'Flutter cannot delete build folder when flutter clean is executed

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.

Solution 1:^[1]

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.

Solution 2:^[2]

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

Thank me later.. :)

Solution 3:^[3]

If you are using Android Studio then just go to

File->Invalidate Caches / Restart

Solution 4:^[4]

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..)

Solution 5:^[5]

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.

Solution 6:^[6]

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

Solution 7:^[7]

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

Solution 8:^[8]

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.

Solution 9:^[9]

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

Solution 10:^[10]

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

Solution 11:^[11]

kill OpenJDK instance from task manager

Solution 12:^[12]

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

Solution 13:^[13]

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.

Sources

This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Overflow and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Source: Stack Overflow

Solution	Source
Solution 1	imssurya
Solution 2	Talha Shahab
Solution 3	Abdul Rauf
Solution 4	EngineerDanny
Solution 5
Solution 6	evan
Solution 7	McWally
Solution 8	aihamhasan
Solution 9
Solution 10	King Alawaka
Solution 11	Hamza Abdullah
Solution 12	Sanket Shah
Solution 13

'Flutter cannot delete build folder when flutter clean is executed

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