How to delete locked files on Windows 10

Is Windows 10 not letting you delete a file? That's probably because the file is locked. Here are the steps to unlock and delete it.

When a file is open by another app or process, Windows 10 puts the file into a locked state, and you can't delete, modify, or move it to another location. Usually, after the file is no longer in use, the application will unlock it automatically, but that's not always the case. Sometimes, a file may not unlock successfully, and even if you try to take any action, you'll see a warning that the operation can't be completed because it's open by another program.

If you must delete or take different actions with a locked file, there are at least two methods you can use to unlock it, including using Microsoft's Process Explorer tool and Safe Mode.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to get rid of files even if they're locked by an app or process.

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