Forum Discussion
PDF files can't be deleted on Windows 11
So, there is a file that i downloaded short time back and since then I can’t get rid of it. Name of the file is also random. When tried deleting, the button of the keyboard seems non-functional. Shift+Delete doesn’t work. Even tried using CMD, failed. OS is Windows 11 OS Build 26100.3775
5 Replies
You can use total commander or wiztree to bypass long file names. Total commander is useful even if you need to copy files to another location with long paths and file names
Rename, then delete.
Sometimes a simple restart can help clear out any processes that might be locking the file.
Ensure that no applications are currently using the PDF file. Close any PDF readers or editors that might have the file open (e.g., Adobe Reader, Edge, etc.).
Ensure that the PDF file isn't currently open in any applications. If it is open, close it and then attempt to delete the file again.
