how to fix the problem This setting is managed by your administrator on Windows 10 completely if you face any problem inside the Settings app on Windows 10 or Windows 11.
Solution 1: Are you sure that the file is not opened by any other computer?
If your computer is connected to a local network at home or in the office, the file you're trying to delete or move is likely already open on another computer on the same network, even if it was unintentional. Don't worry, you won't have to ask other users on the same network to do anything at all.
Just open the Start menu and start searching for Computer Management service and open the service from the first result. From the list of options on the left side, expand System Tools options , expand Shared Folders options and click on Open Files option . In the middle of the screen, you should see the files that are opened by other devices on the network. Click on that file (if present) and then choose Disconnect All Open Files option .
Solution 2: Find the file inside the Task Manager
If you are not sure if the file is open by another program, open the Task Manager and check the Processes tab to view a list of all running programs. Start checking for programs that might be associated with the open file you want to delete, and once you find the one, right -click on the program and choose End Task . Now, you can try deleting the file or moving it to another location to see the result for yourself.
Solution 3: Restart File Explorer from Task Manager
If you don’t get a radical solution to the problem by ending the programs you think are associated with the open file, you can instead try restarting File Explorer from scratch. Open Task Manager again by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del , then continue scrolling inside the Processes tab until you reach Windows Explorer , then right-click on it and choose End Task . On Windows 11, you can choose Restart instead of ending it and then restarting it.
Then click on File from the upper left corner on Windows 10 and choose Run New task , or on Windows 11 click on the Run New Task button from the top .
From the new pop-up window, type the following command in the empty field: explorer.exe and then click Enter and File Explorer will restart again. In this way, File Explorer can get rid of the temporary files that may be preventing the file from being moved or deleted.
Solution 4: Turn off the thumbnail service for caching hidden thumbs.db files
With the solutions suggested by Microsoft, it is possible to solve this problem by turning off the thumbnail service.For temporary storage of files and folders, which may prevent Windows from freely dealing with the file, whether moving or deleting it.
However, you can only follow this step if you have Windows Pro, Enterprise or Educational because we will need to modify the Group Policy Editor, which is still not available in the Home edition. Click on the Win + R shortcut to open the Run menu and then start searching for gpedit.msc and in the new window expand User Configuration options then Administrative Templates and on the right click on Administrative Templates and then click on File Explorer
Then look for the option Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files and open it. From the new window, choose Enabled and then Ok .
On Windows Home Edition, open Command Prompt with “ Run As Administrative ” privileges and type the following command: del /ash /s thumbs.db and press Enter and wait a few moments for the image cache to be deleted. Then open File Explorer and select “ My PC ” and follow these steps to prevent Windows from creating new thumbnails for files:
Click on the three horizontal dots button at the top, then choose Options . On Windows 10, click on the View button, then choose Options .
From the new window, go to the View tab and select the Always show icons, never thumbnails option and click Ok to save the changes.
Solution 5: Delete temporary files
It is normal that you are prevented from moving or deleting a file on Windows if there are some temporary files associated with this file that are still being used in system processes. It might be a good idea to delete the Windows cache files to see if this will help solve the problem. Open the Run window by pressing Windows + R shortcut and then in the empty box start searching for %temp% and click Ok and a new folder will open. Hover over any folder and press Ctrl + A shortcut to select all the files and delete them completely.
Solution 6: Scan your computer for viruses and malware
If all the above steps don't work, and you still can't move or delete the file, there is a strong possibility that there are viruses on your hard drive. Try using an antivirus to scan your computer and isolate the affected file so that you can delete it permanently.
Solution 7: Clean the Recycle Bin
If you prefer not to delete files from the Recycle Bin permanently because you may need them later, you should be aware that File Explorer absolutely hates it when the Recycle Bin is full of files. Your best bet is to empty the Recycle Bin of the files inside it. If there are important files that you feel you will need later, back them up and save them to a safe place, then clean the Recycle Bin.
Solution 8: Check the hard disk for problems
If your hard drive has reached the end of its life, the error This file is open by another program may be an indication that your hard drive is nearing its end. You should check your hard drive for any errors using any external tool such as HDTune or CrystalDiskMark. If you see any problems with your hard drive or Bad Sector status, you should rush to buy a new hard drive as soon as possible.
Solution 9: Disable all background services
It is not necessary to open a program manually for it to start running, there are some programs that run in the background on their own once the computer starts. Open the Run window by clicking on the Win + R shortcut , then in the empty box search for resmon.exe and click Ok , then go to the CPU tab , then expand the Associated Handles option and in the Search box type the name of the file or folder that refuses to be deleted, and from the results end the program associated with this file by right-clicking on it and choosing End Process .
Solution 10: Additional Actions
If the problem persists, there are a few solutions you can try. First, close the program associated with the file and restart your computer. If that doesn’t work, you should enter Windows Safe Mode to stop all background services that might be using the “immune” file and try deleting it while in Safe Mode. Also, check if this file has another copy of itself, especially if this file is being used by a web browser.