thumbs.db the file is open in windows explorer

Question

All the time I have the problem that I cannot delete - move - rename folders in Windows 7 (also applies to windows 10) on network drives because of the thumbs.db file. It complains: "The action can't be completed because the file is open in Windows Explorer." I found something in a long thread that works for me.

You may also stop explorer.exe with `taskkill` and delete that folder with `rd /s` commands. — Biswapriyo, May 30 '17 at 04:36
Same problem on Windows 10, the workaround from lode also works there — NZD, Jul 13 '20 at 20:31

lode · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-13T17:12:31.733

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short answer:

windows 7: In explorer: Change file display settings from "details" to "Content"

windows 10: In explorer: View->Layout->List

Now the thumbs.db file can be removed.

Long answer:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/ca2cbc1a-362f-4f01-a8f8-6f05112f1915/windows-7-bug-explorer-locks-thumbsdb-in-most-recently-viewed-folder?forum=w7itprogeneral:

I accidentally came across a slightly easier fix for this bug. Instead of setting "Turn off the display of thumbnails and only display icons on network folders" to Enable, I simply changed the Windows Explorer display setting from "Details" to "Content". Then I was able to delete my Thumbs.db files without any complaints from Windows 7, even though I have thumbnails enabled. After deleting the offending file(s), I just restore the display to "Details" again.

thanks my unknown hero robster8192

edited Oct 13 '20 at 17:12

answered May 29 '17 at 23:35

lode

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Same problem on Windows 10, your workaround also works. The only difference is that there is no 'Content', but I used 'List' with the same result. – NZD Jul 13 '20 at 20:32
Win10 on network folder: changing view from Details to List worked. However I did have to try twice. It might have been sufficient just to wait another couple seconds before attempting to delete. I 2nd the Kudos to @robster8192, thank you! – matt wilkie Nov 08 '22 at 23:39
The only solution that worked for me was in [this answer](https://superuser.com/a/1743373/117655) by renaming the file first! – dashesy Feb 15 '23 at 03:28

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 20 '22 at 09:13

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I had this issue in Windows 11 on a network share, and none of the above solutions worked (changed view / layout, cut/paste on local machine).

However I was able to rename it to _.db, and then I was able to delete the file.

answered Sep 20 '22 at 09:13

Damian Vogel

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This is the only solution that worked for me, even on Windows 10. – dashesy Feb 15 '23 at 03:28

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 25 '22 at 19:10

I had this issue, but the file was on a Windows network share. Changing the view didn't allow me to delete the file. What I was able to do was to cut and paste the folder containing the Thumbs.db file to my local machine. Once I did that the folder and its Thumbs.db deleted without issue.

thumbs.db the file is open in windows explorer

3 Answers3