Folder cannot be deleted - what to do?

If a folder cannot be deleted, a file from the folder or the folder itself is usually still open somewhere. This is often the case when you have actually closed all programs. Therefore, you have to close the programs in the background instead. We will help you and show you the exact procedure.

Folders cannot be deleted: the most common errors and solutions

1. First of all close all programs - can the folder still not be deleted?
2. If not, open the Task Manager next.
3. Look under "Processes" to see whether "Explorer" still appears somewhere. Right-click and "Close Task" to exit the Explorer.
4. Then restart Explorer with "File"> "New Task"> "Explorer.exe".
5. Then find the folder you want to delete.
6. If it still cannot be deleted, click on "View" at the top and then on "Detail Area". Then check whether the folder can be deleted.
7. If you get an error message that a file is still open in another program, follow these instructions.

Delete folder: restart & CMD

1. To ensure that all processes and services are stopped, you should restart the computer.
2. If the folder still cannot be opened using Explorer, press [Ctrl] + [R].
3. Then type "cmd" and press [Enter].
4. Now enter "del" followed by the folder path. For example if the folder is named 1: "del C: \ Users \ Sven \ 1"
5. Then press [Enter], then [J] and again [Enter]. The folder is now deleted.

Protect folder with password - how it works

Next, you should know how to protect a folder with a password.