When a process is forced to end, the whole program ends, and any other files that depend on the program may still have data that hasn’t been saved. Before you do anything else, you must save all of your work.
Windows tells me that a file I want to delete is open in another program when I try to delete it. How do I find the software so I can turn it off or delete the file automatically?
With the three methods in this post, you’ll learn how to force-quit a Windows program without using Task Manager. If Task Manager isn’t responding, force-quit each app that isn’t responding one at a time. If your Windows system crashes, shows a blue or black screen error, or has any other problems, you can use the MiniTool software to recover lost data, back up and restore Windows OS, re-partition your hard drive, and more.
It’s important to remember that the backspace key is not the same as the delete key. If you don’t have a delete key, you can open the Task Manager window by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
It could be annoying when an application doesn’t work. But pressing the power button to turn off your computer by hand can be dangerous. Here are three ways to close a Windows 10 program without having to wait for it to respond.
How do you get rid of a file that won’t close?
You can force browser windows and apps to close if you can’t close them the right way. Press Ctrl, Alt, and Delete all at the same time.
How do you close a file that the system has already opened?
When you right-click on a file and choose “Close open file” from the menu, you can close it.
How do I close a file without using the task manager?
When programs get stuck, all you have to do is press Alt + F4. This Windows keyboard shortcut is the same as the X icon in the top-right corner of a window to end the current process.
The file can’t be deleted because it is open.
The best way to fix the “file is open in another program” error is to follow the steps here. Use Ctrl + Shift + ESC to open the Task Manager. You can also choose Task Manager by clicking the right arrow on the Taskbar or by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del. If you have Windows 11, you won’t be able to right-click on the taskbar.
How do I force Windows 10 to delete a file?
How do I delete a file or folder by force in Windows 10? – A Quick Guide. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator in Windows 10. Enter the command “del” followed by the path to the file you want to delete. To force Windows 10 to delete a folder, type rmdir /s /q + folder directory and press Enter.
How can I get rid of a corrupted file?
Find the file or folder that has been hacked on your desktop or in File Explorer. Then press Delete or Shift+Delete to delete it.
Why won’t a file get rid of itself?
It is likely that another program is trying to use the file right now. Even if you don’t have any apps open, this can happen. When other programs or processes are using a file, Windows 11/10 locks it down so that it can’t be moved, changed, or deleted.
What happens if you can’t use Alt+F4?
If Alt + F4 doesn’t work, you can end a running program with Task Manager. After you press Ctrl, Alt, and Delete, choose Task Manager from the menu. You can also open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc or by right-clicking the program you want to close and choosing “End task.”
How do I restart Windows if I don’t want to use Task Manager or Alt+F4?
You can open Task Manager by pressing CTRL + SHIFT + ESC, and then you can close each program one at a time. CTRL + ALT + DLT is another shortcut key combination that can be used to open the Start Menu and the Task Manager.
How do I get rid of a file that is being used right now?
In the command box, type DEL /F file name and press Enter to delete the active file. Note: The file name in the above command needs to be changed to the name of the file you want to delete plus its extension, such as del /f TestFile.txt.
How do I delete a folder forcibly?
Follow these steps to start your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer in safe mode. After getting into safe mode, open File Explorer and look for the folder you want to delete. Then, right-click on this folder and choose “Delete.”
How can you get rid of a corrupt file that won’t go away?
Sometimes you can delete corrupted, unreadable, or damaged files by clicking “Delete,” holding down “Shift” and “Delete,” or dragging them to the recycle bin.
What does it mean to press Ctrl+F4?
Most of the time, Ctrl+F4 (also called Control+F4 and C-f4) is used to close a tab or window in a program. Use the keyboard shortcut Alt + F4 to close a program and all of its tabs and windows at once.
What does Ctrl Alt F4 do?
Ctrl+F4. In some situations, the Alt+F4 keyboard shortcut is the same as Ctrl+F4 and Ctrl+W. Its main difference is that it shuts down your apps and programs. On the other hand, Ctrl+F4 and Ctrl+W close the document that is currently open in your application.
What does the F4 button do?
When you press F4, the address bar opens in most browsers, such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and the File Explorer.