How to Fix ‘Could not find this item’ Error

The "Could not find this item" error commonly prevents you from deleting, moving, or renaming the file even though the file shows up in the explorer. Even though this appears to be in the system's directory, Windows is unable to locate the file, as this message simply suggests. This many times is due to the path or name of the file, which is too long, thus reaching beyond the character limit posed by Windows and not being able to access it.

Other possible causes could be that files are corrupted in the data files, hidden files, or issues within the temporary system.

Following are some ways this can be fixed.

1. Delete the Problematic File Using Command Prompt

This is the method for deleting those files or folders which cannot be dealt with by ordinary methods. This method bypasses the usual limitations imposed by Windows. Even for those files with corrupted details or long routes that cannot be handled by File Explorer, the system can remove them directly with its support. In case the deletion of some files through the above-mentioned methods is not possible, this is a direct approach by the system itself. One should be very careful while executing these commands because they delete the files permanently.

To open the Command Prompt as an administrator, press the Windows + R keys, type in cmd, and press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER.

To execute the command, copy and press the Enter key. Please include the full name of the file along the path. Please replace "X" with the letter of the drive where the file is located. The command is rd /s?X:~adfolderpath.

The Output "Operation Successful" should be generated. If it doesn't work, check whether you have provided the correct path of the file. If it doesn't solve the problem, try some of the other suggestions below.

2. How to Edit Command Prompt Rename the Folder and Work with It on a Daily Basis

The solution might be the renaming of that faulty folder, using Command Prompt. Windows has difficulties sometimes when accessing or deleting files or folders using File Explorer since some of the characters may be invalid, or their names may be too long. You are able to shorten the file name with the help of Command Prompt and make it friendlier to Windows.

To access as an administrator, press Windows + R, type in cmd, and press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER.

Using the syntax C:Folder1Folder2Folder3, navigate to the folder where the corrupted file is located. Type in cd. Please exclude the faulty file: filename: "C:Folder1Folder2Folder2"

Execute the following commands by hitting the Enter key. Press Enter on each of the following, one per line:Hello there! RENAME EXIT the name of the file

Leave a space between the new and current name, without brackets. You can, if everything went right, double-click and open the file as usual under Windows Explorer now.

3. Conventional File Type

Without an extension, Windows may have problems knowing how to identify and process the file. Locating and deleting these files will avoid problems that occur due to missing information from file types. Partially completed jobs or application errors frequently leave these types of files behind.

Open the Command Prompt as an administrator by pressing Windows + R, typing cmd, and then pressing CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER. Create Administrator Privileges in Command Prompt

Run Command Prompt and, using cd, get to the folder containing the 'problematic' file using the form: C:Folder1Folder2Folder3 - make sure to enter the folder paths carefully.

With Enter pressed, remove that offending file with this command: del *.*

Confirm, via File Explorer, if that file has been removed.

4. Archiving as Workaround

To change the way Windows handles the file, put it in a ZIP archive using a utility such as WinRAR or 7-Zip. Once it's in the archive, you can select and delete the original using the archive manager. This way, the system will be able to delete the file without errors even if the pathnames are quite long or there are corrupted data.

Click here to get WinRAR.

First, identify where in your computer file system the errant folder or file exists using File Explorer. Right-click on it, select "Add to archive".

Now, in the options window for archiving, select the option saying "Delete files after archiving". Click OK to begin the process of archiving, and this should delete your faulty file once it completes.

Right-click on the archive you created and select "Delete" from the menu that pops up.

By doing so, this will, with a little more context, move one further toward troubleshooting this "Could not find this item" issue.