How to Delete All Files With A Certain Name

If you are dealing with a lot of files with similar names, you may have found yourself in the situation of needing to delete all those files at once. It can be tedious to delete each file one by one, especially if there are hundreds or thousands of files involved. In this article, we will show you several methods for deleting all files with a certain name on Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Video Tutorial:

Why You Need to Delete All Files With A Certain Name

There are several reasons why you might need to delete all files with a certain name. One common scenario is when you are performing a cleanup of your computer and you want to get rid of all files that belong to a particular application or program. Another reason might be when you have accidentally downloaded multiple copies of the same file, and you want to free up disk space by deleting the duplicates.

Deleting a large number of files manually can be a time-consuming process, and there is always a risk of accidentally deleting files that you actually need. By using one of the methods described in this article, you can save time and eliminate the risk of accidental deletion.

Method 1: Using Command Prompt

One of the quickest and easiest ways to delete all files with a certain name is by using the Command Prompt. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Command Prompt by typing "cmd" in the Windows search bar and clicking on "Command Prompt".
2. Navigate to the folder that contains the files you want to delete by typing "cd" followed by the file path.
3. Type "del filename.*" where “filename” is the name of the file you want to delete, and “*” is a wildcard that represents any file extension. For example, if you want to delete all the files called "sample" in the folder, type “del sample.*”.
4. Press Enter to execute the command.
5. You will receive a confirmation message asking if you want to delete the files. Type "y" to confirm and press Enter.

Pros:
– Quick and easy to use
– Can delete files with a specific name from any location

Cons:
– No undo option
– Can be intimidating for users who are not familiar with command line interfaces

Method 2: Using PowerShell

PowerShell is another command-line interface that can help you delete all files with a certain name. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open PowerShell by typing "powershell" in the Windows search bar and clicking on "Windows PowerShell".
2. Type "cd" followed by the file path to navigate to the folder that contains the files you want to delete.
3. Type "Remove-Item –path .\filename.*" where “filename” is the name of the file you want to delete, and “*” is a wildcard that represents any file extension. For example, if you want to delete all the files called "sample" in the folder, type “Remove-Item –path .\sample.*”.
4. Press Enter to execute the command.
5. You will receive a confirmation message asking if you want to delete the files. Type "y" to confirm and press Enter.

Pros:
– Can be used to delete files with a specific name from any location
– PowerShell offers more flexibility and customization than Command Prompt

Cons:
– Not as user-friendly as some other methods.

Method 3: Using a Third-Party Tool

If you prefer to use a graphical user interface and do not want to use the command line, there are several third-party tools available that can help you delete all files with a certain name. One popular tool is CCleaner, which is a free utility that can be used for system optimization and cleaning.

Here’s how to use CCleaner to delete files with a certain name:

1. Download and install CCleaner from the official website.
2. Launch CCleaner and click on the "Tools" button in the left-hand pane.
3. Click on the "Duplicate Finder" option.
4. Select the folder where the files you want to delete are located.
5. Click on the "Add" button and enter the file name you want to search for.
6. Click on the "Search" button to search for all files with that name.
7. Once the duplicates have been found, click on the "Select All" button to select all the duplicates.
8. Click on the "Delete Selected" button to delete all the duplicates.

Pros:
– Easy to use graphical user interface
– Can be used to delete files with a specific name from any location

Cons:
– Requires installation of third-party software
– Not as customizable as the command-line methods

What to Do If You Can’t Delete All Files With A Certain Name

If you are unable to delete all files with a certain name using any of the methods described above, there are a few things you can try:

– Make sure that you have the necessary permissions to delete files from the folder where the files are located.
– Restart your computer and try again.
– Use a third-party tool like TeraCopy or Unlocker to unlock and delete the files.
– Check if any of the files are currently in use by another application and close the application before trying to delete the files.

Bonus Tip

If you frequently need to delete all files with a certain name, you can save time by creating a batch file that automates the process. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Notepad.
2. Enter the following command: del filename.*
3. Replace “filename” with the name of the file you want to delete.
4. Save the file with a .bat extension (for example, deletefiles.bat).
5. Place the batch file in the same folder as the files you want to delete.
6. Double-click on the batch file to delete all the files with the specified name.

5 FAQs

Q1: Can I use these methods to delete files with specific extensions?

A: Yes, you can replace the asterisk (*) in the commands with the file extension you want to delete. For example, if you want to delete all files with a .txt extension, you can use del filename.txt or Remove-Item –path .\filename.txt in Method 1 or 2, respectively.

Q2: Can I restore files that I deleted using these methods?

A: No, there is no built-in way to restore files that were deleted using these methods. However, you can try using data recovery software to recover deleted files, although the chances of success vary depending on various factors.

Q3: Can I use these methods to delete files from multiple folders at once?

A: Yes, you can use these methods to delete files with a specific name from multiple folders at once by navigating to the parent directory of the folders and modifying the commands accordingly.

Q4: What should I do if the files I want to delete are read-only?

A: You can change the attributes of the files by right-clicking on the file, selecting "Properties", and unchecking the "Read-only" box. You may need to have administrative privileges to do this.

Q5: Can I use these methods to delete files from external hard drives?

A: Yes, you can use these methods to delete files with a specific name from external hard drives as long as the external hard drive is connected to your computer and recognized as a storage device.

Final Thoughts

Deleting all files with a certain name can be a time-consuming task, but with the methods described in this article, you can streamline the process and save time. Whether you prefer command-line tools or graphical user interfaces, there is a method that will suit your needs. We hope that this article has been helpful in showing you how to delete all files with a certain name on Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.