Deleting a folder or file in Windows 10 is normally quite straightforward. You merely need to right-click the thing that you would like to delete, also in the context menu, choose the Delete option. And for permanently deleting an item, select it and press Shift+delete keys.
But some documents or folders are “uncooperative”. No matter what you do, how frequently you do, they will not have deleted. Normally, they reveal ‘Folder/File In Use’ error.
This means that any other program is using that document. The folder comprises a files/document that’s being used by another application. When a document is in use, it cannot be deleted before the program that’s using that document is closed. It has to be frustrating in the event that you couldn’t locate the application that’s preventing the file from being deleted.
Well, you don’t need to annoy yourself anymore. We’re presenting two easy ways by which you may easily delete the documents and folders used by an application.
The two ways of deleting a folder forcefully
These are the two ways.
- In Windows Safe Mode
- Using the command prompt
Let us look at both ways one by one.
Remove folders in the Safe Mode
In the Safe Mode, the majority of the programs are stopped, therefore there’s an opportunity to delete a folder/document which couldn’t be deleted as an application is using it.
Follow these steps for removing a folder.
Step 1:
- In your Windows 10 computer, enter the Safe Mode.
- Proceed into Start -> Settings -> Update & Security -> Recovery -> Restart now (below Advanced Startup) to enter the Windows recovery mode.
Step 2:
After the PC restarts, you’d be on “Choose an option”.
There, Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart
Step 3:
- From the Startup Settings, press F6 to input Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
In the Safe Mode, just perform the normal deletion process, and yay, u ‘re done!
Second Way – Using the Command prompt
Ok, if you are familiar or have an interest in running the commands, let us go through the steps in command prompt for forcefully deleting the folders.
Using Command Prompt, you can delete any folder or file; it does not matter if an application is currently using it. And that too with just a single command line.
Follow these steps.
Step 1: Get the path of the folder you want to remove
One of the ways to copy the path is shown below.
You may also find and copy the path of the folder in the address bar. Follow whichever you know to copy the path of the folder you intend to delete.
Step 2: Open the command prompt
You have to run the command prompt as an administrator. See the graphic below to open the command prompt in admin mode:
You may also use a shortcut to open the command prompt.
For that, press Windows + R keys on the keyboard, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter
It should run the command prompt as admin.
Step 3: Go the required drive in the command line
For example, if you want to reach to the D: drive then type:
“D:”
(without quotes)
Step 4: Go to the required folder by cd command
Type the cd command to go the desired folder. For example, our folder name is “My data” in D: drive. This is how I will go there:
Step 5: Execute the del command
Suppose, we have a testDelete folder in our “My Data” folder.
After reaching the folder, execute the following command:
del /s /q “testDelete”
This should delete all files in the testDelete folder.