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Error 33 (ERROR_LOCK_VIOLATION)

Windows error 33 — what causes it and how to fix it

Part of the file is locked.

Why does this error happen?

If you have seen this message, the cause is usually one of these.

explorer.exe

File Explorer is holding it. Turn off the Preview pane (Alt+P) and move to another folder — that alone usually releases it. If you end it, the taskbar disappears for a moment and comes back.

WINWORD.EXE · EXCEL.EXE

Closing the document window is not enough while the program itself is still running — it keeps holding the file. Quit the program completely. If a temporary file starting with '~$' is left in the same folder, delete that too.

SearchIndexer.exe

Windows Search is building its index. It releases the file by itself in a moment, so there is no need to end it.

How do you deal with it?

  1. Close the program and delete
  2. Unlock and delete
  3. Move to Recycle Bin
  4. Delete after restart
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