How to unlock a file that’s “in use” on Windows
Updated 3 June 2026
If Windows says “The action can’t be completed because the file is open in another program,” the file is locked by a running process — not password-protected. No password tool applies here; you need to find and stop whatever is holding it.
Find what’s holding the file
The safest built-in way, no downloads needed:
- Open Resource Monitor (press Start, type
resmon). - Go to the CPU tab → expand Associated Handles.
- Search the file’s name. Every process with a handle on it is listed.
- Right-click the offending process → End Process (only if it’s safe to close).
Then try your delete/move/rename again.
Other safe fixes
- Close the obvious app. Office, a PDF viewer, a media player or File Explorer preview pane often holds files open. Closing it usually releases the lock.
- Sign out and back in, or restart, to clear lingering handles.
- Disable the Explorer preview pane (View → Preview pane) if it keeps locking the file you’re trying to act on.
A word of caution: don’t force-kill system processes you don’t recognise, and avoid “unlocker” utilities from unfamiliar sites — file-unlocker downloads are a common vector for bundled malware.
If it’s actually a password, not a lock
A file that’s “in use” is different from one that’s password-protected. If your problem is really that a document or archive is locked behind a password, use our free in-browser tools instead — nothing is uploaded:
Forgotten the password to open a file? Request recovery — pay only if we succeed.