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Can't move or delete files without quitting illustrator.

Community Beginner ,
May 28, 2021 May 28, 2021

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Once a file has been opened in Illustrator, I can't move/modify/rename/delete them without quitting illustrator first. I get "The action can't be completed because the file is open in Adobe Illustrator 2021". I run a lot of batch actions and move the files after so having to close and reopen the app everytime is really inconvenient.

 

Ai error.png

 

I've updated/reinstalled Illustrator, restarted the pc etc.

Only affects Illustrator, other applications like Photoshop don't do it.

Doesn't matter the file type or location and files are local, not being synced anywhere.

Windows 10, latest version of Illustrator.

'Save in background' and 'Export in background' are turned off.

I one by one ended each Adobe process in task manager I could find while trying to delete the file each time and I could only delete it once Illustrator itself was terminated.

 

I'm stuck and I can't think of anything else to try, any advice?

 

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Advocate , May 30, 2021 May 30, 2021

Hi, sorry about that

I don’t have a solution, but maybe if you try to reset the preferences will work, here the instructions: https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/setting-preferences.html#setting_illustrator_preferences

 

2nd option: Install an older version of Illustrator from the CC app. Go to the creative cloud app and click on the 3 dots next to Illustrator app to see more options and select other versions

you can install a previous version of Illustrator and maybe that will work, somet

...

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Advocate ,
May 30, 2021 May 30, 2021

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Hi, sorry about that

I don’t have a solution, but maybe if you try to reset the preferences will work, here the instructions: https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/setting-preferences.html#setting_illustrator_preferences

 

2nd option: Install an older version of Illustrator from the CC app. Go to the creative cloud app and click on the 3 dots next to Illustrator app to see more options and select other versions

you can install a previous version of Illustrator and maybe that will work, sometimes there are bugs and you have to update the system

Let me know if that works

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Community Beginner ,
May 30, 2021 May 30, 2021

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Thanks Eugenio, resetting the prefrences didn't work but downgrading to 2020 worked. I'll have to wait for it to be fixed before I update again. Illustrator 24 will work for me for now though.

Thanks!

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Advocate ,
May 30, 2021 May 30, 2021

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so glad, thank for leting me know, now please if you can close this topic with the correct answer

Thanks

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Explorer ,
Jan 23, 2025 Jan 23, 2025

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Hi I have the same issue still, mine is even worse: even if I QUIT Illustrator I cannot move/rename file I have to RESTART my machine, as if Illustrator as soon as it open a file (or the folder it is in) it grabs onto it and doesn't let go, this is driving me crazy as I need open and to check many large files and then move them to different folders, downgrading to a previous version is not an option

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Community Expert ,
Jan 23, 2025 Jan 23, 2025

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Which system and version is it?

Where are the files located?

Is that location managed by an asset management system or is maybe something else interfering?

 

That message comes from your system. It has trouble managing your files.

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Explorer ,
Jan 24, 2025 Jan 24, 2025

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I am running Windows 10 on a Dell with 32Gb RAM, and I have Illustrator 29.2.1 installed.

The files are located on my machine, I don't have any cloud sync or anything to interfere with file moving or renaming and I only have this problem after opening Illustrator files.

I have done some research and someone suggested to not use the Thumbnails view of File Explorer or the preview pane to avoid this "file lock" issue, I am now testing this theory.

Since some of these replies and suggestions are quite old (as old as 19 years ogo) I feel that this is perhaps a very old bug

 

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Adobe Employee ,
Jan 24, 2025 Jan 24, 2025

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Hello @RV999,

Thanks for sharing the details. Would you mind trying to run Illustrator under Safe Mode (Windows) and checking if it helps? Also, try running Illustrator under a different administrator account (Windows) and share your observations.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Anubhav

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