How to Delete Files From Within an Office Program

ID: Q148208

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Office for the Macintosh, versions 4.2, 4.2.1
Microsoft Office for Windows, versions 4.2, 4.3
Microsoft Office for Windows 95, version 7.0
Microsoft Office 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article describes many ways in which you can delete files while you work in any of the Office products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Version 7.0, 7.0a, or 97 Programs

To delete a file, use the following steps:

On the File menu, click Open.

Click the name of the file you want to delete.
- If you want to delete more than one file, press and hold down the CTRL key as you click the file names.
- If you want to delete several files whose names appear in a row, click the first file name you want to delete, then press and hold down the SHIFT key as you click the last file name that you want to delete.

To delete the file or files, use either of the following methods:
- Press the DELETE key.
  
  -or-
- Right-click the file name, and then click Delete. NOTE: This option is not available in Microsoft Windows NT 3.51.

A message appears, asking you to confirm that you want to delete the file(s). Click Yes.

Note: If you are using Word, and you receive the error message

Cannot delete '<file name>'

the file contains a Preview Picture. Choose a different view before you try to delete the file.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q133196 Word 95: Can't Rename or Delete File in File Open

Office version 4.2, 4.3 for Windows and 4.2, 4.2.1 for Macintosh

On the File menu, click Find File. In the Open dialog Box, click Find File.
1. The first time you use Find File, the product you are using displays the Search dialog box. Fill out the Search dialog box with the following information, depending on which operating system you are using.
  - If you are using a Windows program, in the File Name box, type the appropriate extension for the type of file you're looking for:
```
            In this program                   Type this extension
            -----------------------------------------------------
            Word for Windows                                *.doc
            Microsoft Excel for Windows                     *.xl*
            PowerPoint for Windows                          *.ppt
           
```
    -or-
  - If you are using a Macintosh, leave the File Name box blank. Then, click the down arrow in the File Type box and make the appropriate selection:
```
            In this program                      Choose this file type
            ----------------------------------------------------------
            Word for the Macintosh               Word Documents
            Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh    Microsoft Excel Files
            PowerPoint for the Macintosh         Presentations
           
```
2. In the Location box, choose the drive that you want to search.
3. Click OK. These settings will be used the next time you start Find File.

In the Find File dialog box, click the name of the file you want to delete. Note that in PowerPoint version 4.x for Windows and version 4.0 for the Macintosh, you cannot select multiple files.
- If you want to delete more than one file, press and hold down the CTRL key (Windows) or the OPTION key (Macintosh) as you click on the file names.
- If you want to delete several files whose names appear in a row, click the first file name you want to delete, then press and hold down the SHIFT key as you click the last file name that you want to delete.

Use either of the following methods to delete the file or files:
- Press the DELETE key.
  
  -or-
- Click the Commands button, and then click Delete.

A message appears, asking you to confirm that you want to delete the file. Click Yes.

For additional information on selecting multiple files in PowerPoint, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q122962 PowerPoint: Can Only Print One File at a Time in Find File

Additional query words: word6 word7 word95 off97 xl97 word97 winword wordnt ntword winppt macppt 4.00 4.00a 4.00c 5.00 5.00a 5.00c 6.00 6.0.1 6.00a 6.00c 7.00a 8.0 97 remove application kill get rid erase purge expunge discard dele del dispose exterminate


Keywords          : kbinterop xlloadsave 
Version           : MACINTOSH:4,2,4.2.1,4.2.1a,98;WINDOWS:4.2,4.3,7.0,97
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: June 2, 1999