Can’t delete OneDrive files or folders on PC

In this article, we explain why you might not be able to delete OneDrive files or folders on your Windows PC and the best solutions to fix the issue. You may want to delete files and folders in OneDrive to free up space, remove files that they are no longer using, or for their own preferences. Whichever the reason, the process should be as seamless as it should be.

The error says that the OneDrive file is locked or is sometimes grayed out and becomes unresponsive.

Can’t delete OneDrive files or folders on PC

If you can’t delete files on OneDrive, use the following methods to resolve the issue:

1. Preliminary troubleshooting steps
2. Pause syncing temporarily
3. Try to delete the file from another device
4. Move or rename the file or folder
5. Change Files On-Demand settings
6. Reset OneDrive
7. Reinstall OneDrive

Let us cover these solutions one by one in detail.

1] Preliminary troubleshooting steps

Performing preliminary troubleshooting steps can fix the issue. Before you go to more complex solutions, try the following steps;

• Ensure that the files or folders you want to delete are not in use on another computer or another user is accessing it.
• Try deleting the files using another user account or device.
• If the file is opened on your computer, make sure it’s closed and retry deleting it.
• Check if you have permission to modify the file or folder. If the file was shared by another person, ask them to give you the necessary privileges to delete the document. If the document has limited access, you can’t delete it unless the owner allows you to.

Read: How to remove shared files from OneDrive

2] Pause syncing temporarily

If OneDrive is syncing files at the same time you are trying to delete, it will not work. To fix this, you need to stop syncing and then delete the files or the folders.

To pause OneDrive sync, open the app from the taskbar and go to OneDrive Settings. Here, select Pause syncing and choose the duration you would want to pause. Give it about a minute before you can retry to delete the files or folders.

Once you delete them, you can go back to the OneDrive settings and unpause syncing.

Read: Can’t delete files from External Hard Drive in Windows

3] Move or rename the file or folder

In as much as this solution looks odd, it has worked for some users, hence it’s worth trying in your case.

To rename a file on OneDrive, select the document and click Rename from the top toolbar. You can also select the file or folder and press F2 on your PC keyboard or right-click the file and select Rename. After that, try to delete the folder or file and see if it works.

If that doesn’t work, try to move the file. Right-click on the file and then select Cut. Choose a location outside the folder and press Ctrl + V to paste the file. Try to delete it in the new file location.

4] Change Files On-Demand settings

Files On-Demand is a great OneDrive feature that allows users to access files and folders on the cloud without downloading. However, it has been reported that it might cause some issues with OneDrive, like users not being able to delete files. So, we need to turn the feature off and see if we can delete the files on OneDrive. Follow the steps below;

• Go to the Taskbar tray area, locate the OneDrive icon, and right-click it.
• Go to Help & Settings > Settings.
• Go to Advanced settings and choose your preferred option under the Files On-Demand option. Finally, click Continue to complete the process.
• Go ahead and try to delete the files. Once done, go back and enable the Files On-Demand feature.

5] Reset OneDrive

Resetting OneDrive does not make you lose any files or folders. It only removes all the sync connections and you may need to re-add the folders or files you want to sync. If you still can’t delete OneDrive files or folders on your PC, reset the app using the following steps;

• While on the OneDrive app, locate and select the app Settings.
• Scroll down the options and choose Reset.

When the OneDrive app restarts, it will check the registry and then load the settings and build the DAT file again. This may resolve the reasons why you can’t delete OneDrive files or folders on your PC.

6] Reinstall OneDrive

If all other solutions don’t work for you, you can reinstall OneDrive if you still can’t delete OneDrive files or folders. Follow the steps below;

• Open Control Panel by searching it on the search box.
• Go to the Programs and Features option and look for Microsoft OneDrive and select it.
• Click on Uninstall and let the system remove it from your PC.
• Go to the OneDrive website or Microsoft Store, download the OneDrive app, and follow the on-screen directions to reinstall it. Try to delete the files and see if it works.

We hope one of the solutions helps you if you can’t delete OneDrive files or folders on your PC.

Fix: OneDrive error code 0x8004def7

How do I get permission from the system to delete a file?

If the system says that you need administrative permission to delete a folder or file, try to disable the User Account Control (UAC) or take ownership of the file if it was shared with you. You can also try to activate the built-in administrator account to get the privileges to access the document and modify it. Other ways to resolve the issue may include scanning the system files using the SFC tool or accessing the files in Safe Mode.

Fix: OneDrive error Sorry there is a problem displaying this folder

Why can’t I delete files from OneDrive?

There are several reasons why you cannot delete files from OneDrive. For example, if you don’t have the necessary permissions to modify a document, you can’t delete the file. If the file is being opened or used on another device or user, you won’t be able to delete it on OneDrive. Other reasons could be corrupted files, issues with the OneDrive app, or the Files On-Demand feature interfering preventing you from deleting files or folders on OneDrive.