Can’t Remove a PDF from Desktop Windows 10/11? [Solved]

Why Can’t Remove a PDF from Desktop

According to user reports, they cannot delete a PDF on desktop Windows 10/11 after making changes to the PDF with Adobe Acrobat. The issue is related to a glitch in the OS/Acrobat or virus infection. If there is not enough permission or the file is occupied by other apps, you cannot remove PDF files from desktop.

Here’s a true example from the answer.microsoft.com forum reporting the “cannot move or delete a PDF in Windows 10” problem.

I can't remove a PDF from my Win10 desktop. I have a PDF file (saved with symbols in its name) and I can't delete it. Whenever I try it says the file is in use. Can someone suggest some fixes?https://answers.microsoft.com

What to Do If You Cannot Delete a PDF on Desktop Windows 10/11

Before trying the methods below, you can try restarting your computer and deleting the PDF. If it still cannot delete a PDF on desktop Windows 11/10, the following 6 fixes can help you.

# 1. End All Tasks Related to Adobe

If the document is used by Adobe Acrobat or some PDF editors, you can’t delete PDF files from Windows 10/11. So, make sure all tasks related to the app are ended in Task Manager.

Step 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.

Step 2. Right-click Adobe Acrobat or other related programs and select End task. Then delete the PDF and see if it works.

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# 2. Turn off Preview Pane

A tested solution to the “can’t remove a PDF from desktop” problem is to turn off the preview pane in File Explorer. To do that, press the Win + E keys to open File Explorer, click the View tab, and click the Preview pane to hide or close it. After that, select Desktop from the navigation panel and delete the PDF.

# 3. Change the Default PDF Reader

Some users find that changing the default PDF reader from Adobe Acrobat to other tools can solve the “cannot remove PDF files from desktop” problem. Here’s how to change that:

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Step 1. Press the Win + I keys to open the Settings window and select Apps.

Step 2. Select Default apps and click on Choose default apps by file type.

Step 3. Scroll down the list of file types to .pdf and change its default app from Adobe Acrobat to other programs.

# 4. Disable Enhanced Security in Adobe Acrobat

The enhanced security option can prevent your PDF files from virus or malware infection. Sometimes it can also trigger some issues like Adobe error opening document access denied, cannot move or delete a PDF in Windows 10/11, etc. In this case, you can follow the guide below to disable it temporarily.

Step 1. Launch Acrobat Reader to enter its main interface, go to the Edit tab or the Menu icon, and select Preferences.

Step 2. Select the Security (Enhanced) tab from the left panel, untick the box next to Enable Enhanced Security, and click OK.

Step 3. Restart the app and check if the PDF file can be removed.

# 5. Check the Google Drive Interference

If you have made changes using Google Drive or OneDrive, make sure it does not interfere with the PDF. Some users find the “can’t remove a PDF from desktop” issue can be fixed by deleting the file from there. It’s worth having a try.

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# 6. Force Delete the PDF File

If you still can’t delete PDF files from Windows 10/11 after all the above methods, you can force delete the file using CMD or a professional cleaner.

Step 1. Press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box, and then type cmd in it and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys together to open the elevated Command Prompt window.

Step 2. Type the following command and press Enter. Here you need to replace the file path of the PDF

del C:\Users\bj\Desktop\test.pdf

In addition, you can use a professional file deleter – MiniTool Partition Wizard. Its Space Analyzer feature can help analyze disk space and delete all files on the selected drive into the Recycle Bin or permanently. The program can find the PDF quickly according to its file name and delete it.

Bottom Line

What to do if you cannot move or delete a PDF in Windows 10/11? The post summarizes 6 effective ways to remove PDF files on your desktop. You can try them in order or choose one that works best for you.