Have you ever tried to rename a file, only to receive an error message that it is open in another program? This common issue can be frustrating, but fortunately, there are several solutions you can try to resolve it.
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Adjust Windows settings to resolve file renaming issue
Adjusting Windows settings can help resolve the file renaming issue. First, close the program that is currently using the file. Then, open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Find the program that was using the file and click on “End Task.”
If the issue persists, use Process Explorer, a free tool from Microsoft, to find the program that is using the file. Download and run Process Explorer from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer. Press Ctrl + F to open the Find window, and enter the name of the file you want to rename. This will highlight the process that is using the file.
Once you have identified the program, close it or use the Kill Process Tree function in Process Explorer to stop all processes associated with the program. Finally, try renaming the file again in Windows Explorer.
If the file is still unable to be renamed, check if the file is being used by another program or if it is located in a folder that is being shared or synced with OneDrive. You may need to delete the file in question, rename the folder, or move the file to a different location to complete the desired action.
Take ownership of the file to rename it
To rename a file that is open in another program, you need to take ownership of the file. First, locate the file you want to rename in Windows Explorer. Right-click on the file and select “Properties.” Now, click on the “Security” tab and select “Advanced.”
Next, click on “Change” next to the “Owner” field, and enter your username. Click “OK” to save changes.
Now, back in the “Properties” window, click on the “General” tab and change the name of the file. If you receive an error message saying that “the action cannot be completed because the file is open in another program,” you may need to close any processes that are using the file.
You can use the Task Manager to do this. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager, and then click on the “Processes” tab. Find the processes that are using the file and click “End Process.”
After you have closed the processes, try renaming the file again. If you still cannot rename the file, you may need to delete it instead.
Disable background running of files to enable renaming
To fix “Cannot Rename File When Open in Another Program” error, disable background running of files. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. Locate the file that’s running in the background and end the process. If you’re using Windows 10, open the Details tab and look for the file’s name and Object. Right-click on it and select End Task. If you’re still unable to rename the file, check if any thumbnail files are open and close them. Clear the temp data folder by typing %temp% in the search bar and deleting all the files. Also, check if the file is saved in the OneDrive folder and move it to a different location.
Use registry tweaks or delete certain values to fix the issue
Fix the “Cannot Rename File When Open in Another Program” issue by using registry tweaks or deleting certain values.
For registry tweaks, press the Windows key + R and type “regedit” into the Run box. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers and delete the “Open With” key. Alternatively, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer and delete the “UserAssist” key.
To delete certain values, open the Temp data folder and delete any thumbnail files that might be locked by another application. You can also try killing the process tree of the program that’s using the file by using the Process Explorer tool from Microsoft.
Remember to sort out any programs that might be using the file and close them before attempting to rename or delete the file. You can also try renaming the folder that contains the file or using the Command Prompt to delete the file.
Keep Windows updated to prevent file renaming problems
To fix the “Cannot Rename File When Open in Another Program” issue, keep your Windows operating system updated. Updates often include bug fixes and improvements that can address file renaming problems.
To update Windows 10, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Check for updates and install any that are available.
If you’re still encountering issues after updating, try closing all applications and folders that may be using the file you’re trying to rename. You can also try restarting your computer to clear any lingering processes.
In some cases, you may need to use a third-party tool such as Process Explorer to identify and kill any processes that are preventing the file from being renamed.
Lastly, if you’re trying to rename a file within a folder that is synced to OneDrive or another cloud storage service, make sure you’re not currently syncing the folder. Turn off syncing and try renaming the file again.
