[Solved] How to Force Delete Files with Permission Denied in Windows 11/10

It's a common and frustrating scenario for Windows users: you try to delete a file or folder, but a pop-up window stops you dead in your tracks with an "Access Denied" error. This can happen for various reasons, leaving you unable to manage your own files. Whether you're trying to clean up your drive or remove a stubborn remnant of uninstalled software, this error can be a major roadblock.

Fortunately, you're not stuck. This guide will walk you through several effective methods to bypass this issue, from using built-in Windows tools to employing a powerful third-party solution. We'll show you exactly how to take back control and Windows force delete for file with permission denied.

Error: Windows Force Delete for File with Permission Denied

Before diving into the solutions, it's helpful to understand why you're seeing this error in the first place. The "Access Denied" error typically means that your user account doesn't have the necessary security permissions to modify or delete the file. This can be due to several reasons:

File in Use: The file or a file within the folder is currently open or being used by another program or system process.

Lack of Ownership: You are not the "owner" of the file or folder, and therefore lack the rights to delete it. This often happens with files created by another user account or by the system itself.

System Protection: The file is a protected operating system file, and Windows is preventing its deletion to maintain system stability.

Read-Only Attribute: The file or folder is marked as "Read-only," which prevents any modifications, including deletion.

Malware Infection: In some cases, malware can lock files to prevent their removal.

How to Fix: Windows Force Delete for File with Permission Denied

Now, let's get to the solutions. Here are four proven methods to handle files and folders that refuse to be deleted, including how to delete access denied folder using CMD, delete folder access denied Windows 11, and more.

Method 1: Take Ownership of the File or Folder

One of the most common reasons for a "permission denied" error is that your account doesn't own the file. By taking ownership, you grant your account full control. This method involves navigating through the file's security properties to change the owner to your current user account.

Step 1. Right-click the stubborn file or folder and select Properties.

Step 2. Go to the Security tab and click the Advanced button.

Step 3. Near the top, next to "Owner," click the Change link.

Step 4. In the "Enter the object name to select" box, type your Windows username. Click Check Names to verify it, then click OK.

Step 5. Check the box that says "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" if you're working with a folder. Click Apply.

A message will appear confirming you've just taken ownership. Click OK on all open windows. You should now be able to delete the file or folder without any issues.

Method 2: How to Delete Access Denied Folder Using CMD

For those comfortable with the command line, Command Prompt offers a powerful way to seize control and delete stubborn files. This section will guide you through using CMD to resolve permission issues.

We'll use two key commands: takeown to grab ownership and icacls to grant permissions, followed by the standard delete command.

Step 1. Click the Start button, type "cmd," right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.

Step 2. To take ownership of a file, use the following command, replacing C:\path\to\your\file.txt.txt with the actual path to your file:

takeown /f "C:\path\to\your\file.txt"

For a folder, use this command:

takeown /f "C:\path\to\your\folder" /r /d y

Step 3. Next, grant your user account full control permissions with the icacls command. Replace your_username with your actual username:

icacls "C:\path\to\your\file_or_folder" /grant your_username:F

For a folder, you may want to apply this recursively:

icacls "C:\path\to\your\folder" /grant your_username:F /t

Step 4. Finally, you can now delete folder access denied Windows 11 or the problematic file using the del command for files or rmdir for folders:

del "C:\path\to\your\file.txt"

or

rmdir /s /q "C:\path\to\your\folder"

The /s flag deletes all subdirectories and files, while /q enables quiet mode to avoid deletion prompts.

Method 3: Securely Shred Files with AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional

If the above methods fail or you want a surefire way to not only delete a file but also make it completely unrecoverable, a professional tool is your best bet.

Here we introduce AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard, a comprehensive and reliable disk management software for Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. While it's known for its powerful partitioning features, it also includes a "Shred Files" utility specifically designed to forcibly and permanently delete files and folders that are locked or inaccessible. This feature overwrites the file's data multiple times, ensuring it can't be recovered by any software—perfect for sensitive information or incredibly stubborn files.

Step 1. Install and run AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard. Click “Wipe”> “Shred Files”.

Step 2. In the “Shred Files” window, choose “Add Files” or “Add Folders” to add the files or folder that you want to erase without recovery.

Step 3. After specifying the files, choose “Write Zero” as the shredding method.

Step 4. Click the “Shred” button and you’ll be asked whether you are sure to shred selected files/folder thoroughly. Click “Yes” to continue the operation.

Step 5. After all the added files or folders are deleted, you will see the message “All files/folders have been shredded completely” on the top.

AOMEI Partition Assistant not only supports shredding files, but you can also erase your hard disk multiple times. Usually, after two erasures, your data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

Once complete, the file will be permanently deleted. Beyond file shredding, AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is a versatile toolkit with other handy functions like migrating your OS to an SSD, cloning a hard drive, recovering lost partitions, and moving installed applications to another drive to free up space.

Ending

Encountering a "permission denied" error when trying to delete a file in Windows can be a real headache, but it's a solvable problem. We've explored several powerful methods to help you regain control.

You can try taking ownership through File Explorer, leverage the command line for a more technical approach, or boot into Safe Mode. However, for a guaranteed and secure solution, using a dedicated tool like the Shred Files feature in AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional not only resolves the Windows force delete for file with permission denied issue but also ensures the data is permanently erased. With these options at your disposal, you can confidently manage any stubborn file on your system.