InDesign file won't unlock even after deleting the .idlk file

[julietw99713499]

I have a book file with 2 documents in it open.  One of those documents has a locked file.  InDesign is spinning & spinning & spinning.  Can't access anything.  If I force-quit from the task maanger, I can delete the locked file from file manager.  But when I open the program again, the book file automatically opens, and it opens that locked file again, which still shows up as locked in the book file.  So therefore I can't delete the locked file from the file manager because the file is open. I have to close InDesign, but it won't even let me close because it's spinning & spinning & spinning, and the only way to close is to force-quit.

This is a nightmare from which I cannot escape.

I can't even take a screen shot, that's how disabled InDesign is right now.  What do I do?

[Peter Spier]

Close InDesign, then go to the Recovery folder in your user profile (this is going to be a hidden folder, and if you tell us your OS and version of ID, someone will help you find it) and delete the recovery data. That should allow the application to open.

[julietw99713499]

I can at least now take a screenshot.

Here's a screenshot showing the book file, with a lock next to the filename, which is also open on my machine.  It's not even allowing me to close the file.  The whole program locks up, spins & spins & spins, and all I can do is force-quit, which only makes the problem keep happening. Even if I delete the Lock file from the file manager, when I restart InDesign, it automatically opesn the file and creates another locked file.

Windows PC, InDesign 2021, from the cloud.  Did a search on the word Recovery in my file manager, and it came up with no results.

[julietw99713499]

Whoops, forgot to say Windows 10 on the PC, etc.

[Peter Spier · Accepted solution]

OK, the Recovery folder is at C:\Users\[your user name]\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\Version 16.0\[your installed language]\Caches\InDesign Recovery

This is, as I said, a HIDDEN folder so you need to go to the view tab in File Explorer and check the little box on the ribbon to show hidden files. You can also click on File in File Explorer and set your search and view options to show hidden files and search system directories (and Windows will scream at you that you shouldn't do either, which is pure BS as long as you don't go around deleting stuff you shouldn't).

Once you can see it, empty the folder.

Now also try deleting the .idlk file from the folder where your locked file lives (that file must be closed to do this).