How to Force Delete a File or Folder on Windows 11?

Generally, deleting a file or folder on Windows 11 is a straightforward process: select the item, press the Delete button, and the item is removed from the Recycle Bin.

Sometimes, Windows will refuse to delete certain files or folders due to permission issues or because another program is using them.

So, if you want to delete stubborn files or folders from your Windows 11 device, make sure to check out the method we have mentioned below. 

What do you mean by Force Delete?

In Windows, you can force delete any file or folder that might be prevented from being deleted by conflicting processes.

In many cases, you cannot delete a specific file or folder due to malware, overriding scripts, or permission rights.

It doesn’t matter what the reason is, you can remove your files or folders easily with force deletion.

Now, let’s look at how you can force delete files and folders despite this error message.

Why You Can’t Delete a Folder on Windows?

Windows system folders are the most common reason for not being able to delete a folder.

Due to the possibility of making your PC unstable, the system prevents you from removing the folder.

It is possible that your “undeletable” folder is used by your installed apps if you’re sure it is not a system folder.

When an app is using a folder, Windows prevents you from changing it. The best course of action in this situation would be to close the app using your folder and then attempt to delete it.

If neither of the above scenarios applies to your case, you may be able to force remove your folder by using one of the following methods.

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What are the Different Methods to Force Delete a File or Folder on Windows 11?

Force deleting any file or folder on a Windows 11 PC sometimes becomes stubborn, and users may feel anxious when they aren’t able to delete them. These steps will help you do so: 

Method 1: Delete Stubborn Files in Safe Mode

It allows users to start Windows with only the necessary drivers and startup items during troubleshooting.

Normally, in safe mode, the stubborn file you can’t delete won’t be locked (in use) since many superfluous background programs are disabled.

Therefore, you might be able to delete a stubborn file in safe mode by using any regular deletion method.

1. Initially, in the Advanced Startup Options Menu, you can select safe mode. From there, you can choose different safe mode options by selecting Startup Settings and Restart.
2. If you press 4, the Safe Mode option will be selected.
3. Open the folder that contains the stubborn file when you’re in safe mode.
4. To erase the file, select it in Explorer and choose the trashcan (Delete) button. I hope the regular file deletion option works in safe mode.

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Method 2: Delete Files With the Command Prompt

Windows computers come with Command Prompt as their default command line interpreter.

Using it, you can force-delete your files or folders in Windows 11 as well. To find out how follow these steps.

1. Initially, type ‘cmd‘ into the Start menu search bar and select the best match.
2. Using File Explorer, go to the folder or file you wish to delete and grab its location from the address bar.
3. Type in the del command and the folder address as shown below: del C:\Users\user\folder-name\filename.extension

4. Once you hit Enter, your file or folder will be deleted.

So that’s it. On your Windows PC, you can remove random files and folders by following these steps.

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Method 3: Take Ownership of the Folder

It might be that your user account does not give you full ownership of a particular folder you want to remove. To solve this problem, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the specific folder in File Explorer and select Properties. Click on Security > Advanced.
2. Find the Owner field and click Change in front of it. Next, enter the object names to select the field, type ‘Administrator,’ and click Check Names. Finally, click the OK button.

3. Once this is done, the Owner property will change to Administrator.

In the same section as the Owner property, you’ll also find the Replace owner in the sub-container and objects checkbox. Once it has been selected, click on Apply below.

By doing this, you will be in complete control of your files and folders. Let’s try deleting them now and see if anything happens.

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Method 4: Force Delete Files Using the Task Manager

Using the Windows 11 Task Manager, you can manage processes and tasks on your computer. It is useful for deleting problematic files and folders.

1. Initially, open the Task Manager, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. On the left pane, click on the Processes tab, then select the file you wish to delete and click End task.

3. Afterward, if the problem persists, try deleting the file or folder again.

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Method 5: Use WinRAR to Force Remove Folders

There is a file compression application called WinRAR that allows you to remove stubborn folders.

In this case, the app creates an archive from your “undeletable” folder and then asks you to delete the original folder after a few moments.

The original folder is automatically deleted by WinRAR when it creates an archive from your folder. Once the archive has been created, it can also be deleted.

1. To begin, download and install WinRAR for free. You can then restart your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer to make WinRAR available from the context menu.
2. Launch File Explorer after your computer restarts and navigate to the folder you want to delete. Next, right-click this folder and select Add to Archive.

3. Afterward, inside the Archive Name and Parameters screen, in the Archiving Options section, enable the Delete Files After Archiving option.
4. Thereafter, at the bottom of the window, click OK.

5. Then, allow WinRAR to create an archive from your chosen folder. Once that is done, WinRAR will delete the original folder. Now that you have created an archive, you can delete it.

So, that’s all we have for you on how to force delete a file or folder on Windows 11. We hope that this guide has helped you. Don’t worry! If you need any further details, comment below and let us know.