Flutter cannot delete build folder when flutter clean is executed

Question

Whenever I try to clean my flutter project by using the command flutter clean I get an error saying

Failed to remove build. A program may still be using a file in the directory or the directory itself. To find and stop such a program, see:
https://superuser.com/questions/1333118/cant-delete-empty-folder-because-it-is-used

I can understand that there is some directory opened and it has to closes in order to clean. But I cannot understand which one is it. I tried restarting my computer to resolve this issue. But still when I run the command flutter clean I get the error.

in your flutter project, try `rm -rf build` otherwise `flutter build clean`? — EvOlaNdLuPiZ, Dec 28 '19 at 12:12
both these commands doesnt work, im using windows. Also, when i press ```flutter build clean``` i get ```Could not find a subcommand named "clean" for "flutter build".``` — Jithin Palepu, Dec 28 '19 at 14:02

score 24 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 05 '20 at 16:24

24

If you moved your project folder to another place then just **delete** your "build" folder and

flutter clean

and

flutter pub get

you will be fine:) Cheers.

answered Sep 05 '20 at 16:24

imssurya

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is there an explanation as to why flutter can not delete the build folder in this scenario ? – mister_cool_beans May 05 '22 at 15:55

score 8 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 09 '20 at 09:04

8

If you are using Android Studio then just go to

File->Invalidate Caches / Restart

answered Jun 09 '20 at 09:04

Abdul Rauf

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5

score 7 · Answer 3 · answered May 05 '20 at 17:16

7

Simply run your cmd as administrator then run the command. As simple as that.

Thank me later.. :)

answered May 05 '20 at 17:16

Talha Shahab

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1
5

4

It's not as simple as that, that will not solve this. – JohnnyQ Mar 26 '22 at 12:10
1

Failed to remove build. A program may still be using a file in the directory or the directory itself. – Saayeed M Daawoud Oct 10 '22 at 11:47

score 5 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 02 '20 at 02:11

5

The answer is found in the link u were sent to go to which was https://superuser.com/questions/1333118/cant-delete-empty-folder-because-it-is-used

Apparently, you need to download Microsoft's Process Explorer to help you figure out which program is that.

It will let you know which app is handling that folder and you will also be able to kill that handle.

Find -> Find handle -> search for folder's name (will take a while..)

answered Jan 02 '20 at 02:11

EngineerDanny

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2

What folder name do you need to search? – sangmin park Jan 09 '20 at 15:56
You navigate to the folder you are try to delete. When you have it open you search for the exact name of the folder, eg. FolderName2 or ThisIsMyProjectFolder. – Stefan Thomas Isaia Jul 08 '20 at 21:24

Chamod Dissanayake · Answer 5 · 2021-06-04T18:31:39.047

3

Try to delete build folder manually. If it shows using a file in the directory error then identify the process and kill or simply restart machine.

Then run flutter clean and flutter pub get

Additionally try invalidate cache in IDE.

edited Jun 04 '21 at 18:31

answered Jun 04 '21 at 17:52

Chamod Dissanayake

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score 2 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 27 '20 at 23:10

2

Shut down any instances of openJDK or java in task manager, than run it within a cmd window with admin privileges.

answered Dec 27 '20 at 23:10

evan

61
1
11

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Mar 26 '21 at 09:13

2

If it all fails, just restart the computer and you can start from where you left.

answered Mar 26 '21 at 09:13

McWally

217
2
5

this is the only one that worked for me, thanks – Ziyad Mansy May 22 '21 at 11:50

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 05 '21 at 06:04

Go to Task Manager
search for any Flutter Application running in the Background process, click and End Task
Run flutter clean in IDE

The Reason was Flutter Clean cant delete the build while the Application is still running in the Background process, u have to close it and run.

Maruf Hassan · Answer 9 · 2020-11-12T14:09:23.637

0

Close your IDE.
Open cmd as administrator by right clicking on Start icon.
Change the directory from C:\Windows\system32> to your flutter directory.
Then run flutter clean

edited Nov 12 '20 at 14:09

answered Nov 10 '20 at 13:41

Maruf Hassan

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score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Feb 25 '21 at 02:00

0

I tried all of the above solutions and the following order worked for me.

Open Task Manager and end any java(JDK) related processes.
Android studio File -> Invalidate Caches / Restart
Once restart the IDE pub get

answered Feb 25 '21 at 02:00

King Alawaka

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score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Sep 07 '21 at 03:28

0

kill OpenJDK instance from task manager

answered Sep 07 '21 at 03:28

Hamza Abdullah

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score 0 · Answer 12 · edited May 09 '22 at 20:42

0

I had that issue before;

Quit vscode or android studio (whichever you're using) and follow the below steps

Open the command line (CMD) as administrator
Go to the root directory of the project.
run flutter clean command

edited May 09 '22 at 20:42

Sanket Shah

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answered May 09 '22 at 09:59

George Shomali

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score 0 · Answer 13 · answered Aug 20 '22 at 04:33

0

flutter lib folder and all dart file major red lines in vscode so use this two commands flutter clean and flutter pub get it's work but if your error android folder then you use other way to solve the problem

answered Aug 20 '22 at 04:33

Tony Malik

1

score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Oct 04 '22 at 12:06

0

end all the dart processes
delete build folder if not working then also delete .dart-tools, if still not then delete macos\Flutter\ephemera folder

I had to delete all three folder to get out of this

answered Oct 04 '22 at 12:06

Raj dave

1

score 0 · Answer 15 · answered Dec 20 '22 at 10:28

What worked for me:

Restart your PC (some current services block flutter clean)
After restart delete your build folder manually (remove write protection before)
Terminal in VSCode execute this command: flutter clean
Execute this command: flutter pub get
Start your App like always :)

score 0 · Answer 16 · answered Mar 29 '23 at 09:30

0

I had the same problem. before cleaning, just stop the running project, then clean

answered Mar 29 '23 at 09:30

Saminas

1

Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers [in the help center](/help/how-to-answer). – Community Apr 05 '23 at 21:39

score 0 · Answer 17 · answered Aug 17 '23 at 08:19

0

After following the above steps, like closing instances and clean steps, if you still can not delete, May be check is there android studio or emulator or flutter app running...?

answered Aug 17 '23 at 08:19

Siva Krishna Matta

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Lalit Fauzdar · Answer 18 · 2022-04-14T14:05:40.640

-1

I tried every answer from here and then I found out it was my Avast antivirus.

Avast Antivirus (others too maybe) is notorious to block such development activity. You've to add all the SDK and project containing folders in exceptions then it works.

edited Apr 14 '22 at 14:05

answered Nov 18 '21 at 17:19

Lalit Fauzdar

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score -1 · Answer 19 · answered Oct 06 '22 at 02:29

-1

I had the same problem.

What worked for me was stop anti virus program running on my PC

Then flutter clean worked fine.

After that I restated anti virus program.

answered Oct 06 '22 at 02:29

Janaka

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Flutter cannot delete build folder when flutter clean is executed

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