Windows 10 won't let me rename or delete certain folders

“Folder in use” and “You need permission” can have different causes. Taking ownership does not release a file held open by a program, and ownership alone does not grant permission to delete it.

Since you have already tried that, check the affected folder directly:

1. Find what is using it. Press Win + R, enter resmon, and open the CPU tab. Expand Associated Handles and search for a distinctive part of the folder name. If a recognizable app appears, save your work and close that app normally. Do not terminate unfamiliar system processes.
2. Check the actual permissions. Right-click the folder and open Properties > Security > Advanced > Effective Access. Select your account and view its effective access. Check Delete permission; deletion can also be allowed through Delete subfolders and files on the parent folder. Ownership and administrator status do not override every permission restriction.
3. Check syncing and previews. For a OneDrive or other synced folder, temporarily pause syncing. Close apps using its contents, turn off Explorer’s Preview pane with Alt + P, then retry.
4. Test in Safe Mode if it remains blocked. Save your work, hold Shift while selecting Restart, then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart > 4. Try renaming an affected folder there. Have your BitLocker recovery key available if device encryption is enabled.

If it works in Safe Mode, a background program is likely involved. If the permission error remains, focus on that folder’s access rules rather than repeating ownership changes.

The error "folder is in use" is often accurate—some background process (like a sync client, antivirus, or a thumbnail generator) has a handle on it. Windows has a built-in tool to identify the culprit.

An administrator account does not prevent a folder from being locked by a running program, and an in-use message is different from a permissions failure. Since ownership changes and restarting Explorer have not helped, first identify which condition applies to one affected folder. Use Microsoft's Process Explorer handle search, or the Sysinternals Handle utility, to search for its path. If a program has an open handle, save your work and close that program normally, then retry. Do not force-close handles, because Microsoft warns that doing so can destabilize applications or Windows. If no lock is found and the error specifically concerns permissions, inspect that folder's Security, Advanced settings for the actual owner and effective access. Share the exact path and error before changing permissions further. Avoid applying ownership or full-control changes recursively to Windows, Program Files, or an entire drive.

Hi, where are the folders located? Is there any app installed which is using files located in that folders?